Paris Trip, Day 5…..

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Okay, today’s excursion to Giverny was the one absolute no matter what else we did. This was also the only thing planned I have never done. Interestingly, the “day trip” is actually only 1.5 hours on-site and with the crowds. It isn’t really enough time to do the gardens and the house. However, Sis has a couple of books with all the rooms of the house and I didn’t really care so we were fine. The Monet Gardens are open April through I think it’s October which means the 600,000 annual visitors are crammed into the space of months. Everyone is “funneled”, although “tunneled” is a more accurate term as you go through a tunnel from the parking lot/public areas and emerge into the gardens. You walk along defined paths and split multiple ways, all of which ultimately lead you to the gift shop which was a studio. By the way, the prices are actually quite reasonable in the shop. No, I didn’t buy anything.

So, Giverny is 45 miles from Paris, just as you cross into Normandy. With traffic it’s 1.5-2 hours time. Our driver, a pleasant young man quite experienced in both maneuvering dicey Paris traffic and the area, explained there are numerous B&Bs in Giverny and if you want to truly enjoy it, he suggests you book well enough in advance to stay 1-2 nights there to share in the small village and get into the gardens before the throngs arrive. I can see this as a possibility, especially for a photographer who needs morning light and fewer than hundreds of people at a time.

Anyway, it was lovely, I will leave a good review with Trip Advisor and I did get some good photos I will later post. Sis loved it. We had planned to have dinner at the hotel and did so. Last night (or rather this morning) was a terrible bout of insomnia, so I am really dragging. More tomorrow.

Paris Trip, Day 4….

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There are certain things I had told Sis we would do that sounded okay to her, but she didn’t understand exactly what they were and today was one of them. For those who already know the Galleries Lafayette, bear with me; for those who don’t, you can share the surprise. Opened in 1912, it has a magnificent domed structure with marvelous interiors of glass, beautiful décor and in adding modernizations, they have maintained their line-up of all the major names in shopping as well as added trendy new ones. You flip the pages of Vogue or any fashion magazine and in all likelihood, every ad you see will have a place in Galleries Lafayette. Since we are staying on Champs Elysees, we certainly have now had access to any of the high-end shopping we might wish to do. Not that we do that, but the opportunity is available between the two places. We did not do the gourmet store; that might have been too difficult to resist. Sis did find some mascara she’d been looking for and there was some indulgence in presents for grandchildren. It’s not as if I need anything for myself.

We had quite a late lunch at an Italian place close the hotel and we’ll go the Alsace restaurant tonight. I’ve held off so far on my steak au poivre and suspect it will be tomorrow. Yesterday was really hard on walking for Sis and today was much better. Tomorrow is the day trip to Giverny which will be a first for me as well. It’s a min-bus though rather than the big tour bus so I have hope of a manageable group instead of a big crowd. The weather has improved and we of course have high hopes for tomorrow. I haven’t looked at the forecast as I don’t want to possibly jinx things.

Paris Trip, Day 3……

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Okay, had a bit of a disappointing start today although it worked out. I was not paying close enough attention to the Metro station and got us on the wrong line initially. We got turned around in the correct direction and the museum we plan to visit is closed for the next three years. We do have the lovely view of the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero and there is always something going on down there. Except, as we make the long trek with more wind blowing than is good for Sis, we discover a sad, but logical change. There are now glass (bullet proof I assume) barriers all around the Tower. You have to get into an appropriate line depending on what you want to do in order to pass through security. Since there was not a line for “just wander around and look”, we made the other very long trek from the tower to the Ecole Militaire Metro with the nice café next to it. The grassy fields leading to the tower east and west are also blocked off although the wide paths on either side are open. We had another leisurely lunch then made our way to the Rodin Museum.

It was a bit more crowded since it was a Sunday, but not too bad. Sis was extra pleased with the amazing rose garden on the grounds. I thought I had “forgotten” the roses which seemed odd considering how many and how beautiful they are. When I talked to Hubby a while ago he reminded me we usually go in the winter and the roses aren’t in bloom. Oh yeah, right.

There were a lot of steps involved today and it’s kind of worn Sis out. (Back issues with steps and Metro stations here are not geared well for elevators/escalators.) We’re planning to stay at the hotel for dinner tonight. Most museums are closed on Monday so it’s off to the original Galleries Lafayette tomorrow.

Paris Trip, Day 2…..

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I know, where are the photos? I am inept at getting photos from my phone to the blog and thus that will continue to be a lapse for the foreseeable future. For all the months of planning and weeks of prep for this trip, there are certain things one cannot control. The downturn in weather (which seems to be shifting back) has been manageable, although did cut yesterday’s wandering short and we barely avoided a problem today. Being very well organized and getting our Metro passes ahead of time for today through Thursday did not of course take into account the nearby Metro station (and who knows how many others) would be closed today due to the on-going “Yellow Vest” protests. Sigh! I finally decided to treat it as an unexpected “tour” since we did have to go by a number of notable landmarks in the taxi. There was also the interaction with the cab drivers as they muttered at closed streets, re-routing and impatient drivers who were equally frustrated. So, yes, I tipped a bit more than I ordinarily would.

Anyway, I did not tell my sister about the feature exhibit at the Middle Ages Museum because I wanted it to be a complete surprise. As we ascended to the top floor and entered the specially lit room with the five very large Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries, she was in fact delighted. The proverbial “icing on the cake” is they still allow photographs without flash. They are as lovely as ever. The other displays are enjoyable and the ruins of the building that date to Roman times are well showcased.

We stopped for a coffee and Coke Light for sis, and then strolled to the Luxemburg Gardens. They are in fact more park than garden with lots of trees and wide paths for waling and the perimeter with joggers. The wind was still up although that was nice for the miniature sailboats in the fountain/pond. Lunch was a lovely, lengthy event with a table by the window at a nearby café. A proper croque monsieur, frites and green salad. The weather shifted again and with the Metro still closed, we managed to grab a taxi with only a little rain hitting the umbrella I had brought. We wandered a bit when we returned to the hotel and discovered a couple of cool things. That included a pause for ice cream and sorbet. We popped into a bistro to make dinner reservations, then back to the hotel for a bit. Sis didn’t want a full meal so had onion soup, some of my salad and she saved room for a chocolate crepe. My beef with mustard was underdone despite a discussion with the waiter which is not unusual as their definition of “medium” is subject to interpretation. I managed most of it though. Back to the hotel and more adventures lined up for today.

Paris Trip, Day 1…….

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The flight went as well as a nine hour flight can. We arrived on time and there was a longer delay at Passport Control than I’ve ever experienced. For some reason, there were only two agent open. Then there was the usual traffic congestion and although we did have a view of the Arc de Triomphe as we came up to the hotel, Sis was looking for the usual style of Marriott. This one has a “small exterior” footprint although it is quite lovely of course. With a full hotel, the room wasn’t ready early as we had hoped, so we sat in the lobby and had lunch even though it wasn’t all that special. (I know that sounds odd, but it can happen). Having not slept much on the plane, we did shower and take a nap for a bit. Sis needed to rest a while longer and I had not opened the drapes. So, the earlier rain had returned and while there was a gap when I stepped out with no umbrella, my exploration was pretty quick. I did learn the Metro station is two blocks away and there is a Five Guys down a bit and across the street. Who would have thought? Not about fast food because McDonalds has been here for decades. I didn’t realize Five Guys had expanded beyond the USA. Even though I will probably be dining alone tonight and I do enjoy them, they are not part of my plan.

I’ll check the gardens schedule for tomorrow and see how close  Metro station is to Museum of Modern Age. We usually stay close to Place St Michele and just walk to there so I’ve never noticed the other stops. It’s one of the less well know museums and so might not be at crowded on a Saturday.

That Jeopardy Game…..

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Yesterday completely got away from me as I am trying to take care of a number of things before I leave on my trip. We always watch Jeopardy and before the show started, Hubby said a rumor was going around that the reigning, record-breaking champ would be beaten. I’m not sure who leaked the news, but it validates the concept of, “Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead”. There are things that are difficult to keep to oneself.

Anyway, if there happens to be someone who didn’t know, the guy as champ had won for 30+ days, racking up more than $2 million. He was short of beating the highest winning record by $60,000; however, he achieved his amount in half the time of the record holder and he broke the record at least once of the highest single day amount. The guy created quite a controversy because he is a professional sports gambler. He also has an incredible body of knowledge and made few errors. He knew some really obscure things. He bet aggressively and often hit all the “doubles”. That was his actual undoing last night as he got the first “double” so early in the game, he couldn’t bet much extra. His female opponent got both in Double Jeopardy and answered them correctly. Both opponents basically matched his pattern of going after the high dollar clues first and in the entire game, there was only one wrong answer. That is not something you see often.

Quite simply, he usually outplayed his opponents by a factor of about 10:1. You had to feel a bit sorry for people who finally get their shot at Jeopardy and came up against someone like him. One of his habits was to bet odd numbers for final jeopardy, and Alex of course asked about that after several days. Each number he bet was done to add to his total to give an ending number that had some personal significance to him. It will be interesting to see if the new champ continues to play in this pattern or if she will follow the more traditional method of going through the clues without deliberately seeking out the “doubles”.

Those Fitted Sheets….

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For we Baby Boomers, most of us remember when there were no fitted sheets. The first ones were created around 1960 and didn’t become widely available for a while. Aside from the fact you weren’t allowed to have them in Army Basic since one of the things you learned was to tuck a sheet so tightly you really could bounce a coin off the bed, they were probably a little more expensive. Anyway, as their popularity grew there came a change in design that puzzles me. For a long time, only the corners were fitted which did make it easier to pop the corners down and you were done. Somewhere along the line, they started elasticizing all sides of the sheet and it is more difficult (at least for me) to determine where the ends of the sheet are as opposed to the sides. If one has a round bed it doesn’t matter, but for rectangular, as most people have, it can be confusing. As you may have guessed, in changing the sheets on the guest bed to prepare for my sister’s arrival, I maneuvered the bottom sheet two or three times before I got it right. Perhaps it’s either less expensive or easier to set the machines to apply elastic all around; I can’t think of another reason to do this. I do sometimes have the issue as well of the thickness of the mattress straining the corners of the sheets. I have seen the “deep pocket” fitted sheets which I suppose were created for this purpose. I don’t have such a problem as to seek them out and I imagine they are probably carried mostly in the higher end stores. The other aspect of the elastic all around is in trying to fold them neatly. I admit I don’t put a lot of effort into it, even though I do like my linens to stack well on the shelf. I will also admit this is not an overly important matter; merely one of those things I do occasionally ponder. Maybe I’ll raise it as a topic at Happy Hour this evening. For all I know, someone in the group may have an actual answer.

About That Game of Thrones….

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Musings ahead alert. Okay, now that a week has passed since the final episode of Game of Thrones, let me begin by saying I’ve watched a number of long-running series end and there were several wildly popular ones I never watched. (That includes St Elsewhere, Seinfeld, and The Sopranos) Anyway, tens of thousands (and probably a much higher number) of fans have expressed their opinions and feelings about the dramatic and unexpected turn that led to the ultimate surprise ending of Game of Thrones. In the off chance someone who follows this blog might decide to binge watch and learn what all the fuss was about – stop reading now.

In discussing the whole process this morning with a friend who did not watch the series and attempted to watch the finale because of all the talk, I made the point that while the ending was unsatisfactory for many people, it was logical based on all that occurred over the eight seasons. Was I disappointed in the direction? Yes. Was it, however, actually more in keeping with the characters? Yes. In the latter part of the episode as the Imp talked about who should be made ruler, he made the coherent case that signs existed, yet were ignored as to a growing perversion of initial good intentions of the character we were led to believe was the “right one”. Only one character had understood and acknowledged those signs and that character was killed because of it. Moving from fantasy and entertainment  into the real world and the pursuit of power, 300+ years before Christ, Plato is attributed with the quotation of, “Those who seek power are not worthy of that power.” In the real world, however, strengths are required for those in positions of power. Difficult decisions must sometimes be made and unless one is dealing with a very small population, it is rarely possible to make decisions that will benefit everyone. This was a major premise when I wrote, To Play on Grass Fields, http://bit.ly/2zVJ3OD

As I stated quite some time ago in a post, I do agree that too many times the, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”, does apply. I prefer, however, the modified view of, “The desire for power attracts the corruptible”. Will we, as a species, someday be able to have enough people in positions of power who can perform wisely in those positions? I would like to see the day come.

The Paris Trip….

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It has been five years since we were in Paris. Last year, my sister was talking about taking a trip and wanted me to give her some advice. Somehow in the discussions, I misunderstood and thought she meant she and my brother-in-law were going. I thought that was odd because even though they are still traveling, I was under the impression he could no longer make the transoceanic trips. As it turned out, I was correct. My sister was planning for the two of us to go. Ah, okay. While I would not in general leave Hubby out of a trip to Paris, this will be a special event. The one time Sis was there was a brief visit and there were a number of things she didn’t do and she really wants to go to Giverny. I actually haven’t been there so that part will be new for me as well.

Hubby and I always go in the winter, too, close to Valentine’s Day, so it has been years since I’ve seen the parks in bloom and they are lovely with all the beautiful flowers. I have warned her Paris is not a carb friendly city, although green salad and omelette is a common lunch. Neither of us do oysters which lets out that option. We can both do a lot of “crudities” – the nice selection of raw vegetables as a first course I suppose. I’ve also recommended us taking breakfast bars because all standard French breakfasts involve pastries. Okay, I will indulge in one. I’ve received our Paris Passes which gives us access to many of the museums, the Metro, the light rail and discounts on some other things. I haven’t gone through the guide at length and I’m sure there have been changes over the past five years. Seeing Notre Dame will of course be sad and I’ll try not to tear up. I don’t know how close they will allow tourists. I will do a blog post each day and perhaps some Facebook.

It’s Always Hurts…..

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Serious content alert.  I’m not sure I’ve posted about the expanded writing community I’m engaging with on Twitter. I’m no more proficient on Twitter than I am on Facebook and my friend who is a marketer is the one who got me signed up. A month or perhaps a little longer ago, one of the authors reached out and started a campaign to link more independent (which mostly means self-published) writers together in a supportive way. I have, quite frankly, been startled at the number that have emerged. There’s quite a mix of new writers as well as those who seem fairly well established and I had no idea so many were in the Young Adult, fantasy, and Sci-Fi genres. I suppose with the mega-hits of Harry Potter and Game of Thrones I shouldn’t find it surprising. Anyway, the past couple of days, authors have been posting about rejection and how to handle it or the anxiety that comes from waiting to hear about a query. One of the tough things to learn about the query process is hearing anything is unlikely. Even the standard, “Thank you for your submission, but it isn’t right for us” (or whatever the canned response) is at least better than having to assume you’ve been rejected. Way back when, a small publisher took so long to respond to me with a request for the full manuscript, I had literally given up and signed with what turned out to be a terrible choice. Had I received the other letter two weeks prior I might have had a chance with them. On the other hand, it might not have made any difference. However, getting back to handling out and out rejection. It hurts. Period. There are occasionally encouraging rejections with a suggestion or two about something to consider or even a referral to another source. In general though it is simply painful. Each author has to find a way to cope. I usually allow myself a short time of self-pity, then do something nice – yes, it often involves a lovely dinner/lunch somewhere. Chocolate and favorite beverages are good.