Gettin’ Carried Away

One of the most important parts of a trip (for me, anyway) is the dining! Wherever I go, I always discover a restaurant that I often find myself craving once I’ve been back home for awhile. In fact, eating yummy food is one of the many reasons I have vowed to plan a yearly trip to London!

Thailand Restaurant

Located at 15 Lewisham Way in New Cross, the Thailand Restaurant is to die for! It’s across from Goldsmiths College, so it is a rather popular hang out for late teens and young 20-somethings. They even have a lunch special for £3.95, which includes a starter and a main dish! No matter what time it is, though, I always go for the same order… every time.

I start out with the Spring Rolls. They consist of a healthy blend of veggies, pork and noodles that are deep fried in a crispy roll. The dipping sauce is the best part! It tastes a little bit like a combo of sweet n sour sausce and duck sauce with hints of spice from little chili flakes. Honestly, I could get two orders of these for my meal and call it a day. They are tasty and they satisfy my tummy. BUT! I just have to get a main dish, because it is one of my favorites.

My main meal of choice: Chicken Pad Thai. When ordering Pad Thai, you can get it plain (for you vegetarians) or with any meat you like (shrimp, pork, beef, chicken). The Thailand Restaurant in New Cross makes some of the best Pad Thai I have ever had in my life. The noodles are nicely complemented by just the right amount of bean sprouts and peanuts. Perfection!

How to get there from Central London: Take the National Rail Service from London Bridge to New Cross Gate.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

I wish I could tell you all about the succulent burgers at Gourmet Burger Kitchen in Greenwich, but I can’t. That’s because I got a chicken sandwich. If you didn’t notice, I kind of have an affinity for chicken. Anyway, I’m glad I ordered this sandwich, because it was delicious. I know what you’re thinking, “What could be so delicious about a regular ol’ breaded chicken sandwich?” Well, there was absolutely no fat on the meat, there was just enough mayo to enhance the flavor of the chicken and the lettuce was fresh and crispy. It really was a gourmet sandwich… unlike a dull, greasy sammy you’d find at any old drive-thru fast good joint in the U.S.

Like most restaurants in London, GBK boasts a small, quaint dining room. Lucky for us, it was pretty empty when we decided to have a late lunch. However, my friend Carmella assured me that the place gets very busy around around noon and during the dinner rush at 5 p.m. My advice: get there when they open or grab some food around 3 p.m. like we did!

How to get there from Central London: Take the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf, hop on the DLR at Heron Quays (across from Canary Wharf station) then take the DLR to Greenwich. ***There are locations all over London!***

This is my final post about my trip to Paris, France in 2006. I believe that traveling is not solely about what you see. It’s mostly about what you experience. I have been very fortunate to have engaged in two once-in-a-lifetime opportunities while visiting Paris, and I feel very privileged to have done so.

The Da Vinci Code

Written by Dan Brown, The Davinci Code rose to fame in 2003. In 2006, the story was captured on the big screen with Tom Hanks starring as the intelligent symbologist Robert Langdan. Both the novel and the film follow Langdan as he investigates a murder at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

~* Carrie at the last scene of The Da Vinci Code in the Louvre Museum *~

Not only did I get to see all the sights that appear in the film, but I had the chance to see the film premier in Paris, one day before it was released in theaters in the United States! As I sat in a quaint French theater (the Gaumont) nestled on the Champs Elysees, I viewed the film in absolute awe that I was seeing this world-famous movie before anyone in my home country.

Versailles

While venturing through Paris, many visitors make the half-hour trip to nearby Versailles, to see the royal chateau that many historical figures (including Marie Antoinette and Kings Louis XIV, XV and XVI). Roaming through the palace and marveling at the recreations of stately bedrooms and regal banquet halls is an amazing experience. However, I believe the true beauty is best viewable from the back of the property.

Standing atop the “backyard” steps, notice the breathtaking view of the Palace Gardens: vast, verdant lands filled with mazes of sculptured foliage, built around a sparkling Grand Canal. If you dare to take the seemingly mile-long hike to Marie Antoinette’s private retreat, the Petit Trianon, you will get to see the very recently restored (as of October 2008), three-story abode that the Queen often spent much time in.

My most memorable experience at Versailles was rowing a boat all around the Grand Canal. In the summer, follow in the steps of great French kings, who boated on the canal frequently. In 2006, a boat rental for four people cost roughly 40€ for one hour. That’s only 10€ per person! Boating on the Grand Canal is certainly one of my most memorable experiences I had while visiting France.

Month: May
Year: 2006
Location: Paris, France

While exploring a city on your own might offer you a bit more freedom, I highly recommend traveling with a group once in awhile. If you’re with someone who has A. done his/her research or B. has been to the city before, then you are in good hands. You may also get to see museums, monuments, churches and more at a cheaper (group) rate! Plus, you are bound to have some free time.

In Paris, there are the obvious sites to see: the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, etc. But how many of you have heard of the Sacre-Coeurs or the Catacombs? On my week-long trip to Paris, I saw all of these things and more.

One thing I noticed about Paris: there are a ton of stairs! Unless you are handicapped, be prepared to do a lot of climbing. After visiting the Catacombs, the Arc and the Sacre-Coeur Basilica in one day, I climbed over 900 steps!

The Catacombs - A famous underground ossuary, this cemetery rests way below the ground. It takes 143 steps down a winding spiral staircase to get there and 83 steps back up to find freedom.

Arc de Triomphe - Standing at the Western end of the Champs Elysees, this stunning monument remembers those who fought for France, mostly during the Napoleonic Wars. It’s the best place to see Paris at night, and especially to view the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. But get ready for a work out - you have to haul yourself up 284 stairs to get to the top!

Sacre-Coeur - At the top of Montmartre Hill, this Roman Catholic church boasts the second highest viewpoint of Paris at 271 feet. After venturing up the almost 300 stairs, you will see that the view of the city is definitely worth the climb.

~* Kisses from Carrie at Moulin Rouge *~

Also located in Montmartre, I had just had to see the infamous Moulin Rouge! Famous for its nightly cabarets and saucy can-can dancers, the Moulin Rouge was a hot spot at the turn of the 20th century. Today, it’s a tourist attraction that offers musical dance entertainment for adult visitors from all over the world. I won’t lie… you do have to pass some racy ‘red light district’ shops to get to the place. But no one really bothers you, and the photo op is really something!

“Voluz vous coucher avec moi ce soir!,” said Lady Marmalade.