Our trip to Paris!
Dear all! Back in the Netherlands from our trip to Paris! Amanda, Cindy, my sister Moniek and I have spent there some days. The highlight of our trip was of course the concert of Il Divo, no need to tell you that!
On Wednesday we agreed to gather at my sisters’ place, since we had to get up real early the next day to catch the TGV at Schiphol. When I arrived at my sisters’ place Amanda and Cindy were already there. They had eaten a pizza together and were waiting for my arrival while polishing some nails and so on. The moment I arrived I realised that I had taken everything with me… accept… the dress I wanted to wear to the concert!! It was still hanging on my closet. Oh no!! We discussed it, Cindy even offered me to go back together to my place, but since I had brought another small dress we decided not to. We would see in Paris what to wear. If I was able to find another dress (not too expensive of course) I would buy it, otherwise I would wear the small black one. During the (late)evening Amanda, Cindy and I made some cards we wanted to show to Carlos and went to sleep at half past 11.
At 5.30 the alarm set of and after a quick cup of coffee, a sandwich and saying goodbye to my sisters’ husband and dog we left for our little trip. At 6.42 the TGV parted for Paris. We did a bit of sleeping, a bit of eating and had a little talk to a lady who didn’t understand that her seat was in another carriage…
When we arrived in Paris we walked to the hotel and halfway we sat down for a drink. Since it wasn’t that cheap we decided to go for a non-alcoholic cocktail right away (though Amanda took a normal juice). It was really nice and refreshing I must say!
When we arrived at the hotel our room wasn’t ready yet, but we could leave our luggage at the desk with the nice, friendly and funny porter. So with less to carry we ran down the streets to Galeries Lafayette. Let’s say some things weren’t really cheap there… A dress for the amount of just € 2500,- or a bag in that price category was easy to find. After lunching at the Mac Donalds (I know: bad!! But we were so hungry and that was available in Lafayette), we strolled down the streets and came across the C&A. And who knows: there I found my dress: the last one and in my size…
Happily we went back to the hotel to get ready for our concert!! After showering, dressing up, doing our hair and make-up I think we all looked pretty nice and went down to the lobby. There the porter to a picture of us.
Since the weather was so nice in Paris we were able to go dressed like that, without any jackets! Everyone on the streets looked at us of course. And since we were in the neighbourhood of the Moulin rouge, a lady from a club shouted at us: Oe la la! Sexy ladies!!! Quite funny I must admit.
When we arrived at Le Zenith we had to show them our bags. The bag with gifts was taken from us and also a big rose I brought along. Of course we tried to get them in with us! The man of the security kept saying that we had to talk in French… Luckily I was able to say: Je voudrais donner le rose a Sébastien. Then I was allowed to take it with me inside. The only strange thing when we entered was that they brought you to your seats and then wanted a tip (otherwise they didn’t hand back your tickets). I thought that it would have been nice to mention this in advance… Maybe it’s a normal thing in France, but we were kind of surprised…
Amanda and I were on the first row of block U:
Moniek and Cindy were seated on the first row of the outer circle, so they had marvellous seats as well. To our surprise Lia and Bettina were sitting on the first row in front of the stage as well! So Holland was well represented! (And Urs noticed that, because during the show he said a few things in Dutch!!!)
Then the concert started… a little later then supposed to, but that didn’t matter.
At the second song David walked in front of us and we waved at him. He really had to laugh. Then Sébastien walked by, we waved again and he noticed us as well.
The only thing that was a bit too bad was the security. I felt like I was going to be thrown out. At the first time the guys went to the circle we decided to turn around and stand up. I thought it wouldn't be a problem, because we were on the first row and sat right at the corner and I saw a lot of people do this in Rotterdam. We were told immediately to sit down. Ok... sorry... Afterwards Amanda got up to give something to Urs. The guy of the security ran after her, haha. I was glad that she arrived just in time and Urs bended over to receive the gift and he took her hand to thank her. I saw on his face that he saw the security coming. NIce that he took her hand two seconds before the security took her. Then in the break the securityguy came up to me (what did I do?) and warned me a couple of times that I wasn't allowed to get up from my seat and he asked me what was wrong with my friend...? 
I answered: uhm, she is a fan...?
Then I asked him if it was ok to get up and dance at La vida sin amor. Well, they said ok in the end, but when the guys started to sing La vida sin amor everyone who stood up was told to sit down. I saw Urs looking like: the audience has been really enthusiastic so far: why don't they dance then?? But oh well: I had a look on the paper of the security in the break. They showed me exactly what was allowed when. Only from My way on people were allowed to get up. I know they have to do their jobs!!! I hope in the future they can add a line to La vida sin amor, that people are allowed to dance! It's hard to refuse Sebastien, Urs, David and Carlos when they ask you to dance!! At the end a lot of people did get up all together and there were just too many people standing to tell them all to sit down!
Cindy managed to give a string made out of candy (Dutch coloured flag) to Carlos at the end of the show. I wonder if he realised what it was.
But instead of the security being this harsh, let me say that it wasn’t too bad, since the guys made up for it. Especially Sébastien, I think I’m still lost in his eyes while singing PQTME. So I HAD A GREAT TIME!!!
And I would like to say that the audience in Le Zenith was awesome!!! They gave the guys a really big applause and they did this a couple of times!!! People on the stand even stamped there feet to make more noise!! Thank you for that!
After the concert we went back to the hotel together with Lia and Bettina who were staying at a hotel nearby ours!
The next day we met a friend of Moniek (Sylvain) and we walked around Paris with him. We went to Musée Rodin, the Champs Elysées, walked up the Sacre Coeur, saw Mont Martre and La tour Eiffel from a distance and ate at a terrible Italian restaurant.
Musée Rodin
Champs Elysées
Moniek and Cindy: Arc de Triomphe etoile
Moniek, Amanda and Cindy in front of the Sacre Coeur!
Sylvain, Juanita and Cindy
Saturday was our last day. Sylvain told us to go to a chocolate shop of Michel Cluizel on 201 rue St. Honoré. We ordered three Amanda’s and one Exotica.
Amanda: Almond dacquise, Meringue with caramelized
The chocolate looked and smelled great and was beautifully packaged. It’s not cheap, but delicious!
At chocolate shop Michel Cluizel, 201 rue St. Honoré
After picking up our chocolates we went to have lunch in a bar next to the ‘Jardin des tuilleries’. The waiters of bar brasserie Le Carrousel -194 rue de rivoli- ran for every customer and were still very friendly! Amanda and Cindy had a sandwich and Moniek and I had a crèpe with ham, cheese and mushrooms. Cindy and I decided to finally have a beer. One of the waiters was really cute and Moniek wanted to take a picture of him. I sais: what’s the use? Then we have to tell everybody in Holland: this is the waiter without a name… That problem was solved the minute I said it, since they yelled to him from within the kitchen. We still don’t have a good picture of him, but we do have a nice one of the four of us:
Santé to the world tour of 2009 and hopefully we will get the chance to see the guys once more in the future!
After this lovely lunch we ate our chocolates in the Jardins des tuilieres:
And to all good things must come an end… so in the afternoon we headed back to the Netherlands.
