I got up early and went down to the hotel for another amazing breakfast.
Tip: Make sure when booking your accommodation in Europe to check if breakfast is included. This will save you spending 10 or more Euros a day on breakfast.
Breakfast in the hotel
Some people asked me before I left how I would go eating all my meals alone. It can be a bit daunting going to a restaurant alone. Especially in Paris when every body is in couples. But I found if you have sometime to do you feel less uncomfortable. And honestly its all comes down to the time you go to the restaurant as well.
Tip: If you are freaked out by eating alone the best thing to do is take a map or a guide book and read it or plan your day while you eat your breakfast. Lunch is another meal that can feel awkward but again if you get your guide book or map out and go over what or where you are going next you wont feel so bad.
I got the ladies at the reception to order me a taxi as I thought it would of taken to long to walk to the Lourve. I left just when the sun was rising at about 8:30am and got to the Lourve at 8:40am. And there was allready a massive line waiting out side.
Tip: If you want to avoid lines in any attraction or museum in Paris buy the Paris pass. This will help you skip the lines and work. This pass will also give you a hop on hop off bus tour and a book full of discount vouchers.
You hear about the Lourve all the time but until you see it you do not realise how HUGE it is. I skipped the line and went straight in the door with my pass. When you get inside you can choose which direction you would like to go. They have different exhibitions in each section. I started off by going to the right to see the Mona Lisa smile (or not smile) at me.
The Lourve is amazing and I would recommend if you are going to Paris to go and see it. It took me roughly 20mins to walk to the Mona Lisa from the entrance. And believe me you will know when you find it. You walk into this room with all these amazing paintings on it and you will see this wall infront of you with roughly about an A3 size painting of the Mona Lisa with millions (well maybe not millions) but alot of people around it. There is a painting straight across from the Mona Lisa that takes up the entire wall. If you stand beside it you will only take up and inch of the painting. Realistically if you love seeing art and paintings you could spend hours here. I roughly spent an hour and a half walking around gazing at the beauty.
Look how small the people are compared to the painting on the left hand side
Tip: Pee here. This attraction is guaranteed to have clean toilets. Strange tip I know. But your never sure when you will see another toilet in Paris.
I walked out of the Lourve the way I came in and headed towards the river. Being totally lost I got out my map and began to plan my where I was going to go next.
I ended up walking along the river and going to the Notre Dame. So beautiful. I pretty much walked straight in. It took me about 15mins to walk to the Notre Dame. Before I walked in there were these little bushes out the front with hundreds of sparrows on them. People were feeding them bread and they were landing on them to get the bread.
While you are at the Notre Dame be aware that there will be people trying to scam you out of your money out the front. I walked out of the Notre Dame in a bit of a daze from its beauty and this lady smacked me on the arm. I was a bit baffled by it and turned around to say no. And she smacked me on the arm again and shoved a piece of paper in my face. It looked like a petition. So I said nodded and signed my life away which she was very grateful about. And I've gone to walk away after I signed and she smacked me on the arm again and pointed at the money column. I got out my wallet to give her some coins as I wasnt carrying much money around with me. And I handed her some coins. She started shaking her head and pointing at the note that was in my wallet. By this point I was about ready to smack her in the head after she smacked me so many times. So I gave her my coins and legged it out of there.
Tip: There are alot of scammers, homeless, thefts out there. Some of them work in pairs while one of them gets you to sign the other one might pick pocket your bag. It is ok to say no and be rude and walk away. Some people genuinely need the money which I understand. Be wary and wear your bag to the front of you. Do not keep any valuables in your pockets as they are pro's and you will be an easy target.
I had lunch at the restaurant overly looking the Notre Dame again as it was so fantastic the day before.
And then hopping on the hop on hop off bus and went to the Champ Elysess to catch up with some friends. We caught up and had some hot chocolate and walked along the markets again. I may or may not have got some more macaroons. Yum. Don't judge me I was on holidays
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