So recently I have been to the theatre here in Paris and have completely loved my experience. Mum had come to visit me, so I really wanted to do something different this time round, so I bought us a pair of tickets to see the smash hit show 'How To Become Parisian In One Hour' which I wanted to go to for quite a while.

The show is currently at Théâtre des Nouveautés which is at the 9th arrondissement (24 boulevard Poissonnière: metro - Grands Boulevards) and will stay there until the end of August so you guys have time, if interested, to book your tickets to this hilarious show while on holiday in Paris.

This One Man show is sure to leave you in fits of laughter while training to act Parisian in every possible occasion you could encounter in your life. Oliver Giraud makes the funniest impersonations of Parisians, and the fact that he too is 100% French adds that authenticity to his spectacle which made the audience connect to him straight away, as we were getting real information from a native who was also accustomed to the stereotypes of French people and who surprisingly agreed with them. Hence making this show a real hit, attracting people from all around the world, and even the French themselves! It was quite astonishing how most of the audience were Parisians and French people from different parts of France!

How To Become Parisian In One Hour will leave you fit and ready to tackle any situation while in Paris; whether it be while out shopping, at a restaurant, in a taxi, at a nightclub, on the metro and even during intimacy with your partner. Giraud's facial expressions and comments will have you peeing with laughter, that no matter how badly you will want to go and relieve yourself you will not leave your seat as you will not want to miss a second of it.

I truly do recommend this show to everyone! Old and young -okay, maybe not too young as there is quite a lot of swearing and adult themes, but everyone nonetheless! The prices range from 24-37 euros depending on your seats. I went for the cheapest option, and was still very happy with my choice. Voilà my view; and even when it filled up, mum and I still got a good view of the stage.


HTBPIOH is on every Monday at 8pm, Friday and Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 6pm. It lasts an hour, and at the end of the show, Giraud makes the effort to stay a bit longer to meet his audience and even get a picture with him (which I did!).

It really is a lovely night out, and highly recommend it. So do go for it, if you have the chance! You can buy your tickets here.

He is even going to London on May 13th and will host a show at Leicester Square Theatre so if you're in London during that time, do get your hands on some tickets. I sure will try and go again! And just so it appeals to you even further, you can use the promotional code: PARIS to get a reduction on your tickets! How nice of me, right?

Do tell me if you guys have gone to see the show and if you enjoyed it! I'd love to hear your experience!

Till next time xo

Remember the cousin I went to visit in Lyon? Well, she made a trip to Paris for the weekend and really wanted to go to Disneyland with some friends. At first, I wasn't supposed to be going, because I had to meet a classmate and do the coursework that was due in the next day. However, I couldn't possible pass up the chance, especially since it was going to be decorated in all its Christmas decorations! So, I was stuck in a dilemma of course! The trip was taking place on Sunday 14th December 2014 and on Saturday, I literally texted my friend telling her that my cousin was in Paris and that she really wanted me to spend time with her as she wasn't going to see me until God knows when, and if we could meet at 18:00 instead (I obviously exaggerated the whole situation, but made sure to leave Disneyland out of it), after what seemed ages, she finally replied completely understanding the situation and agreeing to the time change. I honestly felt like a little child again when I realised I was actually going to be able to go to Disneyland!

It was unbelievable, I seriously couldn't sleep that night. Anyway, after meeting at 7:30am at Châtelet les Halles we were finally on the RER A and on our way to DISNEYLAND!

We got there by 8:30am and the day was so gloomy and foggy, that we couldn't see anything, but we made sure to not let that dampen our spirits! We bought our tickets and were all ready to explore the two parks, when we were told that the gates didn't open until 09:30! We waited an hour until they opened, but at least we were first in the queue!

And when we got in, it felt so magical that I almost felt like crying because I was actually there!



Seeing all the Christmas decorations was making me so excited for Christmas, I really wanted the day to last forever.



But boy, was it free-zing!! I couldn't move my fingers, and do you know that guy in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie whose toe falls of because of the cold? Well, I seriously felt like that was going to happen to me with all my toes and fingers. So we went into this really cute café to grab something hot to drink, and after purchasing a Disney mug with my other because I couldn't pass up the chance of holding the cute thing, I was ready to embark on the wonderful adventure. And just as we were paying for our things, it started to snow! Yes, it snowed! In Disneyland! It may have only lasted 10 seconds, but IT SNOWED! And it was so magical, I couldn't believe it was happening.

We hoped it would snow again, but it never did.



However, the fog did add to that mystical feeling in the Pirates of the Caribbean section of the park. It made it all that bit more eerie and as if a pirate was going to pop out any second, but I loved it!

The POTC ride was adorable, we got into this boat and got to go inside this cave where all of Barbosa's treasure was hidden. Since we only had till 4pm to enjoy ourselves, because then we had to leave, we therefore had to quickly move on to the second park. We did manage to squeeze in the Indiana Jones ride just before we left though! The only disappointing thing about the rides, was that they didn't even last a minute :(



The Tower of Terror was my favourite ride! Once we were buckled in our seats and the elevator fell from the top of the tower, I felt as though my heart was ready to fall out of my chest. But it was brilliant, I really wanted to go again, but we obviously didn't have time and the queues took ages, so it was off to enjoy another ride.


This last and final ride was at Toy Story. After waiting in the queue for an hour, we got inside the famous green car and were driven to and from each point of the semi-circle until the car lost its speed and we were back in the middle again. These kind of rides are not my favourite, because you honestly feel as though you're heart is going to leave your body, but I still try them even though I know what they're like.

Sadly, before I knew it, it was already 4pm and it was time for us to leave. The day was fabulous and I spent it with the best people and the memories we created will live in my heart forever. But, I promised myself that I would have to go at least one more time before I leave Paris because there were other rides that I wanted to go on and we didn't have the time, and also because you can never get enough of Disneyland!



[100happydays, Day 6]

If you ask any child what place they dream of visiting, they would most likely say Disneyland; however, in my case, it was actually Versailles (although Disneyland was also on the list of course, because who wouldn't want to go to Disneyland?). Anyway, my dream came true on the 9th October 2014, when I decided to take my mum along with me on the trip when she came to visit me in Paris.

The journey there took us about an hour, but it was lovely because we got to see the outskirts of Paris and the difference in architecture as well as getting a glimpse of the banlieues. Once we reached the station, we followed the tourists that were also making their way to the palace, until we finally reached the beautiful golden gates. The grandeur of the place made my heart swell; I couldn't believe I was actually there, about to enter the former home of Marie-Antoinette! I absolutely adore the history of the place and of all the famous royals that once upon a time lived here. I completely immerse myself in the history of the French Monarchy and of the life of Louis XVI and his wife, whose reign brought it to an end.

Stepping inside the palace, I automatically felt myself go back in time as I pictured glamorous ball gowns swaying around me and dancing in front of the King and Queen. If the walls could only talk! To think that I was standing in what was once the centre of France's political power, was unbelievable.

The central gallery of the Château is its Hall of Mirrors (La Grande Galerie or La Galerie des Glaces in French) built during King Louis XIV's third building campaign in 1677-1684.


The chandeliers that decorate the hall are so beautiful, I literally took like 100 pictures of them. The paintings on the ceiling are dedicated to the political policies and military victories of Louis XIV. You could really see that Louis XIV is obviously the key figure in them, as they all highlight his power and success.


Going to the Petit Trianon and seeing the place where Marie Antoinette liked to take time away from the busy lifestyle of the French court, was surreal; seeing her bed was slightly strange, because 1) I couldn't believe she had actually slept there, and 2) because it was far too small! I was telling my mum that I didn't think that was her real bed, but after one of the room guards heard me, he actually confirmed to me that Marie-Antoinette actually did sleep there, but she merely slept sitting down! I was like "Oh, well that makes sense!" But it still seems strange to me.

And just when I thought I had seen it all, we stepped outside and onto the gardens. My goodness, were the gardens beautiful. Below is a picture of them, but it's one of those situations where you have to be there to truly feel the amplitude of the place.


Just seeing the lake itself and the stretch of it, was enough to take my breath away. And just so we could make our mark in the place, mum and I decided to row in the lake. It was bloody amazing! A duck was following my mum and I along our 30-minute trip which was adorable and I felt sorry for him because he was obviously hungry and we didn't have anything to give him. We had a sandwich inside the palace in the Angelina restaurant, but we didn't really leave anything of it because it was delicious! But anyway, enough of that. After we got out of the rowing boat, and having learnt how to row by my mum, we started making our way towards the Queens Hamlet.

To say that my mum and I walked a lot, is an understatement. We were knackered by the end of the day; our feet were killing, I had blisters and my legs ached so bad I honestly thought they were going to fall off.

However, the highlight of the trip had to have been Marie Antoinette's Estate (once we reached it, because it was buried deep in the gardens) - The Queen's Hamlet. The place seriously set butterflies to flying in my stomach because it was just too beautiful! It looked like I was inside a fairytale; I never wanted to leave!




I mean isn't it just mind-blowing? Lucky Marie-Antoinette, seriously. (I kind of take that back, considering how she died.)

Mum and I spent the whole day there and we honestly didn't want to leave because the whole scenery was beautiful it made us want to just live there forever. However, once we knew we had to leave, we thought our wish was going to come true, as we couldn't find the way out! We tried looking on the map, but then I am useless at reading maps so that was a bust. There was nobody on the roads, and the gardens were almost forest-like that we felt trapped inside it. Eventually, we reached the palace, but we were the only ones around!

We looked everywhere, but there was not a soul in sight. It was after several minutes of wandering about, that we finally saw a security guard across the grounds of the Grand Trianon.We ended up heading towards him and asking him if he could let us out, which he did. sadly.


And there I am walking to our exit!

[100happydays, Day 4]

So, this weekend (20th and 21st of September), some places in France are open for free because of the Heritage Days. Since I live next to the Luxembourg gardens, I tried my luck yesterday to see if the palace was open for free too. And it was!

I had my lunch in my bag, but I decided to queue, not knowing that the queue was going to take a while and that I would be growing hungry from just standing there. Nevertheless, I stayed put, because I really wanted to see the palace. And boy was it worth it. 

Once we got in, the hunger went away. I was so impressed by everything, that I literally had my mouth agape when I saw how elegant and rich and glamorous the décor was. I could picture the royals and noblemen that graced the place back in their day. The paintings also helped to put faces to the names that I read about on the little leaflet they gave us at the entrance. 

                              Library ceiling with Dante's Inferno
                                         by Delacroix

After the death of Henri IV in 1610, his widow, Marie de Médicis, became regent to her son, Louis XIII. Having acceded to a much more powerful position, she decided to erect a new palace for herself, adjacent to an old hôtel particulier owned by François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Piney-Luxembourg, which is now called the Palais du Petit-Luxembourg, home of the president of the French Senate. 

The building is inspired by Florence's Palazzo Pitti which was the native building of Marie de Médicis, and hired the architect Métezeau to make detailed drawings of the building by sending him to Florence.
 
                               Salle des Conférences

During the French Revolution, it was briefly a prison, then the seat of the French Directory, and in 1799, the home of the Sénat conservateur and the first residence of Napoleon Bonaparte, as First Consul of the French Republic. 

                    The Seven Statues facing the Senate Chamber's
                        Semicircle (from left to right):

It was such a lovely day, I loved the Palace and I can't wait to visit Château de Versailles now because I can guess it'll be more extravagant than this! Mum should hurry up, because we'll be going together to visit it! Can't wait! 

It will almost be a week since I arrived in Paris. A week! My goodness, time does fly. My first ever experience of living abroad -by myself- has been all right so far. After arriving to a room which I have to share in the month of September, and carrying two heavy luggages along with a backpack and a handbag all by myself, I thought I would want to book the first trip back to London. However, I am still here, and there is a smile on my face.

My 'foyer' as they like to call it here (student residency) is located just next to the Luxembourg gardens along the Boulevard Saint Michel. From the terrace I have the most wonderful view of Paris, where both the Tour Eiffel and Montparnasse appear on the horizon. With the Notre Dame just minutes away from me, I couldn't ask for a better location. Walking the streets of Paris, and discovering the most cutest petits rues along the way, has been a highlight of my experience. Streets full of cafes and restaurants that grab your attention with their shabby and parisian decorations, the cobbled pavement and narrow streets that look like they have come out from a pop-up children's book, and the cute markets with the smell of fresh bread and fromageries just aligned across the street, has been so enjoyable to discover. My camera is always packed in my bag, because I never know what I will stumble upon or what will capture my eye.





I spend most of the evenings in the Luxembourg gardens, sitting on one of their famous green chairs with an open book on my lap, headphones in my ears and the sun shining on my face. The weather has been wonderful! It doesn't feel like the end of summer at all! I just wish it could stay like this forever!


On one of my little trips around Paris, I decided to go visit the famous bookstore: Shakespeare and Company.

This bookstore has the most welcoming and cosiest interiors I have ever come across in my life. I honestly wanted to stay there all day. Unfortunately they didn't let us take pictures inside, but the place even had beds for you to rest on while your mind wandered into another realm. They have books that are quite ancient and tend to be second hand, however, they do sell new books (which takes most of the downstairs floor) that vary from children's books like Rold Dahl to John Green for young adults to all kinds of genres and English authors one can think of.

The original shop, which doubled as a library, publisher and boarding house for aspiring writers, was opened by American Sylvia Beach and was featured in Ernest Hemingway's memoir, A Moveable Feast. The store closed during World War II, and was reopened in its current incarnation in 1951 by George Whitman, whose daughter, Sylvia, runs things today. And they even have a small message stating this on the side of the store.

Also, the place has its own cat! It's white and so cute, I have actually petted it.


The nearby restaurant Le Procope, is said to have had guests of luminaries like Voltaire, Rousseau and Verlaine, and that its walls are adorned with author-signed title pages. However, I have yet to visit that restaurant, but it is definitely in my to-do list!

That is just one of the many places I have and have yet to visit here in Paris.

[100happydays, Day 3]