Glimpses Of Paris- The City Of Lights

The Louvre Museum is famous all over the world for its enviable collection of exhibits

Paris is an ever-happening city. Such sightings are not very uncommon in the streets

Paris is often called ‘a filmmaker’s dream’ where at every step there is a readymade set. Hundreds of films made all over the world have been set in the City of Lights, such as ‘Paris Je t'aime’, ‘From Paris With Love’, ‘2 Days in Paris’, ‘Before Sunset’, and more recently, ‘Midnight in Paris’. So, I decided to take myself on a ‘filmi’ photographic journey of Paris’ popular tourist spots.

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is the biggest attraction for the tourists visiting the French Capital

This majestic tower has three levels. Imagine how it must feel while being on the top

Five minutes after I got off the train at the Trocadero station, I saw this magnificent metal structure. Its sheer size is so intimidating, you can’t help but be mesmerised by its presence. The closer I got to the tower, it dawned on me how big a tourist attraction it is. Divided into three levels, it is flooded with people waiting in endless queues, waiting for the elevators to get inside the tower. On the other hand, there were those who chose to take the stairs, I suppose, till Level 1. My patience (that wore thin after waiting for two and half hours in the queue) took me only till Level 2, where the view was rather spectacular.  However, the charm of the Eiffel Tower, for me, lies in gazing at it from afar. Irrespective, I wish I had made it to Level 3. Undoubtedly, the Eiffel Tower most definitely is a must-visit.

Admission fee: €14(adult),  €12.5(age 12-24 years), €9.5(age 4-11 years)

Arc de Triomphe

The colossal Arc de Triomphe was built to commemorate the soldiers who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. It is engraved with the names of all the generals who commanded French troops during Napoleon's regime and prominent French victories on the structure’s inner and outer surfaces, and beneath its vault lays the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

Visitors can walk up a spiral staircase for views of the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées and the Sacré Coeur from the observatory, located on the top of the building. There is also a small museum that displays small and large models of the structure and recounts its story from the time of its construction.

Admission fee: €9.50

Montmartre

One of the most interesting neighbourhoods in Paris, Montmartre has been home to many famous artists' studios, such as Vincent Van Gogh and Salvador Dali, as well as the backdrop of films like ‘Amelie’ and ‘Moulin Rouge’. It is also where the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur is located, atop a hill. This quaint area is replete with an intriguing fusion of street artists, boulangeries and of course, the Moulin Rouge (that roughly translates 'red mill').

Cruising on River Seine

A cruise is a laid-back, relaxing way of sightseeing. There are tons of companies offering different types of cruises on the River Seine. You can pick from open-air boats with casual seating to glass-covered ones that you can club with an extravagant dinner and cocktails.The usual hour-long cruises take you on a scenic route that pans over the city's prominent historical and architectural landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral. I took an open-air boat, as I wanted to ensure zero obstruction, which however wasn't possible, thanks to an over-enthusiastic man who kept standing in front of me blocking my view.

The cruises ply from several points, like the Eiffel Tower and operate all year around.

Admission fee: €11

Ladurée

With doting fans like Blake Lively and Sofia Coppola, you can be sure that Ladurée certainly creates some of the best macarons in the world. And being a crazy dessert lover, I just had to try them.

I happen to stumble upon the store, and what happened next is something I’m going to deny if ever asked again. Like a giggly school girl, I stood staring at the store with stars in my eyes and greed dripping down like drool. I couldn’t wait to get inside and get my hands on that macaron tower on the display counter. But I can proudly say; I almost behaved myself. Just that I got a tad lost while making a selection and invited some nasty scowls from other customers. But it was a small price to pay. My favourite was this black macaron with liquorice filling.

Cost of a small macaron: €1.65

Jean-Paul-Hevin
Following a suggestion made by Emilie from www.travelavenue.com, I headed to Jean-Paul-Hevin to try their chocolates on my last day in Paris. Here are a few glimpses of their lip-smacking range of chocolates and macarons.

I wish I had more time to tick off all the places on my list of must-visit places in Paris, but who says I’m not going back!

Text and Photos by Ruchika Vyas
of Traveller Stories

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A Comic Tour of Tintin Land

To every comic lover the name Tintin brings an exciting feeling. Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Adventures of Tintin- The Secret of the Unicorn’ released last year might have renewed interest in Tintin’s country and even inspired a few to be there. Surely, whether you love comics or chocolates, Belgium is a traveller’s delight. And, it certainly has a lot more to offer.

Belgium is the country which gave birth to Tintin. Capital Brussels is fondly called as capital of Tintin by comic lovers around the globe. No wonder, Tintin has the stature of the world’s best-known Brussels resident. But then, comics in Belgium is limited not just to Tintin, they also have stars like Smurfs and they have a created a huge following of… no, not comic lovers but of comic strip writers. It’s statistically said that with more than 700 comic strip authors, Belgium has more comic strip artists per square kilometre than any other country in the world!

Streets in Bruges, called Venice of the North, are infused with artwork

Sculptures are scattered everywhere in Burges. It is an artistes' town.

But then, Brussels was the last stop in my Belgium trip, where my encounter with Tintin was destined. My tryst with Flemish art started well in Bruges during the boat ride in its canals for which it is also called as ‘Venice of The North’. I could see interesting sculptures and paintings along the waterway for full public view. I started enjoying the way art was mingled in the daily life of Flemish people. So much so that I even almost missed the setting of dog scene of the movie ‘In Bruges’. But luck was my way and I managed to catch that beautifully.

The Graffiti Street in Ghent, flowing with colourful graffiti all around

History is strewn on the streets of Ghent, but that too in comic form

But it was Graffiti Street in Ghent that I instantly fell in love with. Had googled about it before the trip and every search result had in fact brought impatient me to the fore. It was something I haven’t seen anywhere before. A street overflowing with all kind of colourful and expressive graffiti from top to bottom and start to finish, not just on the side walls but on the walkway itself. In it were some finest expressions of feelings, emotions, ideas and ideologies. I was fortunate enough to see some young artists at work. Perhaps it was also the playing ground for all budding comic strip artists of Belgium. The way different graffiti co-existed and were overwritten again and again, I couldn’t help thinking that it was where they were sowing the seeds of tolerance within the society.

Masqueraders on the roads of Antwerp fool you as well as impress you

Wow! These sculptures showcased in Antwerp are made of chocolate...

Antwerp was more of a happening city, often termed as fashion capital or the diamond capital. Here comic art was live and intriguing. You can find all kind of exhibitionists on roads- from pretty guitarists to masqueraders who can fool you (or rather impress you) with their Vincent Van Gogh look. Since Belgium is everything about chocolates, you can find all types of experiments done with them from body paint to cartoon characters. In Neuhaus Chocolatier at Royal Galleries of Saint-Hubert I found a whole range of Tintin comics packaged with chocolate boxes. Kids will just love it.

Okay.. Tell me which one is sculpted and which one is an artist posing

Tintin can be seen on the chocolates and also on their wrappers

It's a four-storey building and Tintin is coming down the ladder. Interesting!

Brussels’ comic museum is a huge draw for the tourists coming to Belgium. Every year more than 200,000 visitors come here to explore 4,200 square metres worth of permanent and temporary exhibitions. At the Belgian Comic Strip Center, you will witness the unusual marriage of the Ninth Art and Art Nouveau, two artistic forms of expression which have always been particularly cherished in Brussels. Besides Tintin, this kingdom of the imagination is home to some of Belgium's best-known comic strip heroes like Spirou, Bob and Bobette, the Smurfs, Lucky Luke, Blake and Mortimer, Marsupilami, etc. They are one big happy family of paper heroes. Belgian Comic Strip Center has become the number one reference for comic strip lovers. It is also a modern research centre that boasts of more than 40,000 titles (albums and theoretical works) in more than 20 languages.

Sidewalls of buildings in Brussels have comic scenes drawn on them

But then, as in other cities of Belgium, in Brussels too, comics are not just limited to Comic Strip Centre. Going down the Stoffstraat towards the Manneken Pis, you may find comic scenes drawn across the whole height of sidewall of a four and five-storey residential buildings and in one of them I even found Tintin coming down a four-storey ladder. Of course, when it comes to comics and Tintin you will never escape them when you are in Belgium.

Well Connected

Brussels is one of the most well-connected European cities from India. There are direct daily flights from all the four metros to Brussels. Once in Brussels, whole of Belgium is well-connected through roads. Driving there is fun through the countryside- a typical European lush green. Brussels to Bruges was just a few hours’ drive; and then Bruges to Ghent, Ghent to Antwerp and Antwerp to Brussels, every bit of this trip was worth enjoying.

Text and Photos by Upendra Swami

of The Vagabond

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Amsterdam- The Sin City

My first impressions of this city were foggy. Literally; the city is filled with fearless smokers at its every nook and corner. It is a city that is known for its legal permissiveness of sex and drugs. A city that attracts millions of travellers every year; a city that lets you unleash that wild side you otherwise keep tamed for the real world. This is the city of freedom.

In Amsterdam, you’re probably considered an outcast if you’re not looking for sex, drugs and crazy partying. I was one such outcast. In a bid to explore beyond the periphery of the usual suspects, I found some intriguing spots in a vast cobweb of canals. Aside from the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House and the Heineken Experience, I also discovered Dutch-style fries drowned in mayonnaise, the colourful Dutch tulips, their large family-size pancakes, numerous bicycles everywhere, and much, much more.

Rijksmuseum @ Jan Luijkenstraat 1 

Considered to be one of the 10 most principal museums in the world, the Rijksmuseum houses works of notable artists like Rembrandt van Rijn (The Night Watch) and Het Joodse Bruidje (The Jewish Bride) are on view here. It also contains a vast collection of Netherlandish paintings from 15th to late 19th century, together with Delft earthenware and a gorgeous doll house. There, I happened to witness a very intriguing artist at work. The objet d'art of artist Maarten Baas was a huge grandfather clock inside which a man is seated (visible through a translucent white screen), who changes the time every minute. It was so fascinating that most of the crowd would finish the museum tour and then spend several minutes at the exit watching time change minute by minute.
Open from 9am-6pm (till 10pm on Fridays); Admission fee €10

Van Gogh Museum @ Paulus Potterstraat 7

For any Van Gogh fan, this is a must-visit. This three-storied building illustrates Vincent Van Gogh’s development as an artist and captures facets of his personal life through a permanent collection of over 200 paintings and 500 drawings; along with letters and quotes from his family and friends. One of its current biggest attractions is the reproduction of one of his most famous paintings- The Bedroom- through a life-size visual display. It also serves as a visually vibrant educational platform for someone who isn’t familiar with his work. You can also take home some of his works in a miniature avatar at the museum’s souvenir  shop that has everything from magnets to mugs to coasters to button pins to puzzles to chocolates (with wrappers decked with the paintings) to table mats to tea pots to lunch bags.

Open from 10am-6pm (till 10pm on Fridays); Admission fee €14

The Heineken Experience @ Stadhouderskade 78

Amsterdam is the birthplace of one of the world’s finest beers, Heineken. The Heineken Experience comprises the first ever Heineken brewery, opened in 1887, that was transformed into a visitor centre that held informative tours on the brewing process of this beer. Today, the Heineken Experience offers an exciting interactive tour that last for an hour and half spread over 19 different rooms. It includes historic exhibits, the brewing process through interactive videos, their advertising reel starting from 1958, a football section with memorabilia together with foosball tables, a stable with Heineken shire horses, a section where you can create videos, do a karaoke number and click photographs of yourself and send it to your friends, a special simulated movie called Brew Your Ride explaining the brewing process in a lighter vein, and a souvenir shop with T-shirts, glasses, etc. 

My favourite part of this ‘experience’, however, was definitely the tasting room- where you can also learn how to pour beer the right way, how to correctly skim the foam, and more tips from the experts- and the Brew U section, where you can create your very own personalized beer bottle etched with your name on it.

Open from 10am-6pm (Tue-Sun); Admission fee €14

Anne Frank House @ Prinsengracht 267

This was truly an extremely emotional experience, yet an unforgettable one. Having known nothing about her, not only was I enlightened about her story but also was touched by it. This is the actual house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis for over two years. The house, now a well-laid museum, puts together her story and the history of the eight people who hid there between 1942 and 1944, and those who helped them during their hiding, the way she recounts it in her diary. It even has actual pages she initially wrote on, as well as medium-sized model of the room she stayed in hiding. Also on display are several videos by people who knew her expressing her family’s anguish over the perils they had to face.

However, it was her father’s video that really shook me. I didn’t expect to feel so overwhelmed. And I certainly didn’t think that I was going to cry. But it took me by surprise, and without invitation just came rolling down when I heard him say (about Anne, after reading her journal); ‘You never really know who your children really are.’

Open daily from 9am-7pm (till 9pm between March and Sept); Admission fee €7.50

A Canal Cruise @ Damrak 26 

Enjoy a relaxing evening by taking a canal cruise, as it lets you see the city in the most laid-back way. It’s a great way to see Amsterdam’s most prominent spots and understand its history and architectural influences via this one-hour tour.

Tour departs every 15 minutes from 10am-4.30pm (till 6pm from April to Sept); Tickets start from €10

Sneak Peeks

• Tulips and clogs (wooden shoes) are trademarks of the Dutch capital, so pick some up at the Bloenmarkt (Flower Market) along the Singel canal.
• For large, main-course-plate-sized pancakes, make a stopover at T’Singeltje, along the Bloenmarkt. It has welcoming wooden furniture with vintage photographs of Amsterdam on the wall. Oddly, it has napkins on the lamps. Never understood that!
• Walk into the Magic Mushroom gallery -also along the Bloenmarkt- to purchase everything and anything related to drugs: seeds, pipes, bongs, candies, chocolates, cookies, and loads more.
• I didn’t visit any coffee shops, but according to hearsay, Bulldog Cafe is supposedly a popular spot. If cheese is your fix, then you must try the wide variety at Henri Willig Cheese. The flavours range from pesto and fenugreek to pepper and herbs and garlic cheese. 
• Adding to the list of museums in Amsterdam, you could also explore the Sex Museum (tracing its history), Marijuana Museum, TortureMuseum and Vodkamuseum.
• If you just want a lazy afternoon sitting by a lake or cycling around a park, Vondelpark -just south of the city centre- is the place to be. Sprawled over one and a half kilometres, it has numerous paths, lakes, wide expanses of green and a restaurant/bar.
• For a quick satisfying meal, head to any of Amsterdam’s FEBO outlets. They are everywhere! You should be able to get a good burger for around €2.

Have a Great Trip

• When planning your trip, double-check all of the above as admission fees and timings are subject to change.
• Be sure to do a search on ‘Free things to do in Amsterdam’. There are several things to do and places you can visit that are free of cost and it is best to know before you reach, so that you can plan your days accordingly. For example, you can catch a free concert at The Boekmanzaal, which hosts free concerts (performed by either Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, the Choir of the Netherlands Opera or the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra) on Tuesdays at 12.30pm from September-May.
• The Dam Square is often abuzz with activity with some crazy street artists putting up fun attire and tricks to entertain an audience.

Accommodation

I stayed at the Stayokay Hostel in Stadsdoelen. You can find many budget accomodations on travel websites like www.hostelbookers.com and www.hostelworld.com 

Text and Photos by Ruchika Vyas
of Traveller Stories

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