5/13 Enchanted Palace Day

Last thing I requested: a palace & afternoon tea

So Chris took me to Kensington Palace, where Prince Diana used to live.
The garden was beautiful.
The most recent project is to restore and renovate the palace.
However, some parts are still open to the public.
The current theme for the palace tour is A Tale of the Seven Princesses--- talking about the 7 princesses whom had lived in the palace in the past.
The tour was presented in a very contemporary way. New visual art projects were set up in each room to blend in and tell the history of the old. Lighting and sound effects were used. It was a very interesting experience, it made me feel like I was stepping into a fairy tale. The fusion of the new and the old also made me want to find out more about the truth in the story telling.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to take any pictures in any of the rooms. Only the poster.

Some horrible person dropped a napkin on the ground, which made my photo imperfect :(






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After the tour of the palace... afternoon tea time!!!
One of the princess' green house was renovated. And it was where we had the tea!
Bottom of the tiered stand were the fingered sandwitches, middle was the English scone, top were the cakes and tarts.


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Last meal in London: home-made roast lamb
Very yummy

5/12 Leaving Paris

French weather: bad bad bad. Cloudy & rained miserably.
French air: polluted
French metro: dirty
French people: rude and snobby (it is true!)
French food: salty
French streets: still pretty
French desserts: awesome!!!!!!

Ok... pardon my generalization about French people

5/11 Day 2 in Paris

1st stop: Arc de Triomph & Champs elysees

Lots cars and lots tourists like us.
Lots people buying designer stuff; again, shop full of tourists.
We walked pass by this pastry shop.
Inside was like a paradise, full of fancy looking pastries.
A long counter displayed of never ending sweets xD




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Next stop: Eiffle Tower

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Enough of sight-seeing the landmarks, we decided just wondering around the streets and visit one of the famous cafe --- Les Duex Magots.
It is a historical cafe visited by many famous writers. We found the name of the cafe kind of funny, that was our reason for dropping by the cafe.
On our way, there was a cute street and a cute flower shop.


At first we ordered a tea, a coffee, and a parfait.
Then, a waitress brought a huge tray full of different cakes and pastry.
As I was staring into the huge tray of fancy desserts, Chris told me to pick one.
So, I picked this small pretty pink macaron decorated with a rose petal on top.
I must say, it was the best dessert I have ever had. It was rose flavored, sandwitch with respberry in the middle and with lychee in the center. It smells just like perfume to me.
And then... the bill came... the little pink macaron costed 12Euro!!!
I double checked the menu... yup! it was the most expensive dessert in the cafe, called Macaron Ispahan de Pierre Herme.



Side note: in order to use the toilet in the cafe, we had to pay for it!!!!! That is unbelievably inhumane... French people are cheap...

5/10 Day 1 in Paris

Got up early to catch the train, Eurostar.
It takes only 2.5 hours to get to Paris from London.


When we first got off the train and heading towards our hotel, it doesn't feel like we were in Paris at all.

After we dropped off our luggage in the hotel, we decided to go and see Notre-Dame church.
On our way to Notre Dame, we went pass many cafes and apartments. Then, we started to "feel French".
As we walked along the streets, every 5 mins we will see a new scenery.
Paris is indeed very compact and a well planned city.




The interior of the Notre Dame in Paris is not as fancy and colorful as the one in Montreal. But the architecture of the building and the stain glasses are still impressive. Inside the church, pipe organ music was being played which made the atmosphere even more gothic.




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After the church, we explored the city a bit more
Little shops, restaurants, river bank, modern building, artistic water fountain, French police, futuristic buildings...













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As we walked by many cafes and restaurants, we decided to go into one of them and take a break.
It is a restaurant that specialize in pork cuisine
We ordered the famous French onion soup and a dish of pig ears & pig nose & pig tail & pig trotters.
Have to say French food is very salty >.<







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After eating, we had more energy to do more walking.
Walked all the way to the Louvre Museum.
Unfortunately, it was a bit too late, museum is closed, we could only walk around the building.



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Dinner menu:
Confit de canard (roast duck)
sorbet & chocolate cake