Our First Trip to Europe: Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and Venice
Markie and I decided to jump the gun for our 10 year anniversary and plan a spontaneous trip to Europe. I like to call it our bucket list trip. Hitting all the main monuments in the old world as if we were to die tomorrow. So we booked a flight to Paris and Rome. Starting off in Paris, we took a train for the day to Amsterdam, flew to Rome and took a train to Venice for a day. Looking back, I see how much time we wasted traveling but it was an experience. The trip was an escape from our comfort zone into a world we knew nothing about. Surviving on google translate and opening our eyes to what is available to us and where we could go with our lives.
Room & Board: Because we planned our trip three months prior to our anniversary it was a lot to cram into two weeks, but we made it happen. I booked round trip flights to Paris with Air France and used European Destinations for our hotels including the flights to Rome from Paris. If I knew what I know now, I would have booked my whole trip with European Destinations. This is a cool travel agency that lets you choose which cities you want to visit and makes it easy to plan your itinerary. If I could do it over again, I would have stopped at Amsterdam for a few days, Paris for a few days and worked our way to Rome and Venice. We took trains between cities and although we were fortunate enough to experience the rail system in Europe, it would have been easier to fly.
The flight to Paris from LAX is about 11hrs. Keep that in mind when you choose your seats. I was stuck behind a godforsaken man who had the nerve to recline his seat all the way back until he was practically in my lap. His stubby fingers were all over my screen and it got so bad that the French guy next to me flicked his hand. It was hilarious. We upgraded our seats on the way back home and it was worth every penny.
Planning Tours: One thing I wanted to make sure of was visiting all the places and museums we wanted to see. I reached out to my college professor who has traveled Paris many times, researched hidden gems in Rome and booked as many tickets as I could fit into our schedule. This was the only way Markie and I saw what we wanted without waiting in a long ass line. Before buying tickets to anything, I organized the itinerary so I could clearly see when we would have time for everything. Doing this helped me choose time slots for our visits and look at proximities for each place. I bought everything directly from the websites and printed all the tickets so I could have them with me in case my phone didn't work.
Another thing I did was downloaded Google maps. Because you are on international service it helps to save your data and battery. I saved every city we were visiting so I downloaded Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, and Venice ready at every moment we felt lost. Which was like every moment. All the time. I also downloaded the apps Paris Metro, Google Translate and of course Lyft if you don't already have it.
Paris: We flew out of LAX and landed at CDG airport at 2pm the following day. It was the first time we were leaving our homes for that long and that far. By the time we hit the ground in France I was terrified and exhausted. We didn't know anyone out there, had little to no knowledge of the language and had no idea where we were going. Despite recent terrorist acts in Paris and being cautioned by loved ones about the protests happening days before; we knew we would be okay. After all, Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world. The city of love and an endless opportunity of photography. The perfect city for Markie and I to get lost in and dip our toe in the water of international travel.
When you first land at CDG you have to take a train about 40 minutes into the city. The SCE will connect you to the closest metro near your hotel so just check your handy Paris Metro app that you downloaded into your phone ahead of time. We checked into the Tourisme Avenue Hotel in Grenelle. An adorable neighborhood 20 min away from the Eiffel Tower walking. There was a McDonalds at the corner and a number of different restaurants in the area.
Amsterdam: Our first mission was Amsterdam, looking back I wish we would have stayed there for a few days but we plan to make trip back just to explore the free world. We purchased tickets to the Van Gogh Museum, Moco Museum and the Anne Frank House. Of all the cities we visited Amsterdam was our favorite. The Van Gogh museum was surreal, we walked through and saw some of the most iconic pieces by the infamous artist. Next door was the Moco Museum, packed with original Banksy artwork. The admiration of street art was unlike anything Markie and I ever experienced. Although Los Angeles embraces street artists it’s not the same as in Europe. They see is as a form of self expression, pieces are layered on top each other for years instead of getting buffed out.
After the Moco Museum we had breakfast at Pancakes Amsterdam, per Markies request. The best pancakes we ever had. I overate beignets and filled up on hot chocolate. Then we went in for our time slot at the Anne Frank House. We were both looking forward to see the house Anne Frank hid in. Learning about the way her family lived and the history this place held was a life changing experience. Putting into perspective the position Markie and I held back in America. Everyone out here from Van Gogh to Banksy to Anne Frank made a name for themselves in whichever way they knew how. It was inspiring. The rest of the day we spent roaming the streets of Amsterdam; smoking at coffee shops and stumbling on the alleys of the red light district. Every 20 min I turned to Markie and said “I can’t believe we are out here.” The vibe in Amsterdam is laid back. We were walking down the street smoking joints because it was calm, empty and clean. There was so much more we wanted to do, I can’t wait to go back to ride the canals and explore the paint scene.
Château De Versailles: After our long day in Amsterdam we took a train the next day to the Chateau De Versailles. The breathtaking palace of Louis XIV. With rooms full of gold chandeliers, fountains made of marble and trees as far as the eye can see. We took a trolley through what was only a quarter of the gardens. There are no words that can describe how enormous the palace is and no videos that could ever give it justice. Markie and I were taken back at how huge it was. The trolley took us to a few of the homes throughout the garden including that of Marie Antoinette. Unfortunately when we went the marble sculptures and fountains were covered, but either way we wouldn’t have been able to see it all in a day. We wanted to stay and have dinner at the restaurant but we were tired and took the train back to Paris for the night to explore.
The Louvre: Ahhh Mona Lisa, the most famous painting on earth. For a moment I stood in the chaos of people snapping photos and just stared at her while I teared up. I couldn’t believe that I was standing where Beyonce filmed APESH*T. Lol. Jk. Not really. This moment was special for me. It was the beginning of December and as we made our to the Louvre we walked through a Christmas market. Vendors were selling pastries, meats, cheeses and hot wine. When we finally made it into the Louvre we went straight to the Mona Lisa. We walk into the main hallway and expected her to be at the end of the room, but then you make a right and there she is. Chest out, with a faint smile, surrounded by the madness of tourists around the world. Since it was the start of winter, the room was fairly empty and we joined in taking a bunch photos. I took a moment to stare at the painting and started to tear up after realizing I really made it out here. After soaking it in we moved on to the Louvre’s world of ancient art. The museum is so huge it would be impossible to see it in a day. So we just took our time to see egyptian sculptures and coffins. We made our way out and explored Paris for the rest of the day.
Bateaux Mouches: The same night we visited the Louvre we had reservations at the historic Bateaux Mouche cruise dinner. A five star three course dinner that takes you through the river past all the main attractions throughout the city. We drank wine, I ate Foie Gras and spent the rest of the evening taking photos on the river. My college professor recommended this and I would love to pass it to you all. It was the perfect romantic dinner for us to wind down after a long day of exploring.
The Catacombs: On our last day in Paris we had a lot to get done. First order of business was The Paris Catacombs. Tunnels after tunnels of skulls, bones and ancient grave sites take you beneath the city and in an underground burial site. We purchased tickets beforehand which let us cut the line and go straight into the museum. The tour leads you down an endless spiral staircase and pops you into a room with a history of the site. Holding the remains of over six million people in an effort to eliminate the city’s overflowing cemeteries. When you first see the structures of the skull it takes your breath away. After you make your way through the ossuary and climb up the stairs, you end up on the other side of the street. If you are into dark tourism this is your first stop. The Paris Catacombs have been there since the 1700’s and give an intriguing look into the history of France.
Eiffel Tower: We spent our last night in Paris having dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower. We made reservations at the Eiffel Tower’s 58 restaurant where you get a 5 course meal of gourmet french food. The view from the top is marvelous and allows you to see the city from its highest point. From the river to the prominent structure of Notre Dame. Although Paris flat and you can see it from the top of many monuments, if you’ve never been to Paris you need to reach the top of the Eiffel.
ITALY:
We flew out from CDG and checked into Best Western Universo in Rome, IT. Exhausted from the adventures we had in Paris and ready for what was to come next. First on the agenda was a quick trip to Venice, IT. We boarded the first Italo train out from Rome and arrived in Venezia four hours later.
Venezia: Markie and I were hesitant to make our way to Venice. We didn’t know what to expect but felt that since we came all this way we mine as well experience the wonder of this city. We first took a vaporetto to St Mark’s Square, explored the shops and allowed ourselves to get lost walking. Stopped to eat pizza and pasta, then made our way back to Rialto bridge. Before the sun came down we made it to the Jewish Geto Nuovo. The place where the word Ghetto was derived from. By the time we made it to Venice we were terribly homesick. Hanging on by a thread, we ran into a rare female gondolier. Although we hadn’t planned to ride in a gondola, we felt it necessary since we made it this far. Our gondolier was located at the bridge next to the geto nuovo. She gave us an intimate tour around the area and provided background on the architecture of the buildings around us. Toward the end she serenaded us with an authentic song from Venezia. It was the perfect moment to make our quick trip to Venice more than we expected.
Roma: The next day in Rome we took our time to explore the city. We toured the Colosseum with our Roma pass, and made our way down to the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and the Spanish Steps. We had brick oven pizza and the most amazing Lasagna I’ve ever had in my life. All with a glass of wine of course. Rome was beautiful and who knows if I’ll ever make it back there. I feel like I could have held off on the city and saved it for when I was older. But I’m grateful that I touched down on the old world. Preserved cities within new cities and people who were so passionate about food. Rome was good to us but it was time to go home.
Vatican City: To end our trip, we spent our last day having breakfast at the Vatican museums. We took an Uber to the entrance before the sun came up and were led to an American breakfast buffet in the museums food court. We chose this voucher to get first dibs at the museum and avoid the line outside. We made our way through the rich Catholic history and went straight to the Sistine Chapel. As soon as you enter the chapel security warns not to take photos and when you look up at the art it blows you away. The detail and realism in the paintings are beautiful, the audio guide explains the development of Michael Angelo’s work and give you better insight into each painting. After we saw the Chapel we made our way out buying rosaries for our Catholic loved ones. The art is extravagant and obviously influenced by Catholicism. Despite not ever being baptized I was raised in a strong Catholic home. Therefore, I felt deeply connected to the moment even though my beliefs are more individually spiritual. However, I bought a gold cross necklace to commemorate the moment and we spent the rest of the night exploring Rome to prepare for our trip back home.
