Final stats
0
Cities
0
Days
0
Trains
0
Buses
0
Boats
0
Miles Walked
0
Miles on Major Transportation
Salmon Crêpes?
We were very sad to leave Nice, but it was time to head to Marseille. After returning to the same boulangerie for breakfast, we took a short walk on the promenade to enjoy our last morning in Nice. We both agreed that it is definitely somewhere that is high on our list to visit again.
We stopped back in the hotel to grab our bags before hopping on the tram to go to the train station. We were hoping to grab sandwiches before getting on the train but the line was long (and moving slowly) so we had to forget that plan and rush to the train. We made it on the train and found seats with seven whole minutes to spare!
The ride was relaxing and after almost 3 hours, we reached Marseilles. Stepping off the train, it definitely felt like we were back in a city being ushered out of the train and onto the packed streets. After making it a couple blocks from the station, it had calmed down and we began the trek up and down the hills to the hostel. Once we got there, they let us check in and we stashed our bags before heading out to explore. Right around the corner from the hostel, we stumbled upon a small boulangerie meets pizza place (because apparently everywhere in southern France makes pizza). It ended up being very good and cheaper than the prices listed on the menu which is always good. We also decided it would be a good, easy breakfast before the train tomorrow morning (at 7 am!!).
After lunch, we wandered through Le Panier, a popular neighborhood with cute local shops and vendors. There was a lot of fun graffiti art along the roads, music being played in the squares, and shops that spilled into the sidewalks. It was very cute and we had fun getting ourselves (somewhat) lost looking at different shops. After a bit of wandering, we made our way to the port which instantly brought back the city-like crowds. We were hoping to find a way to get to the Basilica Notre Dame de la Gare which is on a hill overlooking the city, but had given up hope when we realized how far it was and how little time we had. This made us very excited to learn that there was a little train that will take you around the city and up to the Basilica, give you time to walk around and explore, and then catch a different little train back down to the port. We decided it would be a great way to see the city, and it was. The view was a spectacular panorama of the city and we were very glad we made it up.
When we got back to the port, we wandered along a row of booths selling all sorts of things including soaps, clothing, souvenirs, jewelry, and dried fruit. The lady selling the dried fruit drew us in with the offer of a sample and we ended up buying an a mix of a few fruits to bring on the train tomorrow. You could taste how fresh it was even though it was dried. We continued to wander around the port and the shops until we got hungry. We found a very cute crêperie and each ordered a crepe with salmon, cream cheese, and cheese. It sounded interesting and ended up being delicious. We also ordered a dessert special called l’Exotique which consisted of Mango, Passion Fruit, and Pineapple gelato with pineapple chunks, kiwi slices, abs whipped cream on top. It was very refreshing and helped us cool off before walking back to the hostel. All in all, we had a great (but sweaty) day and really enjoyed Marseille, but we are also glad we aren’t here for longer because there isn’t much more to see. Tomorrow, we are off to Barcelona!
A crÊpe-less day
Montmartre is only a quick bus ride away from our hostel which made it the perfect start to our day after a slightly later morning. The first thing we wanted to do was ride the funicular which took us to the steps of Sacre Cœur. We admired the view, strolled through the church with its beautiful stained glass, and took some pictures before heading over to look at the art in the square. It was gorgeous and we had to keep reminding ourselves that we had no way to pack it safely so we wouldn’t splurge. After wandering through the streets some more and enjoying all of the art and the atmosphere, we found a smaller shop that was selling smaller and cheeper prints that we could fit in our folder so we decided to get some of those.
At this point, we started getting hungry and found ourselves at an outdoor table of a French restaurant. We happily sat down and started with an order of escargot. They were delicious and we both really enjoyed them, the garlic butter warmed our chest! Our next course was moules frites and chicken which we also enjoyed (especially the mussels). Our waiter was very friendly and helpful which made the experience even better.
Once we finished lunch, we made our way down to Moulin Rouge before catching a metro to the Pompidou center. We walked past a street artist sculpting two dogs out of sand before finding a spot to relax and people watch for a bit. Our next stop was to Amorino’s for gelato which was yummy in our tummies.
Our last destination was La Marais, the Jewish quarter, which is known for its falafel and cute cobblestone streets. We wandered around some more and looked at some of the shops before settling in a park nearby. When we started getting hungry, we went back to a falafel shop for pita wraps which we brought to a different park to enjoy. Since we had agreed that today would be a slower day, we then headed back to the hostel to shower and plan our day for tomorrow.
Let them Eat cake?
After a late night out maneuvering the streets of Paris, I’m sure you all know that we would have loved to sleep in to catch up on some much needed sleep. Unfortunately, our excitement for this city and the plans we made did not let that happen.
After waking up with the sun, we grabbed a quick breakfast before rushing out the door to catch a bus, then a metro, then another metro until we arrived at the meeting point for our group tour to the beautiful Versailles! Once everyone was there, we boarded a train that took us right to the palace. We wandered through the palace and gawked at the extravagance and beauty of everything inside along with the glimpses of the garden we caught through the windows.
Our guide shared that Louis XIV, who built the palace, was always very proud of his large legs which is why they are featured in all of his portraits and sculptures. There is one such sculpture at the entrance of the palace in which Louis XIV is riding his horse. If you look quickly, it just looks like a sculpture of a man on a horse, but once the guide pointed out his love for his legs, it is very easy to notice the fact that Louis XIV’s legs are sculpted to be even larger than the legs of the horse!
After the palace, we walked across the street to pick up bikes that we would use for the rest of the tour. Once we were all ready, we biked over to a local market where we purchased all the necessary supplies for a picnic in the garden. We started at the boulonnerie where we picked up a baguette and a chocolate croissant, then we headed to a fruit stand for strawberries and raspberries. Next, we’re headed into the indoor booths for the fromagerie where we bought some Brie and Camembert. Last but certainly not least, we made sure to pick up a demi bottle of wine which made the perfect final addition to our picnic. We headed back to our guide who nudged us in the direction of a stand selling fresh squeezed orange juice. We wandered over to give it a look and ended up ordering a cup of orange juice to drink before we left. It was delicious!
Once everyone had all of their food, we got back on our bikes and headed to the gardens. We had a wonderful ride around the gardens with a bit of history sprinkled in. Eventually, we stopped for our picnic and enjoyed the feast we had picked up at the market. Surprisingly, only a few of the strawberries were crushed on the ride over which consisted solely of cobblestone and/or dirt roads. Even so, all of the food was amazing.
After we finished eating and learning some more history from the palace, we finishing our loop around the ponds and arrived at le grand triton. We stopped for a break to learn about Louis XV and his 300 mistresses and admire the pink marble building before heading over to le petit triton. This was Marie Antoinette’s place where she could spend time when she was tired of being the center of attention in the palace. It was gorgeous, but perhaps not as gorgeous as her gardens which we also wandered through.
That was our last stop before we biked back through the town to return the bikes at the guide shop and heading for our train. At that point we were exhausted and decided to just grab some quick crepes and sandwiches at the stand we found yesterday. We spent a little time on the green at les Invalides before heading back to the hostel. It was a much needed earlier night in where we relaxed, showered early, and met one of our roommates who will be here for the rest of our stay in Paris. We are about to get some much needed sleep and enjoy a slightly later morning tomorrow.
Let them Eat cake? Read More »
I solemnly swear that i am up to no good
Today, we took a train to Watford to enjoy the Harry Potter experience. This is located at the same studio as the movies we’re filmed and included lots of the original sets, costumes, props, etc. It was very interesting to learn more about how some of the props were made and how they brought the magic to life. We also couldn’t miss the butterbeer at a cafe halfway through the tour! It was very interesting to learn how much thought and time went into every detail. For example, we learned that it can take a full day for them to create the eyebrows for one goblin!
After making our way back to London, we spend some time gathering our belongings and doing laundry before heading to dinner with two new friends from the hostel. We went to a pub nearby which was, unfortunately, out of fish and chips. Regardless, we had a very nice time getting to know each other and ended up back at the hostel’s bar for one more drink. Out of no where, the dj started singing karaoke and passing the mic to other people in the bar. We sang along (from our seats) and cheered on the singers. It was a great way to spend our last evening in London, tomorrow afternoon, we will be heading to Paris!
I solemnly swear that i am up to no good Read More »
Welcome!!
We are so excited to depart on our two month European adventure!!! This is where you will find all of our blog posts and pictures throughout our journey. Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion and we will check them periodically as our internet access may not be consistent.