samedi, mai 19, 2007
La saison des pique-niques
A bottle of wine, some cheese and bread, a set of boules if Alex is along to carry them (What? Those things are really heavy!), perhaps a basket of strawberries, and a beach towel, since we still don't have a tartan blanket. Finally, though there are a few stubborn clouds that refuse to go into hibernation, picnic weather has definitely arrived in Paris!
Finally the sun is still shining when we get home from work, scarves have been packed away, thoughts are turning towards beach destinations for the month of August, and the fake tan is coming out in buckets to try to cover up 8 months of covering up (gosh I'm glad that I am not a guy and don't have to wait for my pastiness to go away by itself!)!
This afternoon we're going to go and hire some bikes with a couple of friends, and my thoughts are turning towards my lovely friend from last year who was with me for only two days. How I would love a bike again! Paris is just perfect for bikes. Almost completely flat, perfectly sized, no silly helmet rules or people with bike pants, and you get to share the bus lanes with the big old angry bus drivers. But alas, since work is now a good 30 km away, it doesn't seem like a new friend would get enough use to justify him. Plus there's nowhere really to keep him safe at night. I guess a hired friend is still a friend, for now.
Ahh, summer! I can't decide what I like best about it! What do you think?
Finally the sun is still shining when we get home from work, scarves have been packed away, thoughts are turning towards beach destinations for the month of August, and the fake tan is coming out in buckets to try to cover up 8 months of covering up (gosh I'm glad that I am not a guy and don't have to wait for my pastiness to go away by itself!)!
This afternoon we're going to go and hire some bikes with a couple of friends, and my thoughts are turning towards my lovely friend from last year who was with me for only two days. How I would love a bike again! Paris is just perfect for bikes. Almost completely flat, perfectly sized, no silly helmet rules or people with bike pants, and you get to share the bus lanes with the big old angry bus drivers. But alas, since work is now a good 30 km away, it doesn't seem like a new friend would get enough use to justify him. Plus there's nowhere really to keep him safe at night. I guess a hired friend is still a friend, for now.
Ahh, summer! I can't decide what I like best about it! What do you think?
vendredi, mai 04, 2007
C'était déjà fait!
mardi, mai 01, 2007
Les bronzés font des tulipes
Counting ourselves lucky to even get there, after a mad dash for the train and no passports (globe-trotting Europeans that we are, hop over to another country like it's crossing the Harbour Bridge... although actually, I did have mine, but quite by chance), we rolled into Amsterdam last Friday night, for a little weekend of debauchery with a bunch of friends and friends-of-friends, and even a friend of a friend-of-a-friend!
I was excited to leave my crutch (I had graduated to one on the Friday itself) in our hotel room and venture out empty handed for the first time in weeks, hobbling around canals and cobbled streets, getting at least slightly cheery just from walking past the clouds of smoke emanating from the endless coffee shops, ducking drunk English bucks weekend groups, and just plain gaping at all the interesting things that Amsterdam is famous for, like the first-time visitors we were. It was a very short little visit, so we have saved a bike ride and a canal cruise and chez Anne Frank for next time, instead heading out of town to check out the amazing tulips which are in bloom right now! This was actually really fantastic to see, the colours are just amazing, and the whole display a great opportunity to play with the "Flower" function on my camera! And, voilà, les resultats:
Just in case there wasn't quite enough colour in this garden, this tree is hung with puffy rainbow shower loofahs!
Colourful urinals scattered around the city add to the scenic attractions.
Canals and bikes...
...and windmills and tulips. Welcome to Amsterdam!
I was excited to leave my crutch (I had graduated to one on the Friday itself) in our hotel room and venture out empty handed for the first time in weeks, hobbling around canals and cobbled streets, getting at least slightly cheery just from walking past the clouds of smoke emanating from the endless coffee shops, ducking drunk English bucks weekend groups, and just plain gaping at all the interesting things that Amsterdam is famous for, like the first-time visitors we were. It was a very short little visit, so we have saved a bike ride and a canal cruise and chez Anne Frank for next time, instead heading out of town to check out the amazing tulips which are in bloom right now! This was actually really fantastic to see, the colours are just amazing, and the whole display a great opportunity to play with the "Flower" function on my camera! And, voilà, les resultats:
Just in case there wasn't quite enough colour in this garden, this tree is hung with puffy rainbow shower loofahs!
Colourful urinals scattered around the city add to the scenic attractions.
Canals and bikes...
...and windmills and tulips. Welcome to Amsterdam!
