Even Parisian cemeteries are romantic

The other day, while Gabby was in town, we stopped by one of the biggest and most eerily beautiful cemeteries I've ever been to- Père Lachaise.  I'm fortunate enough to live really close by, which makes smaller visits more convenient.  The shear size of the place is completely overwhelming and picking up a map at one of the entrances is a must.

It took me until Gabby's visit to realize that I had never talked about the cemetery before and I have some lovely pictures I wanted to share with you.

 

The decaying, gothic-like burial chambers covering the rolling hills inside the cemetery and all of the famous residents (Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Henry Chopin, Sandra Bernhardt, Victor Hugo and the list could go on for days...) help to make it one of the most visited and well known cemeteries in the world.  There are over 300,000 buried here and the grounds also house a chapel and crematorium.  It is a pretty incredible place.

xx

I don't share desserts, but I'll share Paris

Paris is a great city to wander around and get lost in . . . with the right person.  While Gabby was in town I did my best not to steer us in the wrong direction (which is very difficult sometimes) since we were doing so much walking to begin with.  We really got to explore a lot of the city together.  Spending time in the Left Bank: lazying in Luxembourg Gardens, champagne on the terrace at Les Deux Magots, macaroons from Pierre Hermes and of course some World Cup football games.  We also visited Pere Lachaise cemetery up in the 20th arrondissement and Canal Saint-Martin in the 10th.  We had a picnic on the Seine one night and shopped les Puces de Saint-Ouen (the famous Parisian flea market).  In the Marais we shopped and spent some time in the Place des Vosges then ate "the best Falafal in the world!" from the famed L'As du Fallafe- delicious!

We even got to experience two different seasons!  It was around 50 degrees and rainy the first weekend we were in Paris together and more than 80 degrees and sunny by the time we returned from Amsterdam.  Paris really comes alive in the Summer though, so it was great that she got to experience that before she left.  It was truly a wonderful time!

I'm not quite sure if I changed her mind about Paris, but I did my damnedest to show her how amazing the city can be and I think a bit of it rubbed off on her.  Paris is magical and I think it may have ruined me for other cities...

xx

The Black Lion

Paris may be the city of romance, but I received my first marriage proposal in Amsterdam...
Please meet The Black Lion!

This African tribal dancer from Senegal (he even has business cards and a portfolio of performance pictures that he showed us) was one of the vendors at the Waterlooplein flea market.  I stopped by his stall to look at the African textiles and the next thing a know he's telling Gabby and I how much he would like a woman like me, that we look good next to one another and basically that he would be a great arm charm for me...Well, then things got even more interesting as he told me "back home in Africa you have a fat wife she sleeps outside, but you, I would come and scoop you up and carry you back home."   Oh really?!?

I'll take that as a complement and the first marriage proposal I have gotten was kindly declined.


xx

Friendly observations

I have an extra special treat for you today!  Gabby, who was just here visiting, has been kind enough to write a couple of guest posts about her experience.  It's always nice to get another person's perspective on things and sharing trips with a friend is a great way to see the world through someone else's eyes.

Ok, take it away Gabby!

10 Observations:

1) Renting a phone- after converting to a blackberry a little over a year ago you realize how hard it is to text on an old school phone.
2) French people do really smell bad - experienced that first hand on my 9 hour flight over.
3) I realized that I had the largest girls in Paris. Did not realize that all French girls were flat-chested.  (Ed note: not ALL French girls)
4) Renting bikes looks fun until you're the dipshit that runs into a parked car (Ed note: secret's out!)
5) If you think 3 Eiffel Tower key chains for 1 Euro is a good deal, you're wrong, you can get 5 for 1, but then you realize WTF am I gonna do with 5 Eiffel Tower key chains.
6) If you are going to over pack, at least over pack for all kinds of weather.  It could be freezing cold one day and hot as hell the next day.  (Ed note: she's right, we went from low 50s to high 80s in less than a week)
7) Save your money on the brownies!
8) If you plan on going to an erotic show make sure your traveling with someone who is into the same kind of kinky stuff you are ; )
9) If you think the boy siting near you on the bridge is upset over a girl making out with some other guy, you could be right, but don't be surprised if he turns to the guy next to him and starts making out with him.
10) 1 week in Europe is never enough time to spend with your friend drinking wine, eating 2-3 desserts a day and walking till your feet feel like they are about to fall off.

Thanks for everything Holz!

Wow... a bunch of those are seriously funny and possibly inside jokes, but I'm sure you get the picture.  I am so glad to hear Gabby had a good time!!!!

xx

El Born on the 4th of July

Today I will be traveling to Barcelona instead of watching fireworks like most Americans, but don't feel too bad for me (I'm sure you're rolling your eyes now). I am meeting up with some fellow Americans tonight and we will be celebrating Catalan food and drink, but toasting to the US of A! 

I just read that Columbus was reported to Queen Isabella and Ferdinand in Barcelona after discovering the Americas, so I'm certainly in the right place in the world for an alternative celebration. There is even a monument to commemorate his famous trip. 

While in Barcelona I am staying in the trendy El Born district and cannot wait to explore this much talked about area.  I'm not sure how much I will be able to post during my travels this week, but I will be sure to actively keep you updated on my Catalan adventures (I've been forewarned already that Barcelona is not really "in Spain").

I wish you all a happy and safe 4th of July! Be sure to light some sparklers or eat a hot dog for me!

xx

I amsterdam

Amsterdam... where do I begin?

Well, I've already mentioned the great bike tour we went on.  We also visited the Anne Frank house, where Anne's dad moved me to tears, and the Van Gogh museum in the beautiful Museumplein square.  One night at sunset we took a canal tour, complete with shwarma and delicious coffeeshop brownies.  We took trams (sometimes in the wrong direction- completely my fault), explored the Joordan, shopped the Nine Streets and toured the Red Light District.  We also picked up souvenirs during trips to the Albert Cuypmarkt and the Waterlooplein flea market, where we met the Black Lion (more on that later). We ate Indonesian tapas, drank beer and more beer and had ice cream on the hot days.  We went to the Heineken Experience and learned to both taste and pour an "ice cold" Heineken.  We drank some more beer...

The best part of the trip was all the wandering we did.  It's my favorite way to explore a new city and usually the only time getting lost feels okay and maybe even fun.  One day we spent a good hour on a bench by the canal, just relaxing and doing some people watching.  I fell in love with the Brown Cafe we visited our first night in town and a jazz club we popped into after dinner one night.  I could not stop starring at all the picturesque red shutters on many of the buildings and found my favorite house boat.  We both decided our next trip to Amsterdam would have to include renting a little boat to explore the canals while drinking wine in the sunshine like the locals.

 

It was a great trip and I believe I am correct in saying we were both sad to leave and would like to return again soon!

xx

Bicycles!

I mentioned in my last post that I had more pictures and stories to share with you from Gabby's visit, so let's not waste anymore time...

BICYCLES!
One of the activities the two of us enthusiastically agreed to participate in was bike tours.

Our bike tour in Paris took place at night and included such highlights as a stop for Berthillon ice cream (my favorite in the city and only available in Paris), riding our bikes around the empty Louvre courtyard and getting to meet some of our fellow tourists while cruising down the Seine with lots of wine in tow.  I have to admit, we lucked out with an empty Louvre courtyard.  It was around 9:30 pm on a cold and rainy Sunday night so there were maybe 2 or 3 people walking by- if that.  We had access to the whole area and could ride around the famous glass pyramid while our fearless bike leader did tricks and everyone took photos.  Amazing!  It is nearly impossible to describe how much fun it was and how special it felt to have that space to ourselves (it's never that empty- trust me!).

PARIS: Fat Tire Bike Tours - Night Tour

In Amsterdam we took the country tour which led us through the city, to the Amstel River and down through part of the countryside just outside of the city limits.  We saw a windmill and visited a cheese farm (no you can't farm cheese) where the farmer also makes clogs.  That farmer was crazy!  He had obviously been drinking and immediately started picking on a couple of the girls in our tour in a playfully funny, although somewhat sexist and racist, way.  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves though and quite a few of us were drinking too.

Full disclosure- there was an accident during our ride.  Someone in our group (I'll never tell...) ran into a parked car on a sharp turn off the "Skinny Bridge."  The company is insured for accidents like this and luckily the person was in better shape than the car.  We had to stop and wait for a representative from the bike company to meet with the car owner and while we waited our tour leader had a cigarette with the man.  It was very funny seeing them both instantly relax once they had a firestick in their hands.  Right before we left to continue the tour, the owner of the car came over and told the unlucky soul who ran into his car not to worry and to have a great rest of their trip.  It was very nice of him and we had a great ride after all of that!

AMSTERDAM: Mike's Bike's - Country Tour

A big thanks to our awesome tour leaders!  I had so much fun on both of these tours that I'm going to take another one when I get to Barcelona.  Viva la bicicleta!!!

xx