A Weekend in Paris

A whirlwind weekend in Paris came to fruition after a joke between Otis and I earlier in the week. We were planning what we would do that weekend, and jokingly said let's just pop over to Paris. Sure enough, after a quick search online, and a little help from the GoEuro app and Air Bnb, we were booked in for a two day visit to the city of love.

As our first mini European getaway, we decided for only £35 we would give an overnight coach with Ouibus a try. We left from Victoria station at 9:30pm on Friday, and were set to arrive at 6:30am the following morning in Paris. This is an option we would reluctantly take again, given the little amount of sleep and comfort we found ourselves with. In my sleep delirium, I felt the whole train through the english channel tunnel a little claustrophobic, but I can't complain for such a cheap weekend away.

The advantage to arriving so early for breakfast meant we were able to start our weekend by the Arc de Triomphe at sunrise, which is far more beautiful in person than I ever imagined. The mornings were frosty, but the bare trees gave way to a side of Europe we don't often get to see while everyone revels in their summer Eurotrips.

A french breakfast of omelettes and croissants was devoured before a journey into a crowded market in the ninth arrondissement. It was slightly unnerving walking through such a bustling strip of fresh produce, flowers and garments. A cacophony of vendors shouting their specials as locals bargained. 

Further exploration venturing upward to Montmartre, and Sacré-Cœur warmed us despite the chill of the wind. The weathered cobblestone streets give way to the beautifully built Roman Catholic church. However the view from the top also shares a different perspective of the elegant city.

We quickly stopped into our Air Bnb apartment to drop our bags before we made our way across the city to see the infamous Tour Eiffel. Despite the obvious issues around crowds and the usual tourist gabs, the tower itself is monumental and striking. It captivates you with a charm that I believe only Paris can. 

 

After little sleep during our coach ride from London to Paris, we head back to Champs-Elysees, the busy shopping strip down from the Arc de Triomphe, and where our apartment was located.

I am very sorry we could only afford the time of one night in the city, as it sparkles at night the way no city I've visited before does.

We obviously started Sunday with a croissant and tea, because the french do the best pastries. We decided to spend Sunday morning seeing Paris from the top. We climbed the 284 stairs to the top of the Arc de Triomphe to see the city from another angle. The uninterrupted 360° views let you absorb just how much ground you cover in the city on foot. From Sacré-Cœur to Tour Eiffel and beyond, the morning light captures the expanse of the Capital.  

A metro to the 12th Arrondissement had us exploring the hidden lane ways and streets of Paris. Enter Rue Cremieux. This colourful delight is hidden just a five minute walk from Gare de Lyon station. A contrast among the washed beige and grey tones of the city's buildings, Rue Cremieux is a refreshing sight with bright facades dressed with murals and trompe l’oeil. The street is Paris' very own Portobello-inspired photography haven.

From Rue Cremieux we could walk to Notre Dame. We ambled our way through the Parisian streets taking in the views of the apartments along with Seine River, peeping at the books and bric-a-brac for sale on the riverside market stalls. Notre Dame is every bit as magnificent, and then some. Huge is an understatement, this monumental piece of architectural mastery is so detailed that the artist in me couldn't help but soak in its glory. Despite the obvious overcrowding issues that occur in all major tourist attractions, the walk in the area is beautiful.  Be sure not to miss out on a Nutella crepe for €3.

Our final stroll was from Notre Dame to Hotel de Ville metro station. Hidden among the mass of souvenir shops are a few more hidden lane ways that capture true Paris, hidden Paris. These are the moments I cherished in this city, discovering little secrets that were real and beyond the foray of tourist hubs. 

Paris in winter is every bit as beautiful as you could imagine it would be. Don't be afraid to let your feet guide you off the bookmarked 'must do's'. Paris has a story that goes far beyond it's infamous monuments and churches. It is a hidden delight for anyone looking for a weekend escape from London (or Europe in general). Don't overlook this city if you find yourself in this part of the world in winter. Paris was everything I hoped it would be.

Bali: An Island Paradise

Bali is beautiful.

That is the most important thing I have to say here, that this island of Indonesia is far more than I ever expected it would be, and I can't wait to return one day.

We spent our two weeks in Bali in three different regions, Seminyak, Ubud and Jimbaran, each with their own magic and appeal.

Seminyak is a beautiful but busy tourist hub on the south-west coast of the island. It's thriving with activity and is abundant with amazing places to dine and great boutiques to shop.

Below is the brightest, fun little shop front in a slightly quieter part of seminyak, just up the road from the entrance to seminyak beach. The Boat Shed caught my eye with its pop of colour in the street, in store there's some great finds for men and women, so give this one a look if you're in the area!

We stayed at the Amadea Resort and Villa's, which was far more tranquil than you would expect in central Seminyak! So close to, well, everything we loved the serenity of sitting by the pool with birds, enjoying a cocktail while reading a book, and being able to wander around for somewhere to eat and a spot of shopping if we pleased, all at the convenience of our front door (or driveway might be a better description!).

Seminyak is so full of dining options, that we never ate at the same place twice, and had almost every type of cuisine you could hope for (but you can't go past a good Nasi Goreng!). We usually just ate brekky at our hotel as it was included, but we couldn't go past spending one morning feasting on an organic brunch at The Earth Cafe. Pictured below (excuse an iphone photo) is my delicious Super Brekky of a dehyrated nut & seed mix with coconut yogurt and fresh tropical fruits, completed with a Soyberry Joy smoothie. I might add we broke our "didn't dine here twice" rule by going back for lunch here once. The Buckwheat pancakes with strawberries added is highly recommended.

Some other great recommendations to suit every craving can be included with Ultimo, a tasty and very busy little italian restaurant, Khaima was a great Mediterranean place with wonderful food and delicious cocktails!  Ginger Moon was a great little Asian restaurant, with Pork being highly recommended by my partner - they give you the bill in a coconut carved into a monkey's head too, this was an added bonus! Sea Circus is great, and I'm sorry we didn't get to enjoy a breakfast there, as they look amazing! I highly recommend the passionfruit and guava margarita though! 

We also dined (for probably our most expensive meal of the entire trip) at the Seminyak Beach Hotel restaurant on the beach, which was great too, as we watched the sunset over the beach and had the whole place to ourselves as we dined early! Here's a view from sunset on the beach that night.

Finally, in Seminyak I'd like to recommend Motel Mexicola, the food was good but what was really special about this place was the entire fit out! However you can't take photos with a camera in here, but you can with your phone - that really confused me and left me a little disappointed as I'd looked forward to it so much, but here's a few iphone photo's to give you a taste!

While in Seminyak, we spent an afternoon making our way up to Tanah Lot for the afternoon and sunset. The tide was extremely low, so visitors could make their way across to the sacred "Snake Temple". To be honest, this disappointed me a bit as all my shots were full of people, but could no less be expected with such a low tide.

I found myself a lot happier with watching the sunset behind Batu Bolong, a smaller temple just slightly north of Tanah Lot. This photo feels a bit magical with all those colours!

Next stop was Ubud! I think I left a little piece of my heart in this cultural hub up in the lush mountainside of Bali. I should start off by saying we stayed about 45 mins drive outside of Ubud, in the tranquility that is the Puri Sebatu Resort. Everything about this place was amazing, from the way you feel like you have the place all to yourself as there are only 10 rooms, to the view you get every time you look out the doors of your room into the amazing jungle valley. You can't walk anywhere from here to dine, so everything you eat will be at the hotel, unless you head into Ubud Centre for the day, but you get such a great choice, quality and quantity that you won't even mind!

We were lucky enough to see a wild Luwak during our dinner on the first night, and enjoyed a few too many Strawberry Lazy's by the pool! At the top of the resort on a clear day you can see Mt Agung over the tree tops of the opposite valley-side and there's plenty of wildlife here. Don't be alarmed by bugs, you're in the jungle and most don't want anything to do with you!

Ubud Centre has a lot to offer from shops full of handmade goods to the Ubud Palace and Monkey Forest! I would recommend just walking around the streets, ducking into stores, with a big recommendation for Kou Cuisine, which makes the most delicious homemade jams! I wish we bought more, we've already almost finished ours and only got home a week ago!

We filled a day during our stay in Ubud with a 25km cycle tour through villages and rice fields with Bali Eco Tours. I might add that about 90% of the tour is downhill, so you hardly pedal and mostly roll while enjoying the views! You start the day with breakfast with a view of Mt Batur and the crater lake. Excuse us 'Touristing' in some photos, I promise we only did it a few times all trip! Breakfast and lunch are included in your trip, which is US$40 (approx. IDR500,000).

After breakfast you head about 15 minutes down the road to a local coffee plantation, where they will show you the roasting process, allow you to sample a variety of tea and coffee's, and for an additional USD5 you can try a cup of Luwak Coffee, a Balinese specialty.

A further 5 minute drive down the road and you will pick up your ride for the day, get comfy with a bike as its yours for the next 2.5hours. Shortly after you set off, you will stop in to a family compound and see the way of Balinese life, which is pretty spectacular and very different from our own.

You will see A LOT of rice on this tour, and I mean A LOT! Fields of it in fact, it's so green and so beautiful.

As we finished up our tour with a delicious lunch cooked by a mother from a local family, we headed back into Ubud. We decided to stay in Ubud Centre for the afternoon and wander around the Monkey Forest. Trip Advisor reviews had us question if it was really safe enough to go, but had no issues and nothing but admiration for these cheeky creatures. So much like people, these monkey's will cause you no harm if you follow the rules - my tip: don't be tempted into buying the bananas to feed them, and you'll be left to observe at your leisure. Please remember not to use a flash when photographing these animals, and please do not harass them!

We were sad to leave Ubud and our amazing private sanctuary, but as we headed to our final destination, we stopped at the Tegalalang Rice Terraces. Again, so much green, which is such a respite from home.

We settled for our final few nights in Jimbaran, a quiet fishing village in the south of Bali. We spent one afternoon wandering around Uluwatu Temple at sunset, which had majestic cliff views and more cheeky monkeys! It was packed with tourists, which is to be expected and you can watch a Kedec dance at sunset if you are so inclined.

If you make your way down to Jimbaran, definitely treat yourself to a meal at Balique, which has the most amazing vintage interior, and the food is sensational!

My final words, would be to encourage you to make the trip to Finn's Beach Club in Uluwatu, a secluded cove where you can snorkel, kayak, stand-up paddle board and lounge until your hearts content! well worth the trip!

Bali is absolutely worth the trip, and only 6 hours from Sydney and roughly the same as the cost of a week down the coast, I couldn't tell you go give it a try more.