PARIS, La Vie en Rose

And there I was, boarding the Eurostar from London, St Pancras Station, holding hands with my other half and heading...PARIS

Can’t really say "The City of Love " was an obsession for me, but like many other romantics I made sure it was on my bucket list.

We have really enjoyed the fast train journey and before we knew it, we were in The Gare du Nord, enquiring about travel cards at the information desk. Not really a good deal as in London, because you can walk Paris to really feel its magic spell.

As you know, Paris is split in two by the Seine River, offering the right and the left banks a different character for the tourists eye. Make sure you know which bank your hotel is located on, before you book it. Ours, Hotel Vic Eiffel- located at the South of Seine offered an Eiffel Tower view paired with a large terrace and all the comfort the upgraded room had to offer. Compliments from the hotel for our special day.

Well, we always try to make every day special, but usually my birthday becomes a total madness, with at least three B' Day parties, lots of laughs and lately, a new place to visit or a new thing to try. Life has so much to offer so grab every moment with both hands and work your magic on it.

Paris revealed gradually to us, the first day I found it shallow, rainy and grey. Greyer than London in its worst days. I was about to find out later from an artist friend who walked us through Belleville, the rough bohemian side of Paris, that it rains more often than we might have imagined. I must admit that hearing this , made me ironically happy I was located in London.

A bad weather makes you appreciate more a city when the sun comes up. My favourite spot in Paris was neither the Eiffel Tower nor the Notre Dame de Paris or the impressive Louvre with its Monalisa smile as you might think, but a small typical parisian Patisserie, where I used to drag my husband for both breakfast and lunch like an authentic gourmand.

The Pastry treats made up for all the rain and cold I have endured on my very birthday, a birthday ended in a dark and expensive lebanese restaurant that I have loathed because we were the only customers in it. Almost lost my “joie de vivre” on that rainy day...

When you’re next in Paris make sure you try the unique french baguettes and the delicious ratatouille. Indulge yourself in a sweet treat, being careful which brand you try. Always look for the traditional Pastries finding the specialities that trigger in you the childhood mood.The City of Light is about love and merengue, is about history and eclairs, is about art , pancakes and fruit tarts. It’s about exploring. Get lost on the streets of Paris with no maps and simply follow your heart.

Pastries in Paris can be a science so make sure you board the train home with bags of french bread and sweets instead of clothes and perfumes. It’s a once in a lifetime challenge and trust me, it’s the best treat!

As we walked Champs d'Elysee and passed Arc de Triomphe we felt like walking the streets of Bucharest, the little Paris of Europe. Miles away we ended up totally unplanned to the Victor Hugo’s house and enjoyed visiting it, thinking at my grandfather.

Paris can be slightly overrated but if you end up by chance listening the choir singing at the night mass , inside the Basilica of Sacre Coeur you might think you’re in Heaven. It is divine, the same as the view over Paris at twilight and a glass of wine on the famous Montmartre Hill.

Place du Tertre offers you the chance to have your portrait sketched by a local artist, which I’ve heard they can be very hartless to the new competition. Limited places for artists apparently.

Take the funicular to get back in the city and make sure you walk towards Moulin Rouge for a cliche movie scene breeze from the metro passing below. Mind you though, as you exit Anvers metro station towards Barbes-Rochechouart to the east can be a little rough at night and is not advisable to look lost pointing the fact that you are a tourist.

When in Paris lock your love on the Pont de l’Archeveche, at the nord of Notre Dame across the Seine. There is a small shop nearby where you can engrave your names on a padlock and leave it as a testimonial of your eternal love in Paris.

I’ve read later, after enthusiastically having sealed our love with a kiss on the “Love lock” bridge, that the authorities might consider banning the padlocks from the bridges of Paris for safety reasons (collapse risk). Well...we’ve always known love can hurt...

A Walk in the the Latin Quarter is a must. Remember to make a wish at the “Fontaine Saint-Michel” when you pass by.

And Mona Lisa...ohhh...you can’t be there and resist the urge to meet her. Not wanting to miss the sunny day in a museum, I’ve bought just one ticket to Louvre and literally rushed inside to say hello to the Lady. I’ve enquired the guides about her location and hurried to bump into her smile. I spotted her in the crowd and made room for me to get nearer. A small painting... but so vivid. Absolutely impressive, her mysterious gaze following you from any angle in the room. I left Louvre without paying attention to anything else there and insisted that my husband went in to meet her. No jealousy. Cross my heart. As expected he was impressed. We offered the ticket to a lovely couple of mother and daughter and left laughing.