Rêve de Reims

After a whole week's tough schooling, there comes the European Heritage Days on this weekend. I and other two girls took a TGV travel to Reims, where the French Kings get crowned.

Reims is much more quiet and relaxed than Paris. It's slow and warm, explains the tradition value of European small towns. I guess Paris is also like this 400 years ago. Of course, except the carousel.

Porte de Mars, means "The Gate of Mars". Reims is the city of the king, and the king shows off his power by his military.

The statue of Louis XV stands in the heart of Reims, on the Palace de Royal (Royal Plaza).

The Cathedral of Reims. Unbelievably, the engraving on both the interior and the wall are even more elegant than Notre Dame. It has breathtakingly grace.

It's sunday, so there is a Mass. I joined and it's really shocking. It was not my first time to join a Christian activity, but in such a cathedral on such a day, this experience is unforgettably amazing and joyful.

Reims do not only have the cathedral, Palais de Tau (Tau Palace) is also a place to go. Every king who came to Reims to get crowned stay at here. 

Now the Palais de Tau is not belong to royal family anymore. Today's palais combines the traditional arts with modern art.

Reims produces great champagne.

I believe these two portraits explain the French women best: they can as independent as tough as the heroine Jeanne d'Arc, and also can be as soft as the statue below. I appreciate them, because they do have their own mode, they lead world's fashion while they do not recognize themselves.

Outfit: Ben Sherman leather coat/ H&M top/ H&M harem pants/ Dr. Martens boots

Guimet & Eiffel: Mix & Match

Stay up late working yesterday... Because today is SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!! The weekend is coming!!!!!!!

 

La Place de Iéla, Iéla square. Today here had a market that merchandising food, clothes and flowers. It is said that such weekend market charges less than in supermarkets, and the quality is rather good. Pity that I know too little French to buy things in the market, so I made my visit to the market a part of sightseeing rather than a purchasing tour.

They sold really gorgeous flowers. French people like flowers so much that they always decorate their windowsills and balconies with bunches of flowers no matter how small the windowsills and balconies are.

I happened to walk through President Wilson Avenue. There are another street called New-York Avenue near this avenue. I guess the US embassy is just around. Anyway, in Paris, they have metro stations called "Franklin Roosevelt""Stalin"and "Clemenceau", which is so interesting.

Guimet Asian Museum, the first museum I visited in Paris, was founded by a famous collector Emile Guimet around 1899. He had large amount collections of Asian Art, mainly sculptures and small artifacts. Here in Guimet Museum, they have the Cambodian collections. I'd been to Cambodia once back in 2008, and I found that in Siem-Reap, where world heritage Angkor Wat and Angkor City located, many sculptures and curved stones were missing... Now I know where they exactly are.

Guimet also exhibit artifacts from other Asian countries like India, Thiland, Laos, Japan, Nepal, Afganistan and China. They are also extraordinarily amazing... When I was facing the Buddhas and other collections, I dreamed of they were all alive and bring me to explore a brand new world in another time and space....

After the breath-taking visit to the Guimet Museum, it's time for EIFFEL!!!!!!!

Eiffel is the modern Paris. The hard metal is not that cold, but rather fabulous and romantic. Especially in the sunshine like today... The beauty of today's Eiffel is far beyond my words...

Outfit: Uniqlo shirt/ H&M belt/ H&M leggings/ Mulberry bag/ FCUK bangles

Cité Afternoon

Got up late this morning. After took a shower, I decided to hanging out this afternoon. My destination would be Cité, where I could not forget from the first glimpse at it on the night I arrived in Paris. 

I took several photos before I go out, amazingly, when I was trying the  self-timer function, the pictures turned out to be black and white. However, it's still kind of pretty. (lol.)

Sous le Ciel de Paris!! When I was walking under the clear sky of Paris, my head was filled with chansons of Edith Piaf. C'est tres tres beau!!

Cité is always full of tourists from all parts of the world. Everyone is eager to see the Notre Dame: a women from Spain or Italy asked me with a strong accent, 'Excusez-moi, Notre Dame?' Did I looks like a native person? lol. 

When I was doing self-timing on the bridge, a man passed by and offered me a help. He said "cheers", and I throw out a big smile. Anyhow, the beautiful weather and the lovely man makes me really happy. 

On the streets there's riding polices and chic girls. In fact, unless I imaged, though popular among visitors, Cité is still a comparatively quiet place. There are cafés, bars, souvenir shops and people who are enjoying their lives everywhere.

Notre Dame is exactly the most amazing site on Cité. I really want to attend a mass (messe in French) held here. When you are facing Maria, you feel peaceful and you are willing to kneel down and pray...

 Ave Maria! Please bless all people on this planet, may them away from pain and sadness...

I love the self-timer, really, you need it if you are traveling alone and like to take pictures. Paris is a gorgeous place that everywhere in Paris is so beautiful in a photo.

Outfit: Topshop blazer/ vintage dress/ FCUK belt/ FCUK bag/ Prada sunglasses/ Bettina Liano bracelets/ shoes from a boutique

Study and Sunny Seine

Sunny today, feel like summer is back.

Everyday on the way attending courses, I passed by boutiques. MOSCHINO and Sonia Rykiel and so on, attract me so much!! (I like that neck lace and it's 154€!!!)

Went to school today to attend a reunion of my program. I could not understand all, coz it's all in French. But luckily I can guess and I have kind classmates translate French into English. Thank you Emily!! Anyway, I have to work hard on my French otherwise I won't survive in Paris. Girls at here are chic and elegant. 

And my school have buildings rather than campus. Different buildings locate at different road, dizzy me like this stair...

Then I went to walk along La Seine. It's really charming and breathtaking especially after a little rain. Sky is incredibly blue and the clouds are funny...

The Rive Gauche (the Left Bank), known for knowledge and ration, provides interesting artifacts; they all reflects chic and funny and relaxing Parisien life.

Outfit: Scarf from a boutique/ FCUK shirt/ Sonia Rykiel pour H&M pants/ Dr. Martens boots/ Mulberry bag