I MISS THE PAIN

AND THE FROMAGE, VIN, JAMON AND FOIS GRAS

FRANCE PARTE UN

PARIS

We arrived in gay Paree mid morning Monday.
Bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to use to the universal language of clicks, grunts, pointing and stunned stares to see us through the next 17 days.
We safely navigated the aeroport (airport) to the Gare (train station).
Stop me if I'm going to fast for you monolinguals out there.
The train ride into Paris reminded me of the ride from Strathfield to Newtown. Terracey kind of houses with their yards backing up against the tracks and graffiti along the walls.
The metro is pretty easy to use and we found the station nearest our hostel in Montmartre. Standing around looking like gormless tourists trying to get our bearings and work out which direction we need, a older man in a beret with a Baguette under his arm came up to us, mentioned the name of the Hostel, we clicked and grunted and he pointed us up the correct street.
He was wearing a beret with a Baguette!....
I love when awesome cultural stereotypes are true.
There were also many cute men in great wool coats and women in skirts with long boots.
We walked up and down random streets, had coffee, went to Notre Dame which is very impressive in a looming Gothic way.
For atheists we sure go into a lot of churches when visiting the old world.
I completely admire the sheer talent, energy and beauty that went into building these structures, I just think they are wasted on religion.

Holy Toes, Notre Dame

The next day we were planning on going to the Catacombs, but they were shut. Pfft what for? Polishing the bones, a touch of Necromacy perhaps?

Instead we found a great museum Musee des Arts Et Metiers. Which had many displays about the evolution and discovery of measurements, time, weights and early chemistry experiments.

Astrolab 1569

No visit to Paris would be complete to check out big phallic symbol and go up to the second level...sort of like getting to second base but a whole lot colder and doesn't work so well in back of a car.
The Eiffel Tower is quite amazing especially when you are looking around for it and double take when it hoves into view. Great views and the wind was blowing a gale but we kept steady and didn't fall off or anything.
We wandered along the river and around past large marble and stone important looking buildings and found ourselves on the Champ les Elysees, with The Arc de Triomphe on one end and the Obelisk with Ferris Wheel on the other.

Yep, it sure is big

Only having a day and a half in Paris we weren't too stressed about seeing everything and I'm pretty happy about what we did see. Considering all the fabulous stuff we saw and did in the rest of France I'm glad we didn't spent any more time there.

We discovered that lots of France shuts for January. Though also as we found low tourist season worked in our favour more often than not.

Merry go round and Sacre-Couer Basilica, Montmartre

On Wednesday we hopped onto the TGV - train a grande vitesse, french for Bloody Fast Train, and went down to Bordeaux where we met up with Laela and Fitz. Was wonderful to catch up after a year. Had a great dinner, wandered through the Museum of Aquitane and picked up our hire car the next day.


Miss B. Trousers has great write ups on their trip aswell. Giving away the whole breaking in bits a bit early, but I'll get there.

Next stop Belves.....

NEW TOYS AND NEW LANDS

Here is a couple of pics of the goodies we bought back from Mexico last weekend. I'm not much of a decorator and thinking of the layout for our house isn't something I've been dwelling on to much. Its a house, build it for us, it will be cool.....omg we have to make choices aswell?!
On thing I've been keen on is funky bathroom sinks, and there are so many to choose from, it hurts the brain. This website for example.


These ones are very pretty and we can say we bought them from the source and alot cheaper than anywhere else I've seen. If and when we move back to Australia, I'm bringing them with me.
Bought 100 tiles for $20, to add colour and accents to the rooms.
We also got a tiled mirror, I may look around for a couple more cause they are pretty awesome.
(even out of focus)


Another new toy is a Ipod Classic 80GB. Been ripping CD's like crazy and still have 64GB free.
I did have to swallow my reluctance to buying a Ipod, because of the whole non replaceable battery issue but I think they are all like that now so here goes ...*swallow*
We were looking at a 30GB Zune for $200 but for $50 extra we could get the 80GB...so tough call really.
I remember back in the wild old days of 2005 I bought a 512MB MP3 player for $130. It's the size of a ciggie lighter and was perfect for my West Indies Turtle poking trip, but my, haven't times, prices and sheer storage capacity changed.

Rob and I were chatting while on our slog through the snow, laughing at the happy, bounding, snow eating dogs thats its been a year since we moved here. We arrived on the 17th January 2007. How completely freaky is that.
A year since we have had a meat pie, a 'cunning' BBQ, thai food on King St, driven on the left side or seen anybody. Its been a great year and we have settled in very well. Though the master plan of transporting Sydney and 100kms west of the Blue Mountains to just outside of Flagstaff is still underway. Then youse lot won't be whinging about the heat, and we can all play Munchkin and have picnics on 1000 yr old Indian ruins.
To celebrate our one year we decided to spend it in a completely different country...make sense to me. We are going to France on Sunday for 3 weeks..woot.
Rented a house and hanging out with a few people in Belves. Should be wonderful.
Shall spend the time consuming cheese, bread and wine. Not much different from normal, except it all shall be with outrageous accents and telling jokes, sotto voce.

'Whats the different between toast and the French?'

"You can make soldiers out of toast"

Au Revoir

FROM THIS

TO THIS

THEN THIS

ALL IN LESS THAN A DAY

We popped down to Puerto Penasco/Rocky Point, Mexico for the weekend. Sallie had won the weekend in a charity silent auction a while back and organised for all of us to go.
Its a 6 hr drive from here and about 1 hour over the Mexican border on the coast of the Sea of Cortez and part of the Sonoran Desert.
The place is supported by rich Americans buying $500 K Beach houses and hordes of uni students descending over Spring Break. Its has been dissed because its not a real 'Mexico' experience, more like a China Town or Spanish Quarter. But hey, we had a great time anyway. It is off season, so few people, yummy seafood tacos and that great ocean smell.
We also bought two hand painted sinks, a tile and metal mirror and 100 funky tiles, to help decorate the new house with, so we are pretty happy.
I'll get photos when I brave going outside to the car to get them..its snowy and deep out there at the moment.
Darwin had the time of her life, sprinting up and down, bounding through waves and stalking seagulls.
We stopped briefly at Organ Pipe Cactus Park, to check out the huge cactus's and incoming storm. So big and spiky, just the way I like my cactus.

I did want to go out and do a few things today, renew my drivers license, buy a MP3 player, get milk, but the roads haven't been plowed here yet, so I guess its another cuppa and WOW.

NONONONONONO...YES.
MY MOST FAVOURITE VICAR

Kate sent me "The Vicar of Dibley- A Holy Wholly Happy Ending" and we watched it last night.
Laughed till I cried. I love Dawn French, and the of rest of the cast is truely wonderful.
Classic comedy and I ordered the whole lot to share with the folks here cause I think they will love them to.



The only other thing I've Richard 'Dreamboat' Armitage in was 'North and South' with Kate and a bottle of Chardy. We fast forwarded through all the dreary mill bits to his scenes.
A bit like with 'P & P' and Colin Firth. Seeya Mrs Bennett, Helloooooo duck pond!

Anyway must fly, well drive. Going to Puerto Penasco, (Rocky Point ) Mexico for the weekend. Its 4pm now and its a 6 hour drive.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND CHRISTMAS AND STUFF AND THAT

Its 11:54pm December 31st 2007...
and already I've seen the Pine Cone drop. New Years comes early to Flagstaff. But not to the Real World...Happy New Year Aussie Land..like yesterday
I've had wine and a hip flask of Baileys. ...trust me its really bloody cold, hasn't snowed here for a couple of weeks but the wind goes right through you like its is from Hades (as long as Hades is really cold and windy)

some photos from Christmas and tonight....hey a hip flask of Baileys is a beautiful thing

Rob found this Arrowhead in Clay's and Dusty's ranch....the place is a known ancient Indian dwelling ground. We were all very impressed.
No really! Clay talked about the the obsidian flakes he would find in the place. Rob looked down and found a arrowhead...as he does. How beautiful is that.


Then we hooned around in the AVT's....awesome fun, no one flipped it and died or hit a cow.

The Christmas Tree Gatherers

Woo the time i took too type this now its 12:01am 2008..now it 12:11am

Count Down

it now 12:48am....blogging takes its toll...