Yes, gue ada di Paris tahun ini untuk ngerayain tahun baru. Rasanya kayak mimpi bisa merayakan tahun baru di Paris. Kudu di cubit beberapa kali untuk mastiin kalo gue bener-bener ada di Paris, kota impian hampir seluruh umat di bumi. 
Gue memutuskan untuk hitung mundur tahun baru persis didepan Menara Eiffel rame-rame sama banyaaakkk orang lain. Sambil bawa champagne dan bawa payung karena ujan gerimis, loh tiba-tiba orang-orang udah pada pelukan dan ngucapin tahun baru aja. Nah, kapan itung mundurnya ya? Kok gue nggak ngeh. Hahaha.
Yep, I made it all the way to Paris this New Year. Counting down in front of the Eiffel Tower finally happened. Though I never actually did the counting, since it was a very busy night, so suddenly it was already 2013, everyone cheered in the drizzly night, and I drank my champagne while staring at the sparkling tower right in front of me! 😀
Persis masuk tahun 2013, kembang api mulai banyak nyala di angkasa. Lucunya, kembang api nya bukan berasal dari atas Menara Eiffel, tapi dari bagian lain di kota Paris. Eiffel-nya sendiri cuma nyala kelap kelip warna warni gitu. Agak sedikit kecewa tapi tetep super hepi karena Eiffel didepan mata gue ini tetaplah tampak luar biasa keren!! Selamat tahun baru dari Paris! YEAY~
During all the massive celebrations, I couldn’t help but notice that there was no fireworks!!! Like seriously? No fireworks at the Eiffel Tower for New Year? I could see fireworks in the sky but it’s coming from other parts of Paris. Anyway, don’t get me wrong. Eiffel still looked stunning with out it.
Paris sendiri adalah kota cantik impian yang lebih cantik dilihat aslinya ketimbang di tv. Rasanya pengen motret mulu di tiap sudut. Ada Louvre Museum dan sekitarnya, the Champs Elysees, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower dan Seine River Bank dan lainnya. Aduhhh bagus banget.
Paris menurut gue bener-bener karya seni dalam wujud sebuah kota.
Buat yang sudah pernah atau bahkan sering ke Paris, bersyukurlah. Kalau yang belum, menurut gue ini salah satu kota wajib didatengin minimal sekali seumur hidup.
Talk about Paris, the city is absolutely gorgeous. Every part is delicately crafted by art. You name it, Louvre Museum and its beautiful surroundings, the Champs Elysees, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, Seine River Banks, and so many other places… they are all so so pretty and artistic. If you have been to Paris, -maybe more than once you lucky people-, then you must know what I am talking about. If you have never been to Paris, my advice is please save money and plan to come here. It’s totally worth it.
Ada beberapa catatan yang gue buat untuk diri sendiri selama di Paris:
There are some notes I made to myself on my visit:
1. Gue musti balik lagi nih pas musim panas. Paris di musim dingin emang keren, tapi di musim panas pasti nuansanya beda lagi. Penasaran gue.
1. Olive, come back to Paris in summer. Wintery Paris is magically romantic, but summery Paris must have a different taste. I wonder.
2. Gue musti balik lagi ke Paris pas lagi bukan musimnya turis. Di musim liburan kayak gini, Paris tuh padet banget ama turis. Kemana-mana antri dan antri lagi. Di Eiffel contohnya, antrinya panjang banget…4-5 jam antri untuk beli tiket naik ke atas – naik lift atau naik tangga sama sama antri super panjang. Gila kan ya.
Selain itu, kalo lagi high season, smua harga tempat penginapan naiknya minimal dua kali lipat, plus penuh smua! Sempet ketemu turis yang belom booking tempat nginep tanggal 31 Desember, kasian banget muter-muter keliling kota nggak ada yang available – gak tau tuh nasibnya akhirnya gimana.
2. Olive, come back to Paris in low season. In high season, Paris is PACKED! For example, people had to queue for at least 4 hours to go up the Eiffel Tower (crazy right?) and the Metro (subway) is constantly full. In addition, the prices of hotels are doubled and most of them are of course not available. Believe me, Paris in high season is sooooooo super crowded. It is the main destination for most people from all around the world, so you can imagine how it is.
3. Gue musti balik lagi ke Paris dan tinggal disini lebih lama dari sekedar liburan singkat. Terlalu banyak hal yang belum gue lakukan sampe puas disini. Gue suka banget waktu di Paris ini karena bisa keluyuran naik kereta (Metro), nyasar, jalan sana sini, membaur sama orang lokal, ngeliat copet digebukin di pinggir jalan, nyobain makanan lokal, pergi ke tempat yang nggak gitu populer ama turis, dll. Kudu balik lagi untuk pengalaman yang lebih banyak.
3. Olive, come back to Paris and spend more time! Less than a week was NOT ENOUGH. Too many things to see in Paris. Too many places to go. Too many restaurants to try. Too many beauties to soak. I remember getting lost while trying to be somewhere, eating the yummy snacks, mingle with Les Parisiens in the metro and go to the not so touristy area. That’s just the best way to enjoy Paris… it was so fun! Next time I’ll make sure it’s more than a week to explore.
4. Gue musti belajar Bahasa Prancis lagi. Abis-abisan. Sebelum sampai di Paris, gue cukup PD dengan Bahasa Prancis gue. Begitu sampai di negaranya, gue cupu banget.
Mereka ngomong terlalu cepat jadi gue butuh waktu untuk dengerin dan ngomong. Ujung-ujungnya nyampur pake bahasa Inggris juga ngomongnya, gak bisa murni bahasa Prancis padahal udah belajar bertahun-tahun. Huh, rese! 😀
4. Olive, fix your French! Before I went to Paris, I thought I speak French just fine. But when I was there, meeting the real French who speak really fast, I realized I need to study more! I was very slow in processing the words I hear or speak. LOL. Soo bad.
Intinya, gue bener-bener beruntung dan bersyukur bisa ada di kota ini.
Salah satu temen nanya apa momen favorit gue di selain merayakan tahun baru di Paris. Jawabannya, ialah ketika suatu pagi gue makan croissant, roti ala Prancis favorit gue, yang baru aja keluar dari panggangan jam 7 pagi ditemani segelas kopi, dan menyadari bahwa gue melakukannya di Paris. Ah… priceless moment indeed.
A friend asked me the other day what was my fave moment in Paris. I could say a lot of things, but I told her that one of my most favorite moments is the feeling of enjoying freshly baked croissant at 7 am in the morning with a cup of coffee, and knowing that I did that in Paris. Well, I will surely have to come back.
Moments come & go, but special moments last a lifetime
olivelatuputty.com/blog –@shiningliv
