Holidays in Paris

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Another holiday season has come and gone. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and Happy New Year to everyone! Even though I was not able to spend the holiday season with my family, I was able to make is special.

My friend Emilie, who I work with at UNESCO, is from Canada and did not go home for the holidays either. Additionally, her high school friend Kieran, who currently lives in Ireland, decided to come to Paris to spend the holidays. On Christmas eve, the three of us decided to go shopping for stocking stuffers for eachother. Then we came to my house and had a xmas eve dinner of guacamole, hummus, salsa and bread. We wrapped our presents, watched Elf and had a sleep over. The next morning we started the day with Champagne and orange juice and opening presents. Meanwhile we watched White Christmas in the back ground.

For dinner that night we had decided to make pear/pecan stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables and a main course for each of us. Kieran is vegan so her and Emilie had a tofu mushroom pilaf and I decided that have a little roast quail. It was all delicious.

New Years Eve was sort of similar. The girls came over and we made some appies, drank Kir Royals (Champagne and Cassis) and watched countdown stuff on the tele. We decided at 11 pm to head to Champs Elysses to see the fireworks. Thierry refused to join us saying that is was not worth it. I think I have to side with him. The metro and streets were packed with people and the whole thing lacked the climactic count down. There was about 5 fireworks that were set off and that was it. Kieran was physically violated by a member of the crowd, but we moved to a better location so that it would not happen again. We did bring some champers and plastic cups with us and still made it fun.

So one thing that I have been doing more in the last little while is biking around town. There is a great bike system here called the Velib. We sent for a card a long time ago and finally got it a couple of weeks ago. I think I am the only person in Paris who wears a bike helmet when I ride, but I don’t care. I actually got laughed at the other day, lol. It feels so neat though to be able to ride around and not get too incredibly lost.

The first day I took the Velib out, I decided that I was going to try and make my way to Museum D’Orsay, but I didn’t want to look at a map at first and see if I could figure it out. As it turned out, I sort of went in the right direction, but not really. I did, however, find a great flea market.

Another thing about the Velib, you get the first ½ hour free and then it is a euro for every hour or so after that. So my plan was to bike around for ½ hour, return the bike, wait five minutes, and then go again. (There are Velib stations everywhere). As it turns out, I didn’t look at my watch when I returned the bike at it had been 45 minutes since I took it and I need to put credit on the card of at least a euro to use it again. Unfortunately, it only accepts payment from the credit cards with chips in them, and mine does not have that. So I had lost the bike. I was only about 10 blocks from the flea market I had seen, so I decided to head back there and check it out.

Now the area of Paris this was in was the northern part of the 18th District. This is a very ethnic part of town. And I have mentioned my encounter with Arabs before (I apologize for my gross over generalization - I do have non creepy, non smelling Arab friends too), but this one almost takes the cake (I say almost because I am still giving credit to the guy who outright asked me for sex). I was walking towards the market and there was this guy who was kind of following me. After about 6 blocks, I made a mistake and made eye contact - first rule - do not make eye contact - it is an invitation to speak to you. So, then he followed closer for another block and started chatting me up. I was unsure what to do at first, do I tell him to get lost or tolerate for a bit and see it as an opportunity to practice my French. Considering my French is still terrible, I can’t really pass up chances to practice, so I tolerated him. At one point while we were walking he tried to hold my hand, but he did not get very far. At one point I looked and him and put my hands out “Mon espace, mon espace.” When at the market I was looking at various things. I did need to buy a new wallet because the zipper on mine had broken. I found a nice one that I liked and it was only 6 euros, so I decided to get it. Then weird guy starts going no, no, I will buy it for you. I looked at him funny and said no, it was fine, I had my own money, but he insisted. We argued for about a minute more and I decided if he was dumb enough to buy me a wallet, he could. I didn’t want to try and buy anything else, for fear of perhaps owing him anything. After we walked around the market, I decided that is was time for him to stop following me. He asked me for my phone number, but I don’t particularly like dating creepy smelly guys, so I told him no. It was a very odd encounter, but I got a wallet and some French practice out of it.

I have also been wandering a lot around the city, going to the odd museum. This weekend is free museum day and I think I am finally going to go to D’Orsay. I have been talking about it for a while and not gone yet. I did go to Museum de L’Orangerie the other day. It was nice, artists’ works such as Monet, Picasso, Renoir, and others. Today was gorgeous so I decided to walk to Sacre Coeur and around Montmarte. I stumbled onto an outdoor art exhibit and a few other random sites. It was quite nice. The next few weeks I am likely to be busy with work at what not. Hoping to go to Vimy Ridge in the next couple of weeks before Emilie goes back to Canada. Then I am heading to South Africa for four days at the end of the month with my roommate (so excited). Air France connections rock! After that, I am going to work, study, finish my thesis and continue looking for work. I have been applying to different jobs online. Mostly hitting the big websites, Amnesty International, the United Nations, Bill Gates Foundation, IRCR, and what not. Apparently I am on the interview waitlist for two positions with AI, but I have not heard anything since. If I don’t have anything by March, I will come back to the west coast and look for a job in public relations (plan B). Who knows what will happen.

Hope everyone had a great holiday season!
Miss you all
Leslie

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Photos

UNESCO Intern 'M' themed party
I was really creative and dressed as Mauve, lol. There was a mum, martian, moto, marshmallow man, marina...it was good times.

Hanukah parade
On the last day of Hanukah, Thierry, his friend Gerome, and myself went out for dinner that night. There was lines of cars with the the nine-branched candelabra, the Menorah on the tops of the cars. Any many cars had speakers blaring Jewish music. The whole event really made me think of Camille, Happy Hanukah babe!

Jewish parade
You can't really see if from the picutre, but there are tonned of cars with candelabras on their roofs.

My dinner at the oldest restaurant in Paris.
It was really tasty

The oldest restaurant in Paris
I have been sworn to secrecy about this place. If you come and visit me, I will take you there, but that is all I can promise. The food was great, prices good a great atmosphere.

Saint Bernard Church
Stumbled upon it one day as I was wondering around the city.