#louve my beloved

[transmascnaotoshirogane]

You know what about not being that interested in the lu canon ? Same. I was never really interested in the LU canon in the first place. I mean really loved the early comics without storyline, I absolutely loved their interactions but even then I was more hooked by the design, references to the games and the concept of the different Link hanging out than the personality the Links were given. I still found them interesting but only relied on those for those of game I hadn't played (which may have been nearly everyone when I discovered LU but is now fewer). For those I had played, well I will always prefer the personality and headcanons I have for them myself and those are very particular and contradictory with the mostly accepted as cannon element by the zelda fandom sooo... yeah *nervous laugh*.

So when there Jojo decided to make a plot and more fight scene it's not that it was worse, but the comic in itself just wasn't enjoyable for me that much anymore. The thing I appreciated about it were mostly gone for the sake of plot and angst which are 2 things that don't really let me enjoy myself on their own.

But I still love what is done in the fandom !! I love the fic, the art, the people here (which include you of course <3) make me so happy !!! All that to say that yes I value the LU fandom way more than LU itself and you are not alone in that sentiment (even if in my case it's for different reason) (god I hope I'm not bothering you with this ask, sorry if I am don't feel obligated to answer it)

LU Fanon is better than LU Canon imo but also

i have played all of legends games to date, read the FSA + MC manga, played skord, oot, mm, tp (not yet completed), BOTW + HW (completed) so maybe im just biased ???

[zazora]

Wait it's your birthday ?! HAPPY BIRTH :DD

Ahah it was actually yesterday, but thank you so much!

[anadorablekiwi]

🎶 please ?

“I won't let them break you down || And I won't hear the empty sounds”

Honorary mention is “I'll still catch you when you fall || Through a past that steals your sleep”

And then of course the chorus, “Time won't ever steal my soul

We're not broken, so please come home

And if the world has worn you down

I'll be waiting, so please come home”

I don’t exactly have specific reasons they’re my favorites (that I can put into words), just that they are powerful lines in a powerful song 💜

[spro-o]

You need to stop making these happy trails you are going to make me go insane 😩

ha ha haaa,,,, no. /lh

[philtstone]

Chapters: 2/6 Fandom: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sarah Wilson, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sam Wilson & Sarah Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes & Sam Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes & AJ Wilson, AJ Wilson & Cass Wilson & Sarah Wilson, Sarah Wilson & Kamala Khan Characters: Sarah Wilson, James "Bucky" Barnes Additional Tags: missing scenes from The Arcane AU(TM), i.e. the hashtag sarahbuckycut, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Vignettes, They're All Connected Though, Developing Relationship, Romance, There Was Only One Bed (briefly), More tags to be added, everyone who told me to write this in the comments of hopeful, this ones for u, domestic romance ft background dystopia, dagger-related flirting (coming soon) Series: Part 2 of hopeful Summary:

What a time, Sam thinks. What a fucking time to be in love.

OR, Sarah and Bucky, finding each other in the middle of it all.

Ch 2 Excerpt: “It’s just the style,” Bucky protests. “This same knife looks different nowadays.”

“You like this one though.” Sarah hums and smiles at him. “Shoot,” she says. “Can you imagine? If things were normal, I’d go to get my hair done, Marcy’d grill me on my sex life and I’d show her my new knife collection.”

It makes her grin, how he ducks his head.

its interesting how easy writing these characters has become for me and yet how hard it is to balance the spoken and unspoken. maybe the ease makes that balancing act even harder. similarly, in this verse, theyre in a position to just so simply have this really good thing, under the radar of the chaos, but all the stuff they maybe dont have to think about now become complicated in their absence. we're slowly unpacking how sarah feels about it all, i hope.

some knife-related flirting ahead. between a seafood cook and a former assassin, that's gotta be a regular thing.

comments make the world go round <3

[voxaris]

I posted 25,301 times in 2022

That's 4,503 more posts than 2021!

29 posts created (0%)

25,272 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@/strawbebbynya

@thatcrazyseamstress

@/transmascsasuskeuchiha

@/catgirlwarrior

@mirshmurecya

I tagged 3,767 of my posts in 2022

#art - 338 posts

#video - 288 posts

#kh - 138 posts

#words - 122 posts

#fashion - 120 posts

#dc comics - 117 posts

#rwby - 102 posts

#fe3h - 101 posts

#star wars - 99 posts

#unreality - 90 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#watching all this shit happen to tolkiens works is like seeing someone carve up a beloved stuffed animal that was also in like. the louve

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

packing. . evil.

3 notes - Posted September 1, 2022

#4

i love being mutuals in law w people

5 notes - Posted October 7, 2022

#3

why does grief hold your heart. whats up with that.

6 notes - Posted January 6, 2022

#2

mARTch day 1: Self portrait

ID: a drawing of a white person on a purple background. They are in three-quarters view, facing left. They have dirty blonde hair and the side of their head shaved, with the remainder pulled into a short ponytail. They are wearing a jean jacket with pins and a purple t-shirt with a yellow circle on it. They have black chunky glasses and their dangly earrings have stars and moons. END ID

7 notes - Posted March 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

See the full post

30 notes - Posted January 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[spacecowboyspurs]

starting to get emotionally attached to this literal motherfucker, louve my beloved

[thesacredtwink]

So you're not vibbing with April's Fool ? Yeah to be honest pranks isn't my thing either, they're very hit or miss for me. Beside if you live with people having a bad mentality about it and it can 100% be nightmarish.

Though that isn't to say that I dislike April's 1st either cause back home children rarely do pranks (recently discovered that it's an adult thing). Instead they draw fishes on paper, cut them and then use scotch to sneakely stick them on other people back. Mostly on adults back. Needless to say when April's first isn't on a week-end teachers literally have a school of fish on their back love that english allows me to make that pun it's possible in french

Yeah, I don't handle pranks well. Mostly because I have a bad history with them and also because I can't tell when things are a prank with any great reliability. I usually just end up crying or feeling stupid.

I'm fortunate that my family don't really do pranks, which is nice. Makes April fool's day easier.

And OH MY GOSH thats precious. A school of fish. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[transmascnaotoshirogane]

Maybe you could try writing on paper ? You would have the supplement work of typing it all later but at least you'll only need 1 hand and so would be able to give a break to your painful wrist ?

(You don't have to answer this and please certainly don't give this a long answer, I'd hate if you suffer by typing more than you have to because of me :( )

i cant actually read my own handwriting, it's bad enough that my i had to type all my schoolwork when i was attending aha so i wouldnt be able to copy it down ,,

im mostly kinda. feeling guilty over not..updating any of my multichapters. i try to do HW weekly n i didnt manage to

sbf i can get away w because i average 2000 words a chapter but hw is significantly shorter aa-n i feel like ive gotta at least update that :((

[zazora]

For the Zelda ask game let's see... 7 (favorite dungeons), 10 (favorite items), 33 (puzzles or combats), 38 (creepiest enemy) and 49 (favorite thing to keep in a bottle) please 😊 !

(I can sent other questions if no one else sent you asks 👍)

7. This might sound a little weird, but I really like the earth temple in SkSw. I thought the ball balancing looked silly at first, but man was it fun. Also, while I don’t love the main dungeons in BotW, Hyrule Castle and the champions ballad dungeon were an amazing idea.

10. I ADORE the beetle in SkSw, we need more remote controlled stuff. And also the Pegasus boots, it’s one of my favorite parts of 2D Zelda’s. Lastly, would the spirit train count as an item? Because I unironically loved the train.

33. Definitely combat. Some game puzzles are pretty easy for me overall (SkSw and Link’s awakening), but my brain short circuits half the time D; I never complain too much about combat tho and I find it more fun.

38. Dead hand. Need I say more?

49. M I L K (Fairies are useful too, but I also feel bad about bottling them).

[wilds-ponytail]

Thank you for being present in my life 🥰 !

Ps : (I don't know if I already send you that ask. I meant to but I send it to like half of the people I'm following in a raw so it's possible that I loss track to who I sent it to and to whom I didn't, inadvertently skipping you. Anyway if you didn't receive this from me before then I'm sorry for this arriving late. And if you did receive this already then feel free to delete this one)

[louvelylouis]

MAY!! MY EXAMS ARE CANCELLED.

I'm throwing a party at my place, pull up. Y'all are all invited 🥳💞

not both of us sending asks to each other at the same time jckdks ANYWAYS CONGRATS LUV SO HAPPY FOR YA 💞💞💞

[chibichococloud123]

I posted 54,947 times in 2021

43 posts created (0%)

54904 posts reblogged (100%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 1276.8 posts.

I added 303 tags in 2021

#chibi talks - 111 posts

#mutuals - 102 posts

#mulder my beloved - 29 posts

#askchibicloud - 22 posts

#bokettochild my beloved - 12 posts

#i am 1142 my beloved - 8 posts

#d&d - 6 posts

#personal post - 5 posts

#cats - 4 posts

#louve garoue my beloved - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 92 characters

#thinking about love victor and the fact my headache hasn’t magically gone away in 3 hours :(

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

HOW DO YOU REBLOG THINGS SO FAST?

Like, I'm not complaining, I'm imPRESSED

I’m following a lot of blogs and I get a lot of notifications lmao

16 notes • Posted 2021-10-05 12:17:06 GMT

#4

i acCIDENNTALY UNFOLLOWED SO SORRY

It’s cool I was a little confused but that’s okay lol

22 notes • Posted 2021-11-25 12:44:37 GMT

#3

YOU PLAY DND???

Yeah I do! I like it a lot XD I'm actually in the middle of trying to writ a campaign as well as a one-shot! Unfortunately I'm bad at finding the motivation to write lmao I'm guessing you play

64 notes • Posted 2021-11-12 06:37:39 GMT

#2

I noticed some of my mutuals like cats so have a pic of my cat Tibalt

116 notes • Posted 2021-10-11 00:53:18 GMT

#1

Pass the happy! 🤎🍂 When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy and send this to the last 10 people in your notifications!

My friends

My mutuals

Kingdom hearts

Final Fantasy

Legend of Zelda

I already did this but I figured if do it again lmao

@coldmooncheesecake @dremyink06 @nocturnal-ending @iturmom @darkness-in-zero @argumentativebisexual @i-am-1142 @travelling-mushroom-fairy @xionandpluto14 @ballad-draws

419 notes • Posted 2021-10-11 06:40:41 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[philtstone]

16 for Bucky and Sarah!!!! 😍

#16 -- only linking the pinkies together, not ready to let go completely

literally the idea for this prompt has been turning over in my head like a rotisserie chicken for 4 months. i dont know if im happy with it, exactly -- somehow in my weekly ritual of writing it in my head, they were in character, and it did something, but now that its on the proverbial page im unsure -- but im happy that i finally wrote it. lil bit eye emoji at the end lol. thanks for indulging my year long niche barely canon obsession em <3

Sarah wakes up needing badly to pee and with one hand going numb where it’s tucked under her neck.

God but she feels stiff. Her body holds an awkwardness to it -- that numb hand -- that she realizes, remembers, very quickly is because it has forgotten how to rest in a bed with another person.

Well. Sarah has two growing babies and they have faced many difficult years. She’s shared a bed through the night plenty. Sharing a bed with children and sharing a bed with an adult man are two very different things. 

She lets herself breathe, deeply in through her nose, and out, purposeful in the release of tension, then turns her head over to look at him. Bucky is fast asleep still. Something in her heart flips at the thought. Even yesterday -- their first full night -- he’d woke up before her. Five hours max, he always says, with a loose tilt to his mouth. Sometimes he means it as a teasing reminder; other times it is more self deprecating. She argues him on this just as she argues that he shouldn’t go around feeling hungry simply because his body endures. She has won on the food front. Seven uninterrupted hours remains contested. Sarah can plan four meals a day in a way she can’t plan night terrors. 

She’s never woken up to the sight of him sleeping before. 

Something about how early it is, or maybe how recently she’s been well-loved,  has her thinking sentimental thoughts. He’s beautiful stretched out here beside her. He is pressed face-first into the pillow he brought up from the den and shirtless, so recently entirely unselfconscious about it. Bucky looks at once always far younger and far older than she’d expect. Sarah can see the slack tilt of soft lips and one round cheek, pink from the warmth of their bed, and the softened crow’s feet around his eyes. His dark hair is darker in the blue light of pre-dawn and mussed at the top, yet greying at the temples. His right shoulder, bare, pale, and thick with muscle, shifts minutely up and down with each breath. She counts two freckles. She sees the edge of a scar over his far scapula and the gentle frown creasing between his brows and the awkward way he has moved his left arm beneath himself, away, out of sight. 

It can’t be comfortable. That pulls at something anxious with early-morning confusion in Sarah’s stomach.

On the floor on the bed’s other side there is a sleeping bag laid out in case. For always, couples have been sleeping together through the night. Sarah ascribes maybe more meaning to it than is deserved. It is so tentative, this place they have arrived. She knows that she can’t rely on it the way she might want to. The way it is so easy to imagine -- every night, just like this, for the rest of always, slowly becoming more and more at ease with the shape of each other until no limbs are carefully held. 

She looks down. Between them lays Bucky’s right hand, loose and curled in sleep, and just beside it lays hers. Two light-skinned digits are still extended to curve around her thumb. She remembers now: he’d pulled her close just before falling asleep, and linked fingers.

Sarah turns as quietly as she is able to look up at the ceiling and brings her free hand up to lay against her throat. Something tender wells in her stomach that she has not felt in a long while. Then she gets up, because the practical needs of her bladder refuse to be ignored.

In the bathroom she pulls her underwear down to her ankles and stretches her numb fingers out while she goes about her business. She can see herself in the mirror and she sees her puffy eyes and drooping breasts and the cracked skin around her heels. She sees other things too. That bead necklace at her throat Cass and AJ gave her last week as a mother’s day present, delicate enough in its hand-made shape that it makes her neck look slender. The fact that even half-asleep she is looking gentler around the edges, though that might just be weight gain. The deep blue of the silk wrap covering her hair, so vibrant she is sure it must be the most expensive thing she’s ever owned. It was left quietly for her on the bathroom counter almost six months ago now and is the same shade as a dress she once saw Lady Nakia wear on TV. Even after half a year into a relationship Bucky had still blushed at her thank you.

She’s not sure at what point plain old Sarah Wilson’s life got stretched out to meet the rest of the crazy, fast-moving world. Or maybe the world was brought to her doorstep one day, ready to take and give so much at the same time. Sarah is coping as best she can. It’s easier to do that, when you have other people around, she thinks. When you have someone willing to stay long-term in your bed, and put in the work needed for that to be possible, and leave thoughtful, useful, beautiful things on the most mundane of your house’s mundane counters. 

Sarah gets up. She adjusts the droop of her bonnet and tugs at the hem of her ratty t-shirt. She knows by moving at all she’ll have woken him up. Still, she hopes a little that maybe he’ll still be knocked out upon re-entry. Lord knows both of them deserve a couple more hours. And this peace they have that feels so fragile sometimes, they deserve that too.

When she crawls back onto the bed the birds have started chirping softly outside the bedroom window. Bucky’s eyes are wide open. The cat is there.

“Hey handsome,” Sarah whispers. She gets beneath the covers, scootches her way down ‘til she’s feeling comfortable, and remains sitting up. “Miss Alpine.”

Alpine is stretched out in the spot where their hands rested before and looking very self satisfied. Sarah must have forgotten to close the door properly last night. In front of her Bucky’s eyes are big, still tinged with the process of coming back to himself, but he has unearthed his left arm, and is absently stroking the cat’s tail. 

“Hi,” he says finally. Sarah leans down and kisses his jaw because she can. “Sarah.” His voice is slurred and gravelly with sleep.

“Yeah.”

“I made it another night?”

“We made it another night,” she says, and settles herself back down while he scoops Alpine up and deposits her gently at the foot of the bed. There’s a shift, a dip, and she feels him roll over and wind his arms around her. His hands slip under her shirt to cup her breasts and then simply stay there. She bites back a grin at the sigh of contentment he gives.

“All settled in?” she says, humour in her own sleepy voice.

“Mmm,” he sighs. “I love these.” 

Perhaps on the heels of her bathroom self-scrutiny Sarah feels a laugh bubble out of her, and the need to cover her face with one hand as it emerges, loud and snorting in their quiet bedroom. She and her stretched out, work worn boobs; at least her legs haven’t gotten any shorter since high school. But he does, in that simple way men do when they love the rest of you too. His scruffy face presses against the back of her neck. She can feel the undemanding warmth of morning arousal against the small of her back, and hear the nearly-silent electromagnetic whir of his prosthetic, heavy and powerful at her waist. She brings a leg up to tangle around his.

“That cat of yours best not sit on my head anytime pre-seven am,” Sarah says. 

She is already half-planning the day. AJ has soccer practice in the afternoon.

“No ma’am,” Bucky murmurs. 

AJ has soccer practice, and Bucky has to drive down to the NOLA military base on a favour to Colonel Rhodes. But he is here now, in her bed, and it is morning. Sarah lets out a long hard sigh of relief, closing her eyes, and behind her, he does, too.

[soulaans]

"gorjoe my beloved.. how ah you today *gives him tea* gojo: nawt very good it seems. this tea aswell is absolutely.. *takes a sip* naur its horrendous... its horrendoss louv.. my day is fah frim swell.."

goodmorninh i got bored❤️

GORJOE?:&-!292

[haydenandtrish]

Welcome to Paris, the grandest city in the world.

Remember everything that you have ever heard, now forget it all. Because the city we are about to tell you about is far greater than you will ever expect and more incredible than what anyone can ever describe. It has history. It has monument after monument. It has beauty and detail. It is the city of love. It is the city of lights. It is Paris.

Yes, it can be dirty, but it’s not from neglect. Yes, it’s a city proud to be French and yes, some may hate this, but a Parisians arrogance comes from a place of deep love and pride for their heritage. However, If you try, they will too.

All I can recommend for you to do is to allow yourself to get lost with an open mind and an appreciation for all things. We did. And what we discovered was incredible. Here, let us show you.

Montmartre

For accommodation, we stayed at the Le Mont Clair, a hostel in the 18th Arrondissement of Paris. This area is also known as the village of Montmartre, made famous by artists such and Vincent Van Gogh and Picasso, who both called it home at one point in time. Originally it was farmland for the peasants who were kicked out of the newly renovated Paris in the 1870’s - after a 17-year facelift. The redesign was commissioned by the then Emporer Napoleon III who declared Paris to be too small, too dirty, too overcrowded and too smelly. An already accomplished man of his time by the name of Barron Haussman was who the emperor tasked with the mammoth job. I will not get into the controversy that still surrounds the decision to completely change the city, but in my opinion, it was a necessary decision that helped stop the spread of diseases and added a new level of elegance that we now get to admire. An addition that set this renovation apart was the sewer system that was put in place then and is still used to this day. For a more in-depth description read here, it’s incredibly interesting how it all works.

The (not so) funny thing is, the people who were banished were the bodies who did the physical labour that transformed the city. Unfortunately, with over 20,000 buildings torn down, roads widened and a completely new sewage system put in place, there was no room left for them. So the rich stayed put and the poor were exiled to the lands just outside the main area. However, the city continued to grow and the space became a necessary area for more housing during an era where exponential growth was experienced. Now it is a beautiful addition on the outer skirts of Paris with much to see and do.

We explored Montmartre during our second day. what captivates us about this area - and all of Paris really - is that every single street is so innately beautiful with their detailed stone buildings and wrought iron balconies. Look up, you will not be disappointed.

I was also surprised at how up and down the cobblestone terrain was – so be prepared for that. From our hostel we walked directly up to a cafe called La Maison Rose - a walk filled with fantastic views along the way. We continued down some of the prettiest streets we had ever seen, all pink, green and white with vines covering the houses.

It seemed only fitting to stop into one of the many cafes and try the local cuisine in this eclectic part of town. We were seated and served and all we ordered was 6 garlic snails, a plate of fries, a beer and champagne. Like I’ve said before, we’re backpacking… so money mindfulness is necessary, but we still want to experience things. The verdict? To me they tasted like a garlicky oyster, Hayden agreed and says “I would only eat an oyster Kilpatrick and I would only eat a snail with garlic butter”. Fair enough.

We walked past many art galleries, and one artist we want to mention is Andre Martins De Barros. If we were not travelling for so long, I am positive we would have bought something. Being unable to take pictures of the artwork directly, we elected to take one of the artist’s website. So please feel free to check it out if you have the time, or better yet, if you are in the area visit the gallery. Here are two websites to check out his art: https://www.artmajeur.com/amartinsdebarros

http://amdbartiste.free.fr/  

Our walk led us to the Sacre – Coeur Basilica, a beautiful sanctuary sitting atop the hillock of Montmartre. We walked the 222 steps to the bottom and unfortunately, we didn’t escape unscathed. Hayden was haggled into spending 3 Euro on some cotton bracelet. Admittedly, it was pretty cool because the man used three pieces of string and made the bracelet right then and there. But the hagglers are a little full on and it was a waste of money – he’s still wearing it though.

The bottom of the steps led to a number of little side streets full of restaurants, shops and chocolate stores. We got a bargain on a Lindt chocolate bunny as it was just after Easter. We would highly recommend exploring this area, it’s simply a nice little touristy part of town.

Later that night we ventured out of the Montmartre area and visited the Eiffel Tower. The experience was so special to me, I want to leave that story for another time. All I will say here is every part of it was incredible and so worth my lifetime wait.

The Moulin Rouge is also located in this area. We will not give any spoilers away, instead, here’s the website, splurge on an activity and get prepared for the most tasteful, artistic, dreamy burlesque show you will ever see. I mean, you can’t really be surprised, it is the birthplace of burlesque after all. There are cheaper options around and although I haven’t seen them for myself, I cannot imagine them living up to the extravagance that is Moulin Rouge. We cannot recommend it enough.

There are so many things to see on this side of town so if you are up for it then most definitely make the hike to the 18th ARR, either on your own or with a tour guide. The tour company we went with during our last day also does one of the Montmartre area and if it’s anything like the one we experienced, I’m sure it will be worth the Euros. I will leave their details further down. For now, we’ll continue on to another area.

Champs Elysees

We were told by a lovely fellow traveller that on the 1stSunday of every month theChamps Elysees avenue is open only to pedestrians. Luckily enough, it happened to fall on the Sunday we were in town. Just like that, our plans were sorted. We headed off in the general direction of that avenue, with stops along the way of course.

The avenue its self is beautiful. Wide sidewalks path the way for a window shoppers dream. Glass lines the buildings, gold adorns the entrances and bellmen are ready to greet you at the front.

If you can ball then Avenue Montaigne may be the place for you. Every designer shop is somewhere down there. But just walking down it and appreciating the wealth was enough for us.

A few monuments we came across included: Palais Garnier (Le’Opera House) Just go see it, it is such an incredible building. And if you get to see a show there, I’m already jealous.

Arc de Triumph An arc that was commissioned at the beginning of the 1800’s and completed in 1836 is dedicated to the celebrations of Napoleon I great army. After each victory they would march into the city and straight under the arc, all the way to the kings palace (which is now the Louvre).

Luxor Obelisk An ancient Egyptian obelisk that is placed in the centre of Place de la Concorde - one of the most famous traffic circles in the world. The triangular shaped needle is said to date back 3,300 years and is one of the oldest monuments within Paris. 

We will note that on this day the main destination we had in the back of our minds was the Pantheon. Unfortunately, we never did make it there during our stay, we just kept getting sidetracked. The furthest we got was the Louvre, but I’ll address that further down because we visited it again during our tour. I cannot stress enough how huge Paris is and how much there is to see and learn about. There is so much much I know we still need to see, and I am positive Paris is a city we will always come and visit, so we have time to explore more in the future. For now, we will leave you with our last day. 

Sandeman’s New Europe: Free walking tour (tip based).

Here we are, our last day in Paris. We woke up, packed our bags and checked out. We left the big backpacks in storage at the hostel and set off for one last exploration. We were finally able to do our free walking tour and before we go any further please do this on the first day. You learn so much about the city - the best spots to see, the cheapest places to eat, you glimpse some of the best monuments to visit and if you are lucky, you’ll have a guide as incredible as ours.

His name was Dawie and I could sing his praises all day. He was the funniest, most informative tour guide I have ever come across and because of him, we have so much new knowledge about the history of Paris, from its small tribe beginnings to the grand city it is now, from the different monarchs to the different monuments. For three hours he kept us engaged and wanting more. He held little back while speaking about gruesome topics and painted an incredible picture in our minds of what Paris and it’s people have been through. A few things I cannot go without mentioning, please, do your research before proposing to your beloved at the Eiffel tower, if you know the history of its surrounding land then it isn’t the most romantic spot in the city. The lock bridge is no longer there, and it was only ever made famous from sex and the city. Just trust that you and your love will be together forever – a lock isn’t a necessity. It’s still the city of pickpockets so never let your guard down.

Now, where were we?

Ahhh the tour. We were able to see monuments such as the Notre Dame, the first pedestrian bridge ever built in the city, the original jail and courthouse plus so much more - all with a vivid description from our amazing guide. Finally, we finished at the Louvre.

Let me just say, it is not just a glass pyramid if that's what you are thinking. No, the Louvre is an art museum that has lived many different lives. It was first created to be a fortress for war in 1190. It was then reconstructed in the 16th century and became the Royal Palace. This explains its grand beauty. Each monarch believed that they were far greater than the last and could do everything better, so they would add their own touch. If you don’t know anything yourself, do a tour and have someone point out the distinguishing differences of each monarch, it’s awesome to see that every single detail has a back story. It was only made into an art museum in 1793 (18th century) with only 537 pieces of art. Now, centuries on, there are over 330, 000 pieces. If you want to see them all, all you have to do is visit the museum every single day for 100 days and view each piece for 30 seconds. Too easy.

Outside is just as beautiful. Of course, you are instantly drawn to the huge glass pyramid in the middle of the square. It’s one over the top front door that’s for sure. But like our tour guide told us, just get that damn tourist picture! Don’t snidely look at others who look ridiculous in person trying to get that famous tourist shot and not get amongst it yourself. You will look back in your Paris photo album and notice that photo of you pinching the top of the pyramid in the Louvre is missing. And you’ll be sorry for it. I am so glad we did ours, I laugh every time I look at it because it’s a classic, and it could be one of my personal favs in our collection.

So, my advice to you (in the Louvre and in life) is this, don’t stand on the outside feeling too cool to do it but secretly wishing you were. Maybe Nike’s on to something because…JUST DO IT. Get in there, get that photo, talk to that stranger, dance in that circle, smile at that person making eye contact with you. Stop shouldering life away because you’ll find yourself watching others living theirs instead of being immersed in your own. You hear it all the time but until you lower your ego and let yourself be free, are you truly experiencing everything that comes your way? I was once that person who stood on the sidelines and judged, now this is my mantra every day and I’m so happy because of it. I have that photo, I danced in that circle, I made friends with that stranger and I’m living my best damn life every single day.

Anyway, inspirational rant over.

Here’s our tip for taking the perfect illusion shot: Hold your arm straight and at an angle. Move the camera, not your arm! Life will be a whole lot easier. You’re welcome.

After you get your picture, wander through the incredible Tuileries Gardens (located in between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde). It seems like the perfect park to enjoy a bottle of seasonal wine, cheese and a baguette. Walk through the hedge mazes, admire the countless statues, see the artists painting their own vision. It is all so breathtaking.

So go visit and fall in love, with the city, with its monuments, with its history and with its art. If it’s a once in a lifetime trip then give yourself a week. Otherwise, be sure to revisit it. We will, maybe we’ll even see you there one day.

The rest of our day will be in our next blog, where we tell you about our first ever overnight journey… or should we say first two? So, for now, this is goodbye.

Always with love,  Trish.