Travel Series: Wine Tasting In Bordeaux

  I have always been a huge fan of wine. Growing up I admired cultures that indulged in drinking wine with their meals, and would often ask my parents if I could have a small glass during our Sunday dinner. "It's good for the heart I would tell them!"

  As I got older my appreciation for wine continued, and the desire to one day visit a vineyard became an item on my bucket list. Thankfully the perfect opportunity to visit a vineyard arrived when I went to Bordeaux, France- wine country.

  The vineyard I visited in Bordeaux was called Chateau Du Taillan. The chateau was absolutely stunning outside. A house surrounded by greenery and trees. It was so picturesque- almost like a scene from a movie.

  Once I entered the chateau, myself and the others on the tour were given a historical background of the chateau. It was so interesting to learn about the vineyard and I was surprised to find out how long it truly takes to make a bottle of wine. I also really enjoyed that we were allowed to go into the wine cellars and see the aging wine. It was fasinating seeing barrel upon barrel and realizing that they were all filled up with wine that would one day be packaged and sold. I wonder what a barrel would go for?



  After the tour was finished, we had the opportunity to taste the wine produced from the vineyard. It was très bien. I ended up buying two bottles. One red and one white. I wanted to have a bit of France with me when I get back to Toronto. 



  I suppose for my first visit to a vineyard, I would say I had a great time. It was such a great experience learning about the process of making wine, exploring the old cellars, and ofcourse tasting the wine. Let's just say by the end of the tasting "I felt oh so classy." If you ever get a chance to go for a wine tasting or to visit a vineyard (in any country), I would highly recommend it.

  Thank you for reading my post! I hope you are enjoying my travel series. Stay turned for more!

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Travel Series- Shopping In Paris

  Shopping in Paris is great. It's kind of like a haven for fashionistas. In fact, one of the things I was looking forward to seeing in Paris was the fashion. Not just the fashion in the stores, but the fashionable people in the streets. I mean imagine walking down the streets of one of the most fashionable cities and being surrounded by so many stylish people. It's like a never-ending fashion show. Don't mind if I stare.   

The Shopping

  The first time I went to Paris, I visited a spectacular department store called Galleries Lafayette. It was so beautiful in all of its architectual glory. I mean stain glass windows, ornate crown molding with gold detail, and orchestra balconies that overlooked the rest of the mall. It was amazing, luxurious and beautiful. I know I may sound superficial, but it was just breathtaking. It was nothing like anything I had ever seen before, when it comes to department stores; especially living in Toronto.

  As I explored the different levels of this building I came across the designer floor for children! I have never seen so much designer clothing catered to children in my life. There was baby Dior, Gucci, Burberry, and Little Marc Jacobs just to name a few. 

  While the department stores were fascinating to explore, the streets of Paris were no exception. Champs-Elysées (one of the most famous streets in Paris) is a popular shopping destination for tourists that want to experience high fashion. In fact, the famous avenue holds many luxury and flagship stores that are quite impressive to see in person, due to their large size. For instance, the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store has a gated entrance and a massive line-up of eager customers trying to get inside. 

This was the line up to get into the Abercrombie & Fitch store! 

I cannot believe the size of this Louis Vuitton building.  Can you imagine setting up that window display?

The VAT

  Although shopping in Paris can be pricey, designer brands are often a little less expensive than purchasing them in North America. For instance, I purchased my Longchamp bags in Paris as they were much more affordable than purchasing them in Toronto. As well, the Value Added Tax (VAT) also helps tourist to save money when shopping. 

   How the VAT refund works: When Non-EU residents shop, they can get a refund on the Value Added Tax (VAT) when they spend more than $175 dollars in one store. Once you get back to the airport make sure to have the receipt and item (they made me show both) and  you will be refunded a certain percentage depending on the item you purchase. 

  I personally find that the VAT refund was great, since I am always open to any deals or refunds I can get. Note: When I was refunded money, they gave me a choice of getting back US dollars or Euros. Not Canadian dollars. I decided to go with the US dollars since I was planning on traveling to the States in the near future. 

 Overall, shopping in Paris is such a fun experience. I personally did not do too much shopping, probably more window shopping, but the opportunity to see the iconic flagship stores, department stores and street fashion was fantastic. I would do it all again in a second!    

Thank you for reading my Travel Series in Paris! Stay tuned for tomorrow's post. Hint** If you like wine you are going to like the my next post for the series.

If you have been to Paris, did you enjoy the shopping?

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Travel Series: Getting Lost In Paris

  I got lost in Paris once. It all started with a bike tour I decided to join. Thinking back now, it's strange that I decided to ride a bike in Paris considering that I am too afraid to ride a bike in Toronto. In fact, the thought of riding a bike in Toronto sends chills up my spine. But I suppose when one is traveling, courage and a sense of adventure begin to emerge...and so a bike tour I will go!

  The bike tour started out a bit rough at first. Rule Number One: Never ever wear a pair of new jeans that you put on for the first time before attempting to ride a bike. They were so tight! I could barely sit down on the bike. Had I known earlier in the day that I would be taking a bike tour, I would have worn something more comfortable. So, I had to deal with my new tight pants. 

  Once I started riding on the bike, things were pretty good. I was biking with a pretty big crowd so I didn't feel too nervous. I noticed the group seemed to enjoy riding fast, so I tried to stay in the middle of the pack and take in as many beautiful sites at the same time. Periodically we would make pits stops at historical landmarks or buildings. While we stopped to take in the scene the tour guide would give us some background of the location and then we would get back on our bikes to head to the next location.

  By the time I managed to get back on the bike, I noticed that most of the group had already rode off. Honestly, they were riding so fast, it was is if they were in the Tour Du France. Although I tried to catch up with them, I was unable to meet them as the traffic lights changed to red. I decided it was best to stop and wait for the light to change so I could catch up with them. 

Luckily, I was with four other girls so I was not all by myself. When the traffic lights changed to green, we began to ride to catch up with the rest of the group. As we rode down the street, we noticed a cross-section. Both streets looked empty! One of the girls suggested we make a turn. We listened. I guess it was the wrong street since our bike tour was no where to be found. That is when it dawned on me that I was lost in Paris! 

  Initially I was a bit upset. I couldn't believe that the group rode off without all of us. If I was by myself I probably would have panicked, but thankfully I was with four other girls. As I continued to think about our situation, I began to feel a small thrill take over me. We could explore Paris as we find our way back to the group. Perhaps it didn't have to be such a nightmare. 

  Obviously everyone was in shock and was reacting differently to the situation. One girl kept swearing. She was really upset. I turned to the other girl beside me who didn't seem too bothered and said she was looking forward to an adventure. I quietly agreed. The two other girls seemed primarily focused on finding their way back. 

  As we rode lost in Paris for a few minutes, one of the girls tried to get a hold of one of her friends who was on the same bike tour with us. I suppose she didn't realize her friends were separated from the group until later. Eventually she picked up her phone and was able to communicate with us and the tour guide to help us find our way back.  

  After riding around Paris for a few more minutes, we found our group! Although, I didn't mind riding around for a bit, I was happy to see them all. 

  I know this story, may be a bit nerve wrecking, but honestly it was one of my most memorable and exciting memories in Paris. I rode a bike in a foreign country. I was terrified and I conquered a fear. It was such a great experience to ride on the streets with other cyclists and view all of the sites. And although I got lost for a few minutes, it was somewhat of a small adventure for me. I learned so much on the tour overall. My tour guide was great, despite the situation. Honestly, I had such a great time riding around in Paris, that I tried to rent a bike in the next city that I visited. 

  Thank you for reading! I hope you are enjoying my travel series. Stay turned for another post on my Travel Series.

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Have you ever been on a bike tour before?