2nd post on Paris - The City of Love - La Tour Eiffel

Paris, so here we are. 

Basically, these was the queue while waiting for our luggage when we landed at Paris's Charles De Gaulle Airport. 

And amazingly, they only have one lane for us to claim our luggage, which explains why you see so many people queuing here while waiting for their luggages. However, it didn't took us long. How efficient it was. 

Upon departing the baggage claim area, we were welcomed by our French tour guides. Their job was just to make sure all of us got into the right bus, and then drop us off our hotel. While in the bus, they briefed us about Paris.. everyone was too busy looking at the beautiful sceneries to listen anyways. It was pouring when we reached the hotel but later on it stopped, luckily or else a day will be wasted, even though it was just half a day.

Upon checking in and settling down, we decided to head straight to the Eiffel Tower, since its open till night time, we figured it was a good time to see the Eiffel Tower during sunset :) so we took the train, and amazingly, each train station has this really tiny yet auto-open doors, so classic looking yet so modern.

In case you're wondering, it is always cheaper to buy the train tickets in 10 instead of 1 at a time. Each ticket will cost you about euro 1+ if you buy it individually. What amazes me was, each ticket can get you very far, like you can use one ticket for few places instead of one station only and it saves up so much time and money.Oh, sometimes, well quite often you can see the locals with their own "jumping" skills, they can just get through without buying ticket and it seems like a norm here :/ no one really cares anyway. 

Took this shot while we're inside one of their oldest, slowest yet still way faster than KTM in Malaysia train. It  is a very old vintage train, with no air con actually, just half opened window but it was winter, so it makes no difference. This train apparently has 2 levels, and it is not crowded at all. I'm really impressed with how efficient is their transportation system is. Not only you don't have to wait like half an hour minimum for a train, their's came almost every 10-15 minutes. I experienced taking at least 3 different types of trains there, none of them fail me. Of course, their trains were not pack, at times it was but it won't be as bad as those you get in Malaysia. However, one thing you will want to be reminded at all times, wherever you are in Paris is to beware of pickpockets. Everyone will tell you that, but more stories about that later.

and here we are, to visit the Eiffel Tower. We reached around evening time. First glance at it was, it gave me the impression of " Oh, we're here already? " HAHA I know right. I was actually busy looking at the merry-go-round across the busy road, and didn't realize that we reached our destination. When we reached, the Eiffel Tower was not lighted up yet, it was still the normal brown color steel building you see everyday and the picture above was when we lingered around for about an hour plus and it started lighted up. In my opinion, even though it was lighted up, it is not the best sight yet. Not until, the next 15 minutes..when..

The view from below the tower, actually was standing near the center to capture this shot. Standing in the middle gives you a square view and I prefer this over the middle view. See how much details did the French put in order to built this tower. I love how everything looked so fine and firm. 

Terrence, Sio Sen, Melvin, Bebe, Phi Leet

With the few people I've hanging around with for 2 weeks when we're in France. The group just gets larger and larger and it was fun like that :) we did not went up to the Eiffel tower on the first day but only went there another day during a second trip. Pictures on that later, the view was amazing.

Terrence, Melvin, Phi Leet

See the four of us trying to take the center view of the Eiffel tower above us, fail attempt but its still a picture anyways. Everyone with different expressions and the face of "Oh we're in Paris already?" Look that cup of tea cup is actually a Mulled wine - which is red wine combined with spices such as cinnamon and served warm. It was normally consumed during Christmas and Halloween. It costs about 4 euros? Which is counted very cheap already, normally it costs about 8 euros for a glass and the currency differences will just kill you. It is a must try, so smooth. warm and yet the cinnamon will just make you crave for more. You are able to get it at the kiosk next to the official souvenir shop of Eiffel tower with a very short queue.

Jonathan, Simon, Alvin, Edmund

Few among all the crazy yet sporting guy friends that I have, bunch that loves food and touring with them was good cause these chefs, 2 of them on the left came to France for training previously and they brought us around so we won't get lost and gave us lots of ideas and of course recommendations on food. Oh this got worst especially when we're in Toulouse. Toulouse has the best food stuffs in my opinion. More on that later.

After dinner, we walked out and then basically the entire streets looked like this. Somehow I love it, so quiet, yet its a pretty sight. Nothing fancy but just a fun time walking around exploring places with your friends, chit-chatting while enjoying the cold breeze till we landed at a small supermarket to buy water supplies. Evian was really cheap there, like 1 euro or sometimes lesser for 1500ml. In Malaysia, it'll cost you bomb to be drinking that. What's worst, using it to wash your hands in Paris :D

and on our way back home, we spotted this. This was when I really fell in love with the Eiffel tower. When it was actually, lighted up and blinking with diamond lights all around it. You will only see this hourly, and it only lasts about 5-10 minutes each time.  Oh, how pretty is she !