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 trip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trip. 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
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Being home for 2014
The last couple of remaining days of 2013, JDL and I decided to spend it together but not in NYC. There were so many places up in the air for us to go to but in the end, we chose to go back to Pennsylvania. We spent 2 days in the city and 2 days in the Amish countryside at a bed and breakfast.
This small getaway was for us to unwind and relax before facing 2014. We took it nice and slow to try and enjoy each other's company. We revisited old place and found new places we like, nothing better than spending time with the person you love.
For New Year's Eve, we stayed at Candlelight Inn in Ronks, Pennsylvania. A beautiful house owned and ran by a sweet middle-age couple. The rooms were beautiful, especially when you have your own private jacuzzi. A place I would definitely recommend and most definitely come back if given the opportunity.
As for 2014, I'm thankful that 2013 was actually better than I thought. I hope 2014 would be just as great or even better. I already know 2014 is going to be a tough year but you can always find something great in something that's bad. Happy New Year everyone!
Love,
LN
This small getaway was for us to unwind and relax before facing 2014. We took it nice and slow to try and enjoy each other's company. We revisited old place and found new places we like, nothing better than spending time with the person you love.
For New Year's Eve, we stayed at Candlelight Inn in Ronks, Pennsylvania. A beautiful house owned and ran by a sweet middle-age couple. The rooms were beautiful, especially when you have your own private jacuzzi. A place I would definitely recommend and most definitely come back if given the opportunity.
As for 2014, I'm thankful that 2013 was actually better than I thought. I hope 2014 would be just as great or even better. I already know 2014 is going to be a tough year but you can always find something great in something that's bad. Happy New Year everyone!
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| Zavino 112 S 13 Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 |
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| Oyster House 1516 Samson Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 |
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| Yummy Yummy 52 N 10th Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 |
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| Swiss Haus Bakery 35 S 19th Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
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| Candlelight Inn Bed & Breakfast 2574 Lincoln Highway E Ronks, PA 17572 |
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| Kitchen Kettle Village 3259 Old Philadelphia Pike Intercourse, PA 17534 |
Love,
LN
Monday, July 15, 2013
Philadelphia - within a year and we're back :: Day 2&3 of 3
Day 2 in Philly included a lot of walking. The weather started to get a lot better the second day we were there so we took this opportunity to explore the area a bit.
Susan, J and I grabbed brunch first. We got a bit lost since the road in actuality wasn't the same as the maps we were using. Eventually we got there, Cafe Lift was on a deserted block which was weird because inside was so lively.
The food here was amazing, and so was the coffee - might I add it's refillable coffee. The Chicken Crespelle was the best out of all we ordered, the truffle oil along with the chicken and mushroom was so bomb. Susan had Jen's Crespelle which was a regular crepe with egg, sausage, cheese and was given syrup to finish it up with. I had the Prosciutto Panini, wasn't in a mood for something breakfast-y but wanted something light, like a sandwich. Nevertheless, it was still a really good meal.
After such an awesome meal, we really need to walk it off. Even though it didn't seem like much, we felt uber fat, especially from what we had the day before.
Since we weren't able to go to Mutter Museum the previously day, we were determined to go today. It was a far walk but it was such a beautiful day out and we really needed the exercise.
As we walked, we stopped by some places and took random photos.
Especially some silly photos. We were at a square that had these ginormous pieces of board games, remember sorry? chess? monopoly? yea, those pieces.
My poser! He didn't even realize I took a photo...haha skills!
But seriously, the streets were quite empty and clean. I barely see any garbage cans in the streets. Finding one was like finding Waldo, and when I finally found one the can is full to the brim...talk about luck.
We finally go to the Mutter Museum and spent a good 2-3 hours there. None of us thought we actually took that long because the museum was small, 2 floors. But, it was packed with information that was bizarre and had different oddities. It's definitely not for people with a weak stomach because some of the exhibits were really graphic. It was a good educational portion of this trip.
The next thing we knew, it was time for dinner! But we needed to kill some time first and ended up at a speakeasy, The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.
Really dim and laid back, but there was something missing from here that I couldn't get my hands on. It was different than New York's speakeasies, maybe I just prefer NYC more.
After a drink here, we took another walk to get to our dinner spot which had us meet up with Samantha and her cousin.
Acting silly while waiting for my food. We ended up at a wine bar which I wasn't that fond of, Vintage Wine Bar.
Susan got a latte, she said it was really good. She's a crazy coffee addict so I'll take her word for it since she's such a pro.
The food wasn't so crazy. I didn't participate in the cheese platter since I'm not a fond of cheese at all. Escargot was quite good, really like how it's still in its shell. Both entrees were so great, Grilled Steak was bland and the Linguine Carbonara lacked flavor.
J and I ended up back at the hotel after this and enjoyed some more wine. We were exhausted after so much walking.
We started the next day a bit slower since it was our last day. Samantha and her cousin decide to take us all to Sabrina's Cafe, another well-known brunch spot in Philly. Out of the 3 days we were there, the 3rd day was the hottest. Walking in the sun was torture.
Even though they made reservations, we still had to wait a good 30-45 minutes for a table.
J and I were the only ones that got our coffee in a stein, interesting. The choices on the menu didn't appeal to me much. I end up getting the Egg White Omelette with artichoke and mushrooms, J had the Huevos Rancheros which did not appeal to me at all. The plates were huge but I didn't think the food actually delivered. It was just meh to me.
Philly this time around was different and interesting. There will be another trip very soon to Philly again. We really need to jump this time!
Susan, J and I grabbed brunch first. We got a bit lost since the road in actuality wasn't the same as the maps we were using. Eventually we got there, Cafe Lift was on a deserted block which was weird because inside was so lively.
The food here was amazing, and so was the coffee - might I add it's refillable coffee. The Chicken Crespelle was the best out of all we ordered, the truffle oil along with the chicken and mushroom was so bomb. Susan had Jen's Crespelle which was a regular crepe with egg, sausage, cheese and was given syrup to finish it up with. I had the Prosciutto Panini, wasn't in a mood for something breakfast-y but wanted something light, like a sandwich. Nevertheless, it was still a really good meal.
After such an awesome meal, we really need to walk it off. Even though it didn't seem like much, we felt uber fat, especially from what we had the day before.
Since we weren't able to go to Mutter Museum the previously day, we were determined to go today. It was a far walk but it was such a beautiful day out and we really needed the exercise.
As we walked, we stopped by some places and took random photos.
Especially some silly photos. We were at a square that had these ginormous pieces of board games, remember sorry? chess? monopoly? yea, those pieces.
My poser! He didn't even realize I took a photo...haha skills!
But seriously, the streets were quite empty and clean. I barely see any garbage cans in the streets. Finding one was like finding Waldo, and when I finally found one the can is full to the brim...talk about luck.
We finally go to the Mutter Museum and spent a good 2-3 hours there. None of us thought we actually took that long because the museum was small, 2 floors. But, it was packed with information that was bizarre and had different oddities. It's definitely not for people with a weak stomach because some of the exhibits were really graphic. It was a good educational portion of this trip.
The next thing we knew, it was time for dinner! But we needed to kill some time first and ended up at a speakeasy, The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.
Really dim and laid back, but there was something missing from here that I couldn't get my hands on. It was different than New York's speakeasies, maybe I just prefer NYC more.
After a drink here, we took another walk to get to our dinner spot which had us meet up with Samantha and her cousin.
Acting silly while waiting for my food. We ended up at a wine bar which I wasn't that fond of, Vintage Wine Bar.
Susan got a latte, she said it was really good. She's a crazy coffee addict so I'll take her word for it since she's such a pro.
The food wasn't so crazy. I didn't participate in the cheese platter since I'm not a fond of cheese at all. Escargot was quite good, really like how it's still in its shell. Both entrees were so great, Grilled Steak was bland and the Linguine Carbonara lacked flavor.
J and I ended up back at the hotel after this and enjoyed some more wine. We were exhausted after so much walking.
We started the next day a bit slower since it was our last day. Samantha and her cousin decide to take us all to Sabrina's Cafe, another well-known brunch spot in Philly. Out of the 3 days we were there, the 3rd day was the hottest. Walking in the sun was torture.
Even though they made reservations, we still had to wait a good 30-45 minutes for a table.
J and I were the only ones that got our coffee in a stein, interesting. The choices on the menu didn't appeal to me much. I end up getting the Egg White Omelette with artichoke and mushrooms, J had the Huevos Rancheros which did not appeal to me at all. The plates were huge but I didn't think the food actually delivered. It was just meh to me.
Philly this time around was different and interesting. There will be another trip very soon to Philly again. We really need to jump this time!
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Philadelphia - within a year and we're back :: Day 1 of 3
My boyfriend, 2 other friends and I were actually planning to go Philly to skydive. We already had our tickets and even reserve a time to jump. But somehow it poured on the day of our jump and we had to reschedule it. Meaning, there will be another Philly trip sometime very soon.
This is actually the second time I visited Philly with my boyfriend, J. Our other friends, Susan and Samantha, not too sure about their standings on Philly. J and I knew there were some places we had to visit again, and when I say places, I basically mean food.
When we knew our jump was cancelled, we had to turn our car around and head back to Center City Philly. From there, we explored the Reading Terminal. Basically a market which comprise of food, produce, souvenirs and a lot more food!
Our first was the memorable Gator Gumbo. It was a lot spicier this time around, I had J finish it since the gumbo was started to burn. The gator sausage was really good, went extremely well with this dijon mustard they gave us.
And if that wasn't a good enough breakfast, we also got a Roast Pork Sandwich from DiNics. So insanely good, I love the broccoli rabe with the sharp provolone cheese. I never like cheese, but I'm slowly getting converted because of these great pairings.
So, walking around Reading Terminal J and I saw these mouthwatering donuts. It was also National Donut Day when we were there, it was very tempting but we had other donut plans for the day.
After much walking and pretty much satisfied our tummy for the meantime. We left and decided to go to a museum. Not just any museum, but the Mutter Museum. The museum where the most abnormal and oddest anatomy were to happen, graphic and utterly long descriptions. Very educational and also very gruesome, not for the faint of heart so beware. Unfortunately, it was closed on that Friday. Like literally everything was not going our way.
Instead, we drove around. J and I sort of gave Susan a little tour of Philly. Samantha met up with her cousin in which she missed out on the next few things.
Federal Donuts was what I was waiting for. Read up on it on another fellow food blogger and knew it was a must visit. Besides the donuts they also have fried chicken which I failed to take a picture of because I was too busy eating it that night.
The donuts were amazing. Soft and pillowing, tasted almost like a cake. I could probably finish all 3 if I didn't have to share it with J and Susan.
Susan was complaining how we're fattening her up. She's one of a lot of friends of ours that don't understand how we can stay so slim and yet eat so much. I'm sure she's jelly jelly. (Hi Susan, if you're reading this *waves*)
We also took some silly and normal photos while waiting for the deliciously fresh donuts.
See, I told you it was raining. But it didn't stop us from doing all these awesome things.
Haha, Mr. rabbit teeth!
Next stop? Another food spot!
I mean, since we're in Philly, gotta have some cheesesteak!
Definitely waste no time. We went to Geno's. Between Pat's and Geno's I like Geno's better. We could've went to Pat's too but someone was complaining she's too full and she's going to explode soon *ahem*Susan*ahem*
After all this food coma. We headed back to the hotel to rest a bit and get ready for the night.
I wanted to try out Cuba Libre because of Happy Hour they have there. Only thing was, HH happens only at the bar. Not complaining since standing would be a better idea if we're drinking.
We didn't order much to eat, but what J and I ordered were pretty good. The best would be the pork belly on the top right. We focused more on drinking, they have pretty good white sangrias here.
The night ended with us back at the hotel again. Drinking more wine and watching Say Yes to the Dress...happy times.
This is actually the second time I visited Philly with my boyfriend, J. Our other friends, Susan and Samantha, not too sure about their standings on Philly. J and I knew there were some places we had to visit again, and when I say places, I basically mean food.
When we knew our jump was cancelled, we had to turn our car around and head back to Center City Philly. From there, we explored the Reading Terminal. Basically a market which comprise of food, produce, souvenirs and a lot more food!
Our first was the memorable Gator Gumbo. It was a lot spicier this time around, I had J finish it since the gumbo was started to burn. The gator sausage was really good, went extremely well with this dijon mustard they gave us.
And if that wasn't a good enough breakfast, we also got a Roast Pork Sandwich from DiNics. So insanely good, I love the broccoli rabe with the sharp provolone cheese. I never like cheese, but I'm slowly getting converted because of these great pairings.
So, walking around Reading Terminal J and I saw these mouthwatering donuts. It was also National Donut Day when we were there, it was very tempting but we had other donut plans for the day.
After much walking and pretty much satisfied our tummy for the meantime. We left and decided to go to a museum. Not just any museum, but the Mutter Museum. The museum where the most abnormal and oddest anatomy were to happen, graphic and utterly long descriptions. Very educational and also very gruesome, not for the faint of heart so beware. Unfortunately, it was closed on that Friday. Like literally everything was not going our way.
Instead, we drove around. J and I sort of gave Susan a little tour of Philly. Samantha met up with her cousin in which she missed out on the next few things.
Federal Donuts was what I was waiting for. Read up on it on another fellow food blogger and knew it was a must visit. Besides the donuts they also have fried chicken which I failed to take a picture of because I was too busy eating it that night.
The donuts were amazing. Soft and pillowing, tasted almost like a cake. I could probably finish all 3 if I didn't have to share it with J and Susan.
Susan was complaining how we're fattening her up. She's one of a lot of friends of ours that don't understand how we can stay so slim and yet eat so much. I'm sure she's jelly jelly. (Hi Susan, if you're reading this *waves*)
We also took some silly and normal photos while waiting for the deliciously fresh donuts.
See, I told you it was raining. But it didn't stop us from doing all these awesome things.
Haha, Mr. rabbit teeth!
Next stop? Another food spot!
I mean, since we're in Philly, gotta have some cheesesteak!
Definitely waste no time. We went to Geno's. Between Pat's and Geno's I like Geno's better. We could've went to Pat's too but someone was complaining she's too full and she's going to explode soon *ahem*Susan*ahem*
After all this food coma. We headed back to the hotel to rest a bit and get ready for the night.
I wanted to try out Cuba Libre because of Happy Hour they have there. Only thing was, HH happens only at the bar. Not complaining since standing would be a better idea if we're drinking.
We didn't order much to eat, but what J and I ordered were pretty good. The best would be the pork belly on the top right. We focused more on drinking, they have pretty good white sangrias here.
The night ended with us back at the hotel again. Drinking more wine and watching Say Yes to the Dress...happy times.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Maine - peaceful and quiet
So yes, I've realized that the last time I posted was almost about a year ago. I just lost interest in blogging and just wanted to take a break. But now I decided to come back and just document random things that I think is worthy of "show and tell" and also as a reference for myself.
This past weekend I went to Maine with my boyfriend to visit his cousins. We drove a good 7 hours, actually he drove, I can imagine how tired he got. They live about 2 hours away from Portland, Maine; pretty much a small quite town. Everything is accessible by car, you can try to walk but there's absolutely no sidewalk to walk on and not a single sight of a person...only cars. The only people I saw were hitchhikers, pretty creepy.
The food in Maine was good. The seafood was fresh and I've learn to eat Maine steamers, definitely tasty.
This past weekend I went to Maine with my boyfriend to visit his cousins. We drove a good 7 hours, actually he drove, I can imagine how tired he got. They live about 2 hours away from Portland, Maine; pretty much a small quite town. Everything is accessible by car, you can try to walk but there's absolutely no sidewalk to walk on and not a single sight of a person...only cars. The only people I saw were hitchhikers, pretty creepy.
The food in Maine was good. The seafood was fresh and I've learn to eat Maine steamers, definitely tasty.
1. pit-stop at Lobster Landing in Connecticut for the lobster roll
2. one of the service area we stopped to rest, the only moose I saw in Maine
3. my favorite white wine at Massimo's in Maine
4. beautiful cherry blossom artwork at the cousin's house
5. delicious brunch, Chicken Fried Steak is bomb
6. Maine steamers which requires some hard work to eat
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.
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