The Paris Travelogue!

Sorry for the long silence. So let me compensate it with a loooong entry here for you guys! hehe ;p So go grab that Twisties and sit comfortably in front of your laptop, as I'm about to entertain you with my Paris Travelogue! heheh 

(Please know that this is probably the longest post after my Maldives post! So be prepared to make your computer running slow a little! Heeee)

Europe trip 1988

At a fountain somewhere in Paris..us three girls, 25 years ago!

It has been the tradition of my family to go for a holiday abroad each year. Alhamdullilah, God has given me the opportunity to visit other countries to broaden my horizon and gain knowledge, every year. I love traveling for a lot of reasons, and I'm sure most of us do too! It can be really fun, it makes me feel more alive and I love meeting new people and exploring new places and cultures!  There’s also another deeper motivation that I feel to propel myself around the world; I feel like it makes me a better person and it makes me smarter and wiser somehow...and more open minded too! (in a good way, of course!) The constant flow of new experiences and challenges shapes me. It forces me to learn not just about the world around me, but also about myself... and what I like the most about traveling is that it can actually strengthen my faith towards God too! I feel so grateful that my dad has brought me around the world ever since I was small, to get all these exposures that shapes who I am today, earlier than most of my peers. Thank you God for the rezeqi, thank you daddy for the opportunity and experience! ^__^

Daddy with his two favourite daughters. ;p

Anyway, I have been receiving some emails regarding Paris before, especially about shopping over there.. Most of my readers wanted to know more about shopping in Paris and where to go about when you're there. So I figured, why not I make one whole entry regarding this city of fashion and love, for your easy reference in the future, or just for your reading pleasure! ;)

Paris.....in 1988

(Sorry, really bad quality picture! sobs)

Paris....in 2006!

Since I haven't really blogged about Paris in detail before, this time I thought I will make it in one (long) post here, in case you're planning to go to Paris with your spouse or family for your next trip, you can just find everything here in one post! Easier that way, huh? - So I will explain a bit on their historical & interesting places to visit, their fashion districts and streets, the Disneyland Park & Walt Disney Studio, the shopping spots for fashion, home/deco stuff, souvenirs, chocolates & macarons, their cafes, etc! ;)

A lost traveler...

So here I am today, publishing my Paris Travelogue entry! hehe. Yeayyy...finally I can get it done! - I have been doing the draft since last December actually, but haven't really find all my pictures to combine here! haha. But now that I found it, do expect A LOT of pictures, as I combined all of my Paris trip photos in here, to make my article as clear as possible for you guys! (Just don't get bored because it's long yeah...haha. Because this entry is so interesting ok! ;p Well at least, Paris IS interesting to me! ) 

Anyway, let's start! Do expect your laptop to lag a little, for all the pictures to fully load, kay?! (Don't say I didn't warn you! hihi ;p)

So traveling has become our family's activitiy ever since I was a few months old. We travel each and every year to strengthen the bonds/relationship with the family and to spend time with our loved ones.. Of all the places I've been to, and throughout visiting about 30 countries so far, I would say that I like the capital of France, the most! Although I have a feeling that I would love Greece too. And oh....Italy is nice as well! And so is Bora Bora Island (and the list goes on!) Heee ;p

But today, let me just talk about Paris since many of you has asked me some questions regarding Paris.. Plus, it has been about 4 times I have set my foot in Paris, throughout my 25 years of living in this world! So I think..it's good that I share a bit of my experience/things I know, with my readers of what I really love about Paris...

I hope you'll find this post useful for your next trip to Paris! In this post, you gonna find where to shop in Paris, what are the things to do and places to visit, and some other interesting stuff..at least to my eyes! hehe.

So here are my insights on Paris that I know so far... Enjoy reading and looking at the pictures! :) (Sorry for the long mukadimah/intro. LOL :p)

For me, Paris is a very exciting city to visit! From shopping to sightseeing, to the excitement of going to the Disneyland and all the museums & historical places, to the food and desserts that they have to offer, and so much more! Traveling around the city is easy too. They have buses,  cabs, trams and trains that are always on time and easy-to-read maps to get to where you’re going, which makes your traveling experience hassle-free!

Upon arriving at the airport, be sure to take the Paris-Guide leaflets.. It'll make your traveling experience easier!

...cuz you won't be lost if you have the city map!

^__^

Here comes the train!

Most of the time, we take the trains to get to where we're going as it is so convenient and cheap to ride the Metro

Traveling by Metro is very easy in Paris! Although you can't speak French and don't understand any of the word they displayed there, but I'm sure you'll figure out just fine! One word that I know for sure is sortie! It means, exit! So whenever you're in doubt, always find the word sortie, and you'll sort out things just fine! haha

The ticket is really cute! It's smaller than my palm size! So be careful not to lose it!

Oh...so many route! Make sure you know where you're going! 

Just look at the train line's color that you're going to take. It's easier that way!

While I was in the train..I did what I do best! ahaha ;p

The yellow cab..

The train color resembles France flag! Red, blue and white!

Underground, waiting for train

If you're not sure where to head, you can hop on to the tourist bus, L'OpenTour,  that will take you around the city. And you can just hop off if you feel like dropping by the place that caught your attention..

Or maybe you can rent a bike too, if you like!

Or just walk........and camwhore! haha ;p

For me, traveling means sightseeing and learning other people’s culture and customs. Like I mentioned above, I learnt a lot of new things by traveling... I love to see the cultures and the lifestyles of a certain society and race which is very different from ours in Malaysia.

So apart from sightseeing, shopping is also one of the things that is a MUST when traveling! hehe. To be honest, I prefer to shop when I am abroad than when I am in KL. This is because, some of the things that I love, especially the designer goods or clothes, are much cheaper when buying at the brand's birth place! hehe. In most cases, you can purchase (some old seasons) handbags that are 50-80% off the Malaysia's price! So that's great news for us ladies, huh?! teehee ^__^

Shopping some designer goods at their outlet stores..

Shopping spree in Marne La Valee. This was like 8 years ago! How time flies!

Anyways, since many of you girls are more interested to know more on the juicy part; shopping, so I will elaborate more details about shopping in Paris in this post, yeah. But for those who are not interested in shopping but wanted to know more on the places to visit, fret not! I have included the list of the tourist fave spots in here as well! Just read on to know all things on Paris, ok? (Okayyy...maybe not 'all' larr. heheh ;p)

Wani the Lady Dior. 

Hahaa very funny Wani.

Shopping day 1

Most of them are clothes! A girl gotta need clothes, no? haha ;p

Paris is the perfect place to shop! The city is so synonymous with fashion and shopping. With its high fashion, designer goods, finest luxury brands, street chic, the finest foods and fine art antiques, you may want to take a spare suitcase when you visit, because there's no way you're leaving empty handed! Whether you're looking for a gift for your family and friends, or a whole new wardrobe for yourself, Paris is really a shopper’s dream! – I'm sure every fashionista will agree with this! ;)

Trying out some shoes at a Ferragamo store

At a Dior boutique..waiting for mummy to choose her handbag

"Okayy...where else shall I stop?"

Shopping in Zara with my sister

"Uhmmm...I think I want that Roberto Cavalli sunnies la.. It looks very Posh! Will I look like Victoria Beckham if I wear it?" haha.. the things I say to myself when I shop alone. heheh ;p

My favorite place to shop when I'm in the city of Paris would be the Galeries La Fayette, Champs-Élysées, Boulevard Saint Germain, Rue Saint Dominique, Val d'Europe, Mc Arthur-Glen Troyes and La Valee Village. All of these shopping spots have different kind of environment and fantastic shopping experience, which I will elaborate more on the places through the pictures below!

Shopping in Paris:

There are some huge department stores, high-end fashion districts, fabulous shopping streets in Paris, and also, outlet malls near Paris if you’re looking for a much cheaper designer goods. So plan well, if you're looking to buy for something specific for yourself or families and friends! Know the places that you're going to, and what you gonna find over there, so you won't be lost...not knowing where to head to, what to buy, and etc!

The Galeries La Fayette

Sephora @ La Fayette

Not sure what was this? Opera House, maybe?

Shopping district in Paris

It is not an accident that the buildings in central Paris are all some sort like a shade of tan with grey roofs. They kept the original design since the old days..which made the city look so vintage, so classic! Some may say that it's pretty dull, but I'd say..it's pretty pretty! hehe. I mean, it's different than most developed cities in the world! And I really like something that is different! Anyway, you have to look pretty hard to find colors in the typical Parisian buildings there! But if you find one, you'll be amazed...because it is soooo beautiful as it stands out from the crowd! hehe 

More shopping malls..

Rue Saint Dominique, a nice place to shop as well

So when you’re in Paris, you should definitely make a visit to one of the large department stores in Paris. Two of the most famous stores are the Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. I personally love Galeries Lafayette as it has so many fabulous finds in there! And the mall is so grand too! ^_________^

I love the interior designs.. So vintage!

It's normal for Parisian to queue to go inside the designer stores, as if they're queuing for Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa here in Kampung Baru, KL! hahaha ;p 

Browsing some stuff in Chanel store

Crazy people over LV stuff! It's like pasar malam in there! haha

In H&M store, buying gifts for friends

(I love how cheap H&M is in Europe! In KL the price is like 2-3 times more expensive..tskk)

Ah thiss! I loveeeee this classy perfume! It's called Atelier Cologne. Very classy! I talked to the owner/maker of this perfume brand.. The couple is really really sweet! They told me that I can even personalized my scent and also embossed my name on the bottle or something like that. Too bad that I found this perfume counter after I have purchased 5 bottles of perfumes for myself! So I can't buy anymore fragrances! tskk... 

Maybe next time? hehe. One bottle of 50ml costs about 100 euro, if I'm not mistaken. Kinda expensive for a perfume, though. tskkk.

Clothes shopping with mom and sister

The men's department is sooo nice and fashionable in the Lafayette! (Duh!)

So many eye-catching items that I wish I was a man! haha.. 

Hmm....I would love to see my future husband wearing this kind of colorful pants! So cool! hehe ;p 

Centre of the Lafayette... Between the Woman's building and the Man's building..

The Galleries Lafayatte is so big that they have a few buildings next to each other. - I think, it was 3 big buildings, if I'm not mistaken? One building for woman's department, another building for man's and lastly for home department. And all of the buildings are so hugeee (like, 7 floors or something), which means you can really shop until you drop...and spend one whole day in here, if you're a crazy shopper like that! haha.. Some people who shop there even brought a huge luggage with them, to stuff all their purchases in there! Crayzeh!  O____o

I loveee Lafayette! hehe

(that's a heart shape thingy that I'm holding, from the side..that doesn't look like a heart-shaped thing.. LOL)

 

I would love to have this lippie/lipstick deco in my room! So pretteh!!!

Anyways, if you're looking for more practical items such as homewares or furnishings, then take a trip to BHV. You can find lotsa nice items over there! My mom would definitely love to go there..hehee

However, if you love designer fashion, the Triangle d'Or is where you'll find the finest Haute Couture shops in the world, including Dior, Chanel, Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Gucci, and many, many more! And continue towards the Champs-Élysées, you’ll find some trendy Zara, Sephora and the Louis Vuitton flagship store!

Champs-Élysées street

In front of the LV flagship store in Champs-Élysées

However, if you’re on a budget and looking for a great sales, or perhaps searching for a unique Parisian shopping experience, there are some of the best shopping streets and areas to give you a jumpstart on where to go and what to expect as you shop your way through the best of Paris! One of it is the Boulevard Saint Germain, a street shoppers that you won’t want to miss while you’re in Paris! This pretty street is lined with trees and beautiful Parisian buildings. So while you enjoy shopping on that street, you can enjoy exploring the beautiful neighborhood as well! The area is such a great spot for home décor shops, fashion boutiques, cafes and gourmet food shops. You'll love it here!

Boulevard Saint Germain

Lotsa cool treasures to be found!

Other than that, the best of the Paris-area outlet malls is just five minutes from the Disneyland Resort outside Paris. This 90-store mall is designed with a village setting and has more high-end brands than its competitors. Many of these shops, including Celine, Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, etc etc have a few outlet stores. The discounts here are authentic and often deep! So beware, you’ll be spoilt for choices! You can combine a day trip to the Troyes area or Disneyland Paris with a trip to two of France's most popular outlet malls; the McArthur Glen Outlet shopping mall in Troyes, and the La Vallée Village outlet mall near Disneyland area where you can find some chic brand name labels at heavily reduced prices! ^____^

McArthur Glen Outlet shopping mall

The prices here are crazy cheap! Some 2 to 3k shoes in Ringgit Malaysia, from Giuseppe Zanotti is about 120 euros only over here! - Now that's a steal! But of course, those are the last season ones..but still!

Lotsa branded outlet stores in here! The place is hugeee!

Another outlet that is a MUST visit when you're in Paris, would be the  La Vallée Village

Among the outlets that they have there are; Celine, Bally, Burberry, MaxMara, Lancel, Polo Ralph Lauren, Furla, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenzo, Armani, Cavalli, Marni, Calvin Klein, Agnes B, Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, Timberland and many, many, manyyyyy moree.. More than 75 prestigious brands are here! All the brands are about 40% cheaper than normal boutiques’ prices. And on top of that, we can claim 12% VAT (tax) for purchases over 170 euros. Oh, you'd be crazy not to shop here!! hehe

The Armani outlet!

Past seasons Ferragamo shoes

Yes...these are the Ferragamo shoes! They displayed the shoes just like that! haha. One pair is only about 200 euros and above or something like that! (and you can claim the VAT some more!! ^__^)

Anyway, apart from shopping at a designer stores/outlets, there's one place that I really love shopping at, especially for clothing stuff!  It's called the Val d'Europe shopping mall which located just outside Paris (near Disneyland area). This shopping mall is connected next to the La Vallée Village. Lotsa high street fashion and brands can be found in here which is waayyyy affordable than the stores in the city! There's Zara, H&M, Naf Naf, Pimkie, Jennyfer, Mango, La Coste, Ralph Lauren, Guess, Sephora, Accessorize, their local brands, and many more! There are lotsa pretty outfits in here, with really pretty price tag! Oh, I loveee shopping for clothes in here!

Val d'Europe shopping mall

I love Pimkie! You can get so many cheap stuff in here! And I mean REALLY cheap!

I got one pretty top that costs me about 10 euros only!!!

I saw this jumpsuit on a display, and went straight buying it because it looks so pretteyh! And it's affordable too! Only 80 euros! So...I gotta have it! hehe ;)

(I wore it during the PGH tea party event last year)

This Paris brand called Jacqueline Riu has soooo many pretty items in here! Last time when I was here, I got myself some 8 tops in this shop alone! hehe. And I was so happy with my purchases that day!

So when you're in Paris...be sure to go to this Val d'Europe & La Valee Village. - For 600 euros during promotion, you can get one Burberry bag, one Burberry wallet and one Burberry shirt!!!! And RL shirts that cost about RM 500- RM 600, cost less than 100 euros over there! And you can get some really nice clothes for like 50 euros and below at the shops I mentioned above!

Oh man. Shopping is good. LOL

By the way, these are some of the VAT forms that I got with me last time. Be sure to fill up the form and keep it...and claim your money before boarding the plane at the airport yeah! (So you can do more shopping with that money later in the airport! Hahahah ;p)

Things to do, places to visit:

Apart from shopping in Paris, there are many other activities that can be done without having to spend a lot of money, when you're in this metropolitan city; such as visiting the historical places, strolling in the park/gardens or interesting places around the city.. also not to forget, visiting the awesomest Disneyland theme park which located not far from Paris!

The Disneyland! 

Disneyland always brings out the kid in you even though you've visited the place for a few times already! Especially when you get to meet all the Disney Princesses! haha 

The iconic princess castle in Disneyland!

(I forgot, whether this one is the Sleeping Beauty's castle or Cinderella's? Too lazy to google)

The Disneyland is reaaaaalllllyy big. So if you've never been to any Disneyland before, make sure that you spend at least two days in here to complete all the theme park that they have over there!

I'm not really gonna elaborate more on the Disneyland part, as I have done it before from my Hong Kong trip.. Because any Disneyland is kinda like the same, but I personally think the Paris Disneyland is more exciting somehow! 

(You can view the Disneyland HK story if you like, here and here)

 

Oh, I loveee roller coasters!

Going for a ride in It's a Small World with my sister!

Alice in Wonderland maze!

When you're in Disneyland, don't forget to eat Mickey waffles or buy their cute Disney character meals! ;)

Shazwani the Queen of Narnia!

I think I love Walt Disney Studios more than Disneyland Park!

It's much cooler in here! This theme park is more like for grown ups I think..? (It's something like Universal Studios Japan)

Armageddon!!!

The Incredibles siblings ;p

Oh ya, while you're in the Disney area, don't forget to drop by the Disney Village for more Disney stuff to shop! 

They have lotsa cool items in here! Planet Hollywood is in here as well! So be sure to buy their t-shirts! ;)

Go there at night. The place is very pretty with its lights and everything!

This is where I purchased my Planet Hollywood cap, sweatshirts and jacket few years ago! And I still keep them! ^__^

Okay...enough on the entertainment part. Now, let's move on to one of the great tourist attractions in Paris, which is the Notre Dame. This Paris icon has that gargoyles and gothic touch in its building. This is one of the places that you must visit while you're in Paris!

I watched the Disney movie called The Hunchback of Notre Dame when I was little...and now that I have set my foot there, it just feels so surreal seeing this building with my own eyes!!! 

I was looking for that hunchback guy and Esmerelda here...like in the movies! hehe ;p

Notre Dame is among the largest and most well-known churches in the world ever built

The side view..

Street along Notre Dame..

Just near the Notre Dame area, there's a famous river called Seine River

Be sure to take a photo over here as well! haha

The riverbanks are worth exploring. There are floating restaurants, discos/clubs, cafes along the river, for those who wants to enjoy your coffee while overlooking a nice river view. And there's some free benches as well, for all those travelers who are just as happy to enjoy the same view without having to buy an expensive espresso! haha

This sungai is like our Sungai Klang in KL la... Or maybe,  Sungai Pahang in Pahang...or like Sungai Rajang in Sarawak. heheheh

Apart from that, the Musee du Louvre is also the essential spot to visit for tourists. This is one of the world's most interesting and exciting museums that has about 35,000 priceless interesting things to be found in there! One of it would be the famous painting in the world, the portrait of Mona Lisa by Leonardo, of course!

Searching for The Da Vinci Code!

In addition to that, the most symbolic place for tourist to visit this city of love is the Eiffel Tower, of course!! There's just something so romantic being around this place, especially at night! The lighting systems that use 200,000-watt power makes the Eiffel Tower seems very interesting and exciting at night! It sparkles like a giant-sized Christmas tree for 5 minutes every hour, from dusk until 1 am. Oh, how beautiful and romantic! You can also find many sellers who sell roses, champagne, lovey-dovey, cutesy stuff around this area..

Look! So pretty right??!

Oh...Eiffel, I'm in love! heheh

Can't believe that this Eiffel Tower has been here since 1889!!

Spent quite awhile over here...taking lotsa photos! hehe

For some, this place may not be that interesting as this thing is just some metal tower that looks like a triangle or something, and nothing else is there... But to me, the ambiance there is really nice! Especially if you go there with your partner! Awwww! ^__^

I don't know why, being around this area just make you feel like you wanna be in love! haha.

The air is so full with love I guess! ;)

There are people who took the advantage of this ambiance by selling some roses to couples, as a symbol of love!

And champagne too..  

-__-'

(I always wonder, why do the western associate champagne with love? What's the reason behind it? Why can't I just drink my fave Toffee Nut Latte, and still be in love? LOL ;p)

 

Enjoying my sweet cotton candy under the Eiffel Tower!

Oh, so pweeety!

In Paris, there are a lot of historical places to visit while you're there. If you're the type who loves historical places, you will definitely enjoy France. Among the places that you should pay a visit is the Sacre-Couer.

It is one of the churches in Paris that has a large dome surrounded by colorful glass windows. Although the interior of this church is not as beautiful as other churches that I've seen before in other Europe countries, but the place is often visited by tourists because this is the best spot to take a whole picture/panoramic view of Paris, especially at dusk! Oh, so beautiful!

Met a fellow Muslim while we were climbing up the hill to the church, to see the view..

"This is Paris!"

(Man....why did the 18 year old me wore a big-fat-looking bomber jacket??! Pffft. Learned my lesson now; wear only trench coat cuz it'll enhance the silhouette more, unlike those frumpy oversized pink bombers! haha ;p)

Kota Paris!

Apart from that, the Arc de Triomphe is also an interesting historical place to visit. This monument is located in the heart of the area known as the Place Charles de Gaulle. From what I know, the Arc de Triomphe has a 284 lift or stairs before you reach the peak of this monument, although I've never climbed to the top before. But from up there, you can also enjoy the view of this French capital as well.

The iconic Arc de Triomphe

This one, I'm not so sure what monument was this called...as Paris has a lot of this pintu gerbang.. And I don't really know what these pintu gerbang means or their purpose. Gotta do more research on their history!  

Or maybe...anyone can tell me? :)

Another pintu gerbang..hehe

Anyway...there are a lot of interesting places that you should visit while you're in Paris. I just listed out the iconic/symbolic spots that you should go when you're there.. Mati mak, kalau nak tulis semua! heheh. So the rest of this entry would be some random pics that I took while I was there last time..

An Eiffel in blue lights! C’est magnifique!

Paris street

Arc de Triomphe

Moulin Rouge!

"Look! Moulin Rouge at my back! Will I get to see Nicole Kidman here??" hehehe

Night time...in Paris

Some other random pics I took..

Remember this fountain? 

Where Andy from The Devil Wears Prada, throws her handphone at the end of the movie! I was excited when I saw this fountain that I almost wanted to search for Anne Hathaway's phone in there! hahaa ;p

I kinda love this pic!

So many old buildings around the city!

 

I forgot what was this building..

Oh, so serene... This park has lotsa cute ducks, I like!

Ducks...swimming happily in the pond!

Buying souvenirs for friends:

Another things to do when you're abroad, is to buy the souvenirs for friends and families, right? At the Notre Dame area, there's this street where there are a lot of souvenir shops that you can find! So be sure to make a stop there, and buy some fridge magnets or keychains, or the iconic Paris Eiffel Tower table deco...or t-shirts or whatever you find interesting! I purchased quite a lot of silk scarves over here! The designs are mostly from the famous paintings of the artists like Leonardo, etc..

But if you don't have the chance to stop by the Notre Dame area, well don't worry...there are a lot more other tourist spots that sells souvenirs along the streets as well

Keychains... 

1 euro for 4 pieces!

Postcards..

Picture frames

The Eiffel Tower table deco

Another table deco..

Fridge magnets

Shopping bags..

Paris stationaries

Chocolates and Sweet Stuff:

Apart from buying some souvenirs, be sure to buy some of their chocolates as well. Chocolates and sweet stuff are very popular in Paris. It's kinda like a must-buy when you're in Paris! So make sure you buy or try some! (the Godiva and Fauchon chocs are quite cheap in here!) ^__^ 

Paris chocolates as souvenirs!

Yupp...Godiva Truffles, only 17 euros! In KL it probably costs almost RM 200?

Now this chocolate is sooo unique! Perfect for a souvenir! hehe

Yums!

So pretty!!!!

At first I thought this was honey.....Rupanya it was brandy pulak dahh.. Nasib baik tak terbeli and baca dulu! haha

So I bought the Paris chocolates instead, for my friends ;)

Food, Desserts, Cafes and Restaurants:

You know Paris is so popular with this dessert shop called Ladurée  right? Ladurée is a luxury cakes and pastries brand based in Paris, if some of you who doesn't know about it. - It is known as the inventor of the double-decker macaron. And they are one of the best known makers of macarons in the world! So be sure to buy some of their delicacies for yourself or familes/friends!

Their shop is pretty awesome! I love how they pack their macrons!

And they're delicious too!

In Paris, you can see lotsa interesting, cute cafes like this!

And oh! Please buy this Laura Todd cookies! They sell the yummiest soft cookies everrrrr!!! Seriously.

Mmm...

They have muffins, cookies..etc

Also, don't forget to try Dalloyau desserts in Lafayette!

Their macarons are nice too!

Another macaron shop! 

(France is so popular with macarons!)

Oh, Mister Ben & Jerry's, why you no open in Malaysiaaaa?? hehe. 

If you have a chance, try their Cookie Dough and Caramel flavor. Oh, so delicious!

Drinking hot cappuccino or..hot cocoa is so nice, in cold countries!

Like I mentioned in the Utusan paper, I loveee desserts! tee hee ;)

If you walk around the city and find the Millie's Cookies, be sure to buy their muffins! And please mail it to me! heheh

If you're the type that loves breads, pastries and such...go stop by Paul Cafe!

 They serve the best roti!

Eating croissants and French breads with Paul's creamy butter and jams is sooo good!

Other than eating breads and desserts.. The only meal that we Muslim can eat is either vegetarian food or seafood...or the Arab food lah, if you like..

Vege Risotto... Bluekkk. Tak sedap! haha

Vege Pizza!

I'm so sorry I can't really provide the information on where to eat halal food while you're in Paris, other than the Middle Eastern restaurants..because that's the only choice we have for us Muslims.. But oh well, you can still enjoy other food  like seafood and vege stuff in the Parisian cafe/restaurants if you like, right? But if you are uncertain of the "halalness"..or if you crave for beef and chicken, then the Middle Eastern food is definitely would be the best choice for you! (Though there are a few non-arab restaurants that provide halal food too, but it's kinda hard to search for them actually)

There are a lot of Muslim restaurants that you can find in Paris such as Lebanese, Turkish, Arabic, Indian, etc. (They're all kind of the same, no?) So, be prepared to eat briyani and kebabs all week! haha

My choice would be lamb shawarma every time! But I can only eat it for like 2-3 days...lepas tu muak! hehe

That is why my family always rent a service apartment instead of hotel when we go for our year-end holiday; to buy groceries and cook! Because like I have mentioned in my previous post, my parents gotta eat our Malaysian food every time! hehe

Buying groceries!

Mummy's ritual!

Oh God...eating these in cold weather is just so divine!! Thank you, mama! ;)

However, if you think that cooking while on holiday is going to trouble you, but you still can't eat the arab foods, then don't forget to bring all the instant food that you have in your kitchen drawer! ^__^

These are the musafir food! Easy-peasy! hehe

Muslim area, Halal Meat/Butcher and Masjid/Musolla:

There are lotsa Muslim people all around the world. Thus, in most countries, there are always a Muslim community where you can look for mosques or halal food/butchers or islamic books/attires, etc. So, before going to any non-muslim country, make sure that you find out where are the Muslim area in that city. For Paris, it would be somewhere near the Barbès-Rochechouart Metro station, just north of Gare du Nord. But please know that the area is not really one of the most scenic areas. It's kinda like a downtown area..but you can definitely find a lot of halal butcher shops and mostly halal grocery stores over there. So you will certainly not gonna have any problems in finding halal food. But actually in Paris, apart from the Muslim area I just mentioned above, you can still find halal meat even in the big supermarkets like Franprix too!  There's a halal meat sections in there.. So, that's great right?! May Allah bless the people who supply the halal meat there!

The easiest way to look for halal outlets is actually to look for mosques or musolla. There's bound to be a halal outlet nearby, inshaallah! The green door above is actually a musolla that we found there!

This is also another musolla that we found in Paris but I can't really remember the exact place of this mussolla..

Accommodation:

Normally, my dad would rent a service apartment or something, for my mom to be able to cook and provide us breakfast and dinner.. But I won't list down the hotels that you should stay here, as I think there are a lot of hotels in Paris (or any other cities) that would suit your needs and budget.

This was our townhouse that we stayed at Marriott Village in Marne La Vallée last time..

The Marriott Village is a really nice place to stay although it is not situated exactly in Paris. But the area surrounding there is so calm and peaceful, and very scenic – there’s a duck pond at the back of our townhouse! Plus, transportation is easy too bcoz there’s a free shuttle bus every few hours which took us to Marne La Vallée - The Chessy Metro station which is only about 5 km away. That’s where the Disneyland is located.

This is another service apartment that is around the same area as Marriott Village too

The place is quite nice actually! Small, nice and cozy!

There's a mini kitchen for my mom to cook! hehe

So serene and calm with all the green view I see!

Or if you like to have a nice Paris view, you can stay in Paris and enjoy the city view!

I loveee big beds with big pillows!

This hotel is quite spacious actually..

I reaaallllyy love the view I get from this room! 

I can see the whole city!!

Everything looks so small from up here! I can even see Les Invalides, the building with that gold dome over there! It's a museum or something...I'm not so sure

I especially love the view at night!

Seriously, the Eiffel Tower looks so big from my room! It was like so romantic! hahaha

I really fell in love with the view that I was hoping that my future husband was there with me too! hahahah (except I don't know yet, who is he gonna be! heheh ;p)

Anyway, too bad my camera didn't do any justice to the real ambiance!

This is Paris!

Sleeping with an Eiffel Tower as your witness! haha

I guess that's all.. I wrote for far too much now. And I posted so many pictures already.. I hope you won't be mad for making your computer lagged a little! hehee ;p But anyways, in conclusion... for me, Paris is a place that works best for all types of activities, including shopping, sightseeing, dining, having fun with friends and family in the theme parks, or strolling around the beautiful park with your loved ones and go do romantic stuff at a romantic place for those lovebirds and many, many more! So do visit Paris if you ever have the rezeqi to go there! Explore the world full of excitement and happiness! ^___^

Oh man....the France Ministry of Tourism should pay me for this long post I wrote about Paris! hahaha. I hope you guys find this entry useful and informative! Until my next trip, take care girls! Blog more soon! ;)


XOXO,
Shazzy.