Versailles

The thought of going to Versailles makes me feel tired. My first trip was a very hot July day years ago. The expanse of the palace and it's grounds, just thinking about it makes me tired. It is so huge, it should take a whole day if one is to visit every bit of it. My sister in law, Sophie, hasn't been there so as a good unpaid tour guide, we set off one morning to visit it. Somewhere on the left bank, near Musee d'Orsay is the station for the RER, the underground train system, one of the lines takes you almost to the doorstep of Versailles. They make it so easy now, they sell a package, train tickets to and back plus entry to the palace for 21 euros. So we bought that and off we went with a myriad of people. The place was packed, as usual.

We saw the famous bed chambers, the chapel, the hall of mirrors, the children's quarters, part of the grounds. We didn't venture to the other buildings on the grounds, it was just too much for us. It was our last day and we still have Musee d'Orsay that we needed to go to. The Versailles is an important experience for Paris visitors. I've been twice now and I hope I don't have to go again. I don't think I can work as a tour guide, it's too boring to go back to the same places so many times.

Heartache

These are pictures of some of the treasures in the Louvre. What's the connection with heartache? A friend is staying with me right now, I invited her over for a few days. She's just broken up with the guy she was living for a year and a half. I reaaly sympathize but I'm no relationship expert. All I could be is a friend who listens. I've been in that situation before, only time will heal.

Today my life is too full to be taken down by heartaches. My work is fulfilling and pays me a lot of money which allows me to travel extensively. The more I travel the less time I have to be bogged down by relationship problems. When I'm sad I have all these gorgeous images to look at and more to anticipate in future trips.

Shanghaiist.com

I went on the Shanghaiist.com a while ago. It's an interesting blog about life in Shanghai written by an american expatriate. It showed some gory pictures about a bus crash in China and the recent stampedes at train station by people trying to get home for Chinese New Year. It breaks my heart to see these images, I'm planning to go to Shanghai in September 2008. It is an interesting site, one that would throw your sense and sensiblity out the window.

Chinese New Year

I found this cute video on youtube about fire crackers in Shanghai during Chinese New Year. This reminds me of how we celebrated Chinese New Year in North Borneo, the bigger the noise the more prosperous will be the new year.

The OC

What a gorgeous day it was yesterday. It was clear and one can see for miles into the distance. I was in the OC, Orange County, yesterday. I pulled off the 5 freeway at Harbor and saw the snow on the San Bernadino mountains in the distance and thought, wow, look at that. I had forgotten these views after living in Los Angeles the past 7 years. I have lived in the OC for 15 years before that and these were the same views I saw while living here. I stopped the car, almost in the middle of the street to take these pictures. Some guy on a bike was laughing at me, I can't help being a tourist now, from Los Angeles.

I had a few things to do in the OC, to visit the used book store and the antique shops in old towne Orange. I bought a few used books, I love that store. I saw an old iron bed in one of the antique shops, I like it, I have to measure my car to see if it'll fit, so I can buy it and bring it home.

Paris......continued

The next day was our full day in Paris. I decided the Place de la Concorde was a good starting point, so we got on the metro and off we went, surfacing at Place de la Concorde. We can walk down the Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, taking pictures and bumping into locals and tourists. I've walked the Champs-Elysees many times. Then we turned around and headed for the Tuileries. By then we were hungry, we bought some hot dogs and crepes from a make shift stand and sat in front of the fountain to eat our lunch.

Then it was time for the Lourve. They moved the Mona Lisa, she's now behind glass and one can take pictures of her. The previous times I've seen her, photographing her was forbidden.

The Louvre is so immense, it's a collection of buildings of a palace. I looked outside and saw this immense and beautiful staircase. I love the staircases of baroque buildings, both interior and exterior ones, they make such a dramatic statement.

I can live in Paris and not be bored, one can spend considerable time in the Louvre and be entertained every time. We bumped into a Chinese group with their French guide. Nothing remarkable in and of itself, you see all kinds of groups all over Paris. When the French man spoke, he spoke flawless Mandarin. We smiled and looked at him with awe. He turned to us and in Mandarin said, 'Is my Mandarin funny and amusing to you?'. We said, 'on the contrary, we are very impressed'.

Paris

It is a very special place, full of history, art and an attitude unlike anywhere else. The city is full of beautiful buildings and palaces. Oh, to live in Paris... lots of artists and writers and performers have done just that, live in Paris, even just for a little while. The city is full of 'ghosts'- famous 'ghosts', even if you don't bump into famous people, unbeknownst to you, you have bumped into famous 'ghosts'.

Paris is crowded all the time, even in the dead of winter. I remember my first trip was the few days before Christmas. I took the Eurostar train from London, I was spending Christmas in London with family that year. I was alone and scared. I managed to enjoy myself. Now, 5 trips later, it's become an old friend, like London.

The Rue Cler area where we stayed was just next to the Eiffel Tower, so we walked over to it, took some pictures, saw the huge crowds waiting to get to the top. Then we took the metro and headed over to the Notre Dame.We've seen it before and we didn't hang around for long. It was getting dark and we headed back to our hotel.

Markets of France

I'm a sucker for markets, whether it be a food market or a flea market, whether at home or abroad. Abroad, it's an opportunity to pretend to be a local, mix with the locals, even for a few hours is a fun thing. It's an opportunity to speak a little foreign language even though all that comes out is the very basic greeting, 'Bonjour, Merci, Au Revoir' or Bonjourno, Grazie mille', which ever the country may be. It's raining right now, my Sunday market might be rained out, I'm wondering if I should brave the rain and go out for my Sunday morning baguette. Looks like the Santa Monica flea market is rained out too. So I have to be contented with pictures of markets today.

Markets of France