Malte Opera Paris

I just got back today from spending a long weekend in Paris. Certainly a huge landmark in what is proving to be the adventure of adventures so far. Sure the sights are great, but they are only what you would expect them to be after so much hype. The foods great too, but you'd expect that too, Paris being the gastronomy capital of the world. What was less expected however, was how easy it is to have a great time, and to meet people who are really great ...

... checked out other areas of the museum including the Greek, Roman and Egyptian areas, the rest of the painting section and the statue section. Another of the main pieces that we managed to see was the armless Venus de Milo. Back outside we headed for Notre Dame and entered the great cathedral just at the end of a service. This was great timing as we got to experience the great noise of the powerful organ reverberating around the inside of the massive building ...

... had tickets to the ballet at the famous Opera house (famous for the Phantom) and so after making some quiche for dinner and putting the kids to bed Jenn proceeded on her first international haircut. Merci Beaucoup! The rest of the week was filled with various other necessary visits on any trip to Paris - drinking wine under the Eifel Tower, a trip to the top of the tower at night, visiting the local market to buy some excellent ...

... rireissu ...ja viisi metriä laiturista irtoamisen jälkeen, isällä tuli nälkä ja läskileipiä alettiin kaivamaan esiin :-) Mitenhän tässä nyt käy, kun viimeistään Japanin kohdilla loppuu läskituotteiden saatavuus totaalisesti ja siinä voidaan joutua hankkimaan läskit tiskin alta tai jostain syrjäkujien sormettomilta miehiltä :-) Nyt kaiken lisäksi minulla nousi jostain aivojen hirvittävien mainosbiisien lokerosta, joku EeeeeBeeee on siististi cool renkutus ...

Our morning was spent at the Louvre. We probably should have planned our visit better to maximize our time. We lost time backtracking here and there. This was no small building with multiple floors and it stretched on and on. Obviously the benefit of its scale was to see so many original works of art in one location. Yes, Mona Lisa was there. See the pics...

... quite as tall as I had imagined it to be, but still incredible!! After an hour and half of walking, our close walk to the hostel ended. We couldnt check in yet, so we just dropped off our bags and headed out to the city!!! Lunch first since we were all starving. I finally got a decent salad, but I dont think people in Europe know what a real salad is!!! Our first stop was the Notre Dame Cathedral!!! I was now the direction leader of both the street map and ...

... his flight due to road delays in Florence, then had to either wait 3 days for the next flight or take a train to some Milan (I think), then slept on a couch he found on the street because there was a convention in town that filled all the hotels..etc, etc..and finally he got to Paris. Yes, he loves this city and I agree. Stephan, as always, was a gracious host to my parade of friends that I have brought to his place. I'm home.

... list for the trip as well as to the pinnacle of our alltime best meal list. We checked out this morning after Kirra had secured 2 jars of secret and special jams that were a combination of gingerbread and orange. Sounds wierd but she loved the stuff. I guess she is struggling with the "no vegemite" routine. We arrivred back in Paris and dropped off the car after a few anxious moments to see if the damage from the stray scooter chick accident was ...

... out with Chelsea again, who's from Hillcrest (I swear I've met someone from San Diego in every stop so far). We went down to the little market to get cheap beers and cigs and we practiced our french with the store owners - it's a lot easier when you've been drinking! Went to another bar with everyone, got accosted by some French dude and pawned him off on poor Ceya. hehehe.

... les Halles was good fun too, with fantastic crepe stalls on every street corner :) Not that I spent my entire time here eating, or anything. Walking around the Pere Lachaise cemetery was oddly peaceful too. The world's most visited graveyard and home to the graves of Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde (amongst many, many others), the size of it meant there seemed not to be anyone there, and it was interesting to walk around and see the occasional name on a ...