Date: October 11th, 2009
Distance: 56km
Country: France
Song of the Day: Here - VAST
Today I got up and and went to Church. I could have probably used the time for other things, like sleeping or leaving sooner (which did become a problem later on). But attending the service today felt good. Connecting with other people of faith. This trip is not just a physical journey. It is mental journey as well. What do I do with my life now? The possibilities are neigh onto endless (I have given up on being Pope though.) I just need to decide what I want. What do I want to do? Doctor? Lawyer? Engineer? Who do I want to spend my life with? Where do I want to live. For most of these I really don't have a good answer. So a little divine assistance couldn't hurt. Anyway, enough spirituality.
After that I went back to meet up with Alexandra and Zaheer. I even took them out to lunch, which was only fair. I had been staying with them (and eating their food) for the better part of a week. So I was glad to repay them somehow. Also, I finally got to sit out at a cafe in Paris. (As a bonus, there wasn't anyone smoking around.) Then we took a walk around the 3rd (arrondissement). Zaheer and Alexandra are looking for a new place. But because of their work schedules they can only see them after dark. So they wanted to get a peek in daylight. We walked over to the canal en-route to two places they were going to see later. Paris is a pretty city. A lot of the architecture is just wonderful.
Back at their place, I got packed up and said goodbye. To Alexandra and Zaheer, you guys were wonderful. Thank you so much.
By this time it was about 5:00 though. So I didn't know how far out of town I was going to make it. I thought with the new GPS unit it would be easy. I must remember that it takes a long time getting into and out of cities. Even if you have good directions (which I did) there are still traffic and lights to deal with. I was also fighting with the GPS for a bit. At first it thought I was a car. So it kept trying to push me onto the freeway. I finally got that sorted out, but now it thought I was a bicycle scared of cars. So it was now leading me on crazy routes avoiding any high traffic (direct) routes.
By the time I got this all figured out, it was dark and I knew I wasn't going to get to my campsite that night. I stopped at another McDonalds to try and locate another one. There was one 20km away, another hour or more in the dark. I decided to head out. It was raining lightly when I left. Half an hour later it was just pouring. I pulled off the highway onto some unused trail. I could tell it was unused even in the dark because I ran through a patch of nettles (ouch). So I just pitched the tent in the woods (not in a patch of nettles) to get out of the rain.
-Dravis
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Paris - Day 53
Date: October 10th, 2009
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Glory Box - Portishead
Today started out with me running errands. I did stop by Notre Dame again. This time I figured out that you could just go in the big front doors. So I did. Wow, what a place. When you walk in you can see and smell hundreds of years of incense soaked into the walls. Plus the stained glass is gorgeous. I would also recommend walking around and looking at the little chaples. This is where you can see some of the wall paintings. This was lost in most of the english churches because of the reformation.
After that, I went over and a got a European map for my GPS unit. That should be very helpful. Right after I put the map in, my GPS wouldn't turn on. I was a little worried that I had just paid for a map right as my GPS died. But it just needed a couple of new batteries. I also picked up my camera adapter. So I will be posting pictures again.
After that I met back up with Zaheer. He had a plan for the evening. First we met up with some friends. Mark, who I had met my first night, and his girlfriend were there. Two of her friends showed up a bit later. We went to a place for a nice, if a bit pricey, dinner. I guess the place was known for its steaks. The menu said they came from Wichita Kansas though. Seemed a bit silly to travel 8000 miles only to get a steak for Kansas. Instead I had boeuf bourguignon. (I admit this beef might have also been from Kansas). It was good, but just like beef strew my grandmother used to make. I was expecting something a little more.. French?
Then we went over to a club called the Showcase. I was wearing my convertible shorts when I walked up. The bouncer told me I couldn't get in because of them. Fortunately I had brought the legs along. So I just zipped them on. The bouncer was just dumbstruck, so I got in. Zaheer and Mark were quite impressed. I think it made their night.
The place itself was pretty cool. It is actually under Pont Alexandre III, a bridge over the Seine. (Not under water, though. Just about level with the river.) It was done up pretty well too. But they were charging 12 euro for a drink. Egads. I know people buy them to impress everyone with the money they are wasting. "Look how cool I am. I just spent way to much for a drink." Lame. I just wish I could get a discount for not wanting to impress anyone.
One of Zaheer's friends was playing in a band called Minnie Moskowitz. They had a pretty interesting lineup. Four girls for lead singer, bass, keyboard and flute. The only guy in the band was their drummer. All in all, not bad. I still didn't think they quite "hit" it, if that makes sense. Then again, it could have just been the accoustics in the place.
Sadly, Zaheer and I had to leave early (just after midnight, if you call that early). Alexandra was just had gotten back to town and would need keys to the apartment. So we headed back. I did a bit of laundry and after Alexandra got in, then called it a night.
-Dravis
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Glory Box - Portishead
Today started out with me running errands. I did stop by Notre Dame again. This time I figured out that you could just go in the big front doors. So I did. Wow, what a place. When you walk in you can see and smell hundreds of years of incense soaked into the walls. Plus the stained glass is gorgeous. I would also recommend walking around and looking at the little chaples. This is where you can see some of the wall paintings. This was lost in most of the english churches because of the reformation.
After that, I went over and a got a European map for my GPS unit. That should be very helpful. Right after I put the map in, my GPS wouldn't turn on. I was a little worried that I had just paid for a map right as my GPS died. But it just needed a couple of new batteries. I also picked up my camera adapter. So I will be posting pictures again.
After that I met back up with Zaheer. He had a plan for the evening. First we met up with some friends. Mark, who I had met my first night, and his girlfriend were there. Two of her friends showed up a bit later. We went to a place for a nice, if a bit pricey, dinner. I guess the place was known for its steaks. The menu said they came from Wichita Kansas though. Seemed a bit silly to travel 8000 miles only to get a steak for Kansas. Instead I had boeuf bourguignon. (I admit this beef might have also been from Kansas). It was good, but just like beef strew my grandmother used to make. I was expecting something a little more.. French?
Then we went over to a club called the Showcase. I was wearing my convertible shorts when I walked up. The bouncer told me I couldn't get in because of them. Fortunately I had brought the legs along. So I just zipped them on. The bouncer was just dumbstruck, so I got in. Zaheer and Mark were quite impressed. I think it made their night.
The place itself was pretty cool. It is actually under Pont Alexandre III, a bridge over the Seine. (Not under water, though. Just about level with the river.) It was done up pretty well too. But they were charging 12 euro for a drink. Egads. I know people buy them to impress everyone with the money they are wasting. "Look how cool I am. I just spent way to much for a drink." Lame. I just wish I could get a discount for not wanting to impress anyone.
One of Zaheer's friends was playing in a band called Minnie Moskowitz. They had a pretty interesting lineup. Four girls for lead singer, bass, keyboard and flute. The only guy in the band was their drummer. All in all, not bad. I still didn't think they quite "hit" it, if that makes sense. Then again, it could have just been the accoustics in the place.
Sadly, Zaheer and I had to leave early (just after midnight, if you call that early). Alexandra was just had gotten back to town and would need keys to the apartment. So we headed back. I did a bit of laundry and after Alexandra got in, then called it a night.
-Dravis
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Museum Funnies or Fine Art with Captions
Well, I told you when I got the cable I would post some pictures. These are a couple of things from the Louvre or the d'Orsay that I thought were funny with the right caption. Hope you like them.
-Dravis
"I am going to call this gladiator Blazer."
"Pardon me old boy, I seem to have lost a pair of knives..." (I like the ennui of the guy on the Left.)
"Oops, dearie. You need a bit of an adjustment. Let me get that for you."
"Yeah, I just got the new III-G version of the iScroll.
-Dravis
"I am going to call this gladiator Blazer."
"Pardon me old boy, I seem to have lost a pair of knives..." (I like the ennui of the guy on the Left.)
"Oops, dearie. You need a bit of an adjustment. Let me get that for you."
"Yeah, I just got the new III-G version of the iScroll.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Paris - Day 52
Date: October 9th, 2009
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse - Minus the Bear (Yeah, this one is all about being in Paris. Just great to have stuck in your head all day.)
Today I did more tourist stuff in Paris. Let me begin by explaining that Paris just has a way of sucking money out of you. It does it in quite subtle ways though. Unlike Las Vegas, which seems more like a leech, Paris is more like a mosquito. You don't really notice how much you have spent until later. Then it starts to itch. You think, damn where did all that money go.
So first, I tell you don't forget to haggle. If there is no price listed, then it isn't set in stone. Bargain with the proprietor of the shop. Even if he says no, there is always another one. Plus walking out is a good tactic. Then again, I haven't taken my own advice much, but I really think I should have. So I itch to go back and haggle with over a couple of purchases.
Second, if there is a price marked, don't be afraid to walk away if it is too much. There are cheap places to get stuff if you know where to look. Supermarkets, which are a little more rare than the little bodegas, are much less expensive. Look around for them, and keep in mind where they are.
Finally, this is Paris. Some things are just going to be expensive. Just remember that spending too much is all part of the fun. If you do, I would suggest you make it worth your while. Sit out at a cafe. (Avoid the smokers who now also crowd outside though.) Or eat an expensive croissant while walking along the Seine. Remember to experience the shit out of whatever you are doing. If you are going to pay Paris prices, enjoy it with Paris enthusiasm.
So today I went to the Notre Dame cathedral. Lacking a hump, I didn't actually venture up into the bell tower though. I did go into the crypt nearby. Really it is just an ancient section of the city that was unearthed. Plus it covers early roman to the romantic periods of the city's history. Plus somehow I got to get in for free. Yay.
From there I went to the Musée d'Orsay. They have a collection of more modern art than the Louvre. Still, very cool. I still like the more realistic styles, but the more impressionist stuff was cool. I like Monet, but I was amazed that Pissarro did seem to look much brighter in a lot of ways. Also, Sisley was good. I guess I don't see why Monet is the only one who is widely known. For the Post-impressionists, I did like the work of Luce. Though I still don't really care for Van Gogh, it was clear from the collection there that he was an amazing artist. See, this is what happens. You go to Paris, and find that you actually have opinions about art.
I think my favorite work from the d'Orsay was a painting called Le Rêve,
from Édouard Detaille. It was the only one of his they had, but I couldn't stop staring at it. (Matt's First Principle on Art is: Good art is something that is always interesting to look at.) I really suggest that you follow the link and have a look yourself.
After that I headed over to the Musée Rodin museum. The museum has Rodin's "The Thinker" and other sculptures. After being accused of just copying a human, in "The Age of Bronze" sculpture, he seems to have gone the other way. After that his works have done for sculpture what the impressionists did for painting. His later works don't have the realism of a Michaelangelo, but they convey the same feeling. Basically, looking past the reality to see the emotion behind it. Cool stuff.
From there it was down the road to the Eiffel Tower. Yeah, I know it is touristy, buy what the hell. Plus, the tower itself is a great piece of engineering, and I love that. You don't realize how thin it really looks until you are actually up in it. Plus it has a grate view of the city. I guess it was supposed to cost €14 to get up to the top. Somehow I did it in two sections, one ticket to get to the second terrace for €3.50, and another to get to the top for €5.00. Man I love saving money.
From there I got caught for a bit in another rainstorm. There was one crash of thunder, but that was it. Because I was so close to the tower I was hoping to see some strikes. But alas, it was only the one thunderclap. I ended up taking shelter in the American Cathedral in Paris. I guess they were having a big dinner there. The Dean was out there welcoming people to shelter out of the rain though. I appreciated that, and will try to get back for a service on Sunday.
After the rain had abated a bit, I went over to the Sony store to pick up my camera adapter. They were closed though. So I headed back to the flat to meet up with Zaheer. We went out for Pizza and then a glass of wine while talking about life, religion, history, and politics. He is a great guy to talk to. Or maybe (if it doesn't sound too egotistical) he reminds me of me. Too smart to accept the party line, but not too jaded to enjoy life, and hopeful enough to know that whatever happens will be great.
-Dravis
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse - Minus the Bear (Yeah, this one is all about being in Paris. Just great to have stuck in your head all day.)
Today I did more tourist stuff in Paris. Let me begin by explaining that Paris just has a way of sucking money out of you. It does it in quite subtle ways though. Unlike Las Vegas, which seems more like a leech, Paris is more like a mosquito. You don't really notice how much you have spent until later. Then it starts to itch. You think, damn where did all that money go.
So first, I tell you don't forget to haggle. If there is no price listed, then it isn't set in stone. Bargain with the proprietor of the shop. Even if he says no, there is always another one. Plus walking out is a good tactic. Then again, I haven't taken my own advice much, but I really think I should have. So I itch to go back and haggle with over a couple of purchases.
Second, if there is a price marked, don't be afraid to walk away if it is too much. There are cheap places to get stuff if you know where to look. Supermarkets, which are a little more rare than the little bodegas, are much less expensive. Look around for them, and keep in mind where they are.
Finally, this is Paris. Some things are just going to be expensive. Just remember that spending too much is all part of the fun. If you do, I would suggest you make it worth your while. Sit out at a cafe. (Avoid the smokers who now also crowd outside though.) Or eat an expensive croissant while walking along the Seine. Remember to experience the shit out of whatever you are doing. If you are going to pay Paris prices, enjoy it with Paris enthusiasm.
So today I went to the Notre Dame cathedral. Lacking a hump, I didn't actually venture up into the bell tower though. I did go into the crypt nearby. Really it is just an ancient section of the city that was unearthed. Plus it covers early roman to the romantic periods of the city's history. Plus somehow I got to get in for free. Yay.
From there I went to the Musée d'Orsay. They have a collection of more modern art than the Louvre. Still, very cool. I still like the more realistic styles, but the more impressionist stuff was cool. I like Monet, but I was amazed that Pissarro did seem to look much brighter in a lot of ways. Also, Sisley was good. I guess I don't see why Monet is the only one who is widely known. For the Post-impressionists, I did like the work of Luce. Though I still don't really care for Van Gogh, it was clear from the collection there that he was an amazing artist. See, this is what happens. You go to Paris, and find that you actually have opinions about art.
I think my favorite work from the d'Orsay was a painting called Le Rêve,
from Édouard Detaille. It was the only one of his they had, but I couldn't stop staring at it. (Matt's First Principle on Art is: Good art is something that is always interesting to look at.) I really suggest that you follow the link and have a look yourself.After that I headed over to the Musée Rodin museum. The museum has Rodin's "The Thinker" and other sculptures. After being accused of just copying a human, in "The Age of Bronze" sculpture, he seems to have gone the other way. After that his works have done for sculpture what the impressionists did for painting. His later works don't have the realism of a Michaelangelo, but they convey the same feeling. Basically, looking past the reality to see the emotion behind it. Cool stuff.
From there it was down the road to the Eiffel Tower. Yeah, I know it is touristy, buy what the hell. Plus, the tower itself is a great piece of engineering, and I love that. You don't realize how thin it really looks until you are actually up in it. Plus it has a grate view of the city. I guess it was supposed to cost €14 to get up to the top. Somehow I did it in two sections, one ticket to get to the second terrace for €3.50, and another to get to the top for €5.00. Man I love saving money.
From there I got caught for a bit in another rainstorm. There was one crash of thunder, but that was it. Because I was so close to the tower I was hoping to see some strikes. But alas, it was only the one thunderclap. I ended up taking shelter in the American Cathedral in Paris. I guess they were having a big dinner there. The Dean was out there welcoming people to shelter out of the rain though. I appreciated that, and will try to get back for a service on Sunday.
After the rain had abated a bit, I went over to the Sony store to pick up my camera adapter. They were closed though. So I headed back to the flat to meet up with Zaheer. We went out for Pizza and then a glass of wine while talking about life, religion, history, and politics. He is a great guy to talk to. Or maybe (if it doesn't sound too egotistical) he reminds me of me. Too smart to accept the party line, but not too jaded to enjoy life, and hopeful enough to know that whatever happens will be great.
-Dravis
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Paris - Day 51
Date: October 8th, 2009
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Fists Up - The Blow
Got up today and saw Alexandra off. She is heading off to England to stay at the farm. I guess her folks are coming in. So it will be me and Zaheer here at the flat in Paris for the next couple of days.
Today my plan was to go to the Louvre. All day. So let me start of by talking about the place. It is really the Palace of the Louvre. And it is massive. Just a huge place. Frankly, it looks like the sole reason that France kept losing wars in the 17th and 18th centuries. Or another way to look at it is that it was the cause of the Revolution. You can just see Louis XVI going, "Hmmm, the peasants are mad enough. Could they be starved a bit more if we expanded that wing? Maybe add a third floor? Oh yes, they are quite pissed now."
How they got the people of France to pay for it, I will never know. It makes the recent british scandal of moat cleaning fees look like chump change. The kings must have been able to sell snow globes to eskimos. Or possibly guiotines to rioters. "Guillotines. Get your guillotines. Can't start a reign of terror without a guillotine. Robespierre, you look like you need one. I think we would both benefit from one of these babies." Marie Antoinette is there rolling her eyes, "I just have a feeling this is going to come back to bite us."
I just can't see how this would be a residence, either. Opulent yes, but how would you ever find anything? You can just image conversations "Dear, have you seen my keys?" "Have you tried the other room?" "There are three hundred rooms here. Which GOD-DAMNED ONE?" Guests would get lost and have to start eating each other to survive. I guess that is the way to impress foreign dignitaries. You can hear one of the Hapsburgs were saying, "Oh yes, the French are so powerful. My cousin went there, got lost for three months and had to eat his valet." That is just how big it is. Okay, enough silliness.
Once you are inside, it is just as amazing. Because they have filled that huge palace with fabulous works of art. Trying to see it all is like trying to drink culture from a fire hose. You find some masterwork and want to take it all in. Really you should just spend 20 minutes or so looking at it. But there is another masterwork right next to it. So you keep going. It was actually helpful that all the information about the paintings was in french. I could get the artist and possibly the name of the picture. But I really didn't spend much time reading the history of the painting. Just looking at the paintings and sculptures.
For the paintings I really liked Pierre Patel and Pannini. Both of whom seem to share my passion for ruins. Auguste Biard is good, and Canaletto. I also enjoyed Salvator Rosa and François-Joseph Navez. Plus some of the Dutch masters were good. I could go on for a while, but you get the point.
And yes I did see the Mona Lisa. It actually wasn't all that fun to see. Everyone was held pretty far back so you didn't get a great look. It wasn't as small as everyone had made it out to be. Then again it was sitting across from a huge painting by Veronese. The painting is something like you could commission to cover up a huge hole in the wall if you had accidentally fired off your new cannon inside the villa and your wife was coming back. "Veronese, yeah, this is Giorgio. Got a little problem. The misses will be back next week and I have a 14 foot hole in the wall. Can you make somethign that will cover that?" So back to my original point, the Mona Lisa may just look smaller in comparison.
Actually, there are four other Da Vincis in the Great Gallery. Much more fun to look at, in that you can actually get close. Look at the find detail, then step back again. Much better. Plus you aren't as mobbed by tourists.
The place was packed with people by the way. I don't know if there really is an off season here. So be prepared for crouds. For some reason people try to get a picture of everything they see. I don't understand it. No one wants to see your out of focus pictures of a Rembrandt. If you like an artist, get a book of their work. Also, taking a pictures of your wife in front of a fuzzy blob that might be a Botticelli will also get old.
Now, I will admit that I did break this rule on a few occasions. When I get my adapter I will try and post them. A couple of paintings, I felt, needed a caption. So I will post those tomorrow or something and see what you think.
Let me tell you, it does make for a hell of a day. It really was an all day museum affair. There were teenagers at the end of the day looking more bored and tired than during a lecture on participles. For those with young kids, under 12, leave them at home. For anyone with older kids, or who wasn't determined to go the whole day the Louvre, just do half a day. Pick what you want to see, then go elsewhere. If you really want to, you can come back on another day. For me, by the end my feet were hurting and I was pretty tired.
I ended up back at the Flat with some Chinese food and did some good sitting.
-Dravis
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Fists Up - The Blow
Got up today and saw Alexandra off. She is heading off to England to stay at the farm. I guess her folks are coming in. So it will be me and Zaheer here at the flat in Paris for the next couple of days.
Today my plan was to go to the Louvre. All day. So let me start of by talking about the place. It is really the Palace of the Louvre. And it is massive. Just a huge place. Frankly, it looks like the sole reason that France kept losing wars in the 17th and 18th centuries. Or another way to look at it is that it was the cause of the Revolution. You can just see Louis XVI going, "Hmmm, the peasants are mad enough. Could they be starved a bit more if we expanded that wing? Maybe add a third floor? Oh yes, they are quite pissed now."
How they got the people of France to pay for it, I will never know. It makes the recent british scandal of moat cleaning fees look like chump change. The kings must have been able to sell snow globes to eskimos. Or possibly guiotines to rioters. "Guillotines. Get your guillotines. Can't start a reign of terror without a guillotine. Robespierre, you look like you need one. I think we would both benefit from one of these babies." Marie Antoinette is there rolling her eyes, "I just have a feeling this is going to come back to bite us."
I just can't see how this would be a residence, either. Opulent yes, but how would you ever find anything? You can just image conversations "Dear, have you seen my keys?" "Have you tried the other room?" "There are three hundred rooms here. Which GOD-DAMNED ONE?" Guests would get lost and have to start eating each other to survive. I guess that is the way to impress foreign dignitaries. You can hear one of the Hapsburgs were saying, "Oh yes, the French are so powerful. My cousin went there, got lost for three months and had to eat his valet." That is just how big it is. Okay, enough silliness.
Once you are inside, it is just as amazing. Because they have filled that huge palace with fabulous works of art. Trying to see it all is like trying to drink culture from a fire hose. You find some masterwork and want to take it all in. Really you should just spend 20 minutes or so looking at it. But there is another masterwork right next to it. So you keep going. It was actually helpful that all the information about the paintings was in french. I could get the artist and possibly the name of the picture. But I really didn't spend much time reading the history of the painting. Just looking at the paintings and sculptures.
For the paintings I really liked Pierre Patel and Pannini. Both of whom seem to share my passion for ruins. Auguste Biard is good, and Canaletto. I also enjoyed Salvator Rosa and François-Joseph Navez. Plus some of the Dutch masters were good. I could go on for a while, but you get the point.
And yes I did see the Mona Lisa. It actually wasn't all that fun to see. Everyone was held pretty far back so you didn't get a great look. It wasn't as small as everyone had made it out to be. Then again it was sitting across from a huge painting by Veronese. The painting is something like you could commission to cover up a huge hole in the wall if you had accidentally fired off your new cannon inside the villa and your wife was coming back. "Veronese, yeah, this is Giorgio. Got a little problem. The misses will be back next week and I have a 14 foot hole in the wall. Can you make somethign that will cover that?" So back to my original point, the Mona Lisa may just look smaller in comparison.
Actually, there are four other Da Vincis in the Great Gallery. Much more fun to look at, in that you can actually get close. Look at the find detail, then step back again. Much better. Plus you aren't as mobbed by tourists.
The place was packed with people by the way. I don't know if there really is an off season here. So be prepared for crouds. For some reason people try to get a picture of everything they see. I don't understand it. No one wants to see your out of focus pictures of a Rembrandt. If you like an artist, get a book of their work. Also, taking a pictures of your wife in front of a fuzzy blob that might be a Botticelli will also get old.
Now, I will admit that I did break this rule on a few occasions. When I get my adapter I will try and post them. A couple of paintings, I felt, needed a caption. So I will post those tomorrow or something and see what you think.
Let me tell you, it does make for a hell of a day. It really was an all day museum affair. There were teenagers at the end of the day looking more bored and tired than during a lecture on participles. For those with young kids, under 12, leave them at home. For anyone with older kids, or who wasn't determined to go the whole day the Louvre, just do half a day. Pick what you want to see, then go elsewhere. If you really want to, you can come back on another day. For me, by the end my feet were hurting and I was pretty tired.
I ended up back at the Flat with some Chinese food and did some good sitting.
-Dravis
Paris - Day 50
Date: October 7th, 2009
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Sons & Daughters - The Decemberists
First morning in Paris, and I had a wonderful lazy morning. Had breakfast and talked a bit more with Alexandra. She was working 6:00 PM to 1:00 AM, so she had most of the day off.
We also went out to pick up a couple of things at the market. Paris has lots of cute little shops for a specific type of item. Like a butcher's shop or bakery. Parisians don't seem to have the huge fridges like in the US. They just pick up stuff for dinner on the way home. So living in the city would be kind of neat for getting to know the local shops. Getting fresh meat or vegatables or whenever when you needed it.
Then I went out to take a walk around the city. Taking a stroll along the Seine is well worth it. Seeing the book sellers with their little cabinets attached to the railing is cool. Plus the city is wonderful architecturally. Knowing the history, is is pretty amazing that it is still intact. There were a few different occasions where Paris was going to be bombed or blown up, but somehow escaped that fate. I guess the biggest destruction to the city came from its own planner, Baron Haussman. (Seems like Robert Moses to me...) So yeah, the city is beautiful.
I walked through the Jardin des Tuileries. Then down the Champs-Elysees.The first half is a bit like the capitol mall in Washington D.C., but with a giant thoroughfare through it. When the park ends the street is lined with really high end shops.
At the end of the Champs-Elysees is the Arc de Triomphe. It sits at the center of a giant roundabout with five or six lanes going around it. I had a hell of a time trying to figure out how to get over there. Then I realized there was a tunnel under the street. Much nicer than trying to play frogger with Parisian traffic. I guess you can go up into the Arc, but they wanted €32 for it. I was happy just to walk around the bottom and look up at it. So I can sign that one off my list.
I did go to the Sony store since I was in the neighborhood. I wanted to pick up the adapter that I had lost. They didn't have one, which I was afraid of. The were able to order it however. I guess it will be in on Friday. So I can start posting picures again. It did end up costing me €57! I wanted to roll up a newspaper and smack them while saying "No. Bad company. Bad." The guy helping me out was very nice, and it is not like it was his fault it had been designed for that stupid adapter. Plus it was my fault for loosing the damn thing. So I swallowed that bitter pill and paid them the money. Oh well, life is too short to spend too much time moaning about stuff like money.
I went back and met up with Alexandra again. She was getting ready for work but had enough time to help me out with a project. I wanted to get a zipper to help pick-pocked proof my pants. We ended up at a department store having what she called a usual Parisian customer service experience. The register upstairs was closed because the lady was going through the reciepts and could not be bothered to ring anyone up. The registers downstairs were open, but they wouldn't accept any of the stuff from upstairs. So I couldn't buy the zipper. What a way to run a store.
After that I wandered by the Bastile, and down the arches. This was a former elevated railroad bed made up of a number of brick archways. It is now a park on top and little gallery spaced underneath in the arches. That is where I got caught out in the thunderstorm. So the pouring rain was a bit annoying, but it was warm rain. So the wet just bothered me a bit. I consoled myself by watching the lightning flash over the city. (I didn't see it strike anywhere. It was just flashing up in the clouds.) I would have paid serious money to be on the Eiffel Tower for it though. Being soaking wet, watching the flashes and hearing the crash of thunder, what an experience.
I then went out to a cafe with Zaheer, Alexandra's boyfriend. He is a cool guy. We had a fun time. I ordered Boeuf Carpaccio, which is thinly sliced raw beef. I normally wouldn't have ordered raw meet, but I had a couple of reasons for doing so. First, I figured they probably wouldn't sell it if it was going to kill me. Second, I am on this trip to try new things, and this would be part of that. (Mark, this one was for you.) Finally, I want to have the toughest immune system, and what better way then to eat raw meat? So after all the explination, it was actually really tasty, and I don't seem to be any worse for the wear.
So first full day in Paris, quite pleasant.
-Dravis
Distance: None
Country: France
Song of the Day: Sons & Daughters - The Decemberists
First morning in Paris, and I had a wonderful lazy morning. Had breakfast and talked a bit more with Alexandra. She was working 6:00 PM to 1:00 AM, so she had most of the day off.
We also went out to pick up a couple of things at the market. Paris has lots of cute little shops for a specific type of item. Like a butcher's shop or bakery. Parisians don't seem to have the huge fridges like in the US. They just pick up stuff for dinner on the way home. So living in the city would be kind of neat for getting to know the local shops. Getting fresh meat or vegatables or whenever when you needed it.
Then I went out to take a walk around the city. Taking a stroll along the Seine is well worth it. Seeing the book sellers with their little cabinets attached to the railing is cool. Plus the city is wonderful architecturally. Knowing the history, is is pretty amazing that it is still intact. There were a few different occasions where Paris was going to be bombed or blown up, but somehow escaped that fate. I guess the biggest destruction to the city came from its own planner, Baron Haussman. (Seems like Robert Moses to me...) So yeah, the city is beautiful.
I walked through the Jardin des Tuileries. Then down the Champs-Elysees.The first half is a bit like the capitol mall in Washington D.C., but with a giant thoroughfare through it. When the park ends the street is lined with really high end shops.
At the end of the Champs-Elysees is the Arc de Triomphe. It sits at the center of a giant roundabout with five or six lanes going around it. I had a hell of a time trying to figure out how to get over there. Then I realized there was a tunnel under the street. Much nicer than trying to play frogger with Parisian traffic. I guess you can go up into the Arc, but they wanted €32 for it. I was happy just to walk around the bottom and look up at it. So I can sign that one off my list.
I did go to the Sony store since I was in the neighborhood. I wanted to pick up the adapter that I had lost. They didn't have one, which I was afraid of. The were able to order it however. I guess it will be in on Friday. So I can start posting picures again. It did end up costing me €57! I wanted to roll up a newspaper and smack them while saying "No. Bad company. Bad." The guy helping me out was very nice, and it is not like it was his fault it had been designed for that stupid adapter. Plus it was my fault for loosing the damn thing. So I swallowed that bitter pill and paid them the money. Oh well, life is too short to spend too much time moaning about stuff like money.
I went back and met up with Alexandra again. She was getting ready for work but had enough time to help me out with a project. I wanted to get a zipper to help pick-pocked proof my pants. We ended up at a department store having what she called a usual Parisian customer service experience. The register upstairs was closed because the lady was going through the reciepts and could not be bothered to ring anyone up. The registers downstairs were open, but they wouldn't accept any of the stuff from upstairs. So I couldn't buy the zipper. What a way to run a store.
After that I wandered by the Bastile, and down the arches. This was a former elevated railroad bed made up of a number of brick archways. It is now a park on top and little gallery spaced underneath in the arches. That is where I got caught out in the thunderstorm. So the pouring rain was a bit annoying, but it was warm rain. So the wet just bothered me a bit. I consoled myself by watching the lightning flash over the city. (I didn't see it strike anywhere. It was just flashing up in the clouds.) I would have paid serious money to be on the Eiffel Tower for it though. Being soaking wet, watching the flashes and hearing the crash of thunder, what an experience.
I then went out to a cafe with Zaheer, Alexandra's boyfriend. He is a cool guy. We had a fun time. I ordered Boeuf Carpaccio, which is thinly sliced raw beef. I normally wouldn't have ordered raw meet, but I had a couple of reasons for doing so. First, I figured they probably wouldn't sell it if it was going to kill me. Second, I am on this trip to try new things, and this would be part of that. (Mark, this one was for you.) Finally, I want to have the toughest immune system, and what better way then to eat raw meat? So after all the explination, it was actually really tasty, and I don't seem to be any worse for the wear.
So first full day in Paris, quite pleasant.
-Dravis
Dreux to Paris - Day 49
Date: October 6th, 2009
Distance: 121 km
Country: France
Song of the Day: Give it All - Edentree
Well, it was another day I had intended to get up early, but woke up to rain and went back to bed. I was hoping that it would let up, but sadly, no it didn't. Instead I had to get up and pack up everything in a light rain. Thankfully it wasn't pouring. It did make everything slow. I didn't leave the campsite until almost noon.
From there the day was pretty much slow. I think cranking away at 30+ kph the night before really did my legs in. They just didn't have it today. So the miles of road slowly oozed by.
I did get in touch with my second cousin Alexandra. She said she would be more than happy to give me a couch to stay on in Paris. At first she was worried that it wouldn't be comfortable. But seeing as I have been camping, basically any couch is an improvement. Plus it was comforting to know that I had a place to stay when I got to Paris. So in the late afternoon my pace started to pick up.
Of course there is one hill just outside of Paris that was trying to kill my and use my jellified bones as some kind of pudding. Awful. Plus I was expecting a good view of Paris from the top, but there wasn't any. It was blocked by trees or buildings. So lame. Still, it was all downhill from there. I love cruising through city streets and passing cars. Yeah.
I was trying to meet up with Alexandra at work. But my laptop died just before I could find it. So I had to do a little more wandering than I wanted to. When I got there, I couldn't figure out how to get in touch with her. The office was closed. The phone number I had wasn't working. I ended up talking with one of the security guards, and he finally got was I was trying to say. He found one of Alexandra's co-workers who helped me get in touch with her.
It turns out she had left and gone to have dinner with some friends nearby. So I show up after more than a hundred kilometers on the road to a nice little dinner party. Thankfully my hosts were more than happy to let me have a shower. To Laura and Brennan, thank you so much.
After that I started talking with Alexandra, who I have never met. So I was telling her about my life and what I was doing. Mostly about the bike trip, where I had been, where I was going, and so forth.
By that point dinner was being served. Laura and Braden had made pasta. Like, they had actually made the pasta. Then served it all up with a Bolognaise sauce. Mmmmmm, so good. I had a couple of helpings of that. Then we all played Scrabble. Frankly, I am terrible at that game. Still it was a great evening. Again a big thanks to Laura and Brennan for being hosts. Also, to Alexadra for inviting basically a complete stranger into her life.
-Dravis
P.S.: If anyone has any suggestions for interesting things to do in Paris, let me know.
Distance: 121 km
Country: France
Song of the Day: Give it All - Edentree
Well, it was another day I had intended to get up early, but woke up to rain and went back to bed. I was hoping that it would let up, but sadly, no it didn't. Instead I had to get up and pack up everything in a light rain. Thankfully it wasn't pouring. It did make everything slow. I didn't leave the campsite until almost noon.
From there the day was pretty much slow. I think cranking away at 30+ kph the night before really did my legs in. They just didn't have it today. So the miles of road slowly oozed by.
I did get in touch with my second cousin Alexandra. She said she would be more than happy to give me a couch to stay on in Paris. At first she was worried that it wouldn't be comfortable. But seeing as I have been camping, basically any couch is an improvement. Plus it was comforting to know that I had a place to stay when I got to Paris. So in the late afternoon my pace started to pick up.
Of course there is one hill just outside of Paris that was trying to kill my and use my jellified bones as some kind of pudding. Awful. Plus I was expecting a good view of Paris from the top, but there wasn't any. It was blocked by trees or buildings. So lame. Still, it was all downhill from there. I love cruising through city streets and passing cars. Yeah.
I was trying to meet up with Alexandra at work. But my laptop died just before I could find it. So I had to do a little more wandering than I wanted to. When I got there, I couldn't figure out how to get in touch with her. The office was closed. The phone number I had wasn't working. I ended up talking with one of the security guards, and he finally got was I was trying to say. He found one of Alexandra's co-workers who helped me get in touch with her.
It turns out she had left and gone to have dinner with some friends nearby. So I show up after more than a hundred kilometers on the road to a nice little dinner party. Thankfully my hosts were more than happy to let me have a shower. To Laura and Brennan, thank you so much.
After that I started talking with Alexandra, who I have never met. So I was telling her about my life and what I was doing. Mostly about the bike trip, where I had been, where I was going, and so forth.
By that point dinner was being served. Laura and Braden had made pasta. Like, they had actually made the pasta. Then served it all up with a Bolognaise sauce. Mmmmmm, so good. I had a couple of helpings of that. Then we all played Scrabble. Frankly, I am terrible at that game. Still it was a great evening. Again a big thanks to Laura and Brennan for being hosts. Also, to Alexadra for inviting basically a complete stranger into her life.
-Dravis
P.S.: If anyone has any suggestions for interesting things to do in Paris, let me know.
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