The Canadian Mancunian: Breads, Salads, and Fantasies

You know, life isn't all wine and roses here across the pond, but reading this blog it sure would be hard to argue otherwise.
It's been so long since I've written a blog that I read back over the last few so I could remember to correctly misspell words, overuse the word really, and write run-on sentences with a vigor and passion not seen since the last grade 8 essay you read or wrote yourself way back when you had a really great time in grade school yourself.

With my writing skills refreshed, I took a moment to reflect on the amount of travelling and fun times that H and I have had in Manny and abroad. I also thought about the glowing reviews I have given these places/activities and realized I have not given too many disparaging remarks about said places/activities, if any. I don't want our life to sound like it is all bread, salad, and fantasies, but I suppose for the moment it is. Paris only reconfirmed that.

My parents arrived the night before we left for Paris after a very long and arduous journey around Icelandic ash clouds. They arrived very tired, but safe and sound. Unfortunately for them, we abandoned them the next morning. Nice children huh? We did do it for a good reason though: Paris! Heather and I have wanted to go for quite a while, we just were never able to make it the main destination and never really wanted to 'short-change' the city. That sure was a stupid reason for never going. Must have been Heather's idea. Who knows when we would have taken the plunge if it wasn't for our friends from Vancouver, Jeff and Helene, inviting us to tag along on their vacation with them. Well, we jumped all over the invite as we were really stoked to see both Paris and Van City friends. We booked some chunnel tickets, made plans with the parents, and were on our way.

Now since I uploaded these photos before writing this blog, they may be a bit out of sequence. Also, we did so much in three days in Paris that the stories and descriptions would bore you, so I'm just going to use a few anecdotes and descriptions below, and let the city do the talking.

After a good first night of sampling French wine (did you know it was good?), we set out and walked to Notre Dame Cathedral on our first full day in Paris, just down the street from J and H's apartment. I looked for Quasimodo, but didn't see him. He must have been on lunch break, as we might have been a little late getting up in the morning.

Heather really wanted to go to Shakespeare andn Co. across the river from Notre Dame. It is the oldest English bookstore in Paris. You weren't supposed to take pictures inside, but we snuck some anyway. It was a ultra-cool.

I spied this men's store when we were walking around. There was nothing in my or Jeff's size. Too bad. They were having a big sale.

We grabbed a baguette and bottle of wine and hit the Luxembourg Park for a spot of lunch and bit of 'French Open' tennis. We never did make it out to Roland Garros to catch a match, so this was the best quality open tennis we watched. Shoot, they actually had a rally that lasted longer than three- not bad. The gardens and park were really nice. I was fascinated by the luck of all the trees growing so naturally in straight rows. What is the probability of that happening!!??

We headed out for a dinner and lucked out getting into Glou (click here) as it filled up about 30 minutes after we sat down. It was pretty good food, with a great setting and delicious wine. MMMMMMMM.

Later on we ended up (eventually) at this wicked cafe in Marais. Good times.

Strange toilet. Yup, that's the works.

More great cafes. They are everywhere!

Be forewarned, the following caption is bad but I have been thinking about it for almost four weeks... Actually, never mind, I think I'll make it a caption contest:

Write a caption for the pic below in the comments section and Heather will be the judge. The best comment will win a prize in the mail (this may take a while if you are in Canada). Only one entry per person and if you post as anonymous, make sure to leave you name.

The next day we set off to the Rodin museum. Heather and I decided not to go to the Louvre because of the amount of time it would take and because we had already decided we would return. Helene and Jeff had set aside a whole day to wander around it later in the week. On the way to the Rodin museum we caught our first daytime glimpse of La Tour Eiffel. I love seeing iconic architecture.

Along with iconic architecture, I also love seeing iconic art (so why didn't we go to the Louvre?). The Rodin museum was really fantastic. It was an old hotel that Rodin lived and worked in. He made a deal with the French government that if he was allowed to live in the hotel, he would donate his collection to the government when he died. Main house/hotel had a collection of works, but the real treat was the grounds, as his sculptures were spread out around the gardens in various places. All of the bronzes were cast, so there are a number of copies of the sculptures, but it was still pretty cool to be able to touch them.

I know everyone has seen the thinker, but seeing it up close was one of my favorite experiences of seeing iconic art in real life. I had no idea of the detail in the sculpture. The muscle definition and tension throughout his body is fantastic. It looks like he could just rip himself away from the seat at any time, but that he has no itention of ever moving.

I can't remember the name of this one, but it is a representation of some guy who had to choose between starvation or eating his own children. The kids didn't make it and he was damned in hell. Rodin was known for his light source material.

Afterwards, we decided to grab some rental bikes from the electronic racks and pedal over to the Eiffel Tower and do lunch in the park. It was the best decision we made all trip. What a great way to see the city. I would highly recommend it. Just make sure you check the bike first before you pick it, as some had wonky tires and pedals. Mine came with a baguette in the basket.

Do you think Canadians like black shirts and jeans? I do. Sears catalogue look out.

I didn't know that truck drivers would try and zap you with lazer eyes. Luckily, we escaped the zone rouge.

Remember I said it was out of sequence? Anyway, we made it to the Pei pyramids one night to get some photos.

Back to the bike day: We stopped at one more shop before heading off to dinner. It was one of the coolest, strangest, rooms of death that I had ever been in. It might be the most famous taxidermy store in the world. Yes, that is a taxidermied (is that a word?) donkey. There was a pair of them. Jeff really wanted to buy the donkeys because he felt so bad that no one would ever buy them. I think he is right. Although, who really wants a sheep? Or a water buffalo?

Or Geese? Or Chickens?

I would like a Toucan.

I do not want spiders.

I would like a polar bear. I would name it Tyler.

Sorry, Tyler. You cost too much. Just a bit too much. Just a bit.

Apparently, all of the animals were roadkill or natural deaths or something. That's good because I would have been really sad for the baby elephant.

Paris had a bunch of cool graffiti art all around it. You may guess it, but Raamar is my favorite.

The last cafe dinner. Fantastic again. Good times again.

It was super good trip: J and H are a blast, Paris is, well, Paris, and the chunnel is far superior to flying.

This is from the train ride home. I've never stopped in Macclesfield and I'm sure it's a lovely place, but if the train station and the bunk award it got are any indication....I'll pass.