I am sure you have all heard that lovely song that begins “The Champs Elysees is a Busy Street” (Art vs Science, Par Le Vous Francias). Well when I arrived there on Saturday, that it was!!!! After a dramatic time of worrying trying to get to the hotel. Being that this was the first real time I had been to a non English speaking country, and all the warnings on how people get robbed all the time in France. I went into this weird mood of overprotectiveness. Plus after not getting any sleep on the flight meant that I was a tad grumpy as well. Not a good combination when someone can’t understand you and you need some directions or help.

But I made it to the hotel eventually after not getting ripped off or robbed and met up with the lovely Miss Yena who was waiting in reception the very second I walked in. Awesome way to start my first time in Paris. I had scored an amazing rate via industry discounts at the Marriott Champs Elysees. The ONLY hotel on this street, it was seriously good. The Rack rate going at the moment is around 800 Euros. We paid $120 euros. BARGAIN!!!!! Plus the rooms are awesome 😀 Loved every minute of this stay. We pretty much spent the day exploring the city, going up to the Sacre Cour and getting my first view of the Tower at a distance, then we walked pretty much half of the main area of paris, all the way back to the hotel via the Moulin Rouge and many other places, it was awesome++

I loved strolling the streets in Paris and it was a great feeling. Then getting to experience one of their lovely automatic street toilets that cleans itself after each use. Awesome!!! But then the evening was what was going to be amazing. This was going to be epic. The Fabulous Miss Yena had arranged a dinner at an amazing restaurant that had the French food I had never experienced (real French cuisine) with an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower. So after lots more wandering past the tunnel where Princess Diana was killed (we found this at random), past shops and cars that just made both of us drool, we made it to the Eiffel Tower. I had never seen this structure up close and it blew my mind.

We headed to dinner just as it started to rain, but it didn’t matter it was pretty light and I was all a buzz with what I was seeing. We enjoyed a Glass of Champagne for my birthday (Pommery for those who wish to know) and then got stuck into what turned out to be an amazingly well priced 6 course dinner of just sheer awesomeness. Les Hombres is the restaurant based on the top floor of one of the museums and has amazing views to the Eiffel Tour. Seeing it lit up at night was just amazing!

After dinner we strolled slowly to get a Sparkle show in before heading over to Harrys Bar in the Opera area which is apparently one of the oldest bars in Paris and also the home of a number of Cocktails including the Bloody Mary and the Side Car (Apparently). After consuming a celebratory Side Car for my 30th Birthday before walking back again to the hotel it was an amazing way to finish off celebrating my Birthday. Can’t believe it took me this long to get to Paris but I tell you… worth the wait!