Every girl should have a birthday in Paris

Paris has something very special about it and I don't think I could've picked a better place to spend my GOLDEN birthday. I can imagine most of you thinking, "Golden birthday? What is she talking about?", well it is quite simply your birthday that is when you turn the age of the day you were born. Mine was this year because I was 25 on the 25th. Most people miss their golden birthdays because they find out about it too late. I don't even know where I heard about it from but I do know that I have been planning mine for a very long time (maybe since I was 18) and Paris was no accident, I knew I'd be here years ago :)

I arrived on my birthday eve a bit later later than I expected because all trains were full but I got there just in time to make my appointment up the Eiffel Tower. I stayed at the same hotel (thanks to my lovely boyfriend) I stayed at when I first came to Paris back in winter so finding it was no problem. I quickly showered and was off because I'd arranged to meet a girl I'd met down in Nice there at 9.45pm to go up at 10pm. We said we'd meet at the ticket office but when I got there were about three different ticket offices and there was no way I was finding her. It got to 10pm and I had to use my ticket (thanks Jane and Murray I used some of your prezzie card to buy it) so I hoped she'd be up there and somehow we'd meet up. My positive thinking worked because I did bump into her up there! After we admired the views we went and got a nutella and banana crepe each and sat at the top of a small hill and watched the tower sparkle. Luckily we needed to catch the same metro part of the way together, I felt much safer catching it with her in the dark.

From the tower

From the hill

A sparkling Eiffel Tower, a beautiful thing to see!

I got back to my hotel safely, had another warm shower (because I could)  and curled up in my big queen sized bed, it was heaven! I woke up quite early and opened some birthday cards that Simon had given me in Singapore. These were the cards that had strict instructions on NOT to open before Paris. I'll admit I got a bit teary when I opened them because the messages were so lovely and it hit me that I wouldn't be seeing any of my loved ones on my birthday. Poor Simon had to deal with me sobbing into the telephone :( Then Mum and Dad called me after breakfast and I even got a few words out of my brother which was nice. As I was speaking to them they sent through a pic of my family having brunch and waving to the camera. Every birthday we go for brunch or have dinner so it was nice that they'd all got together even in my absence, I have the best family!

My mum does envelopes well :)

I waited, I promise!

I doubt my brother had anything to do with decorating this envelope

My Paris card collection!

For my birthday Simon also got me a ticket to a violincello concert in an small church in the middle of the city so I looked up where that was and planned the rest of my day around that. I didn't have to be there until 5pm so had plenty of time to go and find a nice spot for lunch and check out things I hadn't already seen. It worked out perfectly really because it ended up that it was in a part of Paris I hadn't explored on my last visit. I asked at my hotel for restaurant recommendations in that area and the man said I would have my pick of good places in that area so off I set with my pretty birthday dress on under my rain coat.

Paris must have known it was my birthday because as soon as I got out of the metro station there was a pick'n'mix stall so I stopped off there before finding a place for lunch.

Would you look at that!

One happy 25 year old!

I didn't take me long to find a place to eat, I found it down a side street and of course I looked at the menu but mainly choose it because it just looked so darn cute! I was warmly welcomed when I walked in and when asked where I wanted to sit I said, 'The nicest table because it is my birthday today', it worked a treat and I got treated like a princess! A complimentary glass of champagne quickly came my way and they looked after me very well. I set out determined to eat some snails but the pull of the fried goats cheese and steak were far more appealing. I can't even remember the last time I had red meat so thought today was the day to go all out. It may have been one of the best meals I have ever had (thanks Mum, Dad and Matt, I used some of your Euros to get it) so I left a very happy customer. When the waiter asked how it was when I was leaving, I said, 'Thank you, it was fantastic and I will never forget it', and he looked happy too :)

The restaurant! Cute ha?

Birthday champagne!

Cheers!

Fried goat's cheese - amazing!

More food!

MEAT!

I zipped up my coat and headed out to find the Luxembourg Gardens, gardens that Napoleon III dedicated to the children of Paris. Even in the rain they were beautiful. Such a vibrant mix of colours that must be even more stunning in the sunshine.

This is so Paris!

Pretty!

I love this colour!

The palace - closed until September

Happy to be by the flowers

Quack, quack

Then I just wandered around the streets, found a nice place to have a coffee before my concert started. The concert was in the tiniest little church called St. Ephrem so it was very intimate. If any of you are interested it was Bach's Violincello Suites, you can YouTube it to see what kind of thing it was. I got goosebumps and was mesmerised the entire time. What a thing to experience and I'm so happy that I went to it. Even though I'm not an avid classical music fan I thought it was great and something I'll always remember.

St. Ephrem's Church - tiny!

The concentration!

On the way back to catch the metro I found a crepe stand so thought a sugar and lemon crepe would be the perfect way to end a perfect day and I was right, it hit the spot!

Looking good!

Miam, miam!

So that brings my birthday in Paris to an end. I will never forget it, it was even better than I thought it would be. Thank you everyone for all the love you sent me today, I could definitely feel it even though I'm on the other side of the world.

Au revoir Paris! I think every girl should have a birthday here! X

I am very proud of myself, just figured out how to make this on my tablet!