Paris, France

Let's throwback to the year 2011. 26 Sept - 10 October (2 weeks)

I have to skip school for 2 weeks! Thank God it's not exam week. 

It was like 6 months before, my mom and I are scrolling people's picture to Europe and we're talking about it. I was like "Mom! I have to go to Europe before I die." Mom was like "ok I have to go back there" coz she had an incident last year where she lost her camera on the last 2 days of her trip :( luckily she brought 2 cameras, but the extra cam is not really high quality.

Soooooo, here comes the day!! 

It's where my dreams come true

-26 Sept 

Medan - Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok - Paris

It was freakingly freezing at KL waiting room so I have to put on that big leather coat and gloves inside the airport (as if it's snowing)!

It was midnight when we arrived Bangkok airport. We run like a horse to catch the next flight, it's just 1 hour from the previous flight. Can you imagine running in the empty airport hallway in the midnight? After we've arrived the immigration, it's so crowded! We have to go thru the security first. Never have I ever see a tight security! We have to take off our coat, shoes, belt (well that's pretty common) but the cool part is we have to get into a giant tube(?) I have no idea what it's called, i wish i have a picture of it tho. We looked like a prisoner. Hahah unforgettable!

-27 Sept

Finally, after 15 hours flight from Bangkok to Paris, at 6am in the morning Paris time, I woke up from my sleep as if I'm still dreaming, I can see the Eiffel tower from the plane!!! I thought I was drunk! Then I ask my mom to assure that this is reality. That feeling tho! A feeling so good i can never forget. Major excited!!!

I AM AT PARIS!! oolalaaaa! bonjourrr!

First photo at Paris!! At Charles de Gaulle Airport

we have to take a train to get to the city

Gare du Nord, Paris Railway Station

PARIS is a beautiful and enchanting city with so much eagerness and I can remember the pictures thereafter. It is a beautiful place indeed. I've got a chance to visit so many places. How awesome is it ?

in front of Gare du Nord

after a very long walk from the train station to our hotel, at last we found "Vintage hotel", we check in and left our luggage. Then off we goooo Paris city here I come!!! 

tourist souvenirs streets

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica, is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A popular landmark, the basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city.

On the way to Arch de Triomphe, we bought a t-shirt and change it at .... you wouldn't believe it! A PHOTO BOX at the underground train station. How crazy is that?!!

The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle and at the western end of the Champs-elysees. There is a smaller arch, the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel , which stands west of the Louvre. The Arc de Triomphe (in English: "Trimphal Arch") honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces.

It was a huge honor to finally reach here and take a photo!!

The Louvre (Du Louvre) is one of the largest palaces in the world and, as a former residence of the kings of France, one of the most illustrious. It exemplifies traditional French architecture since the Renaissance, and it houses a magnificent collection of ancient and Western art. Amazing!

Palais de Justice

Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe, and the naturalism of its sculptures and stained glassare in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture.

the Zero point

around the Notre Dame area, there's a lady offering me to feed the pigeons. How could i resist!!! Happy me!!

after a very long day, I can finally rest and have a meal, as I sit on the chair I realize that I'm super exhausted!!!
Look at that 1 slice of pizza, so huge unlike our hometown.

the cafe is so vintage and unique design

EIFFEL I'm in Love

The famous majestic grand tower!!! Eiffel I just can't take my eyes off of you!!!!

The Eiffel Carousel / merry-go-round

Moulin Rouge - The most legendary Cabaret in the world

after we end our day and back to the hotel, we have a very long way to walk, I feel like my feet is killing me, at last in the hotel I'm so sad to see my right foot is swollen :'( It's just the first day and this bad thing already happen! it's because of my jeans and boots are friction! I thot it was a simple sprain, so i put on a medicine, maybe it would be fine the next morning

-28 Sept
the next day, I have to wear sport shoes instead of boots, but it's fine for my foot's sake. I feel better now, at least I still can walk.

Grand Palais

statue of Samuel Champlain

Palais De La Decouverte

buying some Organic Sorbet!! so delish!! look at the unique stall 

Champs Elysees is a prestigious avenue in Paris, with its cinemas, cafes and luxury shops. It is one of the famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world.

I'm feeling like I'm at the Beverly Hills

enjoying the wind brushes my hair @ Terminus Nord

catching our next train to AMSTERDAM!!!

Amsterdam, Netherlands

-28 Sept (afternoon)
Paris - Brussels, Belgium - Amsterdam

Amsterdam - is undoubtedly one of the jewels of Europe. You'll feel at home in Holland's cosmopolitan capital. This relaxed and hospitable metropolis surrounded by age old canals is home to some of world's best.

by train is so much cheaper and easier to travel 1 city even country to another, their country is so neighbor like to one another. But, eventually it takes several hours like 5 to 6 hours. It was my first time to ride a train (different with MRT). It's so clean and comfy, we even take a nap in there. We transit at Brussels, I really wanna leave the train and take pictures at it. But too bad we only transit for a few minutes, too bad :( 
So we arrived Amsterdam at night. We can't go anywhere far, just strolling around our hostel (Orange something, I forgot the name).

Red Light District in Amsterdam and consists of a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights. These "kamers" are the most visible and typical kind of red light district sex work in Amsterdam and are a large tourist attraction.

- 29 Sept
the next morning, we're ready for our 1 day tour around Amsterdam famous village. Yeayyy!! we stroll around the city, as we saw many locals use bicycle as their transport to work / school, aww I really wish that my city is this peaceful.

Street along the Dam Square

It's the first and only Vodka Museum in Europe. The museum features a miniature modern exhibit about the history of vodka in Russia, called World of Vodka.

Glass Boat

De Bijenkorf "the beehive" is a chain of high-end department stores in the Netherlands with its flagship store on Dam Square

Paris yesterday. Czech Republic tomorrow. Amsterdam Today

Swissotel Amsterdam is a four-star luxury boutique hotel located by Dam Square, in the heart of Amsterdam's historic city centre and a short walk from Amsterdam Central Station.

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum with branches in a number of majority cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud. Displaying waxworks of historical and royal figures, film stars, sports stars, and infamous murderers.

We took lots of photo for quite a long time, finally we rush to our tour bus, and this cute guy told us that we have missed our bus, and we have to wait for tomorrow for the next tour available. We're so shock and devastated!!! We told him that we have only 1 day left at Amsterdam and have to fly to Prague tomorrow!
At the end, he couldn't help it and pity us, he said he's just kidding...
Oh thanks God!! we had a major heart attack hahahaha

I was so excited that I had forgot my foot pain, and run around like a child at this village for the whole day.

Zaanse Schans is the Netherlands in a nutshell: a town of traditional Dutch crafts and architecture, with six windmills, a wooden shoe workshop, a cheese farm and more. Some think it's an open-air museum, but actually, Zaanse Schans is simply a town full of extraordinarily well preserved architecture and traditions – one that's capitalized on its authentic atmosphere and added even more typically Dutch phenomena to the mix. Yes, Zaanse Schans is a bit touristic, but that's no reason to avoid it – its immersive approach to Dutch traditions it both a fun and informative day trip.

It is an open air conservation area and museum, on the bank of the Zaan River, north of Zaandam in the Netherlands. It displays the traditional architecture of the area (green wooden houses) and has several functioning windmills and craftman's workshops, which are open to visitors.

Enjoy and discover a scenic walk through the surrounding Dutch countryside and its wonderful Windmills. Really idyllic landscape!

Windmills, clogs, tulips, canals, cheese markets are practically everything that you would expect to find in a charming and utterly picturesque country. But, whatever image you associate with the lowlands, the first thing likely to come to mind is the Windmill (molen).

Windmills are an iconic part of the Dutch landscape, and a visit to one is a must for visitors.

Windmill were an integral part of Dutch life for centuries, employed for industrial purposes like milling grains or draining the lowlands of excess water.

Enjoy this shore excursion through a picture-perfect landscape crisscrossed with canals.

The picturesque village of Zaanse Schans is famous for its original buildings, vividly capturing Dutch life in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Welcome to Volendam. For a glimpse into the past and a drive along the low-lying fields and windmills of North Holland.

Volendam is a popular attraction in the Netherlands, well-known for its old fishing boats and the traditional clothing still worn by some residents. The lovely main street, De Dijk, fronts the water, and it's crammed with cafes and souvenir shops. The balance of the village is a mixture of narrow neighborhood streets that literally flow in all directions. Wandering around the streets is time well spent.

Volendam as known as "the pearl of the Zuiderzee". A fisherman's village and the bustling harbour area with the many boats are still a major attraction today.

The village is best explored on foot or by bike. If you're travelling with two or more people, renting a "freemover", a Segway, is a good alternative.

Since the late 1800s, tourists have been romanced by this fisherman's town on the Zuiderzee that seems to be frozen in time, so well has it preserved its folk culture despite the rapid transformation all around it.

on the way to Marken. Enjoying a canal cruise is a must when you visit this picturesque village.

The village of Marken was separated from the mainland after a storm surge in the 13th century. A centuries-long period of isolation followed for the community which made their money with fishing.

The typical houses and the traditional costumes are reminiscent of the past. In the old days, the island was flooded quite regularly. For this reason, houses were built on stilts and on mounds.

You’ll have to see it with your own eyes to believe how a community could live on a small island in the former Zuiderzee (‘Southern Sea’) for centuries. The charms of Marken with its characteristic houses and costumes are likely to steal your heart.

The real experience can be had in a day outside in the nature, it's worth it to admire the Dutch beauty.

These traditional green wooden houses are mainly normal living houses

My brand new favorite vintage shoes 

Sailing in a giant clog! Look I eve fit in it

It was a warm sunny autumn day when I visit this Green Wooden house in a little village that charmed me.

The pillar of hundreds Wooden Clogs

The process of making the Wooden Clog in the workshop

Dam Square is a town square in Amsterdam city. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the most well-known and important locations in the city.

Comon fly with me to Prague. Instead of train, mom found a cheap air ticket for us. Cya Amsterdam!!