The photos on the Google Picasa sight are about half of the photos I took. There is still a lot. It might be best to look at them over a few visits unless you can sit through a couple of hour slide show. The site does have a slide show feature. It seems that the default time between images id 3 seconds. Enough to see the photo but when there is a caption it is pretty quick. If you care to read the captions, some are informative and some are just dumb but, if you do want to read them, hit the space bar to stop the slide show. Hit the space bar again and it will resume.
I still have many, many redundant photos. I could / should edit them some more but...I am not. Digital photography is great. You can take as many images as you want. I take a lot of each if it is questionable about a problem with low light or camera shake. Many of my dusk and night shots are blurry but I kept them in just because. You do not have to use the slide show feature, just click on the first photo in the album and then use the toggle arrows to proceed.
One more thing I saved my photos at the end of each day they were taken. There is an "album: for each day starting on Friday Aug 26. To view the trip in the sequence the photos were taken, just follow the dates on the album. There are a couple of albums that Google automatically put there like the photos I posted on this blog. I did not want to delete because I am not sure if they are linked together or not. Those albums have the "blog" symbol at the bottom and only contain a few photos so ignore them.
Well, have a nice trip and I thank you for your interest!
Mercie & Bon Joir
Bill
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Wonderful Trip!!!
I have been home now for almost two weeks. It feel longer than that but I can think that "two weeks ago today, I was in Paris". That part is amazing. I have a more recollections of the trip. I wish I had more time (and energy) to have kept up my blog each day. But when you get back to your room at 9 or 10 after a day walking, looking, absorbing, walking, deciding, reading, walking, wondering, trying to figure out where you are an the best way to get back to the hotel and, did I mention walking? You are pretty darn tired. My problem was when I sat at the laptop, I would read the news. Check out a few more Paris sites. Get caught up on the social pages. Check the bank balance and before you know it, 2 hours has flown by. That is when I would realize I had to get up at 5:30 AM (11:30 PM at home, ever try to get up at 11:30PM)? to catch a day trip.
I took a bus tour from Paris to the Normandy coast. The brochure said it was a 3 hour ride each way. Not a problem for me. I had the MP3 player loaded up and a book (a true story murder mystery that happened in NYC in 1890 which turned into a newspaper circus. This is when the Pulitzers and Hurst's of the news world owned the largest papers in the city. The Times was a minor player at the time. There were a dozen "daily" papers, each of which had multiple editions every day. The tiny New York Police Dept. could just sit back and wait for the papers to solve any crime, accurately or not. Each paper was always trying to "scope" the other one. The reporters, with the papers permission, would become "good friends" with the accused, victims and friends and family, a lot of money was floating around. When a "fact" was reported in one of the papers, the police would move in and begin there questioning, anyway, that is a different blog).
The bus pulls out of the tour center, which happened to be a short walk across the plaza in front of the Louvre, which is very quiet and peaceful at 6:00 AM. One of the two tour guides (one for French and English, the other for Spanish and Japanese) mentions on the intercom that the FIVE hour trip included a stop at a rest area on the way. FIVE HOURS on a bus - that's almost as long as I was on a PLANE to get to Paris! There was an audible "gasp" from the crowd. But what could we do now, just sit back and enjoy the ride. Well, it was not bad, not bad at all. It took almost an hour just to get out of Paris and on the highway. The highways are very similar to our but like everything else in France, they were smaller. I think just a little narrower, not a big median in the middle, just a guardrail or cement wall. There were some peculiar warning signs, which I wish I could have gotten pictures of. One was the silhouette of the back of a car, with a stick figure driver in it and a huge amount of flames over the car. The only think I could think of that it indicated was "Please stay in your burning car until the firemen arrive, within the hour, maybe). They also had interesting "speed limit" signs. They were round with a red LED circle and the speed limit was light up in LED in the center in white. The speed limit number could and would change depending on the traffic density. When it was raining, it was "40" kpm. When it was dry and uncongestide it said - I swear - 80 kph. ( I think that's like 100 mph or is it 60, I never did the conversion on speed).
I had two thoughts on going to the Normandy region. Normandy is an area of France, like New England is to us, at the northern end of the country. Its coast is made up of the English Channel waters. During WWII, any term using "Normandy" refereed to the general region of the country. The specific invasion of the country, to fight the Nazi occupation was at Normandy but more specifically at Omaha Beach. The area I toured in Normandy was at the coast but it was a medieval village and Monastery built on a rock outcrop off the coast back in the year 1,000. It is known as Mt. St. Michel. There are a lot of photos of it showing a huge church surrounded by water. had seen photos of it as a kid and always wanted to see it. The other tour was to the actual Omaha beach and the American military cemetery located there. I opted for the Mt St Michel tour. There is a town in the Normandy area, a few miles inland, called St. Lo. It is about 30 miles from where my Dad was injured a few days after the invasion during WWII. He was a "half track" driver for an infantry platoon. A bomb exploded and he lost part of, most of his fingers on one hand. The town is very small and off the beaten track, so to speak, so I did not get there. We did stop at a similar small town or "village" which is famous for its apples and hard ciders. As it turned out, this stop for almost an hour was part of the FIVE hours mentioned at the beginning of the tour. The village was very quaint and pretty. Very French. I went in a cafe to get a water, it was the front room of the owners house. The woman did not speak any English and luckily one of the tour guides was in the cafe to interpret for me. The village was bathed in a light fog which enhanced it "European Frenchy" look. Back on the bus and onward to Mt. St. Michel or so I thought. We had one more stop before the actual destination...and it included FOOD. We stopped at a "famous" Creperie which is within sight of the tours destination. The name escapes me, it was something like Madame Pluiere... We were lead into a large dinning room, more like a banquet hall,with 50 or 60 tables that each sat 10. Soon we were served a fruit cup, followed by a Crepe with a light fluffy filling with home made bread. Dessert was a some kind of custard with a chocolate sauce and cafe. There was also a couple of carafes of sparkling apple hard cider. After this lunch treat we were back on the bus for a quick ride across the causeway to the island and Mt. St. Michel.
My photos of the Monastery are pretty self explanatory, I have a brief caption under some of them. It was a beautiful, ancient place.
The trip back to Paris included a severe thunderstorm while on the highway. We stopped at a highway gas and convenience store plaza. Some of the gas stations in France are "ESSO" stations. A brand that disappeared from the US forty years ago. It was a major service station chain in the US.
I picked up some juice, water and a packages sandwich. The rest rooms were standing room only, in competition with the other ten buses that had stopped. Back on the bus, it was such a torentsal down poor that when we got underway, the roof started leaking in the last row of the bus. I was close to the back and saw what was happening, a young Japanese couple were getting drenched. I went to the front of the bus to inform the guides and some guy who was along for the ride, I think from the bus company because him and the driver were pretty chummy. So I asked if they had any paper towels or anything to stuff into the leak. They all looked at the guy and he said he would see. After rummaging around in the front of the bus he came back with a handful of paper towels which were very much appreciated by the Jap's. A few minutes later he was back with more. The leak stopped when the rain stopped so I think they only had wet butts for the rest of the ride. The bus was totally full so they could not move anywhere.
Oh, when it was raining like hell, the inside of the windshield, which was an expanse of glass like 10' x 8", started to fog up. The three windshield wipers where keeping the water off the outside but inside it was like looking through frosted glass. The guy who was along for the ride got out a squeegee and ran it over the windshield. Ah, that's what hes there for, probably to change a tire if we get a flat. Those French Unions don't miss a trick.
All in all it was a great day!
I took a bus tour from Paris to the Normandy coast. The brochure said it was a 3 hour ride each way. Not a problem for me. I had the MP3 player loaded up and a book (a true story murder mystery that happened in NYC in 1890 which turned into a newspaper circus. This is when the Pulitzers and Hurst's of the news world owned the largest papers in the city. The Times was a minor player at the time. There were a dozen "daily" papers, each of which had multiple editions every day. The tiny New York Police Dept. could just sit back and wait for the papers to solve any crime, accurately or not. Each paper was always trying to "scope" the other one. The reporters, with the papers permission, would become "good friends" with the accused, victims and friends and family, a lot of money was floating around. When a "fact" was reported in one of the papers, the police would move in and begin there questioning, anyway, that is a different blog).
The bus pulls out of the tour center, which happened to be a short walk across the plaza in front of the Louvre, which is very quiet and peaceful at 6:00 AM. One of the two tour guides (one for French and English, the other for Spanish and Japanese) mentions on the intercom that the FIVE hour trip included a stop at a rest area on the way. FIVE HOURS on a bus - that's almost as long as I was on a PLANE to get to Paris! There was an audible "gasp" from the crowd. But what could we do now, just sit back and enjoy the ride. Well, it was not bad, not bad at all. It took almost an hour just to get out of Paris and on the highway. The highways are very similar to our but like everything else in France, they were smaller. I think just a little narrower, not a big median in the middle, just a guardrail or cement wall. There were some peculiar warning signs, which I wish I could have gotten pictures of. One was the silhouette of the back of a car, with a stick figure driver in it and a huge amount of flames over the car. The only think I could think of that it indicated was "Please stay in your burning car until the firemen arrive, within the hour, maybe). They also had interesting "speed limit" signs. They were round with a red LED circle and the speed limit was light up in LED in the center in white. The speed limit number could and would change depending on the traffic density. When it was raining, it was "40" kpm. When it was dry and uncongestide it said - I swear - 80 kph. ( I think that's like 100 mph or is it 60, I never did the conversion on speed).
I had two thoughts on going to the Normandy region. Normandy is an area of France, like New England is to us, at the northern end of the country. Its coast is made up of the English Channel waters. During WWII, any term using "Normandy" refereed to the general region of the country. The specific invasion of the country, to fight the Nazi occupation was at Normandy but more specifically at Omaha Beach. The area I toured in Normandy was at the coast but it was a medieval village and Monastery built on a rock outcrop off the coast back in the year 1,000. It is known as Mt. St. Michel. There are a lot of photos of it showing a huge church surrounded by water. had seen photos of it as a kid and always wanted to see it. The other tour was to the actual Omaha beach and the American military cemetery located there. I opted for the Mt St Michel tour. There is a town in the Normandy area, a few miles inland, called St. Lo. It is about 30 miles from where my Dad was injured a few days after the invasion during WWII. He was a "half track" driver for an infantry platoon. A bomb exploded and he lost part of, most of his fingers on one hand. The town is very small and off the beaten track, so to speak, so I did not get there. We did stop at a similar small town or "village" which is famous for its apples and hard ciders. As it turned out, this stop for almost an hour was part of the FIVE hours mentioned at the beginning of the tour. The village was very quaint and pretty. Very French. I went in a cafe to get a water, it was the front room of the owners house. The woman did not speak any English and luckily one of the tour guides was in the cafe to interpret for me. The village was bathed in a light fog which enhanced it "European Frenchy" look. Back on the bus and onward to Mt. St. Michel or so I thought. We had one more stop before the actual destination...and it included FOOD. We stopped at a "famous" Creperie which is within sight of the tours destination. The name escapes me, it was something like Madame Pluiere... We were lead into a large dinning room, more like a banquet hall,with 50 or 60 tables that each sat 10. Soon we were served a fruit cup, followed by a Crepe with a light fluffy filling with home made bread. Dessert was a some kind of custard with a chocolate sauce and cafe. There was also a couple of carafes of sparkling apple hard cider. After this lunch treat we were back on the bus for a quick ride across the causeway to the island and Mt. St. Michel.
My photos of the Monastery are pretty self explanatory, I have a brief caption under some of them. It was a beautiful, ancient place.
The trip back to Paris included a severe thunderstorm while on the highway. We stopped at a highway gas and convenience store plaza. Some of the gas stations in France are "ESSO" stations. A brand that disappeared from the US forty years ago. It was a major service station chain in the US.
I picked up some juice, water and a packages sandwich. The rest rooms were standing room only, in competition with the other ten buses that had stopped. Back on the bus, it was such a torentsal down poor that when we got underway, the roof started leaking in the last row of the bus. I was close to the back and saw what was happening, a young Japanese couple were getting drenched. I went to the front of the bus to inform the guides and some guy who was along for the ride, I think from the bus company because him and the driver were pretty chummy. So I asked if they had any paper towels or anything to stuff into the leak. They all looked at the guy and he said he would see. After rummaging around in the front of the bus he came back with a handful of paper towels which were very much appreciated by the Jap's. A few minutes later he was back with more. The leak stopped when the rain stopped so I think they only had wet butts for the rest of the ride. The bus was totally full so they could not move anywhere.
Oh, when it was raining like hell, the inside of the windshield, which was an expanse of glass like 10' x 8", started to fog up. The three windshield wipers where keeping the water off the outside but inside it was like looking through frosted glass. The guy who was along for the ride got out a squeegee and ran it over the windshield. Ah, that's what hes there for, probably to change a tire if we get a flat. Those French Unions don't miss a trick.
All in all it was a great day!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Rambling's and Misc.
Tomorrow is my last full day in Paris. I plan a bicycle journey through the Latin Quarter and back over to lle de Citi and Notre Dame. I also wanted to visit the Shakespere Book Store. I heard of a American style Diner in the area called "Breakfast in America". I want to try to find that. The weather report is iffy for rain. Slight chance but if so, I can do the "Hop on Hop off" bus I received a free ticket for with my trip to Normandy. I did the Hop on Hop off bus thing in London yesterday. I know I have not kept a daily log - this is actually my journal for the trip so I will add to it later. When time permits. Its tough to fit in when your an international traveler and you spend most of your time decyphering menu's. They have the "Inigma Code Machine" from WWII that the ally's used to break the Nazi's messages on display at the Musee de Nationale Armee's. Napolian's Tomb is there also, which I can't figure out. It like the Russians having Lenin's Tomb in Red Square. They tear down his statues and turn there backs to his ideals but the Tomb is still there, open to visitors as is Napolian's. Napolian last wish was to have his ashes sprinkled in the Seine. Not. The French Government said to put him in a tomb for all to revere. That was after they got his body back from being in exile on a British Island off Normandy for 15 years. Naybe we (us Americans) should have a Tomb built somewhere nice, like the National Mall (the one in DC - not Minnesota - that's Mall of America). We could put Richard Nixon in it. Hmmm, maybe the mall in Minnesota would be a better spot. Anyway, last full day tomorrow. On the way to London, I met a lovey girl from Brazil. She was somewhat confused the Gare de Nord, the train station where you get the international train to Britain. She thought I might be better informed. Luckily all my guesses (BS) worked perfectly. We decided to do the Hop on Hop off red rout together and then get on the Thames River Cruise. She suggested lunch after the cruise and then doing the "London Eye" which is a huge stupid looking Ferris wheel. I said it sounded great! I only had one must do thing on my list and that was to get to Westminster Abby and pay my respects to Charles Dickens who is interred there in an area called "Poets Corner". Yes, all the great British poets, playwrites, actors, musicians are burried there, if the Queen says its OK. This is along with some 1500 year old Bishops and Knights. Lawrence Olivia you ask? Yes, he is there but a stones throw from Shakespear. While your standing at Sharespears statue, the audio guide informs that they did not move his body from wherever it is so it is just a memorial to hin in the Abby. I think there is a school of thought that they don't really know who he was so that has to still be worked out. So back at the Thames river cruise, Gabriella, that was her name, really, and I were watching the wharves go by when the narator on the boat mentions we are passing the British HMS Belfast, a historic ship in the British WWII history. It is open to the public. Tied up along side it happens to be a Brazilian cruiser paying a friendly visit as a guest of the British Navy. The narrator mentions this and says, Anyone on board from Brazil. Gabriella waves and says "yes, I am" and so does there three older (older than me - I think - yes, definatly) couples who are also from Brazil, jump up and start screaming and yelling so the guys on the Brazilian ship could hear them. They started some Soccer chant or something and the guys on the ship waved back. So, one thing leads to another and we all end up downstairs (it was like a ferry boat) sitting together and they are so happy to meet Gabriella. They look at me and smile and say, ahhh Americano, and then get back to having a hell of a time as a group. So, I went to buy some Pringle's and a Coke and try to figure out just what the British concession guy is saying. He sounded a lot like Eliza Doolittle, I can understand the French easier. All od a sudden there is huge amounts of joking and laughing amongst the Brazilian's. None of which speak any English, except of course, Gabriella, who took English at college in Vancouver BC, Canada for 4 years. She speaks some French, Italian (she works for the Italian phone company - in Brazil? Sounds like a cover to me but I am always suspisious) and she speaks German, which was / is her favorite country because everything is "very orderly". So the party is reaching a new level of jovality and the British guy comes over and says, from what I could make out, "you have to keep it down, Captn' says keep it down". The Captain is up in the wheelhouse on the deck above. I suppose he was concerned if we hit the Tower of London Bridge no one could hear the command to ABANDON SHIP. (Yuck, into the Thames)? So the Brazilians hehaive and all go SHHH, SHHHH and quiet down, a little. Gabriella come over to me and says, "You go to Westminster, they need an interpiter, we see each other later". By now, if you know me, I was thinking Abby, what Abby? But no, I did not want to be a fifth or ninth wheel to this crowd. I thought for sure they were going to be pinched before the day was out. So I went my way and Gabriella went hers. As the French say, Se La Vie. London is crazy compared to Paris. In Paris the traffic flows, thing are relativley organized, even during evacuations. But London was like being at a poor relatives who shoot guns from their porches and eat squirle. The are putting the finishing touches on Europe's tallest building, called, typically British, "The Shard" because it looks like a shard of glass. Not kidding either. The tallest building in Europe is now in Germany, Munich I think. I went up the tallest building in Paris and France, besides the Eiffel tower (it is taller). It has an observation floor open to the public and you can get great views of the Eiffel Tower from it. I was up there at dusk and dark so my photos are, well, blurry, but they will do. The Tour Montparnasse was built in the 70's at the edge of the Latin Quarter and St. Germain de Pres area's. After it was built, they realized what a mistake the location was so they banned skyscrapers form Paris except in the are called Il Defense. It is at the extreem edge of Paris, to the west. But, there is talk of building a complex at an elbow of the Seine neat the Eiffel Tower to perhaps take the tallest in Europe title from the UK. By the way, Our World Trade Tower One - the old Freedom Tower as it was originally named, is about 600 feet taller than the Brits. Of course the Chinese and the jabberin' Arabs have the tallest's (like 8 or 10 now) and theres no catching them. See what they do with our money? One thing about the French, easily 90 percent of the cars are either Citron (I thought was out od business) and Pugeot. The cars are beautiful, The next most popular seems to be either VW or Toyota, A very few Nissns. I saw 2 Italian sportscars, Ferrari, 3 Fords - nothing like I have seen in the states and you wouldn't want to. Today I saw a Mercury Cougar parked at the Midieval village I visited. There are quite a few Coopers and Smart Cars too. Tons of scooters, all shapes, sizes and some are as loud as Harley's but much higher pitched. I have seen 3 Harley's and today on the highway a group went by the bus. They sounded like Harley's, definatly not BMW's although those are real nice bikes. I did see a Harley dealership outside Paris and it looked just like the ones in the US.
I have gotten way off the track but it is just a collection of things that happen, not particularly in order.
Please forgive the spelling errors. I cannot use the spell check here - how it knows I am in a different country - I have no idea. Some words I just typed wromg an did not go bakc to fix.
I have gotten way off the track but it is just a collection of things that happen, not particularly in order.
Please forgive the spelling errors. I cannot use the spell check here - how it knows I am in a different country - I have no idea. Some words I just typed wromg an did not go bakc to fix.
Friday, September 2, 2011
What a day !(sorry, I couln't think of any other way to describe it).
Having my "continental" breakfast at the hotel this morning. (Cafe Americano, Crisount, Roll with jellies, FRESH squeezed OJ a small bottle of Viton mineral water and some of the best scrambled eggs I have ever had! I think they have a chicken laying eggs and a cow for milk in the kitchen)! The fire alarm went off. I went to the foyer noting where the fire extiguesher was located and the manager, a lovely middle aged french woman came running up to the few of us that had actually gotten up and said, in her french accent, "Sorry, someone takes a hot shower, opens the door quickly and the alarm sounds. So Sorry"! In my best American accent I said, "That must have been some hot shower"! The,"Is the Fire Dept on the way"? To which she said, "No, they only come if we call them".
Then, at the Musee De' Orsey a few hours later, I just got into the Post Impressionist area, Van Gogh, etc...and the FIRE ALARM goes off. This place is packed with 30,000 people. Over the alarm is a star trek sounding voice saying, in 60 languages that "There is a technical difficulty, Please exit immediatly and listen to the staffs instructions. It only took about 10 minutes to clear the place, very orderly, no panic. The orientals look like they go through it every day. Again, no fire dept anywhere but Armed French Army Soldiers with nasty looking automatic weapons. I did not think it was a fire but there is a Metro station connected to the Museum, which automatically shut down. I thought maybe poison gas, I did, I thought any minute I will be laying on top of some Italian or Russian gasping for air. No problem, I went outside, had a French version of an ice cream cone, Glee something, and went back in. There is a long wait for security check at these museums, like at the airport but you can keep your shoes on. What a pain to go through twice. Of course I could not find my ticket, I like to save those for souvieners so I can throw them out a year later. When going back in, They wanted me to buy another ticket. I said, "where is your supervisor"? to which she said "No, You are not talking to my supervisor". I said fine and went off looking for one. At the information booth, I explained, in American what happened. I even told them about the Audio guide I had which was beeping like crazy as soon as I walked out of the place, I gave that to one of the museum staff when outside. The only proof I had of being inside was the crumpled up, useless map of the place. The information lady, led me to a side ticket area and told me to go to the Audio area and explain. Just the way it should be. I wanted to go back to the original girl who refused me re-entry and wave my passport in her face but the army guys were already looking at me to much. When I was in the line to re-enter, I was behind some jabbering Arab's with the head covered and all that stupidity, I wanted to say, "This is your cultures fault you know". But I kept my mouth shut even though I knew they were talking about me.
Then, at the Musee De' Orsey a few hours later, I just got into the Post Impressionist area, Van Gogh, etc...and the FIRE ALARM goes off. This place is packed with 30,000 people. Over the alarm is a star trek sounding voice saying, in 60 languages that "There is a technical difficulty, Please exit immediatly and listen to the staffs instructions. It only took about 10 minutes to clear the place, very orderly, no panic. The orientals look like they go through it every day. Again, no fire dept anywhere but Armed French Army Soldiers with nasty looking automatic weapons. I did not think it was a fire but there is a Metro station connected to the Museum, which automatically shut down. I thought maybe poison gas, I did, I thought any minute I will be laying on top of some Italian or Russian gasping for air. No problem, I went outside, had a French version of an ice cream cone, Glee something, and went back in. There is a long wait for security check at these museums, like at the airport but you can keep your shoes on. What a pain to go through twice. Of course I could not find my ticket, I like to save those for souvieners so I can throw them out a year later. When going back in, They wanted me to buy another ticket. I said, "where is your supervisor"? to which she said "No, You are not talking to my supervisor". I said fine and went off looking for one. At the information booth, I explained, in American what happened. I even told them about the Audio guide I had which was beeping like crazy as soon as I walked out of the place, I gave that to one of the museum staff when outside. The only proof I had of being inside was the crumpled up, useless map of the place. The information lady, led me to a side ticket area and told me to go to the Audio area and explain. Just the way it should be. I wanted to go back to the original girl who refused me re-entry and wave my passport in her face but the army guys were already looking at me to much. When I was in the line to re-enter, I was behind some jabbering Arab's with the head covered and all that stupidity, I wanted to say, "This is your cultures fault you know". But I kept my mouth shut even though I knew they were talking about me.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
I think there is something seriously wrong with my legs, feet, back, etc,,,
Morning is not a pretty picture. I usually have a size 9 - 9 1/2 foot (shoe size that is). I think they are a good size 15 or 16 now. And if one more 6', 160 lbs. 70 year old Parisian guy blows by me on the sidewalk again, I am going to have to purposely step in his way and ask where the closest MacDonald is. ( Even though I already know. I only ate there once and it was because I didn't want to miss my bus).
As for the post I was so rudely interupted in. I see where I neglected to give the name of the Cathedral. It is the Sacre Cleur De Montmartre. As I mentioned the funicular is like a small tram which runs up the side of the mountain. It is only a 2 or 3 minute ride but takes a half hour waiting for your turn to pile in the car. Holds about twenty. When at the top, I went in the Cathedral because it was open for a Mass being said. The tourist, a continuous line of people, were guided along the left side of the church, around the back of the alter, (these places are huge), and then along the right side to the exit door. I did get a chance to purchase a gold(ish) coin with the Cathedrals emblem on it. There were 4 vending machines behind the alter in which you dropped 2 Euro and out came the coin. I like souveneres like that. No Ethiopian or Iranian guy you have to keep saying no..no..Opps sorry. The only trouble with the vending machines is each one has a different church symbol on it. I couldn't decide which one I wanted so I bought, no, not all four, just two. There were also huge racks of votive candles. You could purchase a small wax disk in a plastic holder with a wick in it. It was 10 Euro so I passed on that. They literally had STACKS of boxes of candles right next to the rack. Hundreds, no, thousands of them at different racks throughout the Cathedral.The donation is all on the honor system. You put the money in a wooden box and light the candle. The parish congregation ( not sure if that is what catholic's call a group, it sounds Protestant to me, but) were all seated in the center two columns of chairs. A few hundred people. They had also put some chairs on the outer edges of the columns for anyone to sit and watch, relax or whatever. I wonder how many Hindu's have been converted there. I'm not kidding either. It has a holy-ness and special feeling to it. Truly eccumenical.
After walking thru the mideival part of town, I caught the bus which brought me close to the Metro stop I needed. I was a little twisted around (not lost) but the bus driver, a black guy with dreadlocks down to the middle of his back, spoke enough English to tell me which way to go. I got back to St. Germain des Pres and it was a couple of blocks to my hotel.
As for the post I was so rudely interupted in. I see where I neglected to give the name of the Cathedral. It is the Sacre Cleur De Montmartre. As I mentioned the funicular is like a small tram which runs up the side of the mountain. It is only a 2 or 3 minute ride but takes a half hour waiting for your turn to pile in the car. Holds about twenty. When at the top, I went in the Cathedral because it was open for a Mass being said. The tourist, a continuous line of people, were guided along the left side of the church, around the back of the alter, (these places are huge), and then along the right side to the exit door. I did get a chance to purchase a gold(ish) coin with the Cathedrals emblem on it. There were 4 vending machines behind the alter in which you dropped 2 Euro and out came the coin. I like souveneres like that. No Ethiopian or Iranian guy you have to keep saying no..no..Opps sorry. The only trouble with the vending machines is each one has a different church symbol on it. I couldn't decide which one I wanted so I bought, no, not all four, just two. There were also huge racks of votive candles. You could purchase a small wax disk in a plastic holder with a wick in it. It was 10 Euro so I passed on that. They literally had STACKS of boxes of candles right next to the rack. Hundreds, no, thousands of them at different racks throughout the Cathedral.The donation is all on the honor system. You put the money in a wooden box and light the candle. The parish congregation ( not sure if that is what catholic's call a group, it sounds Protestant to me, but) were all seated in the center two columns of chairs. A few hundred people. They had also put some chairs on the outer edges of the columns for anyone to sit and watch, relax or whatever. I wonder how many Hindu's have been converted there. I'm not kidding either. It has a holy-ness and special feeling to it. Truly eccumenical.
After walking thru the mideival part of town, I caught the bus which brought me close to the Metro stop I needed. I was a little twisted around (not lost) but the bus driver, a black guy with dreadlocks down to the middle of his back, spoke enough English to tell me which way to go. I got back to St. Germain des Pres and it was a couple of blocks to my hotel.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Adjusting to the time and feeling leg mucles I had forgotten about,
What a great place. It is so visitor oriented but still carries on its day to day activities. I find it remarkably clean, contrary to what I have been told. It is warm during the day and cool, chilly actually, at night. Yesterday was a little overwhelming with the amount of walking I did. It seems the French like to put escalators where there could be stairs and stairs where there should be escalators. It is 4 full flights of stairs (20 per flight) from the underground Metro station near Norte Dame, (they are also very considerate where they locate benches). Ay my hotel, I am on the fifth floor. What we call the 1st floor is the ground floor here and the 1st floor would be our second floor (they do like to keep you guessing). Again, it is 20 steps, (yes, I counted) per floor. I could use a bench on the 3rd/4th floor but no such luck. I just tell myself, one...more...floor... There is an elevator, kind of. It fits a person and one suitcase. I only used it when I arrived though! I hate the thought of getting stuck in a telephone booth size anything.
Yesterday was fantastic seeing all the great statues and art at the Louvre. If you like statues, all shapes and sizes, this is your place. I had 8 specific pieces I wanted to see and I accomplished 6. The other 2 were in areas I had covered but missed them and I did not want to walk the 27 kilometers back to them. I do plan a return visit. I did visit the Mona Lisa. You have to wonder what the attraction is, I mean I know it is by Leonardo (Davinci, not Decaprio) and it is 600 plus years old but, well, I don't mean to be a little off color here, so to speak, but whats up with the Indian lady, who is obviously Hindu, elbowing her way up to the front of the mob to get a photo of it on her Android? If I was a Indian Hindu would I be into Leonardo and Mona? Well, what just shows to go ya that are appeals to many people for many different reasons. She is beautiful by the way. I actually knew a girl once who was named Mona. The only two Mona's I ever knew of. Why would you name your kid....oh well.
Then I went to see Venus Demilo. I have to do a little research on this statue, I know it is ancient and Greek but thats about it. And I know it is an amazing sculpture. She is not cast, like a statue but carved out of stone by hand. Chiseled and chipped and smoothed all by hand. Truly amazing. I had lunch at the Louvre thinking it would be 2 or 3 time more expensive than a street side Cafe gut it was not. Actually it was a little more reasonable. There is a post office there too, actually an entire underground mall. I went in to get some airmail postcard stamps its been a long time since I needed or purchased stamps. The postal agent told me it is cheaper and faster to put the postcard in an airmail envelope. They are even made to fit postcards. To my left was a line of people waiting to get there mail / postcards cancelled with a Louvre Museum seal. I just watched as the Indian Hindu person elbowed her way yo the front. I took a quick look at the mall. Had a Starbucks coffee and took a photo of the huge Apple store. The French like the electronic gadgets too. I don't mean to sound "old" or anything but when you can rent a tablet with all the info you need to know and more at the sites, it really makes you stop and think. I just go along with my MP3 and listening to the free downloads from Rick Steve's travel site at the museums. So what if there obsolete and they moved an entire wing. I can figure that out.
After the museum, I thought about purchasing a tour bus ticket for about $30.00 that drives around the city and stops at about 40 or 50 spots. You can get on and off all day at whichever sight you want. But...I said myself, I am only wanting to go to one specific place across the city, why spend $30.00 on that? Fir 1,25 Euro, about $1.83, I could take the bus and another bus and another bus. (one thing really, really nice about the cost of things here, there is no .98 or .99 cents of anything. Its 1,10 or 1,50 Euro. The bus trip was very easy. I could even make out the stops names and got to see much of the city and sat with actual French people on the bus. There were tourist too, they are everywhere. I went through 3 or 4 neighborhoods or sections of the city which they actually have a very difficult name for which I am not even going to try to spell. The neighborhood is an old Gothic part of the city. Many buildings are hundreds of years old, businesses and homes. There are old windmills and a hundred years or so ago, Paul Cezzan and Vincent Van Gogh had lived and painted here. There is a cathedral built up on a hill which overlooks Paris now. It is the highest point around and provides a great view. The Cathedral, which is about 1000 years old was established by monks who must have stayed up in the Monestary because I can't imagine anyone walking up and down all those stairs all the time. I am sure the faithful brought them all their needs. I walked up to one of the landings, lookout spots and then spotted a "fanicular" going up the side of the hill.
OPPS, I hit spell check and it tried to change everything to French again, forgot about that, When I undid spell check it deleted my last few paragraphs. To be continued. It is 2:00 AM here.
Yesterday was fantastic seeing all the great statues and art at the Louvre. If you like statues, all shapes and sizes, this is your place. I had 8 specific pieces I wanted to see and I accomplished 6. The other 2 were in areas I had covered but missed them and I did not want to walk the 27 kilometers back to them. I do plan a return visit. I did visit the Mona Lisa. You have to wonder what the attraction is, I mean I know it is by Leonardo (Davinci, not Decaprio) and it is 600 plus years old but, well, I don't mean to be a little off color here, so to speak, but whats up with the Indian lady, who is obviously Hindu, elbowing her way up to the front of the mob to get a photo of it on her Android? If I was a Indian Hindu would I be into Leonardo and Mona? Well, what just shows to go ya that are appeals to many people for many different reasons. She is beautiful by the way. I actually knew a girl once who was named Mona. The only two Mona's I ever knew of. Why would you name your kid....oh well.
Then I went to see Venus Demilo. I have to do a little research on this statue, I know it is ancient and Greek but thats about it. And I know it is an amazing sculpture. She is not cast, like a statue but carved out of stone by hand. Chiseled and chipped and smoothed all by hand. Truly amazing. I had lunch at the Louvre thinking it would be 2 or 3 time more expensive than a street side Cafe gut it was not. Actually it was a little more reasonable. There is a post office there too, actually an entire underground mall. I went in to get some airmail postcard stamps its been a long time since I needed or purchased stamps. The postal agent told me it is cheaper and faster to put the postcard in an airmail envelope. They are even made to fit postcards. To my left was a line of people waiting to get there mail / postcards cancelled with a Louvre Museum seal. I just watched as the Indian Hindu person elbowed her way yo the front. I took a quick look at the mall. Had a Starbucks coffee and took a photo of the huge Apple store. The French like the electronic gadgets too. I don't mean to sound "old" or anything but when you can rent a tablet with all the info you need to know and more at the sites, it really makes you stop and think. I just go along with my MP3 and listening to the free downloads from Rick Steve's travel site at the museums. So what if there obsolete and they moved an entire wing. I can figure that out.
After the museum, I thought about purchasing a tour bus ticket for about $30.00 that drives around the city and stops at about 40 or 50 spots. You can get on and off all day at whichever sight you want. But...I said myself, I am only wanting to go to one specific place across the city, why spend $30.00 on that? Fir 1,25 Euro, about $1.83, I could take the bus and another bus and another bus. (one thing really, really nice about the cost of things here, there is no .98 or .99 cents of anything. Its 1,10 or 1,50 Euro. The bus trip was very easy. I could even make out the stops names and got to see much of the city and sat with actual French people on the bus. There were tourist too, they are everywhere. I went through 3 or 4 neighborhoods or sections of the city which they actually have a very difficult name for which I am not even going to try to spell. The neighborhood is an old Gothic part of the city. Many buildings are hundreds of years old, businesses and homes. There are old windmills and a hundred years or so ago, Paul Cezzan and Vincent Van Gogh had lived and painted here. There is a cathedral built up on a hill which overlooks Paris now. It is the highest point around and provides a great view. The Cathedral, which is about 1000 years old was established by monks who must have stayed up in the Monestary because I can't imagine anyone walking up and down all those stairs all the time. I am sure the faithful brought them all their needs. I walked up to one of the landings, lookout spots and then spotted a "fanicular" going up the side of the hill.
OPPS, I hit spell check and it tried to change everything to French again, forgot about that, When I undid spell check it deleted my last few paragraphs. To be continued. It is 2:00 AM here.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Their is a thing called Jet Lag
I read and was told to get on the current time zone as far as activities and waking /sleeping hours go. I did hit the hay last night at 11ish PM, which is 5 PM at home. I woke up at 7ish, Paris time 1 AM at home. I was pretty blurry, head and eyes. Fell back asleep until 10ish Paris time and 4 AM home awoke pretty blurry, head and eyes. (at lease I have an excuse over here). I went downstairs to have a cafe Americana (thank goodness). Breakfast is to be served until 11but they must have run out of Omellettes as I was the only one there. (The Germans staying here ate all the food and were out and about by 7. It's only an hour time difference to them. See how they'de do in NYC). So I walked down to the Tourist Office to convert my vouchers to tickets. Stopped for, well, some lunch by now. Ham and cheese sandwich sounded good. Yes, 80% of the menu's I have seen so far are in French and like I was hoping, in minute English underneith. I think the farther away you get from this tourist area the more and more the Francofil will begin to dominate. I did have a run in at a Barrista ordering a cafe (coffee - sort of). He asked if I wanted Espresso, I told him no, just a cafe, noir. (noir means black in French, I thought). He looked at me and in his best French accent, said "eh?". I said black, with sugar dead (givaway you are from US). He said "Ah, black with sucre"! I drank it and gave him the 4,00 Euro's ($5.84). Anyway, the ham sandwich comes and it is a...a....a slice of ham and a piece of swiss cheese on a bagette that is as round as tour wrist and about a foot long. I took the slice of meat off one half and put it on the other half, ordered a Coca-Cola...with ice and ate. All the Coca-Cola's (not Coke) come with a slice of lemon or lime in it. No rum, you have to ask for that. I would go on...and on, and on. But it is 1 AM ish Paris time and 7 PM at home, so I better go to bed so I can beat the Germans tomorrow at 7 AM ish Paris time and 1 AM at home. Oh, all the info about getting used to the current time zone says, don't think about what time it REALLY is, at home.
(Sorry about the spelling, the spell check here tries to convert everything to French. I'm not kidding!)
(Sorry about the spelling, the spell check here tries to convert everything to French. I'm not kidding!)
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Getting ready to pack up the laptop and head out to Boston. I did not think I could over pack but I have to do an edit to my suitcase and carry on. I always think I will want this or that when I get there and then when there, you look at it and say "why did I bring this"? I probably will not need all six guide books I am bringing. I will be overwhelmed with information when I get to all the tourist sites, I am sure. (Maybe the pages in the back will be in English).
One thing was obvious to me and kind of curious (to me also), was the fact that on all the tourist web sites for Paris and France, many were in French when you opened the site. There usually is a language choice bar somewhere on the page, represented by national flags. For English translation of the pages, the icon is the British flag. Very rarely was it the US flag. Now, I do not mean to sound like the "arrogant American" I will be while visiting Paris, I would bet that for every British visitor to France there are AT LEAST ten Americans who probably spend twenty times as much money there. AND we did bail there butts out of the Nazi occupation.... Oh well, It is slowly turning into a global community now. After all the countries of Europe are all part of "The Union of the European Economy". The Euro has trumoed the Franc, Dutchmark, Liara etc...Not the Pound Sterling though, the brits are holdouts, just like in WWII. Maybe the french use the UK flag as a neighborly gesture. "Au diable les Américains arrogants"!
See you on the Left Bank.
One thing was obvious to me and kind of curious (to me also), was the fact that on all the tourist web sites for Paris and France, many were in French when you opened the site. There usually is a language choice bar somewhere on the page, represented by national flags. For English translation of the pages, the icon is the British flag. Very rarely was it the US flag. Now, I do not mean to sound like the "arrogant American" I will be while visiting Paris, I would bet that for every British visitor to France there are AT LEAST ten Americans who probably spend twenty times as much money there. AND we did bail there butts out of the Nazi occupation.... Oh well, It is slowly turning into a global community now. After all the countries of Europe are all part of "The Union of the European Economy". The Euro has trumoed the Franc, Dutchmark, Liara etc...Not the Pound Sterling though, the brits are holdouts, just like in WWII. Maybe the french use the UK flag as a neighborly gesture. "Au diable les Américains arrogants"!
See you on the Left Bank.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Getting Organized?
I can't believe how much paperwork I have to sort through for my trip. Besides the 200 or 300 pages I downloaded from various travel sites, I have a huge amount of papers with barcodes printed on them that must be scanned at he tour operators location to be able to retrieve my tickets. The papers I have printed are called "vouchers"
I have vouchers for the two museums I am most interested in Paris, a voucher for a Seine river tour, a voucher for the trip to Monet's house, studio and garden in Giverny, theirs one for the day trip to London and one for the day trip to Normandy. Interestingly, the paperwork for the Eiffel Tower is the actual ticket (at least I am reading these things, I usually "assume" that I know what they are and then find out later...opps). Most of the vouchers are two pages. Being somewhat compulsive, I am carrying two sets of all of them in two different places. Suitcase and my carry on satchel. The plane, not ticket but voucher, must be scanned at the airlines kiosk when I get there. I think this means I have to go to the ticketing are even though I already have purchased it. Maybe there are ticket scanner and printers all over the airport but I doubt it. I guess having an assigned seat is Ok rather than having to print a ticket one minute after the 24 hours are before a flight (Southwest has this). No mater how early I have accessed their ticket site, at the exact moment even, I never got higher that a A21. Who gets the A1 seat anyway?
So, I am on my airlines web site, just screwing around and on my flight info it says "see what amenities and entertainment is on your flight". Well, it says "personal entertainment" which I believe is a in the seat back screen with multiple options of programming to watch (for $3 to $4 dollars each movie)! I think some shows are free but that remains to be seen. It also indicated "wifi", I clicked on that and it then tells you it is available for $12 for the flight (24 hours actually). If you purchase it before your flight, it is $9. I thought the wifi was free on the flights, like everywhere else but no it isn't. I went ahead and purchased it. I download my PAPERWORK with the access code on it and then I notice a little line of type that says (available while flying over the continental US only)! Why would they even offer it on the flight information area when your departing from BOSTON! Of course I did not read one bottom line on one of the screens which actually stated that info. There, that's more like it Bill! Now I have to call for my refund or maybe sell it on ebay. I don't think the refund will be hard to get, it is not the airline that provides the wifi, its an independent company called yoyo or togo, bobo? I forget but I have the paperwork. Why can't I think of one of these, probably relatively easy business venture to set up and without having to do anything, the money just rolls in? What the heck can a satellite link cost and then access to every major airlines aircraft anyway? I bet its a pseudo company owned by the CIA anyway. I just don't want to forget my passport!
I have vouchers for the two museums I am most interested in Paris, a voucher for a Seine river tour, a voucher for the trip to Monet's house, studio and garden in Giverny, theirs one for the day trip to London and one for the day trip to Normandy. Interestingly, the paperwork for the Eiffel Tower is the actual ticket (at least I am reading these things, I usually "assume" that I know what they are and then find out later...opps). Most of the vouchers are two pages. Being somewhat compulsive, I am carrying two sets of all of them in two different places. Suitcase and my carry on satchel. The plane, not ticket but voucher, must be scanned at the airlines kiosk when I get there. I think this means I have to go to the ticketing are even though I already have purchased it. Maybe there are ticket scanner and printers all over the airport but I doubt it. I guess having an assigned seat is Ok rather than having to print a ticket one minute after the 24 hours are before a flight (Southwest has this). No mater how early I have accessed their ticket site, at the exact moment even, I never got higher that a A21. Who gets the A1 seat anyway?
So, I am on my airlines web site, just screwing around and on my flight info it says "see what amenities and entertainment is on your flight". Well, it says "personal entertainment" which I believe is a in the seat back screen with multiple options of programming to watch (for $3 to $4 dollars each movie)! I think some shows are free but that remains to be seen. It also indicated "wifi", I clicked on that and it then tells you it is available for $12 for the flight (24 hours actually). If you purchase it before your flight, it is $9. I thought the wifi was free on the flights, like everywhere else but no it isn't. I went ahead and purchased it. I download my PAPERWORK with the access code on it and then I notice a little line of type that says (available while flying over the continental US only)! Why would they even offer it on the flight information area when your departing from BOSTON! Of course I did not read one bottom line on one of the screens which actually stated that info. There, that's more like it Bill! Now I have to call for my refund or maybe sell it on ebay. I don't think the refund will be hard to get, it is not the airline that provides the wifi, its an independent company called yoyo or togo, bobo? I forget but I have the paperwork. Why can't I think of one of these, probably relatively easy business venture to set up and without having to do anything, the money just rolls in? What the heck can a satellite link cost and then access to every major airlines aircraft anyway? I bet its a pseudo company owned by the CIA anyway. I just don't want to forget my passport!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Reading About Paris
My sister, who works at a library, took out and loaned me one of the more famous memoirs, written by Ernest Hemingway. I have tried reading his writing before, without much success. I just am not in tune to his style of writing. I actually think that Hemingway's continued reverence within the literary world is perpetuated by the continued word of mouth of his, greatness as a writer, which was started decades ago and is just believed in "our" time by just believing what was said in the past. Now, that being said, I decide to read the book by Hemingway called "The Movable Feast". It is his recollections of his years in Paris with his wife, Hadley, a decade or so after WWI. He wrote the book in the 1960's at his home in Idaho.
I thought it would be a good story to get the flavor of an American in Paris in the 20's. I can only refer to my previous comment about Hemingway. His greatness escapes me. Even with his being one of the characters in Woody Allens' newest movie, "Paris at Midnight". He is portrayed as the emotional writer of the day that he was. I will read more of his books (at least one more, the one about his time in Italy as an ambulance driver (volunteer) during WWI. He was injured and this eventually lead to his going to Paris. I will try to read this story before I completely pass judgment on his writing. It just might not be my vintage.
I do want to mention though, that while reading the chapter "People of the Seine" he writes of bookstalls which are set up along the Seine. He writes about where the booksellers accumulate the books they sell. There is a paragraph which he has a small conversation with a woman whom he knows, who sells books written in English. He mentions that the books sometimes come from the Hotel Voltaire, which has a wealthier clientle. The books are left behind and the staff collects them and sells them to the booksellers. I mention all this because, coincidentally, that is the Hotel which I have reserved for my stay in Paris. I find coincidences like that fairy interesting. But I still don't like how he writes. The story, by the way, is of such a personal nature that it really does nothing to "put" you in Paris while reading.
Previous to Hemingway, I was reading, and have yet to finish, Eiffel, the story of Gustaf Eiffel and his Tower project. His own idea to construct. The only other "tall" structure in the world at the time, 1878, was the Washington Monument in DC. 500 Ft. Eiffels tower is over 1,000 Ft.
The David McCullough's book is about the American exodus to Paris in the 1830's. The US was still a young country without many educational opertunities for the advancement of Medicine, Art, Education, etc...Paris was the world leader in these and more areas of study at the time.
The book I am reading now, was written by an ex-patriot (American) who has lived in Paris for twenty years. I just started it but it seems to be what I am looking for regarding the day to day life in Paris. One bit of information I found interesting was about the water supply for Paris. It is the river which runs through the city, the Seine. It is a little joke among the residents of the city that when you drink a glass of Paris water, it has already been through five other Parisians. Bottled water for me thanks, and when I drink a coffee at a cafe, well, I just will have to realize, it won't kill you!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Rick Steves Stuff Has Arrived
I came home to a fairly large box sitting at the bottom of my stairs (I'm on the second floor). It was covered with a plastic bag, protection from the threatening scattered thunderstorms predicted. My order from Rick Steves has arrived! Clearly marked on the side of the box was "made in Vietnam" so I was a little hesitant to think it actually was my new 21" carry on. But also printed on the side of the box was: COLOR: COPPER. It was defiantly the "21" roll-aboard".
I opened the box and sure enough, there was the suitcase. 21" of empty space to fill with 8 days worth of various clothing (and a pair of flip flops). "How", do you say "can you possibly live out of a 21" roll aboard for over a week"? Well, according to Rick (Steves) (my Dali lama of travel tips) you find a launder matte or there's always the sink (on hit "list of things to pack" is actually a line that says "cloths line". I don't think I will waste any space on the clothes line, I will search out a local launder matte. I will have to learn the french word for launder matte, it probably isn't called a launder matte at all. I'll get back to you on that. I wonder if the launder mattes have a "international" symbol similar to the green neon cross which represents a "pharmaceutique" not to be confused with a "tabac" or a similar sounding name which is where one can purchase just about anything an American tourist in Paris could need. At least that's what Rick says. (I think I read that in Rick's book, it might have been one of the other dozen or so travel guides I have been reading).
Why copper? Well, its a nice color, not orange but copper-ish. I figured if I ever did have to check the bag (they can make you do that whenever they want) it would be easy to identify on the retrieval belt or carousel.
Also included in the box was the two other important items I ordered from Rick. A Rick Steves, travel gear, continental adapter. After MUCH research I have determined that an adapter is all that I will need as opposed to a converter which cost a lot more than the buck (that's what it cost, really) for the adapter. The two items which need electricity I will be bringing is my laptop and a cell. Not my cell, its not "global" but I hear Verizon "loans" there customers a global phone for up to a month. They even let you keep you're own number. I have not discussed this with the local Verizon sales associate but I will soon. I did "join" or "sign on with" Google's "voice" option, (it's free, I sign up for anything if it's free, it usually turns out to NOT be free, ie Free Credit Report.com, it's $15.00 a month). I told them they can take there credit report and shove it, well, you know. The power pack's used for charging on the cell and powering the lap top, are actually made to handle "our" voltage, 110 and France's (Europe's) voltage 220. So, Oi La La to that!
The other and last item I purchased from Rick, (excuse me if I call him Steve once in a while, I hate names that are two first names, never trusted them), is a "Hidden Pocket". This is similar to a "money belt" but you find a comfortable spot hanging inside your pants, with a sewn on "loop" which loops to you're belt. It comes with two loops, one id black and the other is khaki, to closer match the color pants you are wearing. That Rick, he thinks of everything. The only thing he does not tell you is how do you access your "hidden pocket" without unbuckling and droppin'. But I guess that's no different than having a money belt. Any way you look at them, there a pain in the ass. I really can't walk around Europe with my wallet in my back pocket? It is like the main "warning" which re appears in almost every travel book. Is it like a regional thing? WE don't have any problems with wallets in the back pocket over here... but you better watch out for the guy's with the guns.
I opened the box and sure enough, there was the suitcase. 21" of empty space to fill with 8 days worth of various clothing (and a pair of flip flops). "How", do you say "can you possibly live out of a 21" roll aboard for over a week"? Well, according to Rick (Steves) (my Dali lama of travel tips) you find a launder matte or there's always the sink (on hit "list of things to pack" is actually a line that says "cloths line". I don't think I will waste any space on the clothes line, I will search out a local launder matte. I will have to learn the french word for launder matte, it probably isn't called a launder matte at all. I'll get back to you on that. I wonder if the launder mattes have a "international" symbol similar to the green neon cross which represents a "pharmaceutique" not to be confused with a "tabac" or a similar sounding name which is where one can purchase just about anything an American tourist in Paris could need. At least that's what Rick says. (I think I read that in Rick's book, it might have been one of the other dozen or so travel guides I have been reading).
Why copper? Well, its a nice color, not orange but copper-ish. I figured if I ever did have to check the bag (they can make you do that whenever they want) it would be easy to identify on the retrieval belt or carousel.
Also included in the box was the two other important items I ordered from Rick. A Rick Steves, travel gear, continental adapter. After MUCH research I have determined that an adapter is all that I will need as opposed to a converter which cost a lot more than the buck (that's what it cost, really) for the adapter. The two items which need electricity I will be bringing is my laptop and a cell. Not my cell, its not "global" but I hear Verizon "loans" there customers a global phone for up to a month. They even let you keep you're own number. I have not discussed this with the local Verizon sales associate but I will soon. I did "join" or "sign on with" Google's "voice" option, (it's free, I sign up for anything if it's free, it usually turns out to NOT be free, ie Free Credit Report.com, it's $15.00 a month). I told them they can take there credit report and shove it, well, you know. The power pack's used for charging on the cell and powering the lap top, are actually made to handle "our" voltage, 110 and France's (Europe's) voltage 220. So, Oi La La to that!
The other and last item I purchased from Rick, (excuse me if I call him Steve once in a while, I hate names that are two first names, never trusted them), is a "Hidden Pocket". This is similar to a "money belt" but you find a comfortable spot hanging inside your pants, with a sewn on "loop" which loops to you're belt. It comes with two loops, one id black and the other is khaki, to closer match the color pants you are wearing. That Rick, he thinks of everything. The only thing he does not tell you is how do you access your "hidden pocket" without unbuckling and droppin'. But I guess that's no different than having a money belt. Any way you look at them, there a pain in the ass. I really can't walk around Europe with my wallet in my back pocket? It is like the main "warning" which re appears in almost every travel book. Is it like a regional thing? WE don't have any problems with wallets in the back pocket over here... but you better watch out for the guy's with the guns.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Just waiting...
My trip to Paris starts in a few weeks. I am patiently waiting, enjoying the summer. I have made the important arrangements and am planning the rest of my trip. I have listed many things to do which, depending on time and budget, I hope to accomplish most.
I hope to keep this blog up to date as I gain experiences and information while in Paris.
I hope you enjoy it.
I hope to keep this blog up to date as I gain experiences and information while in Paris.
I hope you enjoy it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)