peppermintbark

My vacation to europe….I kinda decided to go last minute but I knew it was the perfect opportunity and it really was. My friends are living in the Netherlands for a few months and are familiar with Paris. That made all the difference. All I had to do was buy my ticket.  We went everywhere and walked everywhere. I have never walked so much in a day. Almost 10+hrs a day of walking. But it was great exercise…you eat whatever you want and don’t have to worry about gaining weight! I even lost weight on this trip.  I flew on British Airways (which I highly recommend) into Amsterdam and took a train to Paris.

We rented an apt practically next door to the Notre Dame. Paris is LOVELY. So much history, great architecture, it’s a beautiful city.  We started every morning by going to a bakery to get breakfast.  Oh my goodness….the bakeries in Paris….love at first bite.  There’s nothing like it here.  I can’t tell you what my favorite was because they were really all that good.  The food in Paris….everything is so much tastier…their butter, potatoes, espresso, soups, ice cream, pastries, macaroons, chocolates just to name a few.  We went here to eat macaroons.  They were THE best….and I don’t even really like them!!  It’s a MUST if you like macaroons…even if you don’t!!

After our daily visits to the bakery, we went to many museums and tourist spots.  The Louvre, which is ginormous!  Musee d’Orsay, which I liked alot.  Musee de l’Orangerie, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, Champs-Elysees, Notre Dame and Versailles.  Versailles was my favorite out of all.  It is breathtaking and so grande.  Pictures do not do justice to any of these places I visited, especially Versailles.

Towards the end of our trip to Paris we rented a car and drove to the wine country of Paris called Loire Valley.  This was a nice change to our non-stop-on-the-go time in Paris.  We stayed at a bed and breakfast in a town called Chenonceau.  They served the best french onion soup.  I never liked french onion soup until I had theirs.  I don’t think I’ll eat it anywhere else but there.  The Loire Valley is known for the chateau’s and their beautiful vineyards.  My favorite chateau was called the Villandry.  Known for their outdoor gardens, they had the cutest vegetable garden.

Lastly we went to Amsterdam which is another beautiful city.  Gorgeous canals and buildings.  I wouldn’t mind having a place here.  Most people get around via bikes and can multitask on their bikes.  They text, talk on the phone, and even can ride a bake while driving another bike with their other hand!  Amsterdam is a cool city…..coffee shops on every corner, every street is equally gorgeous because they all look the same, and the people are friendlier than Paris.

It was bittersweet to go back home.  I had a blast and wish I could have stayed longer but I missed home.  I can’t wait to go back to Europe again….pictures galore!!!