Coolest apartment ever

Ok so I have some blogging to do today but I have other things to do too like sign my lease!!!!! I've included pictures of my place including the view from inside the apartment. I will need to spruce things up a bit and I'll go to the market for that one of these days. I'm so excited, now I need to speak Spanish and the world will be all right.

Quito, Ecuador

I have to tell you there was a stark contrast between the clientele on my flight to Paris and my flight to Miami. Entertaining to say the least.

Ok I arrived with no qualms easy flight easy everything. I'm feeling a little sluggish today, combo day-after travel day and the altitude. Air's a bit thin up here.

Nothing to report other than I'm brushing up my Spanish because I'm having a meeting with my internship and the new office manager doesn’t speak English. Bueno.

I've included some pictures of where I'm staying and my new best friend Pinky...Pinky is a boy.

Paris Wrap Up

Honestly folks that’s it. We had a great time and I’d go again. Definitely with a different itinerary, I do believe Paris is not going anywhere anytime soon so I shall return at some point.

Papa’s Golf Group

So before the debacle that was dinner. Papa was telling me that he started a new golf group. It had a few requirements. Mind you Norm cannot see very well now on account of his macular degeneration. Ok so the requirements are that you have to be over 80, Papa is 88, and you have to be able to see. Fair enough. The idea is that when Papa hits the ball someone else needs to be able to track it for him. So a new guy joins the team, over 80, says he can see, great…game on. Papa hits the ball ask the guy “did you see it?”, guy says “yeah, yeah, I saw where that went”. Perfect. They all hop in the golf cart to go after the ball and the get down the fairway Papa asks the guy “where’s my ball”? Guy answers “oh, I forgot”

So dinner with Papa and Jane

Most of you know the whole story. To not completely embarrass my whole family I’ll sum it up politely. We had dinner at Le Deux Magots in Paris for my mom’s birthday, as you read previously Papa and Jane were to be well “soaked” by the time we met them. We had a nice cocktail in the hotel lobby and then we went to the restaurant. Papa the ever generous offered to treat the team.

Dinner was lovely, food fabulous and the service impeccable. Ok, so, dessert was ordered and not yet served…and at this point let’s just say we realize Papa was not feeling well on account he’s piss drunk. Jane and him bounce like lighting, haven’t seen them move that fast in a decade, and mom is stuck with the $600 tab that was to be her birthday dinner. I’m sparing you the details but call me when I’m in the States next and I’ll fill you in. Note to self…I owe mom one $600 birthday dinner as soon as I have steady employment.

A few things to catch you up on

First I’m sorry I pittered out on the Paris blog. What happened was on Thursday we last week we did absolutely nothing. And by nothing I mean we spent 5 ½ hours in a café chatting with Audry and her husband. We talked about everything under the sun and quite frankly it was awesome. So cool to spend a Parisian day like a Parisian, with Parisians. Vraiment. Then we made in back to the apartment in time to get the call from Anna that her and Yasmine had landed and they would be by shortly. So we spent the next 4 hours chatting with them. So really not much action to report.

The super funny thing was, though, we wanted to go out to eat and walked away from this nice looking place b/c we thought that it looked a little pricy. So my mom wanted to go to Café Voltaire, which was literally 6 steps from our door. We pile in there, I don’t look at a menu assuming it was already pre-qualified, sit down and realize the prices are about double that of the restaurant we “turned down” because it was pricy. OH LORD. So everyone was over it in a heartbeat and I was mortified, but whatever.

The super fun thing was at the table next to us was a nice group of folks some Americans having dessert as we oogled over there dessert we chatted a bit. I realize I recognized the lady at the end of the table…it turns out it’s the designer Hilde from TLC’s hit show Trading Spaces. She looks exactly the same and as fabulous as she does on TV. Girlfriend also took down a plateful of cream puffs, ice cream and chocolate sauce like it was nobody’s business. Yeah girl…get it!

Oops

My grandfather's wife just called to see where we are. We had left a message that we would meet at their hotel at 7pm. Its not quite 6:30 and she's wondering where we are. Apparently she got the message that we were going to be there at 4. Her parting comments to my sister were "Well then, we will be three sheets to the wind by the time you guys get here...see you at 7." Apparently they've been drinking since 4.

Oh shit. Bring it.

Hello?

So the phone rings....mom answers "hello". Big pause. Then she says "Bonjour". I know she's in trouble. I head in her room where the phone is. I say "hello". The man on the other line tears off in French. I'm not catching a thing. I ask him "parlez-vous Anglais” he pauses. “Yes but I normally speak in French…does your husband speak French?” he asks. I’m thinking, my husband? I tell him “I’m just a visitor here”. It takes him a second and he apologizes and hangs up. My guess is it was a sales call. But we all had a good laugh that the guy would ask if my husband spoke French. Anyway.

quelque chose que tombe

So we visited Versailles the way to sum up Versailles is near impossible. Louis XIV was traumatized as a child when his palace in Paris was attack by nobles trying to take over the monarchy. He was snuck out and taken to the 2nd palace in the woods. Not far from the 2nd palace was his father’s hunting lodge, in Versailles. He spent most of his childhood there, and since his dad died when he was not quite 5 I think he felt very attached to the space. When he was old enough to rule he commissioned an architect to build a new palace at Versailles. He specifically wanted to integrate his father’s hunting lodge. Mind you when I say “hunting lodge” this is no log cabin in the woods. The “hunting lodge” would rival any mansion in the US but the Biltmore. Ok so Louis XIV then added on to the hunting lodge and expanded it by a zillion times, with a church, rooms, courtyards, and every painting and detail of opulence that you can imagine. The plans were so grandiose they were not finished in his lifetime. However he did live at Versailles for almost 40 years. Back to childhood trauma. So, in order to keep his friends close and his enemies closer, he order all of court to move out to Versailles with him around the time he was 40. He lived to be 86. Of the 300 or so noble families in France a representative from each family had to live at Versailles. So, the Royal family, court, 300+ nobles, 15,000 staff and countless ministers, military, clergy and visitors inhabited this enormous compound. This way Louie XIV could keep everyone literally at his beckon call. So Louis XIV loved himself A LOT. He loved his hair, legs, he was fantastically vain he even invented ballet to show them off…he loved decorating and…..anyone see where this is going? At least he produced an heir. But really the details in Versailles and the extent of his vanity is amazing and you really have to see it. BTW Louis XVI the great-great-great-grandson of Louis XIV. Louis XVI is the Louis that lost his head and was married to Marie-Antoinette.


Ok so when you go to see Versailles there a several tours. The garden tour, the sable (stable is probably bigger than the Biltmore and there are two of them), the private quarters tour (extra $700), tour of the Opera House, and the tour of the State rooms. We took the latter and it still took us hours to get through. At the very end of the tour you walk down the “Queens Steps” which is the staircase that linked the first floor, where Marie-Antoinette’s private chambers were, to the 2nd floor where her state room were. My happy ass slipped and damn near fell on my ass and slid down the stairs. At the same time all of the Euro coins in my pocket flung out. So picture an all marble room with all marble steps 3ish stories high, a gigantic American blond practically doing a back flip all to the echoing sound of coins being dropped. France, meet Rasa.


After dinner on this same day we were winding are way home through the beautiful streets of Paris. We live in the Antique shop area and it’s very very nice and expensive area to live in. I suppose with other areas of the world that attract that kind of resident you assume people conduct themselves in a certain manner. So we have been really minding our P’s and Q’s. As we were window shopping probably around 11pm, heading home. Aimee noticed something fluttering above her…she thinks, leaf…no, not possible no trees…money…no…not money. Well said item landed and Aimee stopped to see what it was. At this point I had caught up to her and looked down to see what she was examining. And it was of all things an open condom wrapper. I know Paris is a romantic city but really!

Lock Bridge

So there are like a bazillon bridges in Paris. This one bridge, and it's kinda ugly, has a very unique local thing happening. Apparently this has only become popular in the last year or so. As you can see by the photos there are locks locked to the bridge. What happens is, lovers new and old come to the bridge to "lock in" their love and then they throw the key in the Seine.

Freaking cool!

Real quick...who's the dumb ass that put the pad lock one on there??? Seriously...did they throw the combo in the Seine?

Monet's Gardens

Seriously was one of the most moving places I've been to. I guess I know more of Monet's work than I originally thought. I really felt like I was swimming in his paintings as we walked through the gardens. It was fantastic, truly. No way to really describe it. I’ve included some photos but it really doesn’t capture it.

This is what the apartment looks like....thought you'd like to see.

Segway Tours

I was dead freaking wrong. Hands down the coolest and most fun city tour I have ever done in my life. I think the picture sums it up the best, how much each of us enjoyed this. Let me point out, Mom wanted to do this for weeks, it was one of the things she was most looking forward to. I think her face really says it all. She claims she had fun. I’m not so sure.

Metro and Tolliettes

Took the Metro today. Like DC you need to keep your ticket when you go into the metro, then when you are leaving you feed the turnstile your ticket again. Knowing mom can be…um how shall I put this…distracted, when she is somewhere new. So I explained this to her before we left the apartment.

Well guess who didn’t grab her ticket on the way in? Yup mom. The turnstile even gives you a beep, which she ignored and motored through anyway. So how does one get out of the Paris Metro without a ticket you might ask? They climb under the turnstile….you heard it here first in front of quite a crown Miss. Diane got on her hands and knees and crawled out of the Metro. I almost peed in my pants. I was so distracted I didn’t get a picture….sorry L

However on the way back…she did attempt to pole dance on the Metro train. Aimee has a photo of that and refuses to let me up load it. Whatever.

At lunch Aimee has to use the restroom. She asks me if she is saying the right word….tolliette. She is and off she goes. She comes back giggling. What happened? Well apparently she asks one of the servers where the tolliettes are, he points back towards the kitchen. She’s not buying it a bit so our server walks by and affirms the bathroom is back there…Aimee skeptical walks back into the kitchen. At which point the kitchen staff and all of the servers crack up. Aimee exclaims "that's not nice" smacks the guy on the arm, then pouts and they then gesture down the stairs. I thought this was a fantastic joke. One point France, no points Aimee.

Fluency

I am in no way shape or form fluent in French. Nor would I describe myself as French-speaking. I know some French which I learned while I lived in a Francophone country…..in AFRICA. It’s like not speaking English at all and going to Jamaica for a few months to learn, then two years later trying to order a cheesesteak at Geno’s. Not freaking happening. According to Mom I am fluent and her personal dictionary.

Day One Done

Dinner

After showers and naps and a snack we decided to see the Eiffel Tower at night…well it was night by the time we got there. Aimee wanted to take us on the scenic route so we moseyed through the streets sucking in the architecture. Hunger struck and we stopped at a bistro. Food was fabulous. Aimee’s crème brulee was so light it felt like it was floating on the roof of your mouth. Aimee decided it was the best thing she ever ate. About half way through the dessert she exclaimed “If I had a tail it would be wagging”

Then we finely made it over to the Eiffel Tower…cool, awesome, rad….none of those words come close to describing what it’s like to see it at night.

I am too pooped to be witty so goodnight.

And we're in!

Made it!

With no help from Heathrow I might add. As with any long trip you want things to be uneventful until you arrive at your destination then the exciting stuff can start. And up until we landed in Heathrow that’s exactly what we got. Heathrow is humongous, and for it’s size and the area we came in, it was surprisingly short on signage. The big problem was our connection was tight and we seemed to have to go through security again. All fine and well, it just so turns out the security at Heathrow is some of the most thorough folks ever. I, wanting to speed things up I make certain that all my pockets are empty so I’m not going to sound the alarm.

Wrong.

I set off the alarm and honestly the only thing it could have been was my underwire…I certainly do have a lot. Did I mention security was thorough? Well the old wave the metal detector wand was not going to do it for me. Instead, this very nice woman gave me a complete head to toe pat…and when I say pat I mean literally her hands were on every spot on my person but the tippy top of my head. That is a hell of a welcome to Europe Rasa.

So I said we were cutting it close, well bags didn’t make it. We have them now so that’s all happy but we had to hang in travel clothes about 4 hours longer than anticipated. However, we are in the safest, cutest area of Paris. Lunch was a fortune but I found a wine store with cheap wine……you can guess where that’ll lead this week.

Mom is over the moon, Aimee and I are still tired but tomorrow we ride a segway for 3 hours…no doubt that will be interesting.

Birthday Suit

So we’re going on this trip to celebrate my mother’s birthday. Even though we are not in Paris for her actual birthday, my sister and I are taking her to dinner one night for “birthday dinner”.

I figured mom has at some point bought a few new outfits for the trip. I was out all morning running errands and as I come home she’s upstairs packing. I climb the stairs as she hollers “RAAAASS come look at my birthday suit” I know she’s talking about a new suit for her birthday. Well as I round the corner to her bedroom…she is also standing in her birthday suit, the original! MUCH to my surprise.

I fell out with the punnyness of the situation! I’m doubled over on the landing it finally dawns on her what she said and what I then saw…..after I pull myself together, I did see her new suit. I’ll include a picture after she wears it. I will not, however, include a picture of the original.

Paris

Well it's not even 7 and I'm up. Couldn't sleep from a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Haven't packed yet, need camera, a pile of stuff from Target.

So armed with coffee in hand I sit down on the couch...nothing is open anyway and my laundry is still being done. Why does waking up super early feel like a hangover?

If you caught that I need a camera above then you'll probably guess that I will add photo's to this blog. Or so I promise, that didn't work for my Florida blog :(

For those of you not aware of who will be joining me on this trip let me refresh you.

My mother, for whom this trip would not be possible. Also known as, Frick from Frick and Frack do Africa. I am not willing to fill Frack's shoes so I'm hoping Aimee will step up. Which is likely if we have another airport issue. Aimee, my darling sister, composed, polite, the picture of prepared and generally calm....absolutely lost her shit on a gate agent the last time we flew together. This time I'll have my camera around my neck so you all don’t have to miss the moment!

We will be meeting our friend and exchange student from years ago Audry, she's living in France and I haven't seen her in at least 10 years. Then there is Anna, my mom's friend and exchange student and her daughter Yasmine. They are from Sweden, I love Swedes they in all of my travels Swedes have been nothing but the best world citizens out there. Unlike some of my American counterparts of whom I hope I do not run into while overseas.

And the crème de la crème in players of this trip is my grandfather, Papa, and his wife Jane. Whom both think, secretly or otherwise, that I'm a communist because I voted for Obama.

Ok we're all teed up. I'll fill you in as this unfolds.