Paris {the first day}

Our big trip for 2013 was back in February - kinda sad it's already over! We spent a whole week in Paris and then four days in Dubai. Almost everyone has asked why we chose those two destinations in one trip, and I can definitely say it's not your typical vacation, especially in February. About a year ago, we were beginning to plan a trip to Vietnam. Amy and John soon convinced us to go to Dubai instead, since they won't be living there forever. So we then booked a trip to the Middle East to visit Israel and Jordan before heading to Dubai. Just two weeks after we booked everything, we had to change plans since the Gaza Strip launched rockets into Israel that were landing near our hotel in Tel Aviv! No thanks. So, after hours of stalking flights and staring at world maps, we decided on Paris. Third time's a charm, right? Even though we aren't hopeless romantics by any stretch of the mind, Bo suggested we spend Valentine's Day in Paris and I was hooked on the idea. Delta had zero sympathy and wouldn't even waive the airfare change fee even though they just announced a travel advisory against Israel...(don't get me started), but thankfully flights to Paris in February are pretty cheap since it's the dead of winter and therefore the travel low season. So that is how we ended up going to Paris and Dubai on the same trip.

We took a red-eye flight getting into Paris mid-day. We made zero plans for the day other than to get settled in our hotel and check out the city. We cashed in some Marriott points and stayed at the Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel, just a few blocks from the Tuileries Garden. It was a fantastic location, and we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go in the city. We were welcomed with wine, fruits, and chocolates... I am really going to miss having Platinum status whenever I get downgraded.

We spent the afternoon walking around and stopping in cafés to reading and drink wine. Our first stop was to grab a late lunch at an outdoor café in the Tuileries. Had it been a little bit warmer, we could have hung out in the park all day.

the Louvre

We walked along the Seine River for quite a while, loving the bridges (as usual) and admiring the architecture. It was absolutely gorgeous, even with a somewhat overcast sky.

the Louvre

Hotel de Ville

For our first dinner in Paris, we found a very traditional French restaurant, Au Bourguignon du Marais, which was delicious. I got the Beef Bourgignon, which was (as expected) even better than the version we made just a few days before that.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and walked through the courtyard of the Louvre. So pretty all lit up at night!

 

It was still pretty early, so even though we were exhausted we forced ourselves to stay up just a little longer to get adjusted to the time difference. We hung out at the pub across the street from our hotel - I think these were our only beers in Paris, after that it was all wine! :)