Our Summer in France & Italy - Notre Dame & Monmarte

Notre Dame was truly a beautiful example of Gothic architecture. Fred, with a better eye for details, kept pointing out the pointed features of the building to me.

This was a deliberate pose at a nearby park beside Notre Dame.

Sacre Coeur at Monmarte was the second church we visited. The charm of this building was it being perched on top of the hill, overlooking the southern parts of Paris.

One of the draws in Monmarte is the gathering of artists in open-air Place du Tertre. Really reminds one that the road to fame & success for an artist is arduous. And many may just remain as street artists, setting up their easels for tourists to earn a living.

At the red light district in Pigalle, near Monmarte, we saw Moulin Rouge. Oh, I was so in love with Nicole Kidman & Ewan McGregor's 2001's Moulin Rouge.

Our Summer in France & Italy - Paris, How Can We Not Love Thee?

Paris was the last stop before we returned to London. After enduring the dry, scorching summer heat in Rome, we were so looking forward to cooler weather. And Paris greeted us with a rainshower! How pleasant & refreshing!

Our first stop on the itinerary was to hit Champs Elysees, needless to say. We admired the Arch of Triumph, trying to understand the historical meaning of the architectural features by poring over our guidebook.

But Fred was yawning quite a bit due to fatigue from air travel. We flew in from Rome in the morning, checked into the hotel & started our sightseeing to maximise the remaining time we have of the day. haha... So he couldn't hold up & we had to make a pit stop for caffaine intake & wait for his engine to recharge.

Champs Elysee was so l-o-n-g. For Fred, walking on Orchard Rd is already a challenge, lest to say on Champs Elysee! "I need a leg rest!" he said.

Thank goodness there was at least something of an interesting nature for him - a Toyota showroom!

Girls' stuff - which I was contented to just admire through the windows since it would be too much to test my dear hubby's patience & stamina. Anywaz, I didn't go to Paris to shop. Guess I am not the regular kind of girl.

We walked slowly to Le Grand Palais & Petit Palais.

The Seine River flows through Paris in a laissez faire fashion, unperturbed by the volume of vehicles and humans crossing her banks everyday. Paris, I remembered falling deeply in love with her; there & then, my love for Paris was rekindled when I again set eyes on the Seine.

Our Summer in France & Italy - Enchanting Roma at Night

The night we walked to Trevi Fountain, we heard the splashing sounds of water & the carefree chatter of tourists mingling around the Fountain, taking pictures & hanging out. The liveliness & energy in such an enchanting & relaxed setting was almost magical. The surrounding air carried a refreshing crispness. Then, we felt it in the air - romance.

A kind, young Caucasian chap offered to take a picture for us in front of the Fountain. They say love makes the heart generous. How true! Although the fountain steps were occupied with hardly any standing space left, there seemed to be an unstated orderly fashion in which the human traffic moved. Those who froze their memories with their Digi cams slowly made way for those who were coming down the steps for their phototaking. Satisfied with having captured our moment, we likewise retreated to the further corners of the Fountain to admire the view.


The Fountain stood stoicly, faithfully embracing her hordes of admirers who have come from near & far. In that huge mass of merry-makers, strangers & all, there somehow existed a common sense of appreciation & celebration - of asethetic beauty & timeless charm. How many a lover has proposed to his fairlady or an elderly couple renewed their love vows at this beautiful Fountain?

Reluctantly, we departed from the Fountain, after Fred tossed his coin & made his wish. We left the magic & wandered along the streets of Rome, looking for the Pantheon.

We walked to Piazza Navona again to soak in the atmosphere at night. Indeed, Rome never sleeps at night. Certainly not Piazza Navona. There, street artists were showcasing their art pieces into the night, baskers not letting up with their entertainment & waiters in restaurants serving hot piping food to eager patrons. We took a slow stroll through the Piazza. A tall, lean-bodied basker with a white-painted face suddenly came to us from behind & gave us a fright! Mischievous & trying hard to earn his last few coins before he called it a night. We didn't have the heart to refuse of course.

Leaving the bustling Piazza, we headed towards a quieter part of Rome. Across the river, we strolled towards Castel Sant Angelo & the Vatican City.

St Mark's Square, clothed in charming yellow lights, was like a reserved, gentle lady; her hushed tones were the flowing waters from the fountains. Almost emptied out at night, the Square appeared less intimidating compared to daytime when long queues were formed to enter the Basilica. At night, she looked mystical & alluring. Her blue-coloured dome stood out silently against the blackened skies.

Good bye Rome, Good night Rome. Maybe we will return, after all, my coin was tossed 20 years ago & I have returned.