http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/-le-de-France/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , France , le de France en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:44:39 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:44:39 UTC GreetingsAs suggested in my last post Paris has been keeping me plenty busy with WAY TOO MUCH WORK. I've written a paper pretty much every night then woken up at 630 the next day to start all over again. On top of that I got my titre de sejour AT LAST today which allows me to stay in Paris for the rest of the year and officially declares me a resident of Paris And sure while I have 3 p http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-351250.html To many I may be a tourist but to me I'm more of a traveler. The differences at times may be subtle and both may share similar footsteps but there is a pure and rich distinction. Throughout this trip We have traveled and done so on our own terms. We have avoided the crowds and set our own destinations. England with it's hosts of free museums and political monuments it was easy to fall into the tr http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-351056.html Visited again Musee Picasso Musee d'Orsay and Centre Pompidou. Walking through the narrow streets of the Marais was almost as much fun as visiting the Picasso. Once at the Picasso was again impressed by his productivity and playfulness. While at the d'Orsay it was pointed out to me that sculptures I thought were done by Degas were actually done by Renoir. I responded with a Gallic shrug. La http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350623.html Okay today was the last day in Paris for the three of us we have been pushing hard and it showed today. But today was Louvre day and so we pushed on. Let me say if you are a complete lover of the Louvre you might want to stop right here. I am going to make some very personal observations based on my opinion mostly as an architect. We are trained to critique our college's work and so it is diff http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350445.html Forgive me as I close out Paris by quoting Noel Coward an EnglishmanI went to a marvelous partyWith Nounou and Nada and NellIt was in the fresh airAnd we went as we wereAnd we stayed as we wereWhich was Hell.Poor Grace started singing at midnightAnd didn't stop singing till fourWe knew the excitement was bound to beginWhen Laura got blind on Dubonnet and ginAnd scratched her veneer with a Cart http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350428.html Mark you calendars everyone It was the first day that I did not wake up to the screams of bratty children in the morning Honestly throughout my entire trip I have woken up and gone to bed to people crying and screaming and yelling...I've had about enough. That's 92 long days and nights of shrieks squeals squawks and high pitched noises that don't even have names. Seriously how can chil http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350379.html Hello helloI hope that everyone back home is doing well. I have mentioned before that I am working at UNESCO but I have not really gone into detail some of the things that I am doing. I was originally hired to edit documents that had been written in French and translated into English. However I am doing so much more than that. My first lsquoassignmentrsquo was to edit a document regardin http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350370.html It's hard to believe that I'll be home soon. In just two weeks I'm done with classes then I have a week of finals and on the 20th I'm on a plane on my way back home. I'm excited to see everyone but at the same time I've really enjoyed my stay here and it's going to be hard to say goodbye It was wonderful having Dad here for the week of Thanksgiving. I picked him up on Monday from there airport http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350343.html Mon deuxime voyage Paris. http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350258.html Just a quickie follow up after our evening fun. What a joy to spend time with these two men. We had a lovely dinner and braved the cold and rain to view the Eiffel Tower lights... to no avail... we missed them. But along the way we saw Notre Dame and the lovely bridge lights all of which cannot help but warm your heart in spite of the cold weather. This is truly a city of joy that resides within i http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350094.html So its been a while since a real blog post so here's one to make up for it. Since you heard from us last we were leaving Bern for Paris. We made our way by train on Thursday and got into Paris in the afternoon headed to our hostel then to try and find something to eat. Lets say we were spoiled in Italy. Most restaurants here are open 123 then close until 7 for dinner. So our first meal in P http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350025.html Irsquom a bit tired but canrsquot seem to sleep. Itrsquos around 2pm over here and already this morning I found three things to do I was so happy and thought that that would fill my day but after seeing the last of the 3 I came back to the hotel to try and take a nap. Meaning I still have another 8 hours or so before I call it a day. What to do Irsquom on a super tight budget so I r http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-350004.html I am beating Kenneth to the punch today. We are back from our day out before we go to dinner so I am capatilizing on the opportunity. We were all late risers this morning so we didn't stumble into the streets of Paris until almost 1 PM tres parisienne of us. We had coffee at our notice the term cafe and then journeyed by metro to the Arc de Triumph. The question of the day what would they http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349999.html On Friday I went on our secondtolast architecture tour. It was freezing and I forgot my scarf but it was pretty cool. We are on the modern art and art deco time period so we walked around the 7th to see everything that was built up around the turn of the century. I must say I am more of a fan of art deco than modern art. The architects were so creative and the buildings are so much more inte http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349990.html It is day two of our adventure actually day three but last night Kenneth needed to blog and I didn't bring my own computer so I am up this morning blogging before we start day three officially. Yesterday was glorious not becuase of the weather though it broke towards the end of the afternoon and we saw sunshine but because we had a wonderful time exploring. Up and off to have coffee at Cafe F http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349866.html Georges Seurat the leading force behind neoimpressionist painting died in Paris in 1891 at the age of 32. The cause of his death is in dispute but it's likely to have been diphtheria.His final major work Cirque remained unfinished. It hangs today in the Musee d'Orsay in Paris quite possibly the most beautiful and emotionally moving art museum ever built.Actually built is a bit misleading http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349824.html Today I was in the Petit Palais looking at their new exhibit and I realized something. The featured photographer was Demarchelier...as in that part in the Devil Wears Prada when the psycho boss calls out Get me Demarchelier Yeah that's him It was a cool exhibit. Instead of putting the photographs all by themselves they were mixed in with the permanent collection. There would be a beautiful http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349724.html So it doesnrsquot even matter what happened first thing in the morning cept for the fact that I was feed for free because once I made it to the Louvre and saw the glass pyramid outside everything stopped. It was amazing. It was breath taking. Hardly ever am I the person who stops and lsquoawwwsrsquo at buildings and the such but this .. wow I canrsquot even describe it. In fact I d http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349723.html Or how Paris stole my heart when I didn't see it comin'.Oh Paris you sly coquette. Take me. I'm yours.I know. It took years just to get me across your threshold. Or border. Same difference.But did you let that stop you No. Of course not. You're a lady who knows what she wants and you wanted my undying affection. Demanded it really. Called to me from across the Atlantic with your Edith Piaf http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349671.html I caught a plane from Zagreb to Paris on Nov. 17th. I arrived in Paris two hours later. I had about thirty minutes to get through immigration and customs find the B line of the RER one of Paris' train systems they have many most go underground as well as above ground so it is hard to call it a subway and there is one specifically called the metro...but I wasn't looking for that one get off a http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Versailles/blog-349620.html okie here are more pictures http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349462.html I get up pretty early and am happy to see Paula up so I give her a hug and wish her well HyoJin was sweet and sent me and Susan off this morning. I took the same train with Susan and was super grateful on many levels for that. Not only is Susan an great person to be around but she also knows more French then me so when it was time to buy the train the ticket she handled mine 100 Merci She http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349430.html Well it is the end of the first day. We have soldiered through all day without even a nap and everyone but me is sleeping away. We had a great trip over the country and then over the pond without a hitch. We arrived to a very cold and cloudy day but we didn't let that deter us. We went out and had coffee and lunch. Grabbed a shower and went out to see the Place de Veaux and Notre Dame and finish http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349418.html ... dog poop mostly from what I can tell. Granted I'm not out now that the sun's fully down to see how it lives up to the City of Lights moniker. But honestly even if the whole place shone brighter than the noon sun after dusk the dog poop thing would still give it a run for the money.Not that I'm complaining. Yet. Actually I'm loving the trip so far. It was supes easy getting over here and we http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349390.html hope this worksmore to come later http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349320.html Although it is still Nov 26 to me in Paris it is Nov 27 Thanksgiving in the states.The plane landed on time but dropped us on the tarmack way out in CDG. We had to carry all our luggage down the stairs to the surface. This wasn't so awful for me but there were many families who were travelling with children. They had maxed out their carryon allotments. They then packed us into buses from http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349140.html After months of anticipation and planning the day arrived. I took Georgia to Peggi's as planned but forgot the instructions for taking care of her. I had to go home turn on the printer and the laptop and print them out as well as check the bus stop location for the 194 to SeaTac Airport.All went well after that. I left early so the Thanksgiving traffic would not have me stressed. I arrived http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349137.html Enjoyed concert last night at L'Eglise de la Madeleine. The program was composed of classical blockbusters. Church is unusual in that it is built in classical style and not in the more familiar Gothic style. Acoustics surprisingly were good despite the sanctuary being cavernous. Returned to the apartment via the Metro. Out early this morning to get copy of IHT International Herald Tribune a http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349098.html Visited the Louvre to see lsquothatrsquo painting. We had heard about horrendous waiting and queues to get into the Louvre. Apparently anything up to 2 hrs to get in and get a ticket and almost the same again to see the Mona Lisa. We arrived entered through the glass pyramid purchased tickets and were standing in front of DaVincisrsquo bit of work within 10 minutes. Everyone kept saying http://www.travelblog.org//Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-349091.html