This isn't related to Barcelona, but it's funny, and I wanted to share it. I think this interaction between Trevor and me nicely exemplifies some differences between us (and maybe even men and women in general?).
Me: I had a bad dream last night.
Trevor: Aww, what was it about?
Me: We were trying to adopt a child, but there was another man trying to adopt the same boy and we were having dinner with him. He was being a total a**hole and basically told us he would be a negligent father. I was pissed off and started yelling at him...(okay now that I'm awake, my dream is sounding more and more like I was on Jerry Springer, but it was upsetting at the time). I just couldn't believe some of the things he was saying!!
Trevor: That's funny.
Me: What?? That's not funny!
Trevor: That's a bad dream?? You didn't get shot at or get chased by bears or anything.
Me: *sigh*
Disclaimer: Don't read into the dream. We're not trying to adopt a child...I probably dreamed about it because my aunt and uncle recently adopted a little boy from Ethiopia!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
¿Que hacemos en Barcelona?
Okay, I´ll be honest. I wrote that title just because I really wanted to use the upside down question mark that´s on the hotel keyboard in Barcelona. ¿How fun is that?
This will be a picture-less post, unfortunately, because the WiFi is horrible here, which means I´m stuck using the hotel's computer. Pictures will have to wait until we´re back in Paris. Even so, I wanted to post a quick update about our time in Barcelona so far.
Our plane landed in Barcelona yesterday at 9pm. Trevor researched the best options for getting to our hotel from the airport, and decided that the quickest and most economical option would be to take the train and then transfer to the metro. We were a bit confused at first, but I busted out my Spanish and asked somebody for help. Whew...even though my Spanish is definitely a little rusty, I managed to get my point across, and even incorporated a bit of Spanish lisp on my ¨gracias¨ (only on the ¨c¨ of course). When the train arrived at our stop, we got off and looked for our metro correspondence. Strangely, there were no signs to get to the metro, only signs to exit. So we followed those, figuring that they would somehow lead us to the metro. No such luck! We ended up on the street, at the top of an escalator, with the stairs to go back into the train station closed off by a gate (because it was already 10:40pm at this point, and the last train was at 10:30). We felt a little lost, but eventually found the metro entrance we were looking for. Apparently, the train and metro aren´t connected in the way they are in Paris. But, we found our metro line and barely made it on because of the hoards of people dressed up in their clubbing clothes who were just getting ready to start their night. It was a bit surreal, even though I was expecting Barcelona to be party central.
We ended up finding out hotel around 11:30pm, checked in, got settled, and ventured out to find a place for dinner. Had we been travelling to any other city, we probably would have eaten before leaving, but we had heard that restaurants don´t start serving dinner until 9pm here, so we knew we´d find something when we got in. As soon as we turned the corner from our hotel, we saw a long avenue, with an island in the middle of the road, filled with tables, which were filled with people. The most amazing part was that there were people of all ages, including some very small children, just sitting down to dinner...at 11:45pm. Wow.
We chose a tapas place, ordered some food and enjoyed. The prices were much cheaper than Paris, which was a welcomed break (we´re talking 1,90 € for a beer...not too shabby). The food was okay- nothing fancy, but not bad- and the service was just like in France. They serve you and then leave you alone. Overall, we really enjoyed the first night!
We finally went to sleep at 1:30am, and rolled out of bed at 11am this morning. Quite a different pace of life! We found a cafe near our hotel and had some breakfast at noon (where several locals were also enjoying breakfast!) and walked to a nearby beach to stroll around and people-watch. After a while, we sat down at a beach-side cafe to have a drink (sangria!). Then we walked around the city, took pictures in a big, beautiful park, and pretty much had a very relaxing day. Now (7:15pm), we´re heading up to the pool for a swim and will probably go have dinner in a couple of hours. Ahhh...this definitely feels like vacation!
This will be a picture-less post, unfortunately, because the WiFi is horrible here, which means I´m stuck using the hotel's computer. Pictures will have to wait until we´re back in Paris. Even so, I wanted to post a quick update about our time in Barcelona so far.
Our plane landed in Barcelona yesterday at 9pm. Trevor researched the best options for getting to our hotel from the airport, and decided that the quickest and most economical option would be to take the train and then transfer to the metro. We were a bit confused at first, but I busted out my Spanish and asked somebody for help. Whew...even though my Spanish is definitely a little rusty, I managed to get my point across, and even incorporated a bit of Spanish lisp on my ¨gracias¨ (only on the ¨c¨ of course). When the train arrived at our stop, we got off and looked for our metro correspondence. Strangely, there were no signs to get to the metro, only signs to exit. So we followed those, figuring that they would somehow lead us to the metro. No such luck! We ended up on the street, at the top of an escalator, with the stairs to go back into the train station closed off by a gate (because it was already 10:40pm at this point, and the last train was at 10:30). We felt a little lost, but eventually found the metro entrance we were looking for. Apparently, the train and metro aren´t connected in the way they are in Paris. But, we found our metro line and barely made it on because of the hoards of people dressed up in their clubbing clothes who were just getting ready to start their night. It was a bit surreal, even though I was expecting Barcelona to be party central.
We ended up finding out hotel around 11:30pm, checked in, got settled, and ventured out to find a place for dinner. Had we been travelling to any other city, we probably would have eaten before leaving, but we had heard that restaurants don´t start serving dinner until 9pm here, so we knew we´d find something when we got in. As soon as we turned the corner from our hotel, we saw a long avenue, with an island in the middle of the road, filled with tables, which were filled with people. The most amazing part was that there were people of all ages, including some very small children, just sitting down to dinner...at 11:45pm. Wow.
We chose a tapas place, ordered some food and enjoyed. The prices were much cheaper than Paris, which was a welcomed break (we´re talking 1,90 € for a beer...not too shabby). The food was okay- nothing fancy, but not bad- and the service was just like in France. They serve you and then leave you alone. Overall, we really enjoyed the first night!
We finally went to sleep at 1:30am, and rolled out of bed at 11am this morning. Quite a different pace of life! We found a cafe near our hotel and had some breakfast at noon (where several locals were also enjoying breakfast!) and walked to a nearby beach to stroll around and people-watch. After a while, we sat down at a beach-side cafe to have a drink (sangria!). Then we walked around the city, took pictures in a big, beautiful park, and pretty much had a very relaxing day. Now (7:15pm), we´re heading up to the pool for a swim and will probably go have dinner in a couple of hours. Ahhh...this definitely feels like vacation!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Sculpture, stairs and Vivaldi!
Thursday was Chris and Jessie's last full day in Paris. It went by so fast, we could hardly believe it! Wednesday night, over a game of hearts (during which Jessie shot the moon for the first time ever! Nice one, Jess!), we decided to prioritize our next day. Trevor and I had strongly recommended the Rodin museum, which is right down the street from the apartment. It's a favorite of ours because the sculptures are beautiful, and the museum itself is in Rodin's house (more like small palace) and garden. Since it's hidden behind a high wall, you never expect such a gorgeous piece of property, and it really is a gem in the heart of Paris. Chris and Jessie knew they wanted to go to the Sacre Coeur, because our friend Christophe recommended checking out the view of Paris from there. We also had tickets for a concert at the Ste. Chapelle that night, so it was going to be a busy day.
We ended up just going to the garden at the Rodin Museum (for just 1 euro!). We brought some sandwiches and sat on a bench, taking it all in while we ate.
After Rodin, we all headed to Montmartre on the metro. This is where the Sacre Coeur is. Unfortunately (perhaps fortunately for our thigh muscles), we didn't find the automated lift up the gigantic hill to the Sacre Coeur until after we had gone up the stairs. Good exercise though!
After visiting the Sacre Coeur, we stopped at a hilltop cafe for a drink. On the way, I narrowly missed getting hit by a Smart Car that was not being very smart and going way too fast around a corner. Luckily, I was fine and the view from the cafe was wonderful. No pictures though...whoops!
We headed home to change and get ready for the concert at the Ste. Chapelle. The piece was Vivaldi- Four Seasons, and it was very beautiful. I think the best part, though, is getting to sit in the Ste. Chapelle for an hour and take it all in. It's an absolutely wonderful place in Paris that doesn't get the attention in deserves (which is probably for the best, really).
After the concert, we walked over to a crepe place I used to eat at a lot when I was studying in Paris. It's a cute little hole in the wall on St. Andre des Arts. Chris and Jessie shared a dessert crepe with carmelized apples, chocolate, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. They were generous enough to share a taste with us, and it was quite delicious.
After dinner, we all needed to walk a bit to digest, so we strolled over to Notre Dame. Keep in mind, it was at least 9:30pm by this point...and still light out.
Then we walked to the Louvre, through the Jardin des Tuilleries, and hopped on a metro to the Eiffel Tower. We arrived at 11:15, just after the twinkling lights had turned off (they are on at the top of every hour for 10 minutes). But, we still enjoyed seeing it with the regular lights.
After that, we headed back to the apartment. Chris and Jessie packed up their suitcases, we all watched some Bruno previews, and headed to bed. The next morning Chris and Jessie left bright and early to go down to the south to visit our friend Renee. We had a great time with them, and loved being a part of their first Paris experience!
We ended up just going to the garden at the Rodin Museum (for just 1 euro!). We brought some sandwiches and sat on a bench, taking it all in while we ate.
From the bench where we ate our lunch...view on Rodin's house
Trevor and me in Rodin's garden
Gates of Hell
What visit of Rodin's garden would be complete without a photo of The Thinker?
There were gorgeous roses all over the garden
After Rodin, we all headed to Montmartre on the metro. This is where the Sacre Coeur is. Unfortunately (perhaps fortunately for our thigh muscles), we didn't find the automated lift up the gigantic hill to the Sacre Coeur until after we had gone up the stairs. Good exercise though!
Here is the view of Paris from the Sacre Coeur. It was a gray day, but still pretty clear!
After visiting the Sacre Coeur, we stopped at a hilltop cafe for a drink. On the way, I narrowly missed getting hit by a Smart Car that was not being very smart and going way too fast around a corner. Luckily, I was fine and the view from the cafe was wonderful. No pictures though...whoops!
We headed home to change and get ready for the concert at the Ste. Chapelle. The piece was Vivaldi- Four Seasons, and it was very beautiful. I think the best part, though, is getting to sit in the Ste. Chapelle for an hour and take it all in. It's an absolutely wonderful place in Paris that doesn't get the attention in deserves (which is probably for the best, really).
Trevor and me after the concert
After the concert, we walked over to a crepe place I used to eat at a lot when I was studying in Paris. It's a cute little hole in the wall on St. Andre des Arts. Chris and Jessie shared a dessert crepe with carmelized apples, chocolate, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. They were generous enough to share a taste with us, and it was quite delicious.
...and it's gone. Sadness!
After dinner, we all needed to walk a bit to digest, so we strolled over to Notre Dame. Keep in mind, it was at least 9:30pm by this point...and still light out.
Then we walked to the Louvre, through the Jardin des Tuilleries, and hopped on a metro to the Eiffel Tower. We arrived at 11:15, just after the twinkling lights had turned off (they are on at the top of every hour for 10 minutes). But, we still enjoyed seeing it with the regular lights.
After that, we headed back to the apartment. Chris and Jessie packed up their suitcases, we all watched some Bruno previews, and headed to bed. The next morning Chris and Jessie left bright and early to go down to the south to visit our friend Renee. We had a great time with them, and loved being a part of their first Paris experience!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Time flies when you're having fun!
The last several days have flown by. My last update was on Tuesday, and I'm already having some trouble recalling everything we did with Chris and Jessie since then. Luckily...I have pictures to help me out. Since I've gotten a little bit behind in posting updates, I'm mostly going to make this a picture post.
Mid-morning on Tuesday, we walked over to the Eiffel Tower with a picnic from a nearby boulangerie for lunch. We passed the Invalides on our way...
Hoards of people visiting La Tour Eiffel
Okay, that's it for tonight since it's getting late here. Tomorrow, I'll try to post some more pictures before we head to Barcelona. I've got to study up on my Catalan on the flight!!
Mid-morning on Tuesday, we walked over to the Eiffel Tower with a picnic from a nearby boulangerie for lunch. We passed the Invalides on our way...
Here we are in the Champs de Mars, with the Eiffel Tower behind us.
Trevor, Chris & Jessie on the bench where we sat for lunch
Chris "bises" sandwich!
Chris and Trevor took a funny picture...they're quite amused...
I think this would be considered "dying laughing"
...still laughing
After lunch, we headed over to get a closer look at the Eiffel Tower. Here's one of Jessie and me along the Champs de Mars.
And a close-up.
And a close-up.
Woooowww!
Hoards of people visiting La Tour Eiffel
From underneath the Eiffel Tower. Chris & Jessie showed me a manhole that marks the spot for the center. I was trying to take a shot like my friend Amber's, but hers is cooler.
Eiffel Tower leg, with people walking up the stairs. Can you believe they charge 4.50 euros and make you wait in line to walk up to the first level?? We decided to spend the gorgeous day doing something other than waiting in line.
We walked to the Trocadero Metro exit, where you can get a very clear view of the tour. The clouds were amazing that day!
From Trocadeo, we took the metro to Charles de Gaulle Etoile to see the Arc de Triomphe, and then walk down the Champs Elysee...Ooh Champs Elysee dun dun dun dun dun...I'm sure the song will be stuck in my head for the rest of the night now!
From the Champs Elysee, we walked down to the Place de la Concorde and turned left onto Rue Royale. This is a fancy street in Paris, where you can find Laduree- famous for macarons. We each bought a box of assorted flavors. Our taste buds were happy.
The next day was pretty mellow. Chris and Jessie went to see the Musee d'Orsay while Trevor and I stayed home and then went out to run some errands. Then we all went to have a drink at the famous, "Le Select" cafe along the Ave de Montparnasse. This is where Hemingway hung out. No big deal...
After that we walked through the Jardin de Luxembourg, one of Paris' biggest and most gorgeous parks. It has a large fountain where kids can rent little sail boats and push them around with sticks. This is where I said my first sentence when I was a wee one- "Veux pousser bateau avec baguette" ("Want to push boat with stick").
Mini-sail boats are quite entertaining...especially when they run into eachother...and when ducks draft off of them.
A French vessel.
Okay, that's it for tonight since it's getting late here. Tomorrow, I'll try to post some more pictures before we head to Barcelona. I've got to study up on my Catalan on the flight!!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Rainy Day Activities
When we woke up yesterday morning (at 10AM...guess jet lag is over!) the sky was gray and it was raining. We knew that this was bound to happen during our trip, because of the weather reports we checked before leaving, but rain definitely has a way of changing plans (picnic at the Eiffel Tower in the rain, anyone?). So we sat down to evaluate our options for the day, and agreed that it would be the perfect day for a museum. Well unfortunately for Parisian tourists on rainy Mondays, most museums in Paris are closed on Mondays. The only open museum (that I know of) is the Louvre. This makes Mondays (especially a rainy Monday) a really bad day to go to the Louvre, because everyone and their mother has had the same thought. But we ventured over there anyway, figuring that we could brave the crowds.
We were planning on getting a Carte Orange (weekly metro pass) for each of us on the way, so we stopped at the metro ticket window. The lady informed me that Cartes Oranges no longer exist (and haven't since January)!! For 1/2 a second I worried that we would be purchasing carnets of 10 metro tickets (from machines that don't take American credit cards) all week. But luckily, there's now a cooler, even more convenient option called the Navigo. This is a card with an implanted chip that allows you to simply place your purse or wallet on top of the chip-reader at the metro entrance, and open the gate. No more fiddling to take out the weekly metro ticket from your wallet, holding up the line of annoyed commuters gathering behind you. Purchasing the Navigo was quite an ordeal, with each of us needing to get new ID pictures, then cutting out the pictures and putting the packet of cards together. The process was made easier, though, by the amazing service we received from 2 French metro employees. I don't think I've ever received such help from metro employees before. They enthusiatically helped out at ever step, and even gave us some Paris maps/tourism ideas, and warned us to "watch out for pickpockets" (one piece of advice that's quickly becoming a theme among people wanting to help us out).
With our shiny new Navigos in hand, we swiped into the metro and headed toward "Palais Royale- Musee du Louvre." We quickly discovered that we were right in predicting that there would be crowds, but the line for tickets didn't end up taking too long. Plus, I got in for free because I'm still 25 and have a French ID!
I had warned Chris & Jessie that we shouldn't try to do the whole Louvre in one day, because we would be completely burned out and not really enjoy it. So we decided to see the Egyptian Antiquities, some Greco-Roman sculpture, the apartments of Napoleon III, and the must-see-while-you're-at-the-Louvre-just-so-you-can-say-you-did Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. All in all, it was a great visit! Once you're out of the lobby, you realize how gigantic the Louvre is, because you don't notice the crowds nearly as much (except around the Mona Lisa, where the amount of people is just crazy stupid). The Egyptians Antiquities were amazing, and we got to see a mummy. It was good to go back and experience another small chunk of the Louvre.
Afterward, we headed down the Avenue de l'Opera and stopped at Paul for a snack. Chris and Jessie (read, Jessie) ordered in French, which I think the waitress appreciated. We took our time and enjoyed the fact that you never feel like you're being rushed out in French cafes and restaurants. Then we continued walking toward the Opera, pointed out the famous "Cafe de la Paix" to Chris & Jessie, and kept going toward the Galleries Lafayettes-Maison. I wanted to show them the cool escalator with LEDs in it, designed by Ingo Maurer. Plus, I got to peruse all of the gorgeous textiles and table settings.
After picking out a set of 2 cute napkins I plan to use for my food blog photos, we headed underground to take the metro home. First, though, we stopped at La Grande Epicerie to get some wine and cheese for an "apero." Chris & Jessie got to see another of my favorite stores in Paris, and we all got to enjoy a 2002 Bordeaux (for 8 Euros...gotta love French wine!) and some tasty cheese. Finally, around 9:30pm, we figured it was about time to get ready to go out for dinner and headed down the street to a local restaurant called Oudinot- a regular spot of Trevor and mine when we come to visit. Once again, the service was incredible, the house wine was good, and the food was delicious. Chris and Jess generously invited us as a thank you for letting them stay with us (though "letting them" just doesn't sound quite right when we're enjoying their company so much). Thank you Chris & Jessie!
Once again, we had a great day! And I'm so so so pleased that all of our interactions with Parisians have been so incredibly positive. People often ask me if they should worry about being treated rudely by Parisians when they travel here, and it's always great to have examples of the stereotype being proven wrong! ...and now...off to enjoy the city.
We were planning on getting a Carte Orange (weekly metro pass) for each of us on the way, so we stopped at the metro ticket window. The lady informed me that Cartes Oranges no longer exist (and haven't since January)!! For 1/2 a second I worried that we would be purchasing carnets of 10 metro tickets (from machines that don't take American credit cards) all week. But luckily, there's now a cooler, even more convenient option called the Navigo. This is a card with an implanted chip that allows you to simply place your purse or wallet on top of the chip-reader at the metro entrance, and open the gate. No more fiddling to take out the weekly metro ticket from your wallet, holding up the line of annoyed commuters gathering behind you. Purchasing the Navigo was quite an ordeal, with each of us needing to get new ID pictures, then cutting out the pictures and putting the packet of cards together. The process was made easier, though, by the amazing service we received from 2 French metro employees. I don't think I've ever received such help from metro employees before. They enthusiatically helped out at ever step, and even gave us some Paris maps/tourism ideas, and warned us to "watch out for pickpockets" (one piece of advice that's quickly becoming a theme among people wanting to help us out).
With our shiny new Navigos in hand, we swiped into the metro and headed toward "Palais Royale- Musee du Louvre." We quickly discovered that we were right in predicting that there would be crowds, but the line for tickets didn't end up taking too long. Plus, I got in for free because I'm still 25 and have a French ID!
I had warned Chris & Jessie that we shouldn't try to do the whole Louvre in one day, because we would be completely burned out and not really enjoy it. So we decided to see the Egyptian Antiquities, some Greco-Roman sculpture, the apartments of Napoleon III, and the must-see-while-you're-at-the-Louvre-just-so-you-can-say-you-did Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. All in all, it was a great visit! Once you're out of the lobby, you realize how gigantic the Louvre is, because you don't notice the crowds nearly as much (except around the Mona Lisa, where the amount of people is just crazy stupid). The Egyptians Antiquities were amazing, and we got to see a mummy. It was good to go back and experience another small chunk of the Louvre.
Afterward, we headed down the Avenue de l'Opera and stopped at Paul for a snack. Chris and Jessie (read, Jessie) ordered in French, which I think the waitress appreciated. We took our time and enjoyed the fact that you never feel like you're being rushed out in French cafes and restaurants. Then we continued walking toward the Opera, pointed out the famous "Cafe de la Paix" to Chris & Jessie, and kept going toward the Galleries Lafayettes-Maison. I wanted to show them the cool escalator with LEDs in it, designed by Ingo Maurer. Plus, I got to peruse all of the gorgeous textiles and table settings.
After picking out a set of 2 cute napkins I plan to use for my food blog photos, we headed underground to take the metro home. First, though, we stopped at La Grande Epicerie to get some wine and cheese for an "apero." Chris & Jessie got to see another of my favorite stores in Paris, and we all got to enjoy a 2002 Bordeaux (for 8 Euros...gotta love French wine!) and some tasty cheese. Finally, around 9:30pm, we figured it was about time to get ready to go out for dinner and headed down the street to a local restaurant called Oudinot- a regular spot of Trevor and mine when we come to visit. Once again, the service was incredible, the house wine was good, and the food was delicious. Chris and Jess generously invited us as a thank you for letting them stay with us (though "letting them" just doesn't sound quite right when we're enjoying their company so much). Thank you Chris & Jessie!
Once again, we had a great day! And I'm so so so pleased that all of our interactions with Parisians have been so incredibly positive. People often ask me if they should worry about being treated rudely by Parisians when they travel here, and it's always great to have examples of the stereotype being proven wrong! ...and now...off to enjoy the city.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Walking a 5k in Paris
It's a beautiful Tuesday morning in Paris. That means we've been here now for 3 full days, and my have they been FULL! (In a great way, though!) In fact, I'm going to have to divide up the last 2 days into separate posts, so as to not write one long, completely overwhelming post.
Sunday morning, our good friends, Chris and Jessie, flew in from San Diego! They made it from the airport to the apartment on the RER (i.e. train) all by themselves ("Comme des grands"). They even started out with a positive Parisian vibe from a nice man who helped translate the RER announcements along the way. Before Chris and Jessie arrived, we weren't sure how long they would make it the first day. Their plane came in at 7:30am, which is a long time to stay awake when you have a 9 hour time difference on top of a long flight. We started their trip off with a walking tour (lead by us) from the apartment, to the Invalides, then along the Seine, across to the the right bank, to the Place de la Concorde, through the Jardin des Tuilleries, to the Louvre, then to the Marais, and then all the way back. We estimated 3-4 miles total of walking. Not bad for a first day! Along the way, we took some pictures!
We walked from the Place de la Concorde and headed right through the Jardin des Tuileries. This is a beautiful park between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. If you extend a straight line past the Concorde, you hit the Champs Elysee and l'Arc de Triomphe. After strolling through the park, we arrived at the Louvre. As many times as I've seen the Louvre and its Pyramide, it never ceases to impress me. It's hard to capture a good photo with so many people around, but I tried.
Pyramide du Louvre
Feeling revived, we continued our walk, down the Rue de Rivoli. We ended up at the Centre Pompidou, which is where my mom worked when my parents met (dad was at IRCAM). The Centre Pompidou is a crazy-looking building, but I didn't get a picture of it, because it was just way too crowded and I was a bit nervous about getting my camera out. Just around the corner from the Centre Pompidou is a series of interesting fountains. They're designed by the same person who made the Sun God at UCSD, which Chris & Jessie guessed as soon as they saw them.
After viewing the cool fountains, we headed over to the Marais (finally!) for lunch. By this time it was about 2:30pm and we were ready for lunch. Trevor and I have a Sunday tradition (when we're in Paris) of getting take out falafel in the Marais and bringing it to a nearby park. The reason for this is that, France being a Catholic country, everything in Paris is closed on Sundays. Some restaurants are open, but most neighborhoods are pretty deserted. So if you want to be where the action is, you have to go to the Marais (the Jewish neighborhood) on Sundays. It's amazing how many people are there...the streets are not technically pedestrian, and some cars try to drive through, but there are always crowds of people who pour onto the streets, walking and riding their bikes. The falafel place we love is called L'As du Falafel, and it's amazing. I found it back when I was studying abroad in Paris, and it immediately became a regular spot. Back then, the line was reasonable. However, the restaurant's popularity has been steadily increasing after rave reviews from the likes of the New York Times. The line when we arrived at 3pm was 1/2 a block down the street. The poor falafel competitor across the street had an embarrassingly short line in comparison. Hands down, it's delicious.
After enjoying our falafel we headed home, full and happy, and relaxed for a while. Chris and Jessie were quite impressive, and stayed up until 11:15pm...I'm not sure how they pulled that off (super powers?), but they'll have to share that secret themselves on Jessie's blog.
Sunday morning, our good friends, Chris and Jessie, flew in from San Diego! They made it from the airport to the apartment on the RER (i.e. train) all by themselves ("Comme des grands"). They even started out with a positive Parisian vibe from a nice man who helped translate the RER announcements along the way. Before Chris and Jessie arrived, we weren't sure how long they would make it the first day. Their plane came in at 7:30am, which is a long time to stay awake when you have a 9 hour time difference on top of a long flight. We started their trip off with a walking tour (lead by us) from the apartment, to the Invalides, then along the Seine, across to the the right bank, to the Place de la Concorde, through the Jardin des Tuilleries, to the Louvre, then to the Marais, and then all the way back. We estimated 3-4 miles total of walking. Not bad for a first day! Along the way, we took some pictures!
Here's one of Chris, Jessie & Trevor on a bridge crossing the Seine.
And here is a bateau mouche chugging along the Seine, heading toward the Palais Royale.
Here's the view of the Place de la Concorde from the bridge.
We walked from the Place de la Concorde and headed right through the Jardin des Tuileries. This is a beautiful park between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. If you extend a straight line past the Concorde, you hit the Champs Elysee and l'Arc de Triomphe. After strolling through the park, we arrived at the Louvre. As many times as I've seen the Louvre and its Pyramide, it never ceases to impress me. It's hard to capture a good photo with so many people around, but I tried.
One section of one wing of the Palais du Louvre...and a couple walking by
Pyramide du Louvre
Section of the Palais du Louvre
Part of an arc across the street from the Louvre.
After heading by the Louvre, we needed a little boost, so we stopped at a cafe and ordered some beers. Jessie had a Coca-Cola and it "changed her life." She could tell that French coke was different from American Coke (it's because high fructose corn syrup is banned here, so they use regular sugar...just like the old school American Coke).
Feeling revived, we continued our walk, down the Rue de Rivoli. We ended up at the Centre Pompidou, which is where my mom worked when my parents met (dad was at IRCAM). The Centre Pompidou is a crazy-looking building, but I didn't get a picture of it, because it was just way too crowded and I was a bit nervous about getting my camera out. Just around the corner from the Centre Pompidou is a series of interesting fountains. They're designed by the same person who made the Sun God at UCSD, which Chris & Jessie guessed as soon as they saw them.
Here is the really Sun God-looking one, from behind
This bird (?) spins around on a vertical axis. I was happy to have a camera where I could adjust the shutter speed to capture this one!
This was supposed to be of Chris, Jessie & Trevor...but apparently something in the sky was more interesting to Trevor than being in the picture.
Just Chris & Jess
Trevor in front of the lovely Parisian tagging
After viewing the cool fountains, we headed over to the Marais (finally!) for lunch. By this time it was about 2:30pm and we were ready for lunch. Trevor and I have a Sunday tradition (when we're in Paris) of getting take out falafel in the Marais and bringing it to a nearby park. The reason for this is that, France being a Catholic country, everything in Paris is closed on Sundays. Some restaurants are open, but most neighborhoods are pretty deserted. So if you want to be where the action is, you have to go to the Marais (the Jewish neighborhood) on Sundays. It's amazing how many people are there...the streets are not technically pedestrian, and some cars try to drive through, but there are always crowds of people who pour onto the streets, walking and riding their bikes. The falafel place we love is called L'As du Falafel, and it's amazing. I found it back when I was studying abroad in Paris, and it immediately became a regular spot. Back then, the line was reasonable. However, the restaurant's popularity has been steadily increasing after rave reviews from the likes of the New York Times. The line when we arrived at 3pm was 1/2 a block down the street. The poor falafel competitor across the street had an embarrassingly short line in comparison. Hands down, it's delicious.
After enjoying our falafel we headed home, full and happy, and relaxed for a while. Chris and Jessie were quite impressive, and stayed up until 11:15pm...I'm not sure how they pulled that off (super powers?), but they'll have to share that secret themselves on Jessie's blog.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
First post to the new blog & Day 1 in Paris!
Good morning from Paris! As I mentioned on my other blog, I've had The Olsens blog name reserved for a while, knowing that we would probably want a family blog someday, when we had more time on our hands to update people on our (oh-so-interesting) lives. A (mostly) completed Master's degree & trip to Paris seemed like a perfect time to begin. During our trip, Trevor & I will be posting pictures and updates of our escapades. And after our trip...well let's not think about that yet. We've only just started it!
So we arrived in Paris yesterday around 11:15 AM (French time). The flight was pretty unremarkable, except that right after taking off from NYC (the second leg of the flight), we heard a strange noise followed by the sound of liquid streaming out of the plane. That was kind of disconcerting to hear right before flying over the Atlantic, and after a series of horrible plane crash stories in the news. But, the captain came on over the loudspeaker and sounded calm & pleasant, so I calmed down, and the rest of the flight went off without a hitch.
One way I like to entertain myself on the long plane ride to France is by confusing the flight attendants. I think they receive training on memorizing which language each passenger in their service area speaks. If the flight attendant is bilingual, he or she will switch between languages depending on which passenger they are addressing. It's quite impressive, really. Well when they get to me, they usually try English first. And that works. Then sometimes they try French, just to be sure. Well that works too. So then they decide that I must be a French person who took a lot of years of English classes in school (like all French people my age, since it's a high school graduation requirement). So they stick with French. Poor Trevor gets lumped in with me, so they speak to him in French too. And that works for a while. He gives them one word answers, and they don't notice. But finally, a question comes up that is longer than one word, and Trevor responds in English (although he's entirely capable of responding in French). Then the flight attendants try to hide their confusion and decide that we're impostors and speak to both of us in English for the rest of the trip.
Anyway...after the long trip, we decided to save about 40 Euros by taking the train into Paris rather than taking a taxi. We were excited to find out, after having gotten on the train, that it was going directly to Paris without stopping along the way. That cut a bunch of time and we were at the St-Michel stop in no time. After one switch to the 10 metro line, we arrived at Duroc, got off, and walked the last couple of blocks to the apartment.
We kept ourselves busy, fighting off the urge to curl up and fall asleep, by unpacking, doing some cleaning, going grocery shopping and having an early dinner.
Here are some of the things we brought back from our food-shopping excursion:
We ended up doing pretty well and managed to stay awake until 9:30pm. We both woke up at 2am, hoping it was already 5 or 6am, but fell back asleep until a respectable 7am (for me) and 8am (for Trevor). This morning, I decided to take some pictures of the apartment and the views from the apartment to share.
View from the kitchen:
Close-up of the Ministere de la France d'Outre-Mer:
So we arrived in Paris yesterday around 11:15 AM (French time). The flight was pretty unremarkable, except that right after taking off from NYC (the second leg of the flight), we heard a strange noise followed by the sound of liquid streaming out of the plane. That was kind of disconcerting to hear right before flying over the Atlantic, and after a series of horrible plane crash stories in the news. But, the captain came on over the loudspeaker and sounded calm & pleasant, so I calmed down, and the rest of the flight went off without a hitch.
One way I like to entertain myself on the long plane ride to France is by confusing the flight attendants. I think they receive training on memorizing which language each passenger in their service area speaks. If the flight attendant is bilingual, he or she will switch between languages depending on which passenger they are addressing. It's quite impressive, really. Well when they get to me, they usually try English first. And that works. Then sometimes they try French, just to be sure. Well that works too. So then they decide that I must be a French person who took a lot of years of English classes in school (like all French people my age, since it's a high school graduation requirement). So they stick with French. Poor Trevor gets lumped in with me, so they speak to him in French too. And that works for a while. He gives them one word answers, and they don't notice. But finally, a question comes up that is longer than one word, and Trevor responds in English (although he's entirely capable of responding in French). Then the flight attendants try to hide their confusion and decide that we're impostors and speak to both of us in English for the rest of the trip.
Anyway...after the long trip, we decided to save about 40 Euros by taking the train into Paris rather than taking a taxi. We were excited to find out, after having gotten on the train, that it was going directly to Paris without stopping along the way. That cut a bunch of time and we were at the St-Michel stop in no time. After one switch to the 10 metro line, we arrived at Duroc, got off, and walked the last couple of blocks to the apartment.
We kept ourselves busy, fighting off the urge to curl up and fall asleep, by unpacking, doing some cleaning, going grocery shopping and having an early dinner.
This is me fighting off sleep in the living room:
Here are some of the things we brought back from our food-shopping excursion:
Kiri, Camembert, Kiwi-flavored yogurt, fresh eggs, & le Viennois Cafe!
Dessert!
We ended up doing pretty well and managed to stay awake until 9:30pm. We both woke up at 2am, hoping it was already 5 or 6am, but fell back asleep until a respectable 7am (for me) and 8am (for Trevor). This morning, I decided to take some pictures of the apartment and the views from the apartment to share.
The Dining Room:
View from the kitchen:
Close-up of the Ministere de la France d'Outre-Mer:
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