Paris is sometimes referred to as the city of lights and I beieve it is definitely that at Christmas time.  In December of 2012, I visited Paris to see the Christmas decorations.  It was indeed a beautiful site as Paris always is!

I did break my rule of staying central on this trip to Paris.  In December Paris can be quite chilly!  It wasn't snowing but the average temperature was probably between 40 - 50° Fahrenheit.  It rained a lot so I really wasn't able to use my good camera at all.  I had just bought it and in all honesty had no idea how to care for it in that type of weather. 

I stayed further away from the Louvre, which is where I usually try to stay when I visit Paris.  It was a 15 minute walk to the metro.  Being from a small town, public transportation is not my favorite to say the least. I find it difficult to navigate my way around especially in a city as large as Paris.

In spite of the fact that I did face some challenges on that trip, it was worth seeing Paris at Christmas. I did want to share my photos even though they are all taken with a cell phone.  One day I would like to visit Paris during the holidays and stay somewhere near the Opera Garnier or Louvre.

I just loved the red tree at the Opera Garnier!


The Champs Elysees was very beautiful even in the rain!






Happy holidays to all of you!   Thank you so much for stopping by.  Take care my friends!

~Michelle

On Pixabay you may find and share images free of copyrights. All pictures are published under Creative Commons public domain deed CC0.  

When I started this blog a little more than 3 months ago, it was basically just to chronicle my travels.  I planned to only use photos that were taken by yours truly.  I still plan to use only my own photos EXCEPT when I am planning to travel to a new place and want advice on whether I should go and or what I should do when I get there - IF I go. 

Here is a photo of a place which I think is my dream vacation.  I wanted to reach out and ask my audience if they have been to this supposed island paradise, heaven on Earth, or most beautiful place in the world?  I got this photo from Pixabay and the photographer is "WikiImages".  You can see 2 photos of Bora Bora at this web address:  http://pixabay.com/en/photos/?q=bora+bora&order=best&image_type=&cat=&orientation=

Pixabay is very selective of the images they make available for use so you can be assured that you will probably find some nice images to use for whatever purpose you need them for and not be concerned about a copyright violation :)  To view more specific information about using photos from Pixabay please see http://pixabay.com/en/service/faq/

Here is a link to my account which I try to add new images to everyday:  

http://pixabay.com/en/users/Mariamichelle/

Here are my five most popular images:

#1

Dolphins in Lovina Bali

#2

Floating Lone Tree in Lake Wanaka, New Zealand

#3

Lion in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

#4

The Azure Window on Gozo Island in the Mediterranean

#5

Sunset in Key West, Florida

 If you've been to Bora Bora, please let me know what your thoughts are.   Basically, I want to know if it's worth the high price or is it all hype.  If you loved it what did you do for activities?   Thank you in advance :)

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I love to read your comments or questions and and reading other people's blogs as well.  Your e-mail address will never be published.  Until next time, take care my friends!

  ~Michelle

 This is Part 2 of my Paris adventure from back in mid June which is a lovely time to visit Paris.  Trust me though, I will go back to visit Paris anytime of the year.  I can certainly understand why so many people I've met have been there five or six times and have plans to go again!

This was my second trip to Paris, but the first time I'd ever visited Versailles.  Just in case you don't know, this is where Marie Antionette lived with her family.  She was ultimately beheaded.  After visiting Versailles I did a lot of reading about what happened.  Yes. I learned all this back in school, but there is nothing like seeing things with your own eyes!  Visiting Paris was DEFINITELY a history lesson for me.

 Here is a photo of the exterior of Versailles.  It might not look like that much on the outside...

I was surprised to learn that the Shabby Chic design was inspired by the decor at Versailles.  I definitely see some similarity, but Shabby Chic is far from this rich and luxurious looking.

Here is a photo of my daughter Marissa and I eating at a restaurant in Versailles named Angelinas.  It was a beautiful restaurant and we were waited on by Marie Antionette - or at least someone dressed like her!

I did not get to see much of the outdoor area and the gardens of Versailles, but if you know me...you know that just means that I must return!

 As you can see Versailles is "just a bit over the top" ;( .  HOWEVER, I came away from visiting and reading up on Marie Antionette's fate feeling very sad for her.  Here is a quote written by her after she was imprisoned:

 "I was a queen, and you took away my crown; a wife, and you killed my husband; a mother, and you deprived me of my children. My blood alone remains: take it, but do not make me suffer long."

Marie Antionette

The following photos are of "The Opera Garnier" which is one of my favorite places to visit in Paris.  It is incredibly ornate, colorful, rich with history, and doesn't take a very long time to see it all.  The first two photos are of the outside of the building, which is beautiful, but does nothing to prepare you for what the interior is like!

Here are some photos of the world famous opera room with the beautiful ceiling designed my the famous artist Marc Chagall.

They do still have plays and performances at the Opera Garnier.  I would love to be able to attend one someday even though I'm not a fan of opera.  No doubt it would be an incredible and unforgettable experience!

The only complaint I have about Paris is that there is a danger of developing a sore neck looking at all of the amazing ceilings that seem to be everywhere!

Here is a view of the city from one of the balconys of the Opera Garnier:

Au Revior Paris...for now :-)

 "Paris is a hard place to leave, even when it rains incessantly and one coughs continually from the dampness."

 Willa Cather

 Thank you so much for stopping by.  I love to read your comments or questions and and reading other people's blogs as well.  Your e-mail address will never be published.  Until next time, take care my friends!

Michelle