Sounds kind of like a villain from a James Bond flick, doesn't it?
Actually, I just came back from my very first medical appointment here in the UK. Despite the "free" health care available here in the UK via the NHS, J and I decided to opt for private health insurance. I polled my friends who've been living here for a while, and although the NHS apparently suffices for most needs, it can get to be a bit of a wait for an appointment. The idea of waiting two weeks for an appointment when you're not feeling so great sounds pretty terrible.
Anyway, I went in today for a bug bite on my leg that just won't go away. The prescription? Just be patient and stop scratching. Sigh. At least I know it's not skin cancer or a parasite living in my leg or something like that. Damn those medical shows like "Monsters Inside Me" - it could make a hypochondriac out of any mentally healthy person. Other good news? I have excellent blood pressure - good to know. =) It wasn't too much trouble, at least, since the doctor is only a ten minute walk from my flat, and now I know of a good doctor in the area.
I paid the doctor's fee, and I'm supposed to submit the claim to the insurance company myself. That's a bit different from medical offices in the States; they usually submit the claim for you. Some other interesting things of note:
(1) Doctors here make house calls! How awesome is that? It really is too much to ask a sick person to go traipsing all around town, spreading their germs - that's not good for anyone.
(2) Much less paperwork. The only form I had to fill out was a very short one with my birthday and address. The doctor then conducted a very short interview asking about my medical history and allergies. I'm still in shock of not having to complete and sign at least ten different forms before ever seeing the doctor.
All in all, a very positive experience, and one I would rate higher than my visits to the GP back in the States. Except I got caught in the rain so I ran all the way home - I really need to be better about taking my umbrella with me everywhere!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
TK at the Opera
Guess where J took me tonight?
That's right, the opera! Specifically, Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall.
The last time I was at the opera was when I was in eighth grade, and my music teacher picked me to go to an Italian opera as a reward for having perfect pitch. My teacher would play a note on the piano in the beginning of each class, and we would all try to guess what note she was playing. Thanks to years and years of unwanted piano lessons, I got it right every time and won a veritable treasure trove of lollipops. I don't know which was better - the lollipops or the trip to the opera.
In any case, I didn't have to identify any notes or anything to go to the opera this time since J decided to surprise me with the tickets. =)
The story is a tragedy written by Puccini in 1904 about a Japanese woman (Butterfly) who falls in love and marries an American naval captain, who later abandons her with promises to return. After three long years of waiting, he finally does return, but with an American bride that he considers to be his true wife. The pair ask Butterfly to give up her son to them, and she agrees and kills herself before they return to collect him.
We got to the venue just in time, and I noticed people had dressed with care to attend the opera. I've been to a play, a musical, and now an opera in London, and no one has ever been dressed up for any of it but for the opera. The men were in jackets and ties and the women had on dresses and heels. J and I? We were in jeans and jeans. But I did put on some earrings for the occasion. =)
J had sprung for the good seats, so we got a clear view of the set, which was absolutely beautiful. The set was flooded with water, and a Japanese house sat on a platform in the middle of the stage. The stage is circular with the orchestra abutting the rear of the stage, and the singers made full use of the entire space throughout the opera.
The acoustics in the Hall are supposed to be the best in London, and the singing was incredibly beautiful. It was a sad story, and very intense through much of it, and I could see why the woman sitting next to me was wiping way tears at the end of the performance.
As for me, I didn't cry but I was inspired to sing in song for the rest of the night. J decided to join in, and so we bellowed an operatic conversation to each other all the way home. Cause that's just who we are. =)
That's right, the opera! Specifically, Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall.
The last time I was at the opera was when I was in eighth grade, and my music teacher picked me to go to an Italian opera as a reward for having perfect pitch. My teacher would play a note on the piano in the beginning of each class, and we would all try to guess what note she was playing. Thanks to years and years of unwanted piano lessons, I got it right every time and won a veritable treasure trove of lollipops. I don't know which was better - the lollipops or the trip to the opera.
In any case, I didn't have to identify any notes or anything to go to the opera this time since J decided to surprise me with the tickets. =)
The story is a tragedy written by Puccini in 1904 about a Japanese woman (Butterfly) who falls in love and marries an American naval captain, who later abandons her with promises to return. After three long years of waiting, he finally does return, but with an American bride that he considers to be his true wife. The pair ask Butterfly to give up her son to them, and she agrees and kills herself before they return to collect him.
We got to the venue just in time, and I noticed people had dressed with care to attend the opera. I've been to a play, a musical, and now an opera in London, and no one has ever been dressed up for any of it but for the opera. The men were in jackets and ties and the women had on dresses and heels. J and I? We were in jeans and jeans. But I did put on some earrings for the occasion. =)
J had sprung for the good seats, so we got a clear view of the set, which was absolutely beautiful. The set was flooded with water, and a Japanese house sat on a platform in the middle of the stage. The stage is circular with the orchestra abutting the rear of the stage, and the singers made full use of the entire space throughout the opera.
The acoustics in the Hall are supposed to be the best in London, and the singing was incredibly beautiful. It was a sad story, and very intense through much of it, and I could see why the woman sitting next to me was wiping way tears at the end of the performance.
As for me, I didn't cry but I was inspired to sing in song for the rest of the night. J decided to join in, and so we bellowed an operatic conversation to each other all the way home. Cause that's just who we are. =)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
A Little Rain Must Fall
It's been one of those days where nothing goes right, but I find that I can't be that upset about it. There are all sorts of things going on in the world that are leagues beyond any discomfort that I may be facing, and I'm grateful that my complaints are small.
That being said, I had an absolutely horrible run this morning - the shortest and the slowest run I've had in a while. I wasn't feeling particularly motivated, but I had promised my friend that we would both go running at noon, albeit her at the gym and me at the park. About two minutes into my run, my iPod ran out of juice, proving me wrong in thinking that the poor thing had another hour or so left battery-wise.
I decided to just keep on trucking in silencio, and then a mile later, I ran into a dog fight. Lots of dog owners wander the park without their dogs on leashes, and maybe that's not the brightest idea. Like when your large dog is the kind of dog that likes to chase and bite other strange, large dogs. I couldn't run through the dog fight so I waited and watched as the owners attempted to pull them away from each other. After the dogs were separated, I got out of there quick, but I did hear them starting up again right as I left. Leashes, people!
I was glad to escape the dogs, but I couldn't escape the rain. It started out as a drizzle, but then it started raining in earnest. I tried to keep on running while wiping the running water from my eyes and telling myself that it would stop eventually, but I finally called it a day after a paltry three miles when I saw even the rugby players packing it in. And they don't stop for nothing. Besides, I hate running in the rain - I can hardly see and I kick up muck on the back of my legs and ankle blisters are a near certainty.
Sad and dejected, I went home to dry off and await the arrival of the decorator (US: painter) and the grocery delivery. Then I had to cancel the decorator because we're having some water leakage issues, and I discovered the grocery delivery truck is going to be an hour late after calling their helpline to figure out why my food hasn't arrived yet. As a consolation, the customer service rep promised to include a free bottle of wine in my next delivery, which would be great but for the fact that I don't drink. Sigh.
That being said, I had an absolutely horrible run this morning - the shortest and the slowest run I've had in a while. I wasn't feeling particularly motivated, but I had promised my friend that we would both go running at noon, albeit her at the gym and me at the park. About two minutes into my run, my iPod ran out of juice, proving me wrong in thinking that the poor thing had another hour or so left battery-wise.
I decided to just keep on trucking in silencio, and then a mile later, I ran into a dog fight. Lots of dog owners wander the park without their dogs on leashes, and maybe that's not the brightest idea. Like when your large dog is the kind of dog that likes to chase and bite other strange, large dogs. I couldn't run through the dog fight so I waited and watched as the owners attempted to pull them away from each other. After the dogs were separated, I got out of there quick, but I did hear them starting up again right as I left. Leashes, people!
I was glad to escape the dogs, but I couldn't escape the rain. It started out as a drizzle, but then it started raining in earnest. I tried to keep on running while wiping the running water from my eyes and telling myself that it would stop eventually, but I finally called it a day after a paltry three miles when I saw even the rugby players packing it in. And they don't stop for nothing. Besides, I hate running in the rain - I can hardly see and I kick up muck on the back of my legs and ankle blisters are a near certainty.
Sad and dejected, I went home to dry off and await the arrival of the decorator (US: painter) and the grocery delivery. Then I had to cancel the decorator because we're having some water leakage issues, and I discovered the grocery delivery truck is going to be an hour late after calling their helpline to figure out why my food hasn't arrived yet. As a consolation, the customer service rep promised to include a free bottle of wine in my next delivery, which would be great but for the fact that I don't drink. Sigh.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Korean Food at Asadal
Instead of going for a run in the park, I met my friends for lunch today at Asadal, a Korean restaurant located right by Holborn station. Wait, does this make me a lady that lunches? Very cool, I've always aspired to be one of those!
Anyway, I was a little wary since my last Korean food expedition in London was a bit disappointing, and I had written off having any Korean food until another visit back to LA. Turns out, my fears were unfounded - I've finally found some good Korean food in London!
First off, the decor is pretty nice and on par with a nice restaurant as opposed to just being a place to eat. Second, you can tell it's an authentic Korean restaurant because it has grills built into the table and a bell you ring to call your waitress over. Third, they don't charge extra for the sides - free banchan all around, woohoo! And last, they serve you a bit of fruit at the end of your meal. Just like how Mom does it. =)
I ordered the meat bibimbap, and it was exactly what it was supposed to be. Except for the fact that they brought the tiniest amount of spicy sauce to mix in with it, but no points off for that since I always have to ask for extra spicy sauce, even at restaurants in K-town back in LA.
My friends ordered the jap chae, which came with a side of salad and white rice and a small serving of spiced daikon radish. I don't think they had tried the dish before, but they got the brilliant idea of mixing everything on their plate together and then eating it. I couldn't help smiling as I watched them swirl it all together, but they pronounced it to be delicious, so we were all smiling at the end. I was responsible for identifying all the bits that came out like the lotus root and the daikon radish, and it was fun to be the Korean expert since I so rarely get to be one.
It was definitely nice to be eating good Korean food again, and I think I'll be bringing J around the next time he starts craving Korean food. What a great find!
Oh, and I found out that the food stand outside of the Louvre in Paris - Paul - is actually a chain, and they have locations in London! I can't wait to visit it again for some hot molten chocolate - yum!
Anyway, I was a little wary since my last Korean food expedition in London was a bit disappointing, and I had written off having any Korean food until another visit back to LA. Turns out, my fears were unfounded - I've finally found some good Korean food in London!
First off, the decor is pretty nice and on par with a nice restaurant as opposed to just being a place to eat. Second, you can tell it's an authentic Korean restaurant because it has grills built into the table and a bell you ring to call your waitress over. Third, they don't charge extra for the sides - free banchan all around, woohoo! And last, they serve you a bit of fruit at the end of your meal. Just like how Mom does it. =)
I ordered the meat bibimbap, and it was exactly what it was supposed to be. Except for the fact that they brought the tiniest amount of spicy sauce to mix in with it, but no points off for that since I always have to ask for extra spicy sauce, even at restaurants in K-town back in LA.
My friends ordered the jap chae, which came with a side of salad and white rice and a small serving of spiced daikon radish. I don't think they had tried the dish before, but they got the brilliant idea of mixing everything on their plate together and then eating it. I couldn't help smiling as I watched them swirl it all together, but they pronounced it to be delicious, so we were all smiling at the end. I was responsible for identifying all the bits that came out like the lotus root and the daikon radish, and it was fun to be the Korean expert since I so rarely get to be one.
It was definitely nice to be eating good Korean food again, and I think I'll be bringing J around the next time he starts craving Korean food. What a great find!
Oh, and I found out that the food stand outside of the Louvre in Paris - Paul - is actually a chain, and they have locations in London! I can't wait to visit it again for some hot molten chocolate - yum!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Assimilation - Is it finally happening?
Maybe it's because the days are so gloom and doom weather-wise, but I've been having some very vivid dreams lately. After many nights of dreaming of sandy, white beaches and blue waters as far as the eye can see, I dreamed last night that I was playing a very strenuous game of rugby.
Never mind the fact that I know near zilch about the game other than that a "scrum" is involved and the ball looks something like a cross between a soccer ball and an American football. Maybe it's because of all the rugby players in the park where I go running. In any case, it's very, very disconcerting. What am I going to start dreaming about next, the Queen?
Never mind the fact that I know near zilch about the game other than that a "scrum" is involved and the ball looks something like a cross between a soccer ball and an American football. Maybe it's because of all the rugby players in the park where I go running. In any case, it's very, very disconcerting. What am I going to start dreaming about next, the Queen?
Friday, February 18, 2011
Waiting for Spring
I woke up this morning to another grey and blah kind of day, and it's getting to the point where I'm actually dreaming every night of floating in a warm, blue ocean with the sun beating down on my face. I wish.
Anyway, I sucked it up and decided to go on a run this morning since the half-marathon is only about 2 weeks away now. I was feeling a bit glum from the weather, but I couldn't help grinning when I saw a pair of park rangers on horses calming meandering along the trail ahead of me. I eventually passed them, and lo and behold, I saw a clump of blooming flowers! I think they were snowdrops and daffodils, but they're just beginning to bloom so I couldn't be sure.
I've been waiting forever to say this, but I think spring may be coming! And not a moment too soon.
Anyway, I sucked it up and decided to go on a run this morning since the half-marathon is only about 2 weeks away now. I was feeling a bit glum from the weather, but I couldn't help grinning when I saw a pair of park rangers on horses calming meandering along the trail ahead of me. I eventually passed them, and lo and behold, I saw a clump of blooming flowers! I think they were snowdrops and daffodils, but they're just beginning to bloom so I couldn't be sure.
I've been waiting forever to say this, but I think spring may be coming! And not a moment too soon.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
Not that I believe in the holiday or anything, but it's nice to hope that everyone has a little extra love in their life today. J and I are not celebrating, since I think it's kind of a fake holiday requiring poor guys to shell out for overpriced flowers and chocolate. Besides, every day is a bit like Valentine's with J (you can stop gagging now). Our big Valentine's Day plans are to eat chili and watch Glee re-runs at home. Besides, we covered the basics - J bought me flowers on Friday and I baked him chocolate brownies last night. =)
I haven't been really good about blogging lately because there just isn't that much going on right now. The weather is still cold and gray, and I'm still prepping for my half-marathon coming up in 3 weeks (eek!). I'm running about 5-6 miles a day now, and I'm happy to report that I have not gotten crapped on by any birds lately. Thank God for small blessings.
We did go to a party last Friday that was thrown by J's group at work. I was dreading it a bit - I wasn't quite sure what to wear, and how much fun could a bunch of lawyers in a room could be? Turns out, a lot! No one really talked about work (thank goodness), and everyone turned out to be American expats.
Pretty much everyone's married, and none of the lawyers' wives work. That was pretty awesome, because I hate going to parties where I'm the only wife that's not working. The conversation inevitably turns to Hollywood gossip, because the others figure that's about as much as my pea-sized brain can handle. Not so this time - we're all unemployed, yay! I was a bit surprised that I'm the one who probably works the most, and it's only as a contract attorney. Which makes me very curious as to what they do most of the time... I suppose I may find out this weekend, since they suggested getting together for drinks sometime this week.
I haven't been really good about blogging lately because there just isn't that much going on right now. The weather is still cold and gray, and I'm still prepping for my half-marathon coming up in 3 weeks (eek!). I'm running about 5-6 miles a day now, and I'm happy to report that I have not gotten crapped on by any birds lately. Thank God for small blessings.
We did go to a party last Friday that was thrown by J's group at work. I was dreading it a bit - I wasn't quite sure what to wear, and how much fun could a bunch of lawyers in a room could be? Turns out, a lot! No one really talked about work (thank goodness), and everyone turned out to be American expats.
Pretty much everyone's married, and none of the lawyers' wives work. That was pretty awesome, because I hate going to parties where I'm the only wife that's not working. The conversation inevitably turns to Hollywood gossip, because the others figure that's about as much as my pea-sized brain can handle. Not so this time - we're all unemployed, yay! I was a bit surprised that I'm the one who probably works the most, and it's only as a contract attorney. Which makes me very curious as to what they do most of the time... I suppose I may find out this weekend, since they suggested getting together for drinks sometime this week.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Running Into Crap
Literally. I had just started my run this morning, minding my business, when a seagull decided to crap on me. A mile later, I inadvertently swallowed a bug. I'm happy to report that neither instance stopped me from finishing my five miles.
I guess it was just one of those days...
I guess it was just one of those days...
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Sunday at Sacre Coeur Basilica
Our last day in Paris, and I thought we'd head over to Montmartre to visit the Sacre Coeur Basilica and the Place du Tertre. I knew that there were going to be a lot of stairs going up to the Basilica, but I didn't know that the stairs at the Metro station would be killers as well. A warning for anyone going to Abbesses station - there are a lot of stairs. But those were a breeze compared to the climb leading up to the Basilica. There's a lift that takes you straight to the church, but we decided to forego it since we're both young and able.
The view at the top made the climb completely worthwhile even if we were a little sweaty and our quads were on fire. You can see all of Paris, and the view was stunning despite the gloomy weather. An extra bonus was the harpist on the stairs whose playing added to the tranquility of the scenery.
After taking in the view, we made our way into the church. There were a few odd things. One - a soccer player doing tricks with a ball on a mini-trampoline on the stairs leading directly up to the church. It was also a bit odd to be sightseeing since they were conducting services during our visit, and I felt like we were intruding even though it's permitted. I felt even odder when I saw that the church operated a gift shop within its doors - I seem to recall something in the Bible about God not being so happy about that kind of goings on in the church. Anyway, the whole thing felt kind of strange so we headed for the exit right away.
Did I mention that J is a wonderful husband? He didn't get a bit upset when we ended up climbing those stairs twice due to a navigational error on my part in trying to get to the Place du Tertre. He just nodded and started heading back up. We finally reached the Place du Tertre, a place where the artists gather to show off their wares, and we looked over some of the art to see if there was anything we'd want to take home. Not so much, but it was a fun atmosphere.
After declining many kind offers to have our portraits sketched, we popped into a restaurant and had a semi-digestible meal - typical of a tourist spot, so we weren't too surprised. At least we had a nice view of the artists and the eager tourists.
After our rather disappointing lunch, we headed to the Metro station while trying to duck the "string men," who try to tie a string around your wrist and generally pester you. There's also a rather hideous street directly south of the stairs that sells horrible touristy clap-trap. Yuck.
Anyway, we hopped back on the Metro to visit the Musee d'Orsay, which is famous for its vast collection of Impressionist paintings. Luckily for us, it was the first Sunday of the month, where many of Paris' museums and monuments are free to visit, including the Musee d'Orsay. Photography isn't permitted within doors, so I had to content myself with just enjoying the wonderful paintings of Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Manet, Renoir, etc. You get close enough to the paintings that you could probably reach out and touch them - but you probably shouldn't.
We stayed until the museum closed, and we crossed the Seine one final time to head to our hotel to pick up our luggage before heading to the Gare du Nord.
My final, random thoughts on Paris:
The view at the top made the climb completely worthwhile even if we were a little sweaty and our quads were on fire. You can see all of Paris, and the view was stunning despite the gloomy weather. An extra bonus was the harpist on the stairs whose playing added to the tranquility of the scenery.
After taking in the view, we made our way into the church. There were a few odd things. One - a soccer player doing tricks with a ball on a mini-trampoline on the stairs leading directly up to the church. It was also a bit odd to be sightseeing since they were conducting services during our visit, and I felt like we were intruding even though it's permitted. I felt even odder when I saw that the church operated a gift shop within its doors - I seem to recall something in the Bible about God not being so happy about that kind of goings on in the church. Anyway, the whole thing felt kind of strange so we headed for the exit right away.
Did I mention that J is a wonderful husband? He didn't get a bit upset when we ended up climbing those stairs twice due to a navigational error on my part in trying to get to the Place du Tertre. He just nodded and started heading back up. We finally reached the Place du Tertre, a place where the artists gather to show off their wares, and we looked over some of the art to see if there was anything we'd want to take home. Not so much, but it was a fun atmosphere.
After declining many kind offers to have our portraits sketched, we popped into a restaurant and had a semi-digestible meal - typical of a tourist spot, so we weren't too surprised. At least we had a nice view of the artists and the eager tourists.
After our rather disappointing lunch, we headed to the Metro station while trying to duck the "string men," who try to tie a string around your wrist and generally pester you. There's also a rather hideous street directly south of the stairs that sells horrible touristy clap-trap. Yuck.
Anyway, we hopped back on the Metro to visit the Musee d'Orsay, which is famous for its vast collection of Impressionist paintings. Luckily for us, it was the first Sunday of the month, where many of Paris' museums and monuments are free to visit, including the Musee d'Orsay. Photography isn't permitted within doors, so I had to content myself with just enjoying the wonderful paintings of Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Manet, Renoir, etc. You get close enough to the paintings that you could probably reach out and touch them - but you probably shouldn't.
We stayed until the museum closed, and we crossed the Seine one final time to head to our hotel to pick up our luggage before heading to the Gare du Nord.
My final, random thoughts on Paris:
- I smelled urine more often than I cared to. Even in unexpected places like in the Notre Dame Cathedral.
- It's a lot like London but with even more impressive architecture.
- Almost every restaurant offers a croque monsieur (a hot ham and cheese sandwich).
- Streets are in extremes - they're either very narrow or very broad boulevards.
- People were very nice - we didn't encounter any of the mythical French hauteur. I actually had two restaurant people apologize for their poor English skills.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Streets of Paris
After we left Notre Dame Cathedral, we crossed back over to the Right Bank via Pont Saint Michel to the sounds of quintessential French accordion music. There are accordion players all over the city, including on the Metro, and I think it's rather nice!
We were heading in the direction of the Marais district when I spotted a chocolate shop Maison Georges Larnicol, also known as chocolate heaven, and we had to stop by to sample some of their goodies. In addition to their regular yummies...
They were all ready for Valentine's Day as well!
Despite being distracted by coffee caramels, we finally reached the Place de Vosges, which is in the heart of the Marais district and is also the former residence of Victor Hugo! His mansion is now a museum, and we took a quick gander within. There are also a ton of art galleries within the plaza and a hidden garden belonging to the Hotel Sully.
We were pretty tired after all this wandering about so we took a quick nap at the hotel before heading back out to visit the Place de Concorde, Champ Elysees and Arc de Triomphe. Night had fallen by then, and Paris truly became the city of lights. Did you know that the Place de Concorde was the site of the guillotine that took the heads of Madame du Barry, Marie Antoinette and Robespierre? Not to sound grisly or anything, but it's surreal that I was actually standing in a place of such historical significance.
The walk up Champ Elysees started out nice enough. It was just the two of us for a while, but we soon came across the requisite crowds and shops the closer we got to the Arc de Triomphe. Apparently, it's also where the local mallrat types hang out, and there were lots of young kids chatting each other up. The peaceful walk turned into dodging crowds, and I think we were both glad to leave the area.
I wanted to continue the walk from Arc de Triomphe to the Trocadero to view the Eiffel Tower up close, but I think J was pretty exhausted from all the walking. He totted up the miles and it came out to an astounding 20 miles or so - what a trooper! I saw the Eiffel Tower from afar, and it was enough for me to not want to walk my husband to death to see it.
Saint Chapelle and Notre Dame
After a good night's rest at the hotel, we resumed where we left off yesterday after our blip at the Louvre, and we crossed over the Pont Neuf to get to Ile de la Cite. It was the first time I saw the Seine river, and I hate to say it, but the Seine is more beautiful than the Thames - much less brown and a lot more green.
Once we were across, we quickly checked out the Square du Vert Galant and walked along the Quai des Orfevres until we reached Saint Chapelle, a Gothic chapel that's renowned for its stained glass windows. It's hard to spy the chapel from the street, and near impossible to see its facade in its entirety. You can only see a bit of it once you've passed through the security office.
The chapel itself is quite small but also enormously impressive. We were initially disappointed when we walked in because the bit of stained glass that we saw was nice and all, but there just wasn't that much of it.
Then we figured out that we had to go up a very tight and very curly and very steep staircase to reach the really good stuff. So we went up the stairs, and let me tell you, it was really, really good stuff. The windows were at least twenty feet high, and they were just about everywhere, except for one wall, which was dominated by a large rose window. Wow. Just wow. It was quite dim in there, and the chandeliers were lit a bit haphazardly, but the windows were amazing. I can't imagine how beautiful it must be when the sunlight streams through.
The caretakers had very thoughtfully lined the sides with seats, and J and I sat for a while just enjoying the windows. I hope J enjoyed his respite, because it wasn't long before we were headed for lunch at Au Bougnat, a restaurant on rue de Chanoinesse, but the place ended up being closed. Boo. But I did enjoy walking through a street that was somehow entirely free of tourists. =)
Anyway, we ended up lunching at the Cafe Quasimodo, and I ordered a hamburger with frites. When the hamburger arrived, it was just the meat patty, lettuce and tomato - no bun. I'm not sure if this is a french thing or something, but I thought it was hilarious and pretty perfect since I hate hamburger buns. It's protein-style at In-N-Out for me. After I ate my hamburger steak, we headed next door to Notre Dame Cathedral.
The Cathedral offers candles that you can light...
After we walked around the Cathedral, we took the long way back to the hotel via the Marais district, which is the oldest part of Paris. But I'll get to that tomorrow - this is already a super long post!
Once we were across, we quickly checked out the Square du Vert Galant and walked along the Quai des Orfevres until we reached Saint Chapelle, a Gothic chapel that's renowned for its stained glass windows. It's hard to spy the chapel from the street, and near impossible to see its facade in its entirety. You can only see a bit of it once you've passed through the security office.
The chapel itself is quite small but also enormously impressive. We were initially disappointed when we walked in because the bit of stained glass that we saw was nice and all, but there just wasn't that much of it.
The caretakers had very thoughtfully lined the sides with seats, and J and I sat for a while just enjoying the windows. I hope J enjoyed his respite, because it wasn't long before we were headed for lunch at Au Bougnat, a restaurant on rue de Chanoinesse, but the place ended up being closed. Boo. But I did enjoy walking through a street that was somehow entirely free of tourists. =)
The Cathedral offers candles that you can light...
Friday at the Louvre
We left our flat at 8:30 this morning to catch the Eurostar to Paris from St. Pancras station. Why trains beat planes, hands down: we had plenty of time to buy some euros and metro tickets and still be early for our train scheduled to depart at 9:22. I get to keep my shoes on, and no one insists on rifling through my luggage in search of explosives. Everyone wins!
The train ride itself was pretty boring, and the views weren't great. You're either in a tunnel or looking at farmland for most of the time. A funny thing I noticed during the ride: the announcements are made in English first and then in French, but they reverse the order as you get closer to Paris. It didn't matter either way since the announcer's french accent was so thick that I couldn't tell the difference between his French and English. Gare du Nord isn't in the nicest area, so we hightailed it out of there as soon as we arrived.
This was the first time for the both of us taking the Metro, and it's pretty much just like the Tube so we didn't have any trouble getting to the Hotel Castille on rue de Cambon. It's where Coco Chanel used to have all of her shops back in her day, and fittingly enough, there's a huge Chanel shop right next door so I had to drool over their purses every time we left the hotel. The hotel itself is absolutely beautiful in a very French way, and even though our room wasn't huge, things seem snug and just right, as opposed to feeling squished in.
My first impression of Paris is that it's a beautiful city rich with history. The thing is... I've lived in London for the last half year, and I've become used to the sight of historical monuments on the way to the grocery store. Paris probably would've made a bigger impact on me if I had arrived straight from Los Angeles, as opposed to a city like London.
I had made big plans for the day, but they soon hit a snag as soon as we caught a glimpse of the Louvre on our way to the Pont Neuf, and we couldn't resist the temptation to go stop by and "just check out the outdoor plaza." I was pretty hungry by then, so we each bought a sandwich from Paul's in the Jardin de Tuileries, and they were pretty good and not overpriced (unlike most of the restaurants in tourist heavy areas). I also bought a hot chocolate to warm up, and let me tell you - their hot chocolate is the biz-omb! It's literally like a hot melted chocolate bar that can't really be classified as a liquid. It's more like this molten chocolately awesomeness in a cup - you don't drink, you slurp.
The exterior of the Louvre is pretty amazing. Note that being in a world class museum hasn't stopped me from acting the fool.
The weather was much colder than I expected, and my feet were too frozen to walk any further so we decided to head inside the Louvre and take advantage of the fact that the museum is open until 9:30 on Fridays. I got so distracted looking around me that I almost fell when I got off an escalator - I had completely forgotten that I was on the damn thing until my ride came to a rather abrupt end!
The interior is just as amazing as the outside:
Of course we saw some of the most famous pieces:
But there were other not-as-famous pieces that I loved:
And I gotta love the bling, especially old school bling:
J was ecstatic when we came across the Roman gladiator exhibition:
And we finished off our visit with a stop by Napoleon's apartments. Some phrases come to mind - gilded, ostentatious, and that's a really big chandelier:
J's "dogs were barking" after 5 1/2 hours of roaming the Louvre, so we headed back to the hotel for a good night's sleep and to enjoy the madeleine cookies provided by our very thoughtful turn-down service.
The train ride itself was pretty boring, and the views weren't great. You're either in a tunnel or looking at farmland for most of the time. A funny thing I noticed during the ride: the announcements are made in English first and then in French, but they reverse the order as you get closer to Paris. It didn't matter either way since the announcer's french accent was so thick that I couldn't tell the difference between his French and English. Gare du Nord isn't in the nicest area, so we hightailed it out of there as soon as we arrived.
This was the first time for the both of us taking the Metro, and it's pretty much just like the Tube so we didn't have any trouble getting to the Hotel Castille on rue de Cambon. It's where Coco Chanel used to have all of her shops back in her day, and fittingly enough, there's a huge Chanel shop right next door so I had to drool over their purses every time we left the hotel. The hotel itself is absolutely beautiful in a very French way, and even though our room wasn't huge, things seem snug and just right, as opposed to feeling squished in.
My first impression of Paris is that it's a beautiful city rich with history. The thing is... I've lived in London for the last half year, and I've become used to the sight of historical monuments on the way to the grocery store. Paris probably would've made a bigger impact on me if I had arrived straight from Los Angeles, as opposed to a city like London.
I had made big plans for the day, but they soon hit a snag as soon as we caught a glimpse of the Louvre on our way to the Pont Neuf, and we couldn't resist the temptation to go stop by and "just check out the outdoor plaza." I was pretty hungry by then, so we each bought a sandwich from Paul's in the Jardin de Tuileries, and they were pretty good and not overpriced (unlike most of the restaurants in tourist heavy areas). I also bought a hot chocolate to warm up, and let me tell you - their hot chocolate is the biz-omb! It's literally like a hot melted chocolate bar that can't really be classified as a liquid. It's more like this molten chocolately awesomeness in a cup - you don't drink, you slurp.
The exterior of the Louvre is pretty amazing. Note that being in a world class museum hasn't stopped me from acting the fool.
The weather was much colder than I expected, and my feet were too frozen to walk any further so we decided to head inside the Louvre and take advantage of the fact that the museum is open until 9:30 on Fridays. I got so distracted looking around me that I almost fell when I got off an escalator - I had completely forgotten that I was on the damn thing until my ride came to a rather abrupt end!
The interior is just as amazing as the outside:
Of course we saw some of the most famous pieces:
But there were other not-as-famous pieces that I loved:
And I gotta love the bling, especially old school bling:
J was ecstatic when we came across the Roman gladiator exhibition:
And we finished off our visit with a stop by Napoleon's apartments. Some phrases come to mind - gilded, ostentatious, and that's a really big chandelier:
J's "dogs were barking" after 5 1/2 hours of roaming the Louvre, so we headed back to the hotel for a good night's sleep and to enjoy the madeleine cookies provided by our very thoughtful turn-down service.
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