Paris, je t'aime

Sacre de coeur at night

It is very common to see demonstrations and riots break out in Paris. Our bus got trapped in the middle of one... go figure!

. Mind-blowing experience.

Le Louvre! I've only read about this place in one of my favourite books The Da Vinci Code and I've only been dreaming about it. No big!!! Even better, the day I went happened to be a French holiday and they waived the admission fee. Note: If you are ever in that big line up to see Mona Lisa, take a few seconds to turn around and look at the 15 feet tall painting by an annonymous painter which, in my opinion, is more impressive.

The best melted chocolate I've ever had! If you are looking for a close-to-Angelina's hot chocolate go to SOMA chocolatierie in the Distillery District in Toronto..

If you know me, I'm the biggest sweet tooth ever, so I also had some dessert to go from this place.

It looks exactly the same as in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada

The French President Sarkozy's residence hidden by tall plants.

This garden reminds me of the Secret Garden..

Arc de Triomphe

Of course, it's Paris.

At an angle..

Paradise only very much unapproachable...

Escargot anyone...?

Wash it down with some champagne and cheese...

They still have these in Paris!

This city of love never sleeps :)

Oh Amsterdam...

One of the last destinations before heading back to London was Amsterdam, which is the capital city of Netherlands.

An outdoor picnic by one of the many canals the city

A snap shot of a beautiful building taken while water biking on historic canals of Amsterdam.

A clogs and cheese store we went to. The owner demonstrated handcrafting of a clog from a log of wood in less than 7 minutes!

After that, the clogs are painted and turned into these finished goods. At the end of the tour, we even got to indulge ourselves in over 20 different types of cheese made at the factory itself.

Windmill.. such a stereotypical Amsterdam thing :P

There is nothing more relaxing than a bike ride along the canals on a Sunday morning.. Cycling is a very common and most popular form of transportaiton in Netherlands. Perhaps this is why so many Deutch I ran into were all very fit...

A snapshot taken while I was on my bike. I probably shouldn't have been taking photos while on a bike because I'm a horrible biker as I am but I couldn't resist!

Netherlands has many many dams because the water level is so high that they need these to keep the water out.

On a cruise in Amsterdam on our way to a Chinese restaurant where I had dinner. It was the first time in the entire duration of the trip that I got to eat asian cuisine although it wasn't quite like the Korean food my mom makes me at home :P

Red light district was not as intimidating as I saw on TV mainly because we were there in a group of 50 people including the tour guide.. It was definitely different environment from what I'm exposed to back home but I have to say the liveliness of night life in Amsterdam was worth experiencing.

A giant clog!

Other spots that you should definitely visit while in Amsterdam include the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, and the Heineiken museum for beer fans out there.

The ultimate hotspot of liveliness, youth and freedom. If you like the combination of cosmopolitan entertainment distrcit and the rural outdoor activities, Amsterdam is the place to be...

Rome Sweet Rome

This city truly does not require an introduction. It is one of the most popular cities in the world that attracts millions of tourists every year.

I felt like I was walking down the streets of Ancient Rome and it felt like I would bump into people in their togas.

The Pantheon, the famous temple dedicated to all the gods of Ancient Rome.

The tomb of one of the most well-achieved men in history, Julius Caesar.

The Gate of Death inside the Colosseum which led to Spoliarium where the corpses of the gladiators who were mercilessly killed in the arena were stripped of their armour and weapons.

The legendary Trevi fountain. This picture simply does not do justice to this 85 feet Baroque fountain. It is located at the conjunction of three roads, hence its name Trevi (tre vie meaning three roads). The local myth holds that if you throw a coin in the fountain, you are guaranteed to return to Rome.

I dare say Colosseum is the symbol of Italy just like the Eiffel tower is the symbol of France. It was a place of entertainment in the ancient Rome where thousands of people watched gladiators as they fought animals and other gladiator.

Vatican City

The legendary Vatican guards!

Spanish steps: The first time I heard of this place was on America’s Next Top Model. Without a doubt, this place was a central place for fashion designers and models. Right across from the steps was a row of top notch designer stores such as Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Bvoulgari, Louis Vuitton and many more.

I even saw some girls dressed up in nice designer clothes, heels, and sunglasses, waiting to be discovered by potential agents. This small area was very full of life and I hope to shop here next time I come back!

Our last destination in Rome was not a very well known one. Cappucine monks were a group of friars in the 16^th century whose skeletons got turned into a funeral art. This is where the name of the coffee “cappuccino” originated from, possibly referring to the colours of their habits and their white heads surrounded by a ring of brown hair.

I still remember a motto written on one of the tomb stones placed alongside with a skeleton with skin still attached to it: “What you are now we used to be, what we are now you will be.” It gave me a surge of body chills. Sometimes I feel like I am too caught up in working towards my goal that I overlook the beauty and joy of living everyday life. Carpe Diem! (Seize the Day!)

London in Twenty Snapshots

The first city I landed in was London. From Day 1 I walked around the city, visiting museums and parks since I only had a several days in this metropolitan city. Anyways here goes my first post about Europe!

The British Museum is the oldest public museum in the world. It was established in 1753 by Sir Hans Sloane and it contains collections from all over the world. Admission is free for everyone, as requested by the collector.

Cool ceiling design inside the British Museum.

Little fountain in Russell Square Park where I wrote my very first column for Imprint :)
(check it out http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca/2010/may/7/features/europe-101/)


A hotel right across the street from the hotel I stayed at. (Royal National Hotel)

It wouldn't be England without these red telephone booths

The British Library is the biggest library in London. It was almost like another museum: it contains the original manuscript of Jane Eyre, Tess of the D'urbevilles, Alice in Wonderland, and the Book of Sir Thomas Moore by Shakespeare.



There are so many theatres in London but unfortunately I was too rushed for time to watch a musical.

The National Gallery contains hundreds of paintings by famous artists like Botticelli, Ruben, Hogarth, Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet and Picasso.

Street signs to major attractiosn in London.

I randomly came across the Canadian Embassy as I was looking for souvenir shops.

This is the famous Big Bus Tour in London, also knwon as the "double-decker." For just 25 euros, you can get unlimited access to these buses as well as a live guided tour, river cruise, 3 walking tours, and discount tickets to many other attractions.

London Eye is the highest Ferris wheel in the world and it is located above the Thames river, showing the best view of the city.

Buckingham Palace is the Queen's official London home. Unfortunately, the royal family's private rooms are not oipen to the public but the palace tour takes visitors up the grand staircase and through the state rooms.

The second day I was in London, there was a huge group of people tented outside the Parliament building protesting against sending British troops to Afghanistan.

Big Ben is a clock tower dominating the seats of the government. It holds a 14-ton bell and its chimes are broadcasted daily on BBC radio.

This is the Parliament building in London. Houses of Parliament in England is divided into two: House of Commons and House of Lords, just like in Canada.

This is the top of the House of Parliament building in London. Notice the English flag is up: this means the Queen is in town. Downtown London was crazy this day because it was the Queen's first official speech since the new British government got elected.

This bird is called the Tower of London raven, according to my guide book. I saw it while I was sitting on a bench writing this article in front of the Parliament building.

This is the back entrance to Westminster Abbey. This church is where the coronation of Kings and Queens has been taking place for hundreds of years, including that of Queen Elizabeth the Second. I got a chance to go in for a Evening Song, which was a choir/prayer service and it was without a doubt London's oldest and most important church.

If you have been to London, you will have noticed that British cars are right hand drive. When I first landed in London I always looked the wrong way when crossing the streets. I would have for sure gotten hit by a car if it wasn't for this kindly written instruction on the road..

I wish I could have stayed in London for longer because there were places I still had yet to visit: the Tower of London, Jack the Ripper street (where the story of "Sweeney Todd" actually happened), and many more. But I will be back here for sure in the near future so no regrets :)