SEPTEMBER 9-10, 2013
Leaving On A Jet Plane
The big day has finally arrived!
Rob and I drove to Halifax to catch our flight with Iceland Air.
We boarded our 10pm flight and were greeted by friendly staff offering us bottles of glacier water from Iceland and snacks.
The plane was a Boeing 757, one of the larger single isle (6 seats across) planes. The seats were comfortable, but not overly spacious. Cannot be compared to Air Canada’s comfy Boeing 767 for transatlantic flights from Halifax. We got cozy with our complimentary blankets and pillows and enjoyed a drink. The seats were also equipped with personal televisions with audio and video OnDemand. We were far too excited to get much sleep on our 4h flight to Reykjavík Airport, Iceland.
We arrived in Iceland at 5 am for a 2 hour layover.
We were surprised by how nice the Airport was, many places to eat, lounge and shop. We sat down with some unknown Icelandic breakfast items… Delicious!
Back on our plane to Paris we were treated to a lovely sunrise. With little to no sleep we stepped foot in France and made way through the maze of trains and subways to our accommodations in the 11th district of Paris!
Our host in Paris was with wonderful Maguy (listed with AIRBNB). She rented 2 spacious guestrooms out of her home. Her place was very close to the subway in a charming neighborhood filled with shops and markets.
We resisted the urge to catch up on some well needed sleep. We were determinant to see some sights on our short stay. Paris is known for their protests that can spontaneously shut down public transit… and we stumbled upon one as we were headed on our way to sight see!
We left the noisy protest behind and embarked on our journey through the streets of Paris. We soaked up the sights and sounds but it didn’t sink in right away that we were on our trip of a life time. Perhaps it was the jet lag and the lack of sleep. It was not until we arose out of the metro, rounded a corner and came face to face with a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower.
I think we both took over 300 photos of the tower that day!
The Perfect Date Night
Q: How do you make eating bread and cheese with your hands romantic?
A: Easy… Eat it under the Eiffel Tower!
After capturing the sun’s last rays of light on the famous landmark, it was time to search for items for our picnic date. We managed to put together an impressive spread of treats for our first official French meal. Under the glow of the Eiffel Tower we sat down to enjoy our feast. Sipping champagne, eating french bread, cheeses, various deli meats and pastries for dessert… it was easy to forget we were surrounded by others also out to enjoy an evening under the stars on the Champs de Mars. And if this was not sweet enough… we danced to La Vie En Rose as we walked back to the metro for the evening!
We’ll wasn’t that a great way to kick off the trip?!
Day 1 Complete… Only 16 Days To Go!
