Le Eiffel Tour
Was Eiffel tower beautiful? Well is a new baby perfect? Is death peaceful? Is sugar sweet?
Yes I know it's brown metal, a bit different from the famous depictions. I don't know a way that it's not a beauty. Again I got to see my friend scary guards with superior guns. I had melon sorbet. They had gellato but not the choice of Jeff & Bliss frambroise. Peddlers wandered around offering champagne, I thought that was a cool touch. You know I'm lucky to be there as a young adult, I figure this is the life. Then I see people enjoying it like it is an everyday thing. There were people that are there playing Frisbee with friends. There's a whole park area that people are just sitting on the ground trying to get their own once-in-a-lifetime picture. They are mostly sitting on plastic sacks cause of the wet ground. We found one, I had a rain jacket so Jeff & I sat. Ironically I imagined where do you take a first date to in Paris? I like the family factor at the tower kiddos everywhere. Jeff & I missed Max like crazy those days in Paris. There was a family, mom dad & little girl. Little girl was smartly pushing a stroller with her baby doll. Her purse was on one stroller handle. It was again a smart black purse. She had a bracelet, watch, necklace & earrings. She didn't need reminded to keep up with her parents she was bold. I thought of my niece when jeff & I saw her. Jeff wants another baby so that was hard to see that.
Seriously I'm at that cafe noir (inside) and a cute little Jack Russel puppy runs inside directly and turns to run behind the bar. The owners wife squeals and the puppy jumps up to her. Funny. Funny. Then bad little puppy runs out then back again and gets in trouble from his young man owner. Ha!
Back to Le Eiffel, yes we went there on the 10 year observance of 9/11, so I wad prepared for it being closed etc. So it was nice that we had free reign of the grounds. We didn't ride up in it. I'm not a person that has to do EVERY experience I just have take it by the eyes usually. Jeff said we would take Max up there some day.
Did I say it was beautiful? Did I say jeff even gave pause to the lady? We both had our moment of visual ecstasy. I wanted to see it slowly. I found it through tall trees that were probably 80 years old. Jeff want to speed walk to it and take in it's achievement in deifying gravity. Admittedly I saw it from the plane earlier and jeff & I spotted it out before we got on the train to it from our hotel. But "golly" (it's the Oklahoma girl) it was worth it all, worth it all. Worth some crusty Norwegian moments. Worth missing max this week. Worth missing TU OU game, maybe missing OU FSU. I will miss OU UT in person (my dad got tickets!!!!!), so ask me then :(. Eiffel was like hearing Vivaldi. In pictures of Eiffel it's like seeing the notes of Vivaldi, but seeing Eiffel in person is like hearing the notes preformed. Okay I'm leaving cafe noir for the last time. Au revoir.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Warm day in the country side of France
Warm day
I couldn't have asked for more thank you. I wouldn't have traded 400 euros for this warmth. I feel like this is that day that is filed under wow.
I'm back at yesterday's cafe noir. The nice lady behind the counter is talking politics with a older gentleman in a warm heavy suit. it makes me think of that song... Piano man. Thank you Billy Joel. While I'm thanking the peps I should thank Steve Jobs (I always thank him every time his iPhone helps me through the dentist). Thank you Cliff for teaching me to explore music. Thank you jeff for teaching me to not give homeless people money.
So the louvre.
Jeff & I got to go there. I realize I'm not going to put a polish on the place like art authors have so I come from a complete humble place. Did I see my second favorite artists work? Yes, Mona was in house. I got close enough. But not to make a connection that I'm sure Da Vinci was planning. I did get closer to some his other works. He had a way of paint women. I'm not sure I'd like to have the great Da Vinci over to my home for a long stay, maybe as a family member. He's an obvious perfectionist. I realize not just anybody gets to be a mind like his but his painting in person was all I needed to see. It's like my friend says"I don't trust anyone who doesn't have pets", well I can't imagine how he made his art with out any sign of brush stroke. Also no complaints on the crowd in front of the Mona Lisa. I hope Da Vinci gets to smile at that.
Guns at the Louvre. Yes I like to talk guns at foreign places. Well I found out the night before at another tourist site they don't have AKs. Perhaps cause its a German gun?? I wouldn't know who to ask. Also it's not the google search I want on my FBI file. So I'll just imagine it all. I will look up the weapon though so I can smile next time I see it rather than get the question mark look. Yes anyway, there were security walking around the louvre in certain spots, mostly the French wing :(. None at the entrance so I was actually a tad bit surprised to see it finally at the last bit of our walk through the museum. There police don't dress up like the overdon Italian police/military. The French police or louvre guards (uniform didn't scream a name) were in dark dress that made me feel a bit safer being 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Also btw there's a guy stalking around the outdoor cafe like a scary Mr Rogers. He was drinking a cafe when I sat down. He left 15 mins later. He came back and I saw him eating a kitkat like chocolate but the entrance to the indoor cafe. Now I saw him again. Nothing against mr Rogers, this guys working the cardigan. Anyway I'll update you if he gets a plastic spoon out starts committing crimes.
So I saw another artist right before we left. Vermeer. Wow. There was a whole wing of paintings from the Netherlands . So sadly by the time I got to Vermeer the light that he puts in his paintings were so subtle. Or my feet were killing me. But the two vermeers I saw were perfect like the first time I saw them at 20 in a book.
A book - a museum. Thats an interesting topic. Can you learn better from the museum? I still want to say yes because the size, texture and portions are exactly what the artist had in mind. Though.... I would add that the artist probably never had in mind it going on a wall with 3-10 paintings. That's the allure of the book. It's like internet changed the world, well when art could be sent anywhere a book could. I learned more from my books. My emotional connection was not stronger because of the in person connection. I did learn of so many similar artist to my favorites. Like books the rooms are in chapters. The artists share something so the eye is relaxed as it looks painting to painting similar in some range of time and medium. Jeff asked "I wonder if the artist say, really... I have to paint Jesus again...how will I make it different???". Well I know it's a bit repetitive but most of these great works were in "the art" in a single church, paid for or "commissioned" by the local rich person. Like how rich people still fund art, like ballet, I wish I had money like toilet paper I'd do that too. Back to the repetitive art, I'd seen so many Jesus' that I saw on with a plaid diaper and Mary (don't know which Mary) had a plaid shaw over her shoulders. I called him Norwegian Jesus, in retrospect it's more like Scottish Jesus. either way if the louvre had blown up right after that Jesus might have not cared for the remarks. I have since said many sorries for my funny. It did scream a late night talk show humor that I was trained on.
Okay... Yes I haven't said super things about the louvre experience yet and Jeffs head would explode if that's was my only opinions. So cool things... The train (metro) to louvre takes you to the lowest floor of the museum. So when you leave the smut of the metro debris you walk by a stone wall. It covers it floor to ceiling. It's the frigging base of an old castle. The old castle base is pretty intact actually it's the base of the whole museum. So I got to see what an old castle would look like. Huge by the way!!! Another surprise was the sculptures rooms. Yes I went to rome so it's hard to top that sculpture experience. The museum has recreated an outdoor sculpture garden. It looks so natural you light hear birds flying by. It's inside on the first level of the building on the Richie side. I found out that sculpture is Jeffs favorite medium. Interesting. No clue whats my favorite. I don't have a dislike, knowing jeff him having a favorite means a distinct lack of like with other mediums. There's a McDs at the train station for the louvre (this is a very nice train station wipe your memory of any other). I still wouldn't want to take my kiddo for my only day at the louvre. But if I had many days to attend then yes take those kids.
I'm inside the cafe now so no updated on Mr Rogers scary cousin.
There a Starbucks in the louvre. There's a cafe called Paul. It's yum yum yum butter yummy. Yes I said butter. I only thought butter had its place in baking sweets. But butter. Butter. Butter. Butter. I had a typical bliss sandwich tomato mozzarella yum. I offered the last bit to jeff. He offered his. Did I say butter? His was a ham & cheese I picked it out for him. I learned before I got here that ham is jamon. Anyway, they made this with butter. I assumed mayo, you see it everywhere. No butter was the choice sandwich grease. It was crazy good. Like I could see myself moving fat choices around just so I could taste this thing called butter. Jeff said it was probably unpasturized. Yea, don't care. Bring me more. I wanted to lick the bit o butter that was trying to escape the bread. I'll let you decide what I did.
So I enjoyed the louvre and you can ask jeff about it but all I can tell you is he is a good guy for getting me there.
Back to the day here in small town France, Chantilly actually. Nice people. There was a sad beggar that spoke English though that I deferred to help. I forget about beggars in Norway. I only had two weeks warning I was coming here so my french is almost non existent. Sorry. Merci is the hardest one right next to ja voudrais.
So music that would be on my french soundtrack..... Yes I know you were wondering.
Counting crows -Mr Jones
Beatles- blackbird
Beatles- obla de obla da
Mumford & sons - the cave
Snow patrol -chasing cars
Tom petty -free fallin (definitely)
Country strong - give into me
Pink- glitter in the air
Katy Perry- Firework
Enimen & Bruno Mars- lighters
Lady A- Just a kiss
My chemical romance - Sing
Beatles- here comes the sun
Katy Perry- last Friday night
Kenny chessney- you & tequila
Percy Sledge - When a man loves a woman
JJ Heller- What love really means
I wonder what Mr creepy Rogers would pick for his album?
Okay today's ramblings are over.
I couldn't have asked for more thank you. I wouldn't have traded 400 euros for this warmth. I feel like this is that day that is filed under wow.
I'm back at yesterday's cafe noir. The nice lady behind the counter is talking politics with a older gentleman in a warm heavy suit. it makes me think of that song... Piano man. Thank you Billy Joel. While I'm thanking the peps I should thank Steve Jobs (I always thank him every time his iPhone helps me through the dentist). Thank you Cliff for teaching me to explore music. Thank you jeff for teaching me to not give homeless people money.
So the louvre.
Jeff & I got to go there. I realize I'm not going to put a polish on the place like art authors have so I come from a complete humble place. Did I see my second favorite artists work? Yes, Mona was in house. I got close enough. But not to make a connection that I'm sure Da Vinci was planning. I did get closer to some his other works. He had a way of paint women. I'm not sure I'd like to have the great Da Vinci over to my home for a long stay, maybe as a family member. He's an obvious perfectionist. I realize not just anybody gets to be a mind like his but his painting in person was all I needed to see. It's like my friend says"I don't trust anyone who doesn't have pets", well I can't imagine how he made his art with out any sign of brush stroke. Also no complaints on the crowd in front of the Mona Lisa. I hope Da Vinci gets to smile at that.
Guns at the Louvre. Yes I like to talk guns at foreign places. Well I found out the night before at another tourist site they don't have AKs. Perhaps cause its a German gun?? I wouldn't know who to ask. Also it's not the google search I want on my FBI file. So I'll just imagine it all. I will look up the weapon though so I can smile next time I see it rather than get the question mark look. Yes anyway, there were security walking around the louvre in certain spots, mostly the French wing :(. None at the entrance so I was actually a tad bit surprised to see it finally at the last bit of our walk through the museum. There police don't dress up like the overdon Italian police/military. The French police or louvre guards (uniform didn't scream a name) were in dark dress that made me feel a bit safer being 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Also btw there's a guy stalking around the outdoor cafe like a scary Mr Rogers. He was drinking a cafe when I sat down. He left 15 mins later. He came back and I saw him eating a kitkat like chocolate but the entrance to the indoor cafe. Now I saw him again. Nothing against mr Rogers, this guys working the cardigan. Anyway I'll update you if he gets a plastic spoon out starts committing crimes.
So I saw another artist right before we left. Vermeer. Wow. There was a whole wing of paintings from the Netherlands . So sadly by the time I got to Vermeer the light that he puts in his paintings were so subtle. Or my feet were killing me. But the two vermeers I saw were perfect like the first time I saw them at 20 in a book.
A book - a museum. Thats an interesting topic. Can you learn better from the museum? I still want to say yes because the size, texture and portions are exactly what the artist had in mind. Though.... I would add that the artist probably never had in mind it going on a wall with 3-10 paintings. That's the allure of the book. It's like internet changed the world, well when art could be sent anywhere a book could. I learned more from my books. My emotional connection was not stronger because of the in person connection. I did learn of so many similar artist to my favorites. Like books the rooms are in chapters. The artists share something so the eye is relaxed as it looks painting to painting similar in some range of time and medium. Jeff asked "I wonder if the artist say, really... I have to paint Jesus again...how will I make it different???". Well I know it's a bit repetitive but most of these great works were in "the art" in a single church, paid for or "commissioned" by the local rich person. Like how rich people still fund art, like ballet, I wish I had money like toilet paper I'd do that too. Back to the repetitive art, I'd seen so many Jesus' that I saw on with a plaid diaper and Mary (don't know which Mary) had a plaid shaw over her shoulders. I called him Norwegian Jesus, in retrospect it's more like Scottish Jesus. either way if the louvre had blown up right after that Jesus might have not cared for the remarks. I have since said many sorries for my funny. It did scream a late night talk show humor that I was trained on.
Okay... Yes I haven't said super things about the louvre experience yet and Jeffs head would explode if that's was my only opinions. So cool things... The train (metro) to louvre takes you to the lowest floor of the museum. So when you leave the smut of the metro debris you walk by a stone wall. It covers it floor to ceiling. It's the frigging base of an old castle. The old castle base is pretty intact actually it's the base of the whole museum. So I got to see what an old castle would look like. Huge by the way!!! Another surprise was the sculptures rooms. Yes I went to rome so it's hard to top that sculpture experience. The museum has recreated an outdoor sculpture garden. It looks so natural you light hear birds flying by. It's inside on the first level of the building on the Richie side. I found out that sculpture is Jeffs favorite medium. Interesting. No clue whats my favorite. I don't have a dislike, knowing jeff him having a favorite means a distinct lack of like with other mediums. There's a McDs at the train station for the louvre (this is a very nice train station wipe your memory of any other). I still wouldn't want to take my kiddo for my only day at the louvre. But if I had many days to attend then yes take those kids.
I'm inside the cafe now so no updated on Mr Rogers scary cousin.
There a Starbucks in the louvre. There's a cafe called Paul. It's yum yum yum butter yummy. Yes I said butter. I only thought butter had its place in baking sweets. But butter. Butter. Butter. Butter. I had a typical bliss sandwich tomato mozzarella yum. I offered the last bit to jeff. He offered his. Did I say butter? His was a ham & cheese I picked it out for him. I learned before I got here that ham is jamon. Anyway, they made this with butter. I assumed mayo, you see it everywhere. No butter was the choice sandwich grease. It was crazy good. Like I could see myself moving fat choices around just so I could taste this thing called butter. Jeff said it was probably unpasturized. Yea, don't care. Bring me more. I wanted to lick the bit o butter that was trying to escape the bread. I'll let you decide what I did.
So I enjoyed the louvre and you can ask jeff about it but all I can tell you is he is a good guy for getting me there.
Back to the day here in small town France, Chantilly actually. Nice people. There was a sad beggar that spoke English though that I deferred to help. I forget about beggars in Norway. I only had two weeks warning I was coming here so my french is almost non existent. Sorry. Merci is the hardest one right next to ja voudrais.
So music that would be on my french soundtrack..... Yes I know you were wondering.
Counting crows -Mr Jones
Beatles- blackbird
Beatles- obla de obla da
Mumford & sons - the cave
Snow patrol -chasing cars
Tom petty -free fallin (definitely)
Country strong - give into me
Pink- glitter in the air
Katy Perry- Firework
Enimen & Bruno Mars- lighters
Lady A- Just a kiss
My chemical romance - Sing
Beatles- here comes the sun
Katy Perry- last Friday night
Kenny chessney- you & tequila
Percy Sledge - When a man loves a woman
JJ Heller- What love really means
I wonder what Mr creepy Rogers would pick for his album?
Okay today's ramblings are over.
best laid plans
This was my research for the morning plans:
Green line into chatlet halles
Blue line to 'orsay ville', really just to Norte dame.
Back, blue line to Charles de Gaulle, exit at chatlet halles toward green line to orry da ville
Then the hotel front desk girl gave me an itinerary for the local bus & train, well its not the paris metro whoops well I decided to stay put.
I had considered going back into Paris and seeing arc de triumph & orsay museum/Notre dame. Nope I'm hanging out in a small French town instead.
So I'm postcarding rights now. Drinking black tea at a sidewalk shop, it's a bookstore too. I could stay here forever if max could be here. The food is crazy fresh here. The zucchinis at the store yesterday where gargantuan I could make a whole zucchini lasagna with ONE!!
I called my mom back in Norway and max wore mittens today to school. Yikes!! So the sun is blinding me as the clouds roll by. I ate at a Cuban tapas bar last night. The tapas plate was interesting... I remind the reader I'm not a seafood eater. So I tried all the fried goodness. First the potato cake, it had peas, green beans (frigging fresh too!), and I hope no fish cause I ate all three! Then the probable tuna or pate fried stick. Guacamole & salsa (pase style) with chips (even the corn in the chips jumped out and scream fresh). I ate all three fried long sticks with a fish leg or tentacle in it, dipping helped. Then there was one shaped like chicken nugget (mcd style), nope not chicken, or at least I think. The mood and cigaret smoke added to my five senses. Perhaps the sixth sense, the sense of humor. There where two girls story telling and squealing with laughter at times, made me miss my girlfriends. There was a older set 4, double dating? They were at a busy cafe and impatient (seriously, they just sat down). The waiters weren't all that intent on returning to your table after bringing your stuff to you. There was a token weird girl alone... She didn't speak French ;) she wore her favorite new polka dot top and favorite gold flats.
It may not be kosher to tap away on your phone at a cafe. I get a few looks... don't care. Well I'm off to mail some postcards. Au revoir.
Green line into chatlet halles
Blue line to 'orsay ville', really just to Norte dame.
Back, blue line to Charles de Gaulle, exit at chatlet halles toward green line to orry da ville
Then the hotel front desk girl gave me an itinerary for the local bus & train, well its not the paris metro whoops well I decided to stay put.
I had considered going back into Paris and seeing arc de triumph & orsay museum/Notre dame. Nope I'm hanging out in a small French town instead.
So I'm postcarding rights now. Drinking black tea at a sidewalk shop, it's a bookstore too. I could stay here forever if max could be here. The food is crazy fresh here. The zucchinis at the store yesterday where gargantuan I could make a whole zucchini lasagna with ONE!!
I called my mom back in Norway and max wore mittens today to school. Yikes!! So the sun is blinding me as the clouds roll by. I ate at a Cuban tapas bar last night. The tapas plate was interesting... I remind the reader I'm not a seafood eater. So I tried all the fried goodness. First the potato cake, it had peas, green beans (frigging fresh too!), and I hope no fish cause I ate all three! Then the probable tuna or pate fried stick. Guacamole & salsa (pase style) with chips (even the corn in the chips jumped out and scream fresh). I ate all three fried long sticks with a fish leg or tentacle in it, dipping helped. Then there was one shaped like chicken nugget (mcd style), nope not chicken, or at least I think. The mood and cigaret smoke added to my five senses. Perhaps the sixth sense, the sense of humor. There where two girls story telling and squealing with laughter at times, made me miss my girlfriends. There was a older set 4, double dating? They were at a busy cafe and impatient (seriously, they just sat down). The waiters weren't all that intent on returning to your table after bringing your stuff to you. There was a token weird girl alone... She didn't speak French ;) she wore her favorite new polka dot top and favorite gold flats.
It may not be kosher to tap away on your phone at a cafe. I get a few looks... don't care. Well I'm off to mail some postcards. Au revoir.
Paris!
In a cafe on a corner in a small French town. These ramblings start here. I'm in cafe noir, Chantilly France, mid september. It's a warm 25degrees leaves rustling by, cars & moped rolling on my left. I'm in the entrance of the coffee shop, the doors ate open so I smell the fried food from a shop five doors down. The wind has most people's scarves horizontal. It's even sunny. The cafe has hand drawn wallpaper border. Some panels are like if you took the side of a brown cardboard box and drew on it. It's nice though don't let my explanation frown on it.
It rained earlier. I was trying to eat a sandwich at a park. I mustered on through the rain it was like a light mist, I was mostly protected by the trees above me.
I have walked half the town. It's what a French town should be. Today is Monday so almost no businesses are open. Bars, cafes, grocery stores, travel agencies are open though. I'll have to wait for tomorrow, Mardi, for everything to open. I'm really hoping for chocolate shops to open.
Before the window shopping I got go to a nearby town. Jeff needed a dress shirt. So I took a taxi there & back, not cheap :(. It was a 'mall'. It had a large store inside it called Cora. It was like a target with a store credit card!! I got his shirts, I will never forget euro shirt sizing to USA sizing after today. I also got a new curling iron. Found a speedo for max, no I didn't buy. Saw some boy underwear also.... Um it had a tuck, or stitching that was unusual to say the least. I can't explain it, I even have a question on my face now thinking about it! I went to a store like a small sephora, found jeff some needed cologne and Tate some mini make by bourgeois.
So I am loving France. I realized I hadn't said it yet. The weather is better here. Food is crazy good & fresh. Farmland everywhere. Tall trees, I haven't seen cows yet.
I do miss max I could see him living this. And saying where's McDs?.
Okay battery going. I'll update more back at the hotel. Ha, I didn't say it yet, its the best western! It's nice though. Softer mattresses than Rome too!
It rained earlier. I was trying to eat a sandwich at a park. I mustered on through the rain it was like a light mist, I was mostly protected by the trees above me.
I have walked half the town. It's what a French town should be. Today is Monday so almost no businesses are open. Bars, cafes, grocery stores, travel agencies are open though. I'll have to wait for tomorrow, Mardi, for everything to open. I'm really hoping for chocolate shops to open.
Before the window shopping I got go to a nearby town. Jeff needed a dress shirt. So I took a taxi there & back, not cheap :(. It was a 'mall'. It had a large store inside it called Cora. It was like a target with a store credit card!! I got his shirts, I will never forget euro shirt sizing to USA sizing after today. I also got a new curling iron. Found a speedo for max, no I didn't buy. Saw some boy underwear also.... Um it had a tuck, or stitching that was unusual to say the least. I can't explain it, I even have a question on my face now thinking about it! I went to a store like a small sephora, found jeff some needed cologne and Tate some mini make by bourgeois.
So I am loving France. I realized I hadn't said it yet. The weather is better here. Food is crazy good & fresh. Farmland everywhere. Tall trees, I haven't seen cows yet.
I do miss max I could see him living this. And saying where's McDs?.
Okay battery going. I'll update more back at the hotel. Ha, I didn't say it yet, its the best western! It's nice though. Softer mattresses than Rome too!
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