Sunday, October 30, 2005

Pain au Chocolate! - Day Two!

We woke up at 9 am and were down in the reception for 10. Glenn is very particular about being on time... He likes to be organised.. that's why when I called his hotel room he hadn't even got out of bed yet. There was a very speedy response by the couple though, they were ready in 10 mins! We sat with the map and tried to decide where we would go today. We chose Notre Dame, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. We left the hotel to find breakfast. I was seriously looking forward to an authentic Parisian Pain au Chocolate (They're just not the same en Angleterre) so we went to a cafe called PAUL's and had the smallest coffee in the world and a beautiful Pain au Chocolate. Mmmmmmm Notre Dame Cathedral was literally around the corner from our hotel. It was beautiful. I lit a candle, said a prayer and then wandered around the massive place taking in all of the various monuments and statues. I have to admit that I didn't really like it in there that much. It had an enormous feeling of grandeur that I strongly believe has no place in a church,. Wouldn't it have been more Christian to give the money to the poor rather than have a huge statue of yourself made when you died? Oooh debate...

We then took a very long walk about Paris in search of the Louvre; Glenn and Matt navigating. It was a very long walk indeed! We did make the discovery of an entire shop dedicated to cows though!!! Very cool.
Eventually we found the large glass pyramids of the louvre and joined the cue for a ticket. That place was huge!!!! I mean massive! There was a hall dedicated to every single thing ever made in the name of art and archaeology. I think it would take you years to see it all. We did look in the basement at the foundations of the original building. I found that quite interesting actually. We also saw some very famous pieces of art. Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa to name but two! The place was very crowded though and the movement of millions of people around you constantly is very tiring and uncomfortable.

It's a shame really as I like to be able to stop and look at things. The Louvre was far too busy for that and there was far too much to see to be able to enjoy it all like that. Matt did enjoy one statue in particular - A man who's bottom was being bitten by a lion.





When we left the Louvre we were feeling very tired and our feet were aching. we
decided that walking to the Eiffel tower was out of the question. It was then, whilst standing on a bridge over the river Sein that I spotted our new friend... the batobus! This great little vessel did regular trips up and down the river. There were eight different stops where you could get on and off and you could buy a 2 day pass. Batobus saved our tired little legs on the journey to the tower.

The Batobus allowed us to understand two things. Firstly, Paris can not be walked across in any short space of time (15 minutes indeed Mr Davies!) and secondly, there are a lot of beautiful architecture and exciting things to see.

We arrived at the towe to discover that the exciting things had massive cues, ended up in another cafe near by (resting our tired feet again) and then went back to the hotel. We decided to return the tower the next morning hoping that the cue might be shorter.

Dinner that evening was far more successful as we went to a vegetarian restaurant. There was nothing on the menu that contained meat (Glenn seemed a little disappointed about that) so no risk of being handed a plate containing a sacrificed pig. My wheat, rice, seaweed and vegetables was very tasty and the home made chocolate mouse was even better! The boys did end up going out for Gyros (something a little like a kebab) later on though to make up for the fact that they had eaten no meat.

After dinner we went to FU bar, a place Glenn had researched on the internet. We drank and we were merry, very merry. Once the alcohol limits were met we returned to the hotel for coffee, the men when on their meat mission and then we all retired to bed.












En vacance


A Paris!


Day One:

After the kaffufle of the lost house keys and the final check that passport and ticket are in the bag we head to the Span and then to the airport. Cheers to Kel for the lift.

The flight was good, although we had to sit on the wing (by the noisy engines). It was a little scary hearing the wheels fall and rise and the very loud whirring noise of the engine as it pushed us higher into the air (Just had to keep pushing out that image from LOST when the plane splits in half...) We arrived in Paris on time and, after discovering that Charles De Gualle Airport was the biggest place in the world and taking part in a 20 minute walk through the terminals, we navigated our way easily to the Metro. Span took the reigns on the first french purchase of the trip, replying "Si" when asked a question and then laughing at her self for having spoken Spanish by mistake (Too many holidays at the Villa me thinks) I can't talk though.. despite being the only one with an A level (albeit, a crap Alevel) in French I wimped out most of the time.

The Metro was deserted and we sat down in comfort the whole way. Instantly the architecture and colours of France signalled our arrival in a new environment as we reminded ourselves that the windows were not boarded up- They're shutters....

After sucessfully navigating the potentially frightening Metro we turned right out of the station at Luxembourg, it was only 10 minutes later that we realised that we should have walked Left! Oh well!

Eventually we found our hotel the Trianon Rive Gauche (that link actually has a picture of the very same yellow room we stayed in - minus the flowers) and settled ourselves in. It was a very traditional French place with some very interesting staff.... that'll come later.

Once we were settled we decided to go out for a meal. We hadn't a clue where we were going and by this point it was dark... So we found a restuarant called Le Depart (clue's in then name). As you all know I am a vegetarian... When we were asked "vous etes prĂȘt ?" I pointed at the menu and said "ca c'est vegetarian?" To which I received a torrent of speedy French and the crossing out of several meals, including the one I'd asked about. Thinking that the nice man was now probably pointing at the only thing on the menu that was vegetarian I ordered what he choose for me. Matt has some snails and a steak.. He also ended up eating the PORK CHOP that the waiter served me whilst I chowed down on the mash potatoes. Hannah, Glenn and Matt thought that this was hilarious.. that was my first and only attempt at a full conversation in French. LMAO.

After the "meal" had ended we ended up in a bar in one of the side streets
where the waiters were convinced that Matt was indeed John Kerry Jnr! (???) We drank Sangria (no wonder Span was confused) and Mexican beer until we noticed that it was very expensive and decided to move on! Span was twirled around in a Salsa dance on the streets of Paris by the same waiter, whilst trying to escape. She loved it really. We continued to wander aimlessly, trying to get our bearings in a strange land until we got really tired and went to bed.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Cat heaven?

Not enough mention has been made on here about my two furry little kitten friends...

They've had a new toy....
They're very excited by it and can often be found hanging off the back of it after attacking the dangly ball a little too much ;)


Stanley








Hendrix

The post I should have submitted but was too lazy

Today I feel like talking on here for the first time in ages. I have lots of news... Some of which I am unable to divulge for a few weeks.... Some of which I can share now.

I took these pictures a good few weeks ago... Weeks when it was still warm enough to stroll across the park without a jumper on in the morning.


I took to walking to work you see (Alas it's too dark in the morning now- I've been told by Span that I'm not allowed) Every morning I'd plug my i-pod into my ears and go for a half an hour walk to school. It was really nice and always got me really calm and ready for the school day. No matter what stresses had tried to get at me during the day, when I walked across these fields with the sun on my face, listening to music I love, it always made me feel 100 times better. It really helped me to deal with a lot of stuff! lol

I guess the decision I've made will mean that I won't be doing this walk any more. It won't get light in time. I'm sure it'll all be worth it in the end though.

Child completing his speech on well researched topic.


Topic: Animal Testing

Student in audience: What animal do you think will become extinct next then?
Student doing speech: erm (Screws up eyes in deep focus - he's the expert rember) Erm. Elephants?

Monday, October 10, 2005

Child with low self esteem?

When asked to write about who they admire:

"I admire my mom because she always looks after me and I want to look after animals"

??