PARIS avec VERSAILLES

We went to Versailles and spent a whole day at the gardens. It was absolutely beautiful. We walked around le Grand Trianon where Navy Battles were held for art and fun, and le Petit Trianon, which was the domaine Marie Antoinette had built for herself. The charming little farm is still in quite good condition today, although fish seem to overpopulate the pond. I highly recommend going, it is worth every cent and even with the current exchange rate.

On one of our nights out I made a faux paus by asking for “di Glasson” or some icecubes in a glass of red wine. The waiter looked disgustingly at me and then said something like: “ice for the mademoiselle” but in French of course. Louis and all of the people consecutively I have spoken to about it in Spain said that it is weird that the Spanish serve cold red wine at pubs. It wasn’t just room temperature, it was kind of warm and I didn’t particularly like it. So sorry France for insulting you, but I don’t like hot red wine unless it is toasty warm and spiced.

All in all Paris is a fabulous place. My visit there was full of sites, for museums really only the Louvre, but it was a crazy whirlwind of jet-lag time change and walking and wonderful cheeses, many delicious baguettes and le petit pan, the most scrumptious patisserie and some good wines and great site seeing company. Thank you Louis and Thomas, it was marvelous!

Another note on Paris: the post office workers were on strike but Louis managed to find one open. I have heard that some of the postcards did arrive, so hope they all do. If you want one, send me your address. If you didn’t get one from Paris, I will be sending more from Spain, but if you don’t get one make sure to send me your address.

Paris avec moi

We went to the student quarter, various other quarters, and walks down little side streets of Paris that grew gardens of foliage along the sides of the buildings.

I loved the Louvre, the building, the area surrounding and being there. We walked through the Mesopotamian and Egyptian sections of the museum, but it was most intriguing just to be there, the corridors that are inside and looking out into the plazas from the windows. We walked through the basement of sorts around what felt like the mote of the original castle. We exited and went for a walk down the river and listened to a man playing flute. He hid under a bridge so just the music floated around to make the ambiance.

We visited two different cemeteries in Paris, the largest of which held Oscar Wilde and monuments for important people and people who thought they were important enough for a 10+ foot pyramid and many people who died without a just cause. It could have made a picture book all by itself. It was very solemn but fascinating.

Paris

PARIS

As I walked down the concourse to board, it was a little hard not to cry, but I thought, “I am going to Paris; why am I crying?” and tried to not focus on family and friends that I would miss but the great experiences I would have. I was blessed to sit next to a young girl who is my age, just graduated university and who is doing the same program as me, but in France.

I arrived after a bit of a funny flight and bought a phone card. I called Louis and then my Dad to spread the word I had arrived. I stayed with Louis and our friend Thomas who had come for the week too. We missed Hayoung who couldn’t be there due to a family emergency.

The first day I was so tired, yes jet lag but it sounds cliché. We walked around and saw Notre Dame and some other sites. Louis was a fabulous tutor and also a very patient and helpful tour guide, as well as gracious host in his cute little flat up six flights of stairs. You wouldn’t have to invite many people over to have a really packed party and we celebrated easily. I don’t really remember the first day in Paris well except going to a super marché for some food, the Notre Dame and a walk around, also a weird movie that I couldn’t fall asleep in.

Paris was very romantic. I kept thinking about people who would love to visit and I hoped could some day. The time flew by; we walked loads, used the metro and buses quite a bit and saw so many things. I think it is something people always want to come back to because there is so much to see and you just can’t see it all.

The many sites included the Eiffel Tower, which was quite touristy. We didn’t take the elevator ride up but did hike up a different lookout point and the sun was setting. Vendors with electric birds and little plastic keychain Eiffel towers populated the area that it almost wasn’t pleasant to sit for too long, but it was beautiful.

To be there seemed epic and we chatted about the wonders of the world and watched the sun set and then we left for a bite to eat.

New York City

I had a few short days in CDA before leaving for NYC , where I met up with my Dad and my sis Mary. A few rainy days followed by one sunny one but all in lovely company.

My Dad and I met at the airport and on the buses we caught the drivers did not really speak English. Before meeting my Dad, I had to catch a bus from my airport to the airport Mary was flying in to. I could not get a hold of my Dad via phone for a few minutes, but we had talked about meeting at the other airport, so I got on a bus and tried to make sure I was on the right one. The bus driver outright did not speak to me. I asked him some questions and no, not even a recognition that I was talking to him. But I got to my destination okay and met Dad for a nice cafe and Euro-style breakfast and then we met Mary when her flight came in. We checked in at our hotel in NJ and took a bus in to NYC. The rest of the time was a blur of sight-seeing and lots of fun walking.

NYC is so large and so animated we could have done site seeing for the next few days and probably not made it to all the museums. We were able to visit Madame Tussaud’s wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not~loved the black hole~, Little Italy-good pizza and a fabulous glass of Papa Cha Cha’s homemade red wine, Chinatown, Soho and Greenwich village for a little shopping and a posh perfume store, Bond’s No. 9, thanks to Mary’s suggestion. At the NY MOMA we glimpsed some Picasso, Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Claes Oldenberg, Andy Warhol…

Some of our favorite things were the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island audio tour with the ferry to both. Unfortunately a large wave broke over us at the Statue of Liberty and completely soaked our seaboard sides, thankfully Mary had the umbrella positioned out just so to situate something that it protected her camera, but not much else. It makes for a good laugh now. We loved! the Broadway show we went to. We saw Mary Poppins, which had fabulous scenery change, wonderful music and a great atmosphere. It surpassed any doubts about appropriate for any audience, and was a grand performance! The empire state building was great for orienting ourselves to New York and we choose to eat in the Upper West Side for lunch afterwards thanks to the audio tour guide Tony’s suggestion. Homemade mozzarella, mm hmm. We had a lovely leisurely stroll through central park. Our feet were really hurting by then, but it was sunny and we had a sit by a pond and watched sailboats.

We also enjoyed two days together after NYC: one in Maryland prepping for our next destinations and seeing where Dad spent some time growing up. I learned some new things about my Dad that day that made me appreciate him in a new way. I am glad we got to share the pleasant and slower-paced day after our stimulating days in NYC. On my last day in the U.S. in 2009 we got up bright and early and drove to Washington DC. Dad got us chai teas for the road, which was a nice last taste of something homey for me. We saw the air and flight museum and met up with a long-time friend of my Dad’s, Keith, for a quick bite to eat. We saw the Wright brothers plane as well as the fastest plane around, I have forgotten the technical name, the AirFrance concord (Can do Washington D.C. to Paris in 2 or 3 hours), many others...

My Dad was very sweet and used his ingenuity and will power to get Mary in to her gate so he got to spend some time with us at the airport and with me after Mary left before the red eye left for Paris. I had a taste of Basque wine and a wonderful brie cheese sandwich. Thanks Dad, it was all a blast!

So the official end-of-the-summer travels started the first week of September with a few days at Glacier followed by a few more nights at my Grandparents in Lewistown. Glacier is stunning. It was relaxing and we were there at the perfect time. I think it was the last week that most of the campsites are still open but we missed the peak summer crowd. Our favorite hike was Hidden Lake a total of a 6 mile hike with the middle half made up by “a steep rocky descent” and ascent to and from the lake, well worth it.

Also of high recommendations is Avalanche Lake and the next desire is the loop or Highline Trail I think it was called. One could probably spend a month at Glacier hiking with all the different routes. There are at least 3 entrances to GNP by car and many hikes accessible at each. Thank goodness for the shuttle on the road going to the sun.

In Lewistown, it was wonderful to spend a little quality time with my Grandparents. They took Timo and I to float down Big Creek, a chillingly refreshing experience, we all went on a hike around Crystal Lake and had a lovely dinner at Martin and Oleta’s. We visited the Connection, our favorite boutique in Lewistown, and the owner was so sweet. Her and I had a chat about clothes and fashion and she handed me a souvenir travel-size hand lotion for my trip. Thanks! We also got to sneak a breakfast in with Aunt Georgia before we hit the road. Thank you Georgia. It was a short trip, but I was so glad to spend time with my grandparents and other relatives and see them all alive and well.

Below is a video of Timothy & I on the way up from Hidden Lake; please excuse the poor quality, my camera is really just a camera not a video camera, but isn't the lake amazing?

This summer has been one full of adventure. It was even an eventful spring with a busy finals week and graduation, followed by a two-day trip to Portland for a conference and then a new brother-in-law and a new nephew all within an hour’s timeframe. Alli unfortunately could not make it in the wedding. John Reuben was born maybe ten minutes before the ceremony started.

Working with Atsuko s. at her dress boutique, Candy O'briens, was hilarious this summer; she has a 7 foot personality despite standing 5’2” with three inch heels.

I visited my dear friend Ashley and we went to Canada for some ketchup chips. That was a beautiful summer retreat ~Thanks Ash! ~ and the extra bag of ketchup chips I brought to Timothy kicked off our relationship. It was that and the appeal of dog-walking that really made us hit it off. ;) She also came to visit me, which I think was actually first?

I was fortunately had to go to San Francisco to apply for my student visa for Spain. Lots of shopping and fun with G & MB...

I only visited Moscow for a day to finish off Laura’s dress which I got to her just in time for her sister-in-law’s wedding. You are a doll Laura! (and a certified genius) Thank you so much for coming up and visiting me my last few days before taking off.

22 septiembre 2009

I have just arrived a few hours ago to San Sebastian in the Basque Country of Spain.

So I have traveled quite a bit yet this summer and need to retrodate some travels.

First, I am currently sitting in the lobby of a hostel that I will be staying at tonight. It is just after 6:00 AM and I don’t think the night staff was happy. He looked annoyed and then told me I couldn’t wait here, but I could put my luggage here. I put my bags in a room that he was probably sleeping in and then said Sebastian (who had answered a previous phone call) had said I could wait here, but I couldn’t remember the Spanish word for lobby, so I asked if I could wait on the stairs instead of go out in the dark. He had recommended walking around the city. After a bit of conversing somewhat convincing he brought me to the computer desk. I am so thankful I speak Spanish, I wouldn’t have managed without this morning.

The man has awoken to a gentlemanly state and just checked on me and gave me the code for internet…

Then he came and told me I could go to the lobby if I wanted to and he is watching the Simpsons in Spanish while I computer-it-up. I think he is like an M & M.