Day 3: Paris/London

London, United Kingdom

Marisa, Olivia and I certainly had a fun evening and thoroughly enjoyed our night out at Moulin Rouge! We grabbed an Uber and caught the beautiful sunset at Sacre-Coeur. What a neat view of the city…it appears to be the only real elevation (and highest point) in Paris, so it truly provides an aerial view of the rest of the city. This area reminded me a cross between Lombard Street in San Francisco mixed with the Spanish Stairs in Rome (crowd found on the stairs). We found the crowd here to be rather obnoxious – a mix of tourist, vendors selling tchotchkes, miscellaneous performers, etc., but the view and beautiful Basilica atop the hill were certainly worth it (we were also highly overdressed in our dinner/show attire). The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was completed in 14 years (1900-1914) and is a double monument – national penance for the defeat of France in 1871 Franco-Prussian War and the socialist Paris Commune of 1871. It’s truly a beautiful church, but we were not allowed photos inside of it. From here, it was time for dinner. We tried to have dinner at a few spots recommended by friends and the concierge, but couldn’t secure reservations/had a few options in mind that did not offer reservations and didn’t have enough time to wait with our show time. Instead, it was fun to experience the lively neighborhood and many dining options near Moulin Rouge…we found a nice row of various restaurants and decided to have a Mediterranean night at a small BYOB restaurant that was packed with locals. We shared a few appetizers including falafel (surprisingly a recommended “must eat in Paris” that did not disappoint), a cheese and meat filled roll, and an eggplant based spread similar to baba ghanouj. Liv and Reese tried grilled chicken kabobs and I opted for lamb kofta, each served with rice and a refreshing mixed salad. We loved the lanterns hanging overhead as we chatted about our day and awaited the show. As we approached the winding streets leading to Moulin Rouge we caught a glimpse of the glowing windmill and began following its’ ambient glow versus a map which lead us right to what appeared to be a never ending line for admission. It shockingly did not take too long to make our way into the theater once the doors opened. The entrance was charming and we loved seeing some of the original posters used to advertise Moulin Rouge (first printed in 1891). Certainly had an opportunity for some memorable photo ops and then quickly were seated, raised and center to the stage (we really lucked out with such a great view vs be far to either side). We purchased tickets that included champagne, and it was fun sitting in the theater hearing multiple bottles being popped open (comparable to the cracking of crab legs at a southern seafood restaurant). We loved seeing all the little details that are Moulin Rouge…from the draped ceiling to the little red lamps at each table, it was picture perfect! Even the restroom had themed details (windmill in floor tile and heart shaped saloon doors). The Feerie show was a unique mix of cabaret/burlesque, circus and variety show. The final performance, very traditional showgirls was my personal favorite! I would definitely recommend making a visit on your next trip to Paris if you have not been. After the show let out near 2AM, we explored the busy streets crowded with adult stores/entertainment around Moulin Rouge and indulged in some late night macaroons 🙂 To close out the night we had fun chatting with a young Uber driver that spoke very little English on our way back to the hotel, but was willing to laugh with us at our poor attempts at French and his attempts to translate. Ha, we also learned that what we kept hearing on the radio as “F*#@ing Good Radio” was actually “Future Generation” and just happens to sound inappropriate when pronounced quickly. …This morning rolled around quickly, and I departed for the Eurostar (train that takes the Chunnel = Channel Tunnel, the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world that travels under the English Channel) on my own to London. Au Revoir, Marisa, Olivia and Paris! My journey to London was quite nice…enjoyed a plated meal, a short snooze and quickly arrived to St Pancras Train Station in London. So amazing to be reunited with a dear mate! After a quick stop at Kristina’s (great rooftop patio at her flat in pictures), we ventured out for a traditional Sunday Roast at a pub. Duke on the Green (pub) was so charming…I loved the armed chairs found in the bar area, and we enjoyed the following roast in the restaurant section: 21 day aged black Angus roast of beef, goose fat roasties, honey glazed parsnips and carrots, buttered kale, braised red cabbage, double egg Yorkies and gravy! Quite the feast! From here we explored the neighborhood of Parsons Green and browsed some shops before meeting with some of Kristina’s girlfriends for dinner on an outdoor garden patio of a small restaurant called Megan’s. It was truly adorable and I thoroughly enjoyed another girls night over a lovely charcuterie board with an assortment of lanterns and other garden decor around us. Great ending to a nice, leisurely day. Time to get some rest before another day of sight seeing ahead of me! Go Cavs!! Hoping to wake up to a win! Ps. Please excuse my typos and terrible attempt at spelling French or any soon to be learned British terms 🙂