Bonjour, Paris!

So, after 5 days in Cannes, it was time for a weekend in Paris (chewah). But while the flight from Nice to Paris took about an hour and forty minutes, it took me a couple of hours to finally get to my hotel at Boulevard Girabaldi.
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But hey, the hotel's at a great location, and after a quick shower, I was ready for some serious sightseeing. And when I say "great location", I mean it's very near to the Eiffel Tower. How near? "Just go straight, and after ze first building, turn left, and voila, Eiffel Tower," said the hotel reception. (It's actually a 10min walk though)

And when I finally got upclose, it really blew me away...
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I mean, it's just truly a magnificent structure, one of those that you've got the see it for yourself to really appreciate.



After picking up some souvenirs, hooked myself up with a tour bus. And for Euro24, I got myself a 2-day ticket on the Les Cars Rouges which dutifully took us to all the must-see spots in the city.
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It was a really relaxing journey that took us to the Grand Palais, Invalides, Notre Dame, Madeleine, among other places.

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But it wasn't until we reached Arc De Triomphe at Champs Elysees that I decided to hop off the bus for a spot of shopping. Ahem.

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Recognised as one of the world's most famous shopping districts, there were indeed a 1001 ways to max out your credit card(s).

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The next morning, it was time for me to see the city on foot. My ultimate destination was Musee de Louvre, and although it took me longer than expected, the sheer beauty of the city made it all worthwhile.
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.I mean, although my legs were a bit koyak after about 40mins of walking, the cool autumn air and the serenity of the Seine helped me out a great deal.

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But boy was I glad when I finally reached the Louvre...

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And since I got there early, the line to get in wasn't that long. Phew!

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And really, it was dream come true for a history lover such as myself to be inside the most famous museum in the whole wide world. Especially since I got to be within touching distance of these two beauties...

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1. Venus de Milo, and...

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2. The Mona Lisa (but of course)

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...Mission accomplished, I went home a happy man. Merci and au revior!

More Snaps From Cannes

Bonjour, Cannes!

So this past week, my awesome (day) job took me to Cannes, France for MIPCOM 2010, the largest TV content marketplace that apparently attracted some 12,500 participants this year. It was my first time at MIP and also, my first visit to the place itself. And to that, I say WOOHOO.

A 12-hour flight from KL took me to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam after which I took another flight to Nice. Check out the view as we approached the city...
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A Euro63-cab ride then took me to Cannes itself. Since the event had already started when I arrived, I dove straight into the action after a quick shower. The hotel was smack right in the middle of town, and after a short walk, there I was at the Palais des Festival, the famous convention centre that also hosts the Cannes Film Festival. You know, the thing that Clooney and co attend almost every year. :)
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After that, it was meetings all day and the gloomy weather limited our outdoor activities. I managed to explore a bit of the magnificent city in the evening on the way to dinner, where I also bumped into some fans. Haha!
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...Dinner was a magnificent spread of seafood, and basically that's the gastronomic-theme for the whole week. That, and heavenly gelato, which I consumed at least twice a day. Suka hati lah ok?
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...The next day it was back to the Palais for more meetings and conferences. The weather was beautiful then and really, I can't think of anywhere else that work could be even more pleasurable :)
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...And oh, in case you're wondering if we bumped into any super-famous people... well, VOILA!
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Gene. Freakin. Simmons. And you know what? He totally exceeded my expectations. I knew he's eloquent and a good businessman and stuff, but the guy really spoke sense and was full of substance when talking about "Building Entertainment Brands". And to that, I stick my tongue out, dude!

......I haven't really waxed lyrical about Cannes itself, but in brief, I can just say that it's one of the most beautiful places I've been to. Have a look lah...

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But wait! I'm not done yet with the bumping into super-famous people!

So at this one party, I was fast getting bored when the guest of honour walked in...
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Yup, that's Sarah Jessica Parker herself, in town to promote her new reality show, "Work of Art". Mesti ramai dah jealous giler. Haha.

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I didn't get to do much sight-seeing tho, but I did have a good look at the beachfront area near the Palais, called La Croisette.

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...It's the place to just hangout, shop at luxury stores, have a panini or two and gawk at topless sunbathers. Alaa, like you wouldn't, you pretentious lot!
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Oh, apart from the seafood and gelato, the whole trip was made sweeter by these delicious little things: MACARONS! They're so good, I don't even have the words for it!
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...And finally, before I left, I just had to take a walk to the Old Quarters and up the hill to Musee de la Castre. From there, you could literally see the whole of Cannes' town centre. Breathtaking.

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Overall, a truly memorable first trip to Cannes and a productive MIPCOM. Then it was off to Paris!