Go Solo Backpacking Paris

After being granted a UK visit visa, I also applied for a tourist visa to Europe. This kind of visa is more popularly known as Schengen visa. I was granted a visa for a maximum of 10 days per stay and with unlimited entry for a year. The transportation, tour package, and hotel stay were arranged by Trip Hub Travel Services. The agency took care of my flight and hotel reservation certificates and Schengen travel insurance.

In the 14^th of December 2017, I entered Paris from London. I took British Airways for my flight which lasted for two hours. The flight had its take off from Heathrow International Airport Terminal 5 at 7:20 local time and landed at the Charles the Gaule International Airport at 9:35 local time.

When I was in the Philippines, I already made sure that all the required documents are arranged and are ready. But, those papers were never asked when I approached the immigration officer at the airport. Nevertheless, being prepared made me confident to face the officer just in case I am interrogated. To my awe, the officer just got my passport, looked at the visa and stamped the entry date. 

Travelling really forces us to learn many new things including correcting our misconceptions. Before arriving in Paris, I thought it was easy to communicate there. However, I got my lesson when I could hardly find people to speak to in the language that I know - English. There are also many Filipinos who think that English is an international language and that it is accessible everywhere. But Paris is entirely different; it has its own language even in public places like the airport. I know this has been the situation, as the French have their own culture, history, and their own version of nationalism. But it takes a personal experience to really realize reality out there.


The airport is smaller as compared to Heathrow or Manila International Airport in the Philippines. But it is very busy as travelers come and go. It has many levels with designated arrival and departure floors. It is there that one could see many different colors of people, from brown to black, yellow, white, etc. Amidst the massive throng, I am still at a difficulty finding anyone to talk with. I have been hovering around the airport's different levels but I do not know which gate I should enter for the train ride. It took me two hours to figure out where the gate is. Because I was desperate to move and continue my journey, I took a gamble and rode a train going to the one seen on the ticket. Finally, I was able to reach the street near my place via a train and bus ride. The train ride, by the way, is connected to the airport. 


The search for my hotel continued from where I alighted. I was fortunate then because while I was walking down the street, I sensed a Filipina approaching and asked for the leads. She accompanied me to the street near my hotel. After a few meters of walking, I was able to find my home for two days. I cannot help but thank that Filipina who lead me the way and realized that indeed there are always Filipinos in any corner of the world.

Upon checking in at Hotel Albion, I rested my things, smelled my room and felt the urge to do a city walk.  Through the use of online maps and the city map available at the hotel counter, I tried riding the subway and walked around. I was able to reach Palais Royale, the Pyramid, and the Obelisk. I went back to my hotel after some 2 hours and immediately slept after changing my clothes. The cold winter is also very conducive for a sound sleep. My sleep was so sound that I was late for my travel package the next day (15 December). In spite of being late, the manager still gave me the tour package. I got a bus tour all over the city and the River Cruise. 

The city tour allowed me to see the famous landmarks in Paris. The first package is a bus tour with audio narration of the famous landmarks along the Paris City center. I noticed that the old buildings were preserved and their beautiful stories were compiled over the years. I was able to pass by the famous place where Louis the XVI was beheaded in 1793 at the height of French Revolution, the Arch de Trompe, and other places around the River Seine. The bus tour ended at the side of River Seine near the foot of Eiffel Tower. We were then directed to go down the bus and head to the place where the ferries were docked. We then continued the part of the tour through cruising along the Seine River. The river cruise also has audio narrating the history and feature of the key places and buildings from the perspective of the River Seine. There were so many places narrated but the one that captivated me was that of Notre Dame Cathedral. It is also near the other famous places in Paris like the old hospitals and schools. 

After the tour package, I was not yet satisfied exploring the city so I took the time to do a leisure walk from the Eiffel Tower, around the River Seine, the Place de Concorde, Arc de Trompe, and Notre Dame Cathedral. I also visited the Louvre museum. While walking, I imagined the images from the movies about our heroes in the Philippines who also lived and tried their luck in this ancient city. Those were the heroes who had their own personal and political agendas while in Paris. They were the ones who struggled in that city for their own families and beloved, and for their idealism - carving for themselves their own identity and the identity of their place of origin. In those days, there was no identity for Filipinos. In that European soil, Filipinos were subsumed under the Indio identity under the Spanish government in Mexico.

I spent most of the time at Notre Dame Cathedral. It is a magnificent church building which was started to be built in ancient times and was continuously built and renovated until the present day. I spent a lot of hours praying there. I was also lucky also to chance upon a Holy Mass in French. Among my prayers include my family, my country, my school, my profession, our President, and my self and relationship to God. Among the many places visited in Paris, it is from that place that I was most peaceful and recharged of spiritual energy. I also wrote from the book of life located in one of the chapels there.

After being charged with energy from the cathedral and from the other tourist attractions, I seated and rested beside the Louvre Museum.  I also sat at the park beside the ark in front of the Palais Royale. I did not feel the tiredness because it was a cold December day. It was also a day where I felt history coming to my being and recollected my brokenness and frustrations in life. I enjoyed sitting down and observing people move. The place is like a center of gravity that attracts people from all walks of life and from the different places in the world. The rain and the cold environment prompted me to go back to my hotel via the subway.

There are many restaurants around the Hotel Albion. For the choice of food, I still prefer rice so I searched for one offering rice dishes. I was able to find it in a Japanese restaurant. I had fried rice stuffed with seafood. I only ate a small portion of it as I want to consume more fruits. There are many fruits around and the prices are relatively cheap so I tried buying. Sometimes, I really intend to miss the meals at noon and at night because I want to cleanse myself of unnecessary food intake as I believe that this cleanses my body and soul while traveling. 

However, breakfast is always a breaking moment because I should, as I read elsewhere in Brussels, "eat breakfast like a king". Aside from it being free at the hotel, it must also be a time to recharge. In my hotel, the servings are unlimited so I ate like there was no tomorrow. I had tasted different kinds of cheese - both soft and hard, liquid and solid, fresh, sweetened or cut fruits, different kinds and shapes of bread - soft and hard, yogurts, and meat servings of various size, thickness, and tastes.

After breakfast, I ate fruit most of the time since it is part of the intended diet everywhere.  I also took advantage of such time to abstain from too much rice. My favorite fruits are orange and the red apple. The oranges were so fresh, juicy and sweet. The apples are bright red, crispy and juicy.

Back to my hotel room, I again spent the night recollecting for the day in prayers. It was cold outside but warm inside because of the heater. In the middle of the night, I would switch off the heater because the room is extremely hot. Then, I would open the window to let the cold air in. Wifi is available so there are unlimited access and communication to my mom in the UK, and relatives in the Philippines and sisters in other countries as well. 

With the many spectacular sites and historical places in Paris, I resolved to go back to that part of the world. I thank my stepfather, Barry for treating me to England, which also paved the way for me to consider having a side trip to Europe. It was intended only as a side trip not expecting much about the place but the tour package and the city itself was totally uplifting and surprising.

I was recharged during the day and I will recharge in sleep again. I slept soundly for the night only to wake up early the following morning for my trip to Brussels, Belgium, 16 December.


Rewritten on 25 November 2018, almost a year after my visit to Paris.