I left two days after Christmas, with my brother and his friend Ernst back to Amsterdam. They were coming to visit me for new years and the first week in January. I was on a different flight, but we got into Amsterdam 20 minutes apart.
The first day in Amsterdam, the two SA guys slept the whole day, as my brother was sick the whole night on their flight to Amsterdam. I think it was food poisoning… Not cool!! The second day, I gave them a walking tour of Amsterdam… We went to all the major places – Kalver street, Dam Square, Central Station, Rembrandtplein, Leidseplein and Museumplein. We wanted to visit the Anne Frank house but the que was more than an hour’s wait! We then decided to go and do the Van Gogh museum, and the evening we went to see a movie at the Pathe Tushinsky (the old Opera house converted into a cinema). We went to see New Years eve, and sat on the balcony… It was really awesome J The place just has a certain magic to it. The two guys also loved it, and also said – this is definitely a MUST DO in Amsterdam…
On the Friday morning at 04:35 the alarm sounded and we got up, got ready, and left for Central Station at 05:20… Our night bus did not show up, so we took a taxi to Amsterdam Central station, as our train for Paris was departing at 06:16. We got onto the Thalys, and after chatting to the conductor, he moved us to nicer seats (where we could sit across from each other), and also a lot more comfortable than our original seats. We where headed for Paris for New Years… Euro Disney for New Years, and then two days in Paris after New Years.
We travelled the whole Friday morning, and got to our hotel at 13:00. Our hotel had a shuttle service and I phoned them twice, first they told me, get into a white van, and then – get into a black van J Felt like something out of the movies J We went for supper at ROMA (Italian food in a French country), but it was AMAZING! It was this cute little restaurant, with awesome vibe and character! Felt like Rome in Paris J We had some nice pizzas, good wine, and GREAT company!!! Had an early night, as we were already up and going since 4:35 that morning!
31 December 2011
I woke up with the following quote in my head – when was the last time, you did something for the first time? Embrace the last day of 2011 and live life to the fullest!! We had an early start, and then headed to Euro Disney! We visited both parks, and really had a blast J I felt like a kid again! But I also realized that I was a lot older, as my heart rate picked up with a few of the rides J Fun times!! We did rides, had lunch, lots of laughs, special dinner (consisting of our dreams for 2012, new years resolutions, old resolutions we still need to make true, and “hartsake” (things that make us tick ect)… All in all just an awesome day. From 22:30, Carien and I danced all the way till the New Year started. Everyone gathered around the Disney Palace, as there were to be a big firework show at 00:00. We got some French champagne, and danced on all the hits the DJ provided us with – girls just wanna have fun, YMCA, Grease ect… It truly was a New Years for the history books. We were then blessed with the most magnificent firework show!! An event I will remember for the rest of my life… Really feel truly blessed…
1 January 2012…
My motto for 2012 is the following – a quote I heard in the movie “New Years Eve”… “What would you do today if you knew, you would not fail?” Keep that thought, and go out and do it… I want to challenge you – while you are reading this, to make this your motto for 2012… Never let anyone make you believe that you are not able, or that you do not have what it takes to do great things… Through Christ, who gives us strength, all of us are able to achieve great things!!
We had another big day of travelling from Disney to Paris, and to our new hotel. Everyone was a bit tired as we have been walking non-stop for the past 3 days. We decided to kick off the New Year slowly and just travelled to the new hotel and settled in. We went for an early dinner, and was planning to go up the Eiffel Tower. But when we got to the Eiffel, the ques were insane, and it was pouring with rain. We then decided that we would come back early on the 2nd of January…
We had an early start, and headed to the Eiffel Tower – Take 2… We got there at 09:30, and the queues were already terrible. We got into the queue saying “stairs only” and decided to walk all the way to the second level… 669 steps later, we arrived on the second level J It is really a great experience climbing all the way to level 2… You have a sense of accomplishment when you reach the second level. We took some nice pics, and then bought the supplement ticket to the third floor. This was really an amazing experience!!! You just get a whole new perspective seeing the whole of Paris from up high… We met some South-Africans on the third level, and shared a laugh about Sharks vs Stormers rugby J
Our train was leaving on the evening of the 2nd, so we had one day to maximize doing all the tourist things in Paris. It was therefore a crash tour of Paris J After the Eiffel Tower, we made our way to Notre Dam Cathedral… As the two SA boerseuns needed some food, we first went to Subway for a nice sandwich. They had footlong breads J
Notre Dam was an amazing church to visit – the architecture is truly out of this world, and the atmosphere in that Church really took my breath away… You really experience the presence of God in the church… Was an amazing experience!!! From Notre Dam, we did some souvenir shopping, and then headed for the Champs Elysees (the main shopping street in Paris, and also the street in which the Tour de France finishes). We walked all the way up the Champs Elysees – when it started pouring with rain!!! We just decided – when in Rome J Finished our walk to fame, and then took some nice pics at the Arc de Triomf. We met some people travelling in Paris from Mexico and California. They took a group pic for us at the Arc de Triomf – check it out J
Next stop – the Louvre! We took the subway, and as we were checking our train tickets, the train pulled into the station. Ernst jumped on, and I saw that Stefan dropped his one glove. I then stopped to pick it up, Stefan stopped to get on the train when he did not see me on, and the train doors started closing. Ernst was caught in the door!!! Was insane, his one arm and chest was stuck. He then could only get into the train – that was the “only way outJ”… I just mouthed telling him – we will meet you at the station for the Louvre… Stefan and I got onto the next train, and all ended well J Ernst was waiting there… We took some awesome pics as the sun was setting at the Louvre… Really was amazing!! From here we had to head back to the hotel to get our bags from Storage, and then head for Paris Nord to get our train back to Amsterdam. On our way to the Subway – I was talking to Stefan and not looking where I was going! Also, I had a hat on my head, and could not see in front of me… I walked SLAM BAM into a lamp pole… Hitting my cheekbone extremely hard!!! There was not even a second to re-cooperate… I thought I broke my cheekbone with the intensity I hit that pole… It was a little blue afterward J I think it would have been a very funny sight!!!! J HAHAHA… Hopefully I brightened a few people’s days J
PARIS = AMAZING… City of love, so take your loved one there, and embrace everything this city has to offer!! I really wish we had some more time to spend there… WE really had to crash course to just see all the big landmarks in the time we had available… But all in all – amazing trip!!! Definitely a MUST do :) More about the rest of the trip with my awesome bro to follow...
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