An Afternoon in Montmartre

On our last day in Paris, we ventured to the opposite side of the city to explore the whimsical area of Montmartre. I had been warned that although this area was beautiful and a popular spot, it was infamous for being full of pickpockets that prey on tourists. So, Andrew and I decided to blend in as much as possible and left our North Face windbreakers and fanny packs at home (HA just kidding.) But really, I think our matching pea coats helped us look a little more Parisian and avoid any unwanted attention.

Our first stop was the great basilica that rests on the steep hill in Montmartre. However, in order to get to the top, we had to weave through aggressive street vendors who were actually grabbing people's wrists, putting bracelets on them, and refusing to let go until they paid. In all honesty, it was a little scary and we rushed to the top, staying very alert the entire time. But, dodging all the sketchy vendors was worth it once we got to the top. The view was beautiful and I could see the entire city for miles. We lucked out with clear, blue skies even though it had been foggy and rainy the previous couple days.

The hilly Montmartre area was so fun to explore, and I loved how unique all the buildings were. Some parts of it kind of reminded me of San Francisco. The only bad experience we had was the mystery meat incident of 2012...but the rest of our day was great so let's just forget about that :)

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Outfit Details:

Dress—H&M (similar // remixed) | Cardigan—H&M (similar) | Coat—VILA

Scarf—Forever 21 (similar) | Bag—Fossil (shop) | Boots—M&S (similar)

The Tower

As you can see, I kind of sort of liked taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower :)

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Outfit Details:

Dress—Ruche (remixed) | Sweater—UO (remixed) | Scarf—Forever 21,

Coat—VILA | Bag—Fossil (shop) | Socks—Target | Boots—M&S (similar)

A Foggy Night in Paris

There was something about our foggy night in Paris that was magical. Even though it was cold and rainy, I loved seeing the Eiffel Tower by night and taking in the sights and sounds of the city. The first picture in my post is probably my favorite photograph from the whole trip. I love the juxtaposition of the bright vintage carousel against the foggy, and almost eerie Eiffel Tower.

The only bummer was that the Champ de Mars was closed off for a special teddy bear exhibit (haha I'm really not sure how else to describe it...). However, it didn't really matter since the weather would not have been great for lounging around in the grass anyways. 

I have made a promise to myself that the next time I am in Paris it will (hopefully) be sunny and I will drink a bottle of wine and eat a whole baguette by myself on the Eiffel Tower lawn :)

Louvre at First Sight

Please excuse the punny title, but really, how many times am I going to get to blog about my visit to the famous Louvre museum!? It was our first stop on our second day in Paris, and writing this post is already making me want to go back. Not only were the museum grounds beautiful, but the walk to the Louvre along the Seine river was so picturesque...even though it was freeeeezing cold (and I say this, coming from Ireland!). Also, I fulfilled my life-long tourist dream of taking a picture with the Louvre Pyramid :)

And finally...I saw it, I saw it!

In all honesty, the Mona Lisa did not disappoint in person, even though many people say it does. Andrew and I were lucky enough to weasel our way to the very front (thanks to a group of small school children who we could easily see over) and stare at it for a good 10 minutes. All in all, it was an afternoon well spent :)

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Outfit Details:

Shirt—H&M (similar) | Skirt—H&M (similar) | Scarf—Forever 21

Cardigan—H&M (similar) | Boots—Marks & Spencer (similar)

Scenes of the City

Apologies for the picture heavy post, but I couldn't resist sharing some more of my favorite photos from our first day in Paris. Even though we were exhausted from our long night of travel (to save money, we "slept" on the 3am bus to Dublin Airport and then flew out in the morning), the beauty and charm of Paris blew me away.

Falling for Paris

I'm back...and I come bearing Paris photos! These pictures were taken in the Luxembourg Gardens of Paris on our first day in the city. Fall had definitely reached the city, and I loved all the rich autumn colors in the trees. That's one thing about being from Southern California...while we have temperate weather all year long, we miss out on the beautiful colors of fall!

My scarf was perfect for the chilly day, and I liked how it blended in with all the scenery. Ever since I found it in a small flea market in Galway, I have taken it with me on almost all my weekend trips and it has been my go-to travel scarf—it folds out into a pashmina which is perfect for long flights and bus rides!

Anyways, this post is a bit of a teaser since I'm off to Germany tomorrow and won't be back 'til the end of the weekend. This trip is my and Andrew's last hurrah before we buckle down and write endless amounts of papers for the end of semester...

Until next time :)

Melina

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Outfit Details:

Blazer—H&M (remixed // similar) | Top—H&M | Scarf—Galway market (similar)

Skirt—Topshop (remixed // shop) | Boots—Marks & Spencer (similar)