Visiting a new country can be quite intimidating especially when you don't know the language. And thinking of how to get from point A to point B can be a headache when you don't want to spend a fortune. JDL and I always try to learn the country's metro if they have, it saves money, time and gives you a glimpse of how the locals travel.
Upon arriving in Paris, a lot of people opt for car service or taxi because it's so convenient and easy. But it also cost the most. A ride from Charles de Gaulle Airport to the central of Paris can be roughly 50-80 euros (60-100 usd). There's also the bus option which is the cheapest, around 10 euros but only drops you off at certain stations. JDL and I stuck to the train system Paris offered.
If you're traveling to Paris for the first time like I was, this will definitely be useful.
First thing first, there's basically 2 main train systems in Paris. The regular Metro and the RER. The RER is more of a rail (like NYC's LIRR or metronorth) whereas the metro takes you around central Paris. The metro is color and number coded while the RER is color and letter coded. There are 14 main metro lines and 5 main RER lines.
So with that said...
We landed in Terminal 1 at the airport and needed to take the train which was in Terminal 3. Once we've gotten our luggage and headed towards the "exit" we saw signs of where to take the train, it's fairly easy at that point, just follow the directions on the signs. Once we arrived at the "station" we saw ticket vending machines. As Americans, our credit cards did not work so we had to wait on line to buy the tickets from the teller. Language was not a problem here since the tellers were probably approached by many foreigners. The tickets to Central Paris was roughly 9.75 euros per person and the teller even told us which platform it was on. From then on, it was simple. Just wait for the train, hop on and get off at your destination.
The trains and stations are very clean in Paris. Trains can be a bit cramped but the stations are extremely clean. A neat little tid bit I found was when hopping on or off the train, notice the doors. Some have buttons or latches which you need to press or lift in order for the doors to open, while others just open automatically.
Paris is split up into different zones and not any boarding ticket can let you go to whichever zone you want. The regular metro tickets can get you anywhere from zone 1-3 which is basically central Paris. Lets say you want to go to the Palace of Versailles, you can't just use a regular metro ticket, you would have to buy the RER ticket instead which cost a bit more but lets you go to zone 4 which is where the palace is.
Let me put it this way. If you were planning to go Versailles, don't try to buy your tickets in advance because the cost of the ticket is different from each station (the price is determined from the distance of travel hence the price difference from each station). If you know which station you are leaving from, then go ahead and use the machine to purchase your ticket from that station. You can enter your destination into the machine and it will calculate the amount you need to pay and spit out a ticket for you. For the rail aka RER, remember to not throw the tickets away after using it to go through the turnstile, you might just need it to exit the platform later.
A very useful website which I had use prior to the trip is from Feels Like Home In Paris.
Showing posts with label November. Show all posts
Showing posts with label November. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Thanksgiving in Paris
Paris is a beautiful place to be, any time of year, period.
JDL and I decided to head to Paris during Thanksgiving, we were overdue for this trip since last year. The reason we chose Thanksgiving was because we knew Paris didn't celebrate it and we weren't exactly tied down to celebrate this holiday.
I have to admit, Paris was intimidating at first. But with the right amount research we did and landing in Paris with an open-mind, we had a great time. Things worked out when we thought it didn't. This trip was definitely one of those trip in which we came back learning a lot and it broaden our knowledge about traveling abroad.
To be honest, for our first trip to Paris, JDL and I really tried to fit a lot in our schedule. We tried to hit a good amount of tourist spots (because they're a must see if you're in Paris). We tried to visit and eat all the "must eats" in Paris. Even though a week might sound like a lot of time, we weren't able to cover everything because Paris is just that big. With all the traveling, our main source of transportation was the Metro. And if you can master NYC subway maps, Paris's Metro should be slightly simpler to handle minus the language barrier.
Things I've experienced and want to share:
1) The streets and roads in Paris are confusing. They don't have street signs in the middle or corner of the street, but it's actually embedded into the side of the building on every corner. They also have a lot of intersected corners, barely any parallel streets.
2) Make sure to make reservations for restaurants you want to eat at, especially those Michelin and more well-known ones. There's a couple of restaurants which JDL and I walked into that only took reservations, no walk-ins.
3) Make a note when you're on the train if you need to press a button or turn a latch to exit or climb on the train, don't just stand there and expect the train doors to open, they're all different.
Paris through our eyes...
I'll be doing separate posts on what I learned in Paris and hopefully it would be a helpful reference for those that are interested and thinking of traveling there.
Metro in Paris. Tickets, trains, tram traveling.
Food in Paris.
Tourist Spots and Paris Pass.
Shopping and VAT Refund.
Love,
LN
JDL and I decided to head to Paris during Thanksgiving, we were overdue for this trip since last year. The reason we chose Thanksgiving was because we knew Paris didn't celebrate it and we weren't exactly tied down to celebrate this holiday.
I have to admit, Paris was intimidating at first. But with the right amount research we did and landing in Paris with an open-mind, we had a great time. Things worked out when we thought it didn't. This trip was definitely one of those trip in which we came back learning a lot and it broaden our knowledge about traveling abroad.
-------
To be honest, for our first trip to Paris, JDL and I really tried to fit a lot in our schedule. We tried to hit a good amount of tourist spots (because they're a must see if you're in Paris). We tried to visit and eat all the "must eats" in Paris. Even though a week might sound like a lot of time, we weren't able to cover everything because Paris is just that big. With all the traveling, our main source of transportation was the Metro. And if you can master NYC subway maps, Paris's Metro should be slightly simpler to handle minus the language barrier.
Things I've experienced and want to share:
1) The streets and roads in Paris are confusing. They don't have street signs in the middle or corner of the street, but it's actually embedded into the side of the building on every corner. They also have a lot of intersected corners, barely any parallel streets.
2) Make sure to make reservations for restaurants you want to eat at, especially those Michelin and more well-known ones. There's a couple of restaurants which JDL and I walked into that only took reservations, no walk-ins.
3) Make a note when you're on the train if you need to press a button or turn a latch to exit or climb on the train, don't just stand there and expect the train doors to open, they're all different.
Paris through our eyes...
I'll be doing separate posts on what I learned in Paris and hopefully it would be a helpful reference for those that are interested and thinking of traveling there.
Metro in Paris. Tickets, trains, tram traveling.
Food in Paris.
Tourist Spots and Paris Pass.
Shopping and VAT Refund.
Love,
LN
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Shades of Grey
As Thanksgiving is inching closer, I have really been laid back. No stress about getting turkey or inviting relatives over because my aunts are planning the entire thing this year. It feels quite great to be so carefree, especially when I took the whole week off from work also.
I've been lounging around at home and doing absolutely nothing except watching some movies and knitting (it's actually quite relaxing and a great gift to give during Christmas!).
The weather in NYC is crazy. Going to be raining the next two days and then Thanksgiving day is going to be blistering cold, including Black Friday. So, the outfit below pretty much fits the mood. Btw, have you guys already planned out your Friday shopping strategies?
Loft 3/4 Sleeve Pima Cotton Cardigan (different print) // Express Graphic Tee - Diamonds // DailyLook Hot Hue Skinnies (similar here and here) // Comfort Plus Janine Pointy Toe Pump // Express Foiled Mixed Animal Print Infinity Scarf
Love,
LN
I've been lounging around at home and doing absolutely nothing except watching some movies and knitting (it's actually quite relaxing and a great gift to give during Christmas!).
The weather in NYC is crazy. Going to be raining the next two days and then Thanksgiving day is going to be blistering cold, including Black Friday. So, the outfit below pretty much fits the mood. Btw, have you guys already planned out your Friday shopping strategies?
Loft 3/4 Sleeve Pima Cotton Cardigan (different print) // Express Graphic Tee - Diamonds // DailyLook Hot Hue Skinnies (similar here and here) // Comfort Plus Janine Pointy Toe Pump // Express Foiled Mixed Animal Print Infinity Scarf
LN
Monday, November 18, 2013
Burgundy and Brown
I find myself reaching for sweater-dresses as the weather gets colder. It's an easy piece to put together while feeling warm and feminine. I'm also glad that H&M decided to add a couple of more different sweater-dresses to their collection, inexpensive and stylish.
H&M Turtleneck Sweater // Loft Textured Herringbone Ribbed Tights // Bandolino Calliope Riding Boot // Express Braided Belt (similar here and here)
Love,
LN
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
Deep Dulls for Colder Days
The weather has been pretty crazy lately. Extremely warm and beautiful one day, blistering cold winds the other. I'm still a bit sick and this bipolar weather really isn't helping much.
JDL and I decided to take it easy this past Saturday. We were going to run some errands in the city and relax at the same time. Yea, I know it's quite hard to do that especially when you're surrounded by busy New Yorkers.
While we were mellowing it out Saturday, Friday was fun also. We got to try this new wine bar near his workplace. It was cute and we love the vibe. Vitis La Vineria was ran by 2 ladies and they sure made it work. It wasn't too busy or crowded which is a plus. JDL and I had 3 glasses each which included a glass of champagne on-the-house, so bubbly!
After that, we grabbed a late night bite at Yakiniku West. Love me some barbeque even though I reek of fumes and smoke afterwards. Might I add, it was a bit tough getting in and out of my seat since it's the Japanese "sink-hole" seats. You have to remove your shoes at the door, which then the waiter leads you to the dining area with cushions on the floor. Very comfortable.
Trenches I've been starting to fancy, it would be a nice time now to start looking for one when Spring comes.
Love,
LN
JDL and I decided to take it easy this past Saturday. We were going to run some errands in the city and relax at the same time. Yea, I know it's quite hard to do that especially when you're surrounded by busy New Yorkers.
Top: Express
Skirt: Loft
Necklace: Express
Tights: Uniqlo
While we were mellowing it out Saturday, Friday was fun also. We got to try this new wine bar near his workplace. It was cute and we love the vibe. Vitis La Vineria was ran by 2 ladies and they sure made it work. It wasn't too busy or crowded which is a plus. JDL and I had 3 glasses each which included a glass of champagne on-the-house, so bubbly!
After that, we grabbed a late night bite at Yakiniku West. Love me some barbeque even though I reek of fumes and smoke afterwards. Might I add, it was a bit tough getting in and out of my seat since it's the Japanese "sink-hole" seats. You have to remove your shoes at the door, which then the waiter leads you to the dining area with cushions on the floor. Very comfortable.
Trenches I've been starting to fancy, it would be a nice time now to start looking for one when Spring comes.
Love,
LN
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Montreal - Last Day
The end has come but it's not the last of it
Felt so surreal when we woke up on our last day in Montreal. And to think we only arrive to Montreal just 5 days ago, time sure does go by quick when you're having fun. Before our trip, I told J that the last day will be the day where we decide which place we want to head back to have their food again. I bet you all thought it would be Frite Alors... but you'll see.
J went down to get us our last hotel breakfast. It was nice, breakfast in bed. I'm going to miss this kind of treatment from the boyfriend.
I really liked their waffles and J likes the toast. Simple breakfast, something to keep our tummy happy before heading to our final stop.
Our room cards. I didn't realize there was a map on the card all along. Boy, wouldn't that make it easier for us to find the hotel when we were walking like crazy the first two days.
The amount of metro-cards we bought. If we were well prepared then we would've only gotten the 3-day pass with a 1 day rather than pay for all the single rides. We learned out lesson, must do research and be extra prepared next time wherever we go!
After the quick breakfast, we packed everything we need and checked out of the hotel a little before 12pm.
Took the metro to our favorite restaurant in Montreal, Papillon.
It's official, we love this place. Whether it's the fabulous escargot they make or the great service, we love it. The restaurant wasn't pack, as a matter of fact we were the only customers for lunch. You might think that's crazy but that's how Montreal roll. A lot of restaurants barely have people in there and it became the norm for us.
Instead of coffee, we both had Earl Grey tea. J made milk tea with his but I like mine plain.
Greek Salad. I tried avoiding the olives like crazy. Overall, a good salad.
We both forgot what this soup was, but it tasted soooo good. This is why I hate it when J always picks the better dishes. UGHHHH... I want to kick him.
I had the salmon which was cooked perfectly. The vegetables were quite amazing also, I usually don't like the accompany vegetables because they taste bland, like they just boiled it. But for Papillon, they actually sauteed it and gave it some flavor. Man, I love the French!
J's braised rabbit. He loved it. I liked it also but that maple sauce was a tad bit weird for me. And why did he have more mushrooms than meee???
We also ordered the escargot, but since I already had so many pictures of that I didn't bother retaking it. Our last meal in Montreal was lovely. We had window seats and the restaurant was quiet enough for us to enjoy our food and chit chat before we had to head to the airport.
Montreal is beautiful in its own aspects. I'm glad I got the chance to really explore what Montreal had to offer again with the boyfriend. I definitely seeing myself coming back, either for the escargot or the poutine.
When we were done with our meal, we lugged our baggage to the train station and took the metro to the airport. It's so much easier and simpler than NYC. There was a bus that ran directly to the airport, so we caught that bus and held hands thinking about the great times we had in Montreal.
Felt so surreal when we woke up on our last day in Montreal. And to think we only arrive to Montreal just 5 days ago, time sure does go by quick when you're having fun. Before our trip, I told J that the last day will be the day where we decide which place we want to head back to have their food again. I bet you all thought it would be Frite Alors... but you'll see.
J went down to get us our last hotel breakfast. It was nice, breakfast in bed. I'm going to miss this kind of treatment from the boyfriend.
I really liked their waffles and J likes the toast. Simple breakfast, something to keep our tummy happy before heading to our final stop.
Our room cards. I didn't realize there was a map on the card all along. Boy, wouldn't that make it easier for us to find the hotel when we were walking like crazy the first two days.
The amount of metro-cards we bought. If we were well prepared then we would've only gotten the 3-day pass with a 1 day rather than pay for all the single rides. We learned out lesson, must do research and be extra prepared next time wherever we go!
After the quick breakfast, we packed everything we need and checked out of the hotel a little before 12pm.
Took the metro to our favorite restaurant in Montreal, Papillon.
It's official, we love this place. Whether it's the fabulous escargot they make or the great service, we love it. The restaurant wasn't pack, as a matter of fact we were the only customers for lunch. You might think that's crazy but that's how Montreal roll. A lot of restaurants barely have people in there and it became the norm for us.
Instead of coffee, we both had Earl Grey tea. J made milk tea with his but I like mine plain.
Greek Salad. I tried avoiding the olives like crazy. Overall, a good salad.
We both forgot what this soup was, but it tasted soooo good. This is why I hate it when J always picks the better dishes. UGHHHH... I want to kick him.
I had the salmon which was cooked perfectly. The vegetables were quite amazing also, I usually don't like the accompany vegetables because they taste bland, like they just boiled it. But for Papillon, they actually sauteed it and gave it some flavor. Man, I love the French!
J's braised rabbit. He loved it. I liked it also but that maple sauce was a tad bit weird for me. And why did he have more mushrooms than meee???
We also ordered the escargot, but since I already had so many pictures of that I didn't bother retaking it. Our last meal in Montreal was lovely. We had window seats and the restaurant was quiet enough for us to enjoy our food and chit chat before we had to head to the airport.
Montreal is beautiful in its own aspects. I'm glad I got the chance to really explore what Montreal had to offer again with the boyfriend. I definitely seeing myself coming back, either for the escargot or the poutine.
When we were done with our meal, we lugged our baggage to the train station and took the metro to the airport. It's so much easier and simpler than NYC. There was a bus that ran directly to the airport, so we caught that bus and held hands thinking about the great times we had in Montreal.
Some silly pictures on the bus before heading home.
And the next thing we knew...
We're back at JFK waiting to head home.
This trip was definitely one of those test. It's a lot different than our trip to Cancun where everything was handed to us and we didn't have to go anywhere for anything before it was just so convenient. In Montreal, we had to travel around in the city hoping that our directional skills will take us to our destine places. J and I did argue during this trip, it's totally normal even though I wished we didn't. After this trip, I'm sure we can tackle any other trips since we already had a language barrier here which was French. I'm looking forward to our future trips which I'm sure would be a lot more challenging and fun.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Montreal - Day 4
Appreciating the simple things in life
Our last full day in Montreal. J and I definitely got that sad achy feeling since we didn't want the trip to end, but everything has to come to end.
Our balcony view. It's nice waking up knowing we had a balcony which we didn't use since it was mighty chilly out. Not the best balcony view but it comes in handy when you rent or have a car parked in the lot.
I wanted to go to Jean-Talon Market. Ever since watching Bizarre Food and No Reservations, I always wanted to visit the market of each place/city I go to just to have a little taste of actually being a local. J suggested we go on a Monday since a lot of the restaurants and museums are closed on Monday. The market was pretty big. We were so indecisive about lunch that we practically made 3 entire loops of the inside and outside of the market.
Pretty empty huh? Can't expect much since it was around noon on a Monday. We finally settled down and ordered some food.
Salami sandwich. Simple yet tasty. It's all about quality, not quantity. I liked how the person behind the counter that took our order told us to sit down and that he'll bring us the food. Sort of not use to that kind of behavior.
J got a meat pie and some wings. The meat pie was pretty good but we both wished that it came with a little gravy cause it was getting a bit dry as we continue eating. But one thing, the meat pie was flavored quite well. The wings looked mouthwatering, but it was a bit dry.
Our half full apple juice that tasted extremely fresh. Looks dark and heavy but the flavor was just pure apple and that was truly fresh, I could drink this all day long. While in Montreal, Naya was our go-to water bottle that kept us hydrated.
Stopped by a pastry shop and bought 2 little things plus this tiramisu ice cream. It was good, nice and creamy with tiramisu flavor. Now if only all ice cream came like that.
Our last full day in Montreal. J and I definitely got that sad achy feeling since we didn't want the trip to end, but everything has to come to end.
Our balcony view. It's nice waking up knowing we had a balcony which we didn't use since it was mighty chilly out. Not the best balcony view but it comes in handy when you rent or have a car parked in the lot.
I wanted to go to Jean-Talon Market. Ever since watching Bizarre Food and No Reservations, I always wanted to visit the market of each place/city I go to just to have a little taste of actually being a local. J suggested we go on a Monday since a lot of the restaurants and museums are closed on Monday. The market was pretty big. We were so indecisive about lunch that we practically made 3 entire loops of the inside and outside of the market.
Pretty empty huh? Can't expect much since it was around noon on a Monday. We finally settled down and ordered some food.
Salami sandwich. Simple yet tasty. It's all about quality, not quantity. I liked how the person behind the counter that took our order told us to sit down and that he'll bring us the food. Sort of not use to that kind of behavior.
J got a meat pie and some wings. The meat pie was pretty good but we both wished that it came with a little gravy cause it was getting a bit dry as we continue eating. But one thing, the meat pie was flavored quite well. The wings looked mouthwatering, but it was a bit dry.
Our half full apple juice that tasted extremely fresh. Looks dark and heavy but the flavor was just pure apple and that was truly fresh, I could drink this all day long. While in Montreal, Naya was our go-to water bottle that kept us hydrated.
Stopped by a pastry shop and bought 2 little things plus this tiramisu ice cream. It was good, nice and creamy with tiramisu flavor. Now if only all ice cream came like that.
The market was really colorful. There were so many fresh fruits and vegetables. There were some stalls that had samples for you to try before deciding if you want to buy anything. I ended up getting some blueberries because they were fresh and I didn't even spot one bad one in the bunch, plus I love blueberries. J bought some cherry tomatoes, they were so plump!
After the market we decided to head back to the hotel but before going back there, we wanted to stop by the supermarket to get some steak for dinner. Since we had a full kitchen in our hotel room, we wanted to use it before out trip ended. Back at the hotel, we were just enjoying our evening with watching TV and being lazy.
I nearly forgot about this...
Tim Hortons! How can our trip be fulfilled if we didn't get any Tim Hortons?! The best part was they had the French Vanilla Cappuccino for only $1 and because I saw munchkins somewhere (I don't remember where) I had J get me some also. Boy, I was feeling so spoiled since he went out and I stayed in the hotel. He came back and told me everything cost around $3ish. I was like - really? Are you sure? Dammm
Great deal! He got 10 little donuts which Montreal-ers call Timbits. How adorable! They're frankly quite good. I would choose these over Dunkin' Donuts any time because they weren't overly sweet. Plus, the chocolate one was amazing. Oh, and they had a strawberry one! I wonder if the Tim Hortons in the states would taste the same as Montreal.
So content with our snack.
Finally, dinner time. J was the chef tonight. I was just too lazy and he seems confident enough to cook up some foie gras and steak.
It looked like a big piece when it was raw but once cooked, the foie decrease in size magnificently. I have no problem with it since I'm not a crazy foie gras person. I gave most of it to J since he loves this stuff.
Steak for two and only $4.84.
The boyfriend at work! Looking quite pro there. Food always taste better when the person you love cooks it.
Our feast for our last night in Montreal. I wouldn't have spent it any other way. I had the best dinner ever and nothing would have been better than this. A meal that was cooked by J, everything we picked up together. It just seemed perfect.
It was hard to believe that we would be leaving the next day. Everything happened so fast. We tried to cherish our last hours of the night together. Nothing better to end the night with than Ice Cider, something new.
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