Europa '11: 3. République Française - Paris, tu es Magnifique!

After sleeping in the streets of Madrid for a few hours I truly felt like a vagabond. Homeless. No access to clean facilities. No nothing. Long story short, we got kicked out of Jamie's apartment, because one of her roommates couldn't handle our awesomeness! So, we spent the night on a cement block in one of the alleys near the station where we had locked up our backpacks. When the sun began to rise, we made our way to Barajas airport to catch an early Easy Jet flight to France. Easy enough, when I woke up people were already shuffling along the aisles trying to beat each other out of the plane.

From Charles de Gaulle, we took a bus to the Arc de Triomph. We did a lot of walking that day, really. From Pigalle, to Belville, to Bastille along the River Seine, to the Louvre, then to the Eiffel Tower. From there we took the metro back to Pigalle and had an interesting dinner at the Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant nearby our hotel. It was as if Keny and I had stomped through each city. I'm glad I got to see parts of Paris that way, instead of getting shuttled around in an underground transit. I can't remember the last time I walked that much in a day. To compare, I guess it would be like the time I climbed down and up the Grand Canyon with my friends. Despite my exhausted legs, I felt an renewed strength and an incredible feeling of accomplishment. So keep walking my friends!

Lets have the pictures take over now.

enjoi :)


You really have to see the Arc de Triomph in real life. Such an impressive feat of architecture.


Dumas


l'mademoiselle m'a attrapé


Hotel Andre Gill, well recommended and a decent place to stay in Paris. Between Pigalle and Anvers stations, and the Red Light District (which we did not get to check out unfortunately). The room's were a bit small, but who stays inside their hotels during a backpacking trip?






Taylored. Reminds me: Every man needs at least one* fine suit. Yves Saint Laurent perhaps?




There's just something about smoking out of a pipe... & hipsters please do not ruin this.




BNE spotted.


We did a whole lotta walking.


Windowed reflections.




Shaved, fixed, & stunning.




First time drinking Cherry Coke since high school. No joke, I couldn't even remember the last time I had a sip.






Darn, missed the stogie in his hand. Kids... (sigh).. they can get away with almost everything.


Boop boop


Definitely had to check out the camera shop. Probably missed a few hidden gems.




Lonesome days at the park, catching up on the news.


Which way?






On route to the Eiffel Tower, strolling along the River Seine.


Get that ice cream, git it!


The history of France.






Reading by any river with your shoes off - probably one of the most soothing activities on this planet.




Outside the Louvre.


and inside. Simply spectacular.


Snap battles. I think Daft Punk might have been inspired by the Louvre.






Photo By: Ken Hasegawa Radomski.


Cool little water fountain area to chill at.


No fear.

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Next: Europa '11: 4. République Française - La Tour Eiffel + Palais du Louvre


pax