Francophone II

"Mademoiselle" by Berry: Love the video. The song has a very calming effect on me. I also really like the lyrics.

"Contre Toi" by Loane: I keep playing this song over, and over again. I also love her eye makeup. I find lately all of my superficial girlishness has been coming out on eye makeup. I know, I am very random.

"Une Autre Vie" by Cleopatre: A nice ballad. But, sounds a bit mainstream.

Long Overdue Mumble Jumble

I have been wanting to write a final post about my trip (as if I haven't annoyed you enough), since the day I got back (January 5th at 3 PM). But, I couldn't bring myself to write about the amazing time I had. So here goes, all the things I have been wanting to say about my trip, in no particular order.

1. My first trip where I did not read a book or the newspaper. (Do I sound a bit proud of my ignorance?) I had taken Dickens's 'A Tale of Two Cities' with me but I forgot it on the plane.

2. My first adult trip without parental supervision. I had travelled to Pakistan on my own once, but I stayed with my dad's parents. I spent the one month I stayed there, thumbing through Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale' and Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'.

3. I made a trip itinerary and named it 'A Tale of Two Cities'. I wanted to make sure that we would make the most out of our 12 day trip. I got teased about this particular schedule. But it saved us time. We also ended up losing the itinerary in Paris, but luckily my friend had a copy.

4. I found maturity in the fact that I have an international, British to be exact, friend, whom I met for the first time. You know how in the movies, the grown-ups always have globetrotting friends, who they meet for dinner, and later they discuss world affairs with them. My dad has friends like those all over the world, and now I do too :D. Well, only in one country. Hmmm...I guess, I should start stalking more people :).

5. I had the best hot chocolate of my life in London, which I can still taste. Ahhh...

6. I had the best chocolate in France. I loved the French chocolate so much that I even forgot to have my favourite, British Kit Kat. Previously, my tradition had been to bring oodles of Kit Kat and Dairy Milk from London. But this time I forgot all about the chocolate, until a friend in Toronto asked, if I had brought any Kit Kat for her.

7. Had the best crepes in Paris at Le Sevigne. It is a small restaurant in the Parisian suburb Marais, where we were staying.

8. Met American expatriates. I had read about cultured Americans, who learn French and then move to Paris to pursue art. Meeting them made me feel cultured in association. Man, I am sounding really full of myself.

9. Towards the end of the trip my sister and I ran out of conversation topics, so we relied on our eavesdropping skills to keep ourselves entertained.

10. I became more aware of our own Canadian culture and mannerism.

11. I have realized the importance of travelling. It increases a person's breadth of knowledge, not only about the world, but also about themselves. I would like to travel more of Europe, and leave South America, Asia and Africa for when I meet the guy. I have these grand plans for me and my husband to visit a new country every year, where we not only get to experience a new culture, but also have an opportunity to do our bit to help the global community.

12. My friend and I have made plans to visit a new Canadian province every year. Europe may have all the history and impressive architecture, but Canada is beautiful.

13. I have realized, the more we travel, the more we get to learn about ourselves and our own country.

14. There is a bridge in Paris, which is nicknamed "Love Bridge". I told my mom about it, and her reaction was: "Did you pray that God would bring you a nice boy?"

15. There are no words to describe how...hmph...different (?) French men are.

16. I miss my holidays, and the lack of responsibility and accountability you feel when you are away from home.

17. In a year's time after the economic crisis has settled a bit, at least that's what Paul Krugman predicted, I am planning on applying for a job in Oxford, England.

I think this is all. Hopefully, the trip is out of my system now :).

Okay, one more thing. This trip has taught me that you can't predict life. Earlier last year, I was first planning a trip to Israel, and then to Nepal. Neither of these trips worked out, and I unexpectedly ended up going to Europe...

Francophone

So, what do you do when you are missing your holidays? You ambush your friends with French songs you discovered when you were away.

In England, our mornings consisted of watching Enid Blyton cartoons (I grew up reading her books), and the news. But, in France, we almost always had their music channel on.

So here are the French songs I listened to every morning.

Toi + Moi by Gregoire: Doesn't the singer look like Justin Timberlake? Oooh-lala (I wonder, when this expression would get old). My friend, who works in Quebec, said that this song is very big in the French-speaking world, and they play it on the French radio here.

Toi et Moi by Tryo: I think, the video is very beautiful. And, the song sounds very sweet.

FM Air by Zazie: There are dressed up Indian people in the video. And, you can also see the blue Parisian street signs.

Peut-etre une Angine by ANAIS: Sounds cute!

Appelle Mon Numero by Mylene Farmer: This song drove my ageist sister insane. She believed, the singer is too old for this video. I don't care, they have maple leaves in the video. Go Canada!

Place de Wazemees by Bruno Maman: Sounds very beautiful and romantic. No idea what it's about.

It seemed that in England they were all about Leona Lewis. I don't care what people say, I find her very annoying.

Paris 6: We'll Always Have Paris

Today was our last day in Paris.

The morning started with us hand washing our clothes. See, technology has never been my friend. (Says the girl who has the urgency to blog about her trip, almost every day). But somehow half of the apartment's power outlets went out.

Since the Picasso Museum was just two minutes away from the apartment we were renting, we left it for our last day. It is definitely one of the best museums they have here. After today, and having visited Musee d'Orsay yesterday, I feel that Louvre is a bit overrated. Yes, Palais du Louvre's architecture is magnificent. But, the crowds, and the constant pushing and shoving really spoiled the experience. Moreover, sometimes with art you need to take your time, and let it all sink in. But, then again, you can't come to Paris, and not go to Louvre.

If I am ever in Paris again I don't think I would re-visit the Louvre. Unless the guy I am with absolutely insists. On the other hand, I guess, it would be romantic to see Cupid and Psyche's sculptures with the guy.

Yes, I clearly think Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world. Once you learn to look beyond the urinated-littered-dog-poop-laden streets. I guess, what makes Paris romantic is its immortality. The city has not only survived the French Revolution, but also the two world wars. If I remember my history correctly, during the WW2 the plan was to bomb Paris, including its historical bridges and palaces; and the French were sending off troops to the Belgian border in their taxi cabs.

I think, another city that is right up there in the romantic-city scale is St. Petersburg. Since, the city is on a high altitude, in July, the night sky remains mystically white. So if taking a night stroll along the Baltic Sea, on the historic bridges is not romantic then I don't know what is. Speaking of which, people should definitely take a trip together before they get married. Seriously, nothing tells you how compatible the two of you are, like being stuck together in a new city. There ought to be a way where one can take a PG-13 (Halal) trip.

Look Paris has evaded me of my steel-rockiness.

I also blame Picasso's "The Kiss" (1925). It is a very romantic painting. They have a really impressive collection of Picasso's work in the Musee National Picasso. I find Picasso one of the most thought-provoking artists. I look at his work and wonder what was going through his mind, when he made these paintings. After visiting the museum I realized how truly diverse his work is. In most of his paintings, he hasn't given much attention to the women's form, or faces. So it makes me wonder what is that he saw in them. And, in some cases the only physical attribute he gives any attention to is their eyes.

In his painting, "Women at Their Toilette" (1938) he made use of multiple mediums. He copy-pasted wallpapers, and also used oil paints. In this painting he has shown several women using a hotel powder room, taking care of their business. He copy-pasted maps of the continents to show our connectedness and universality. This painting reminded me of what is going on in Gaza. The Israeli government has evacuated the foreigners from the enclaved Gaza strip. But most of these foreigners are married to to Palestinian locals. I really commend France, for being the only country that came out and explicitly condemned the killings of innocent people. I mean, it doesn't matter who is doing the killing, or who is being killed. The fight is not about religion. The important and most disturbing fact is that innocent people are dying there. Last year, when Russia attacked Georgia, the world and political leaders sternly condemned the raid. Where are these government voices right now?

I really liked the museum. It was not crowded, and Picasso's work was organized chronologically. They also have Picasso's sculptures, and a couple of Henri Matisse's paintings, from Picasso's personal collection.

I also saw a family of three young daughters. Their parents had brought them to the museum to draw. And, they were drawing Picasso's paintings. I thought it was very impressive that the parents were trying to encourage their kids to draw, and nourish their artistic skills. I remember when I was in grade school, during the summer holidays every year, my sister and I would go to our local art supplies store and buy water paints and pastels, and draw trees and other random objects. I hid behind abstract, since my technique was not as good as say my sister. Her paintings are as good, if not better than, the ones I saw at Tate Modern.

Paris 5: I'll Give You the Moon

The plan today was to walk from the Latin Quarter of Paris to Champs-Elysees.

Notre Dame

Our first stop. It is by far the most beautiful cathedral I have ever visited. The cathedral is built in the Gothic style, and it is famous for its stained glass windows and gargoyles. I especially enjoyed walking around the cathedral and admiring its architecture from the outside. It was a beautiful sunny day. The cathedral is hidden behind trees, which add to its beauty and historical elusiveness.

Conciergerie

A Gothic royal palace, which looks a lot like the Sleeping Beauty castle they have in Disney World. During the French Revolution the palace was used as a prison. Marie Antoinette was also imprisoned here. But the museum inside the palace didn't seem worth visiting, only contained photographs from that period.

Boulevard Saint-Michel

This part of Paris has a very beautiful Gothic library. It also has one of the best shops in Paris, which are not crowded with tourists. In my opinion, comparatively, the French do have better fashion sense. I have become a fan of the way the girls wear makeup here. Instead of myriad layers of eyeshadow, they are all about the eyeliner, which looks very pretty. And, the French men dress very nicely too (Oooh-lala). Now, that I have wasted your time with a little Fashion 101, let me tell you about this beautiful jewellery store I discovered here, called Anoki. They have the most unique earrings and necklaces I have seen. I am not into ostentatious jewellery. However, I like delicate one of a kind vintage accessories. And this store just had that.

Musee d'Orsay

In my opinion, is one of the best museums they have in Paris. The museum has an excellent collection of Impressionist art by Edgar Degas, Manet, Monet, Pisarro, Sisley and Renoir. And most importantly, there were paintings by Vincet Van Gogh. I have a poster of three of Van Gogh's paintings in my room, so being only a few inches away from the originals was a very fulfilling experience. This, including London's Tate Modern, is another museum I would definitely return to if I am in Europe again.

Tour Eiffel

We saved Eiffel for our last night in Paris. Eiffel is such a simple and yet intricate structure. Simple in the sense, unlike the rest of Imperial French architecture where buildings are adorned with Greek mythological sculptures, this symbol of modern Paris is composed of one solid element. In it's simplicity there is beauty. In spite of the cold, the view from the top was breathtaking.

Arc de Triomphe

It is a monument honouring those who lost their lives in the Napoleon war. To be honest, this structure is not that different from say Marble Arch, in London. But it was one of those places I guess you have to visit when you are in Paris; so we obliged.

Champs-Elysees

The street looked beautiful at night, with the glittering lights, and the crowd. This is probably the one time in Paris, I didn't mind the crowd so much. In spite of it being 10(ish)PM, most of the shops were open. Including the dazzling Disney Store, and a few auto showrooms.

In London, I was impressed with the Audis I saw parked in the streets of Westminster. Reminded me of the Audi they had in Iron Man. But in France, most of the cars are compact, and hence more fuel efficient. I didn't get a chance to see any gas stations in Paris, but the gas prices in London were very high. This is because the European governments put a much higher tax burden on oil than the US and Canadian governments. Plus, considering the impressive parallel parking stunts they pull here, I would prefer a small gas efficient car over a luxurious vehicle any day. In this economy who has the money to buy an expensive car! But I have to admit they are not bad to look at.

Concorde Metro Station

There is a monument outside the station that marks the place where Marie Antoinette was publicly humiliated and hung. There is also a fountain here that pays homage to the innocent lives lost during the French Revolution.

At this point before entering the station to go to our apartment, I, embarrassingly enough, turned around to take the Eiffel in for one last time, and look at the beautiful Parisian moon, for one last time. God knows, when I would be back here again...

Paris 4: The City of Light

Since today all the museums and most of the shops were closed, the plan was to visit buildings and parks.

Hotel des Invalides

Our first stop of the day. Another building commissioned by Louis XIV for disabled war veterans. Louis XIV wanted to look after the soldiers who fought for France. It has a beautiful structure, and he also built a chapel for the veterans. The chapel was later turned into a burial place for French notables. Napoleon Bonaparte is also entombed here, and the dome is called Dome des Invalides. Yes, the French are very clever with the names. Again, I was very impressed by the architecture and the courtyard. Inside the building they also have French artillery and weapons from the 18th century and the two world wars. When we were there in the morning, it was very quiet and ironically enough I found it peaceful, walking through the facility's passages and looking at the canons and tanks, which were used to kill so many.

Jardin du Luxembourg

We took the bus for the first time, in Paris, to get to Jardin du Luxembourg. It is a the largest park in Paris built in the 17th century by Queen Medicis for the royalty's private use. The park was open to the public in the 19th century. There are sculptures of Beethoven, and the French royalty in the park. The French Senate, the Luxembourg Place, is also adjacent to the park. The replica of the Statue of Liberty, which the French sculptor Bartholdi used, in designing the one in New York, is also present here. And in spite of the freezing cold and barren trees the park looked beautiful. There is history everywhere in Paris. We saw Parisians jogging, and playing ping pong, and you can't help yourself from wondering what does it feel like to live in the midst of all this history?

Pantheon

After Luxembourg we decided to walk aimlessly and admire the architecture. But somehow we ended up at Pantheon, which was on our list of places to see in Paris. Pantheon is a burial ground built in the 19th century. The building has Greek columns. It was here Foucault performed his pendulum experiment to show that the earth rotates around its own axis. Much to my sister's delight, the building was closed, so we didn't have to climb the stairs to go in.

Cruise

Usually when we go to a new city we try to explore it on our own, and avoid the touristy cruises, bus rides or guides. But this time around I had planned to take a cruise along the Seine River. The only other time we took a guide tour was when I went to Oxford with my siblings. My dad wanted us to learn about the history of the colleges. He hoped, it would inspire us to do great things in life :). Taking the cruise in a chilly night was a great idea, it kept us warm. It also gave us an opportunity to learn more about the city's history.

I clearly fell in love with Paris. Prior to taking this trip, I didn't really believe all the jargon you hear about Paris being the most romantic city. But, seeing Paris and going under its ancient bridges could turn even a steel-hearted person, such as yours truly, into a mush. Being with my quasi-engineer sister I have learned to appreciate the skills that are required in constructing bridges. It was amazing to see that they were able to build the bridges with such excessive artistic abilities in the 17th and 18th centuries. I guess, when the British were busy spending their resources on colonization, the French spent the money on improving Paris's architecture.

Whilst waiting in the line to board our cruise ship, I noticed how the Europeans have no sense of personal space. Throughout this trip we have been constantly getting pushed around, and got elbowed to move. During the huge line ups people stand very close to each other. Where in North America we are all about guarding our personal space; you would never see people standing too close to each other, even during the rush hour commute. When a North American gets on the subway he or she wouldn't sit next to an occupied seat, but would instead prefer to stand. We are very aware of our personal spaces and distances. I don't know if it is because Europe is a crowded continent, compared to our measly continent with only three countries, and since people like Palin (oh, how I miss her) usually forget about Mexico's existence, the third one doesn't really matter :).

But, I have to admit my sister has transformed into an European. When they push her, she reciprocates the gesture. I remember last year when we went to Pakistan alone, we were stuck at the immigration, because we were being our Canadian-cordial-selves, and were clearly lacking our Asian/Old World innateness to push and move forward in the line to get our passports stamped. My family had to wait for us outside the Karachi airport for two hours. But, I think if we ever go to Pakistan again, my sister should be okay, because this trip really taught her to use her elbow for the greater good.

P.S. I have attached a picture of one of the 100 sculptures I saw in the park. This dude's female admirer adorned his sculpture with the flowers to show her affection for him. People don't show affection like this anymore. Even the act of burning CDs to express feelings has become so last decade. BAH!

Paris 3: Ah, the French

So, I went to the Louvre today.

To be honest, I still can't believe, I am in Paris. I have this big Paris poster in my room. So, I knew I would want to come here one day. Maybe once I find the guy, and we would go together. But never thought it would happen NOW. And, the reality of the trip, definitely, sunk in today.

Louvre without a doubt has the best art collection in the world. The architecture of the building is adorned with Greek figurines and columns. Louis XIV, like the Versailles, commissioned for Louvre's extension and spent funds in improving the fortress's structure. The building in itself is beautiful, with very impressive ceilings. After you are done visiting the art collection go outside and walk around the courtyard. You would find that each arch-window has its unique Greek-styled sculptures.

There is no way you would be able to see everything in the Louvre. So before visiting the museum visit the website and make a list of things you are interested in. The best place to start is the Denon Wing. It is here you would find Mona Lisa in the wing's 6th room. To be honest, Mona Lisa does look more beautiful in the original but the huge herd of people and constant shoving and pushing ruined the experience. Right across of Mona Lisa there is a beautiful and huge painting called "The Wedding Feast at Cana" by Paolo Veronese. In the frenzy to see Mona Lisa people fail to appreciate the artistic marvel of this late-Renaissance painting. I felt really bad for the other paintings that were present in the same room as Mona Lisa.

On your way to the Grand Gallery you would see the spectacular structure of the Winged Victory. So sit by the stairs to enjoy one of the most famous sculptures in the world.

Personally for me, I really admired Da Vinci's "The Virgin of Rocks" and Panini's work. They say that each painter has his/hers own speciality. Panini in my opinion is an amazing painter. In his paintings special emphasis is placed on not only the people but also the structures that are used not just as backdrop but are important participants of the story Panini has painted. I took several pictures of his paintings from every angle possible. At the Louvre you are allowed to take pictures as long as your camera's flash is turned off.

After the Denon Wing, my sister and I went to the Sully Gallery to see Venus de Milo. That is another beautiful sculpture. Again, the thing that makes it so amazing is its elusiveness. Her body is half-draped, and she is showing off her well-defined abs :). On your way to Venus de Milo do not miss out on the sculptures by Michelangelo.


I definitely felt something in my heart, when I saw the two sculptures depicting the unlikely love between Cupid and Psyche.

After the Louvre my sister and I did some sight-seeing. We walked over the oldest bridge in Paris called Pont Neuf, and the Palais Royal which was built in 1629. We also did some window-shopping in Forum des Halles. Paris is too expensive for us to actually buy something here.

After that we came back to our apartment to rest so we are ready to go out again to ring in the New Year. Since I have a cold, I have been drinking insane amount of Lipton mint tea they have here. It tastes really good and has really helped with the cold. I took a couple of Advil and I was knocked out.

For New Year's we planned to go to Chaps d'Elysees and the Eiffel Tower. The transit system was free tonight. I guess big cities like London and Paris can afford to have the subway running for free.

We walked around Paris at night time. And, I have to admit Paris is beautiful. Everything that you have probably heard of Paris is true. I wish I could photograph every inch of Paris. I can definitely see why people call it the most romantic city in the world.

Up until now my sister and I were avoiding going out too late in the night here. The French men are very flirtatious. Even the locals don't wear revealing clothes because the men are known for their rowdy behaviour. I honestly, thought we would not have to worry about this. But I think they have some weird testosterone in the French water. Men here are perverted.

Not to say all French men are horndogs.

But, tonight we didn't even stay out too late. And, tried to stay with other North Americans. We just wanted to see the Eiffel at midnight. And, we came home right after that. The streets were safe (crime wise). They had the police stationed all around the city. The subway was extremely busy. There was a huge line-up to enter the station, and then some serious pushing and shoving ensued inside the subway.

In spite of all this, the Eiffel Tower looked beautiful at midnight. Nothing could have prepared me of how spectacular the Eiffel looks at night. It changed colours from blue to gold right at midnight.

It is just a different culture here.

Btw, a Happy New Year to all of you out there. During the New Year's countdown I wanted to scream OBAMA, just for fun. Considering how this year will mark his inaugration and we are all counting on him to fix all of our problems. He is the modern day surfer dude of a messiah, folks. To be honest, I was also thinking of the recent Middle-East crisis. I know it is a beatup cliche but I really hope 2009 turns out to be peaceful for all of us. I really hope something good comes out of this New Year.

Paris 2: Wet and Cold

So, what do you do when you have a really bad cold and cough in Paris? You stand in the line for TWO HOURS, in the rain, which turned into freezing rain, and then flurries, to enter the Palace of Versailles.

There were two line-ups for the palace, one for the tickets, and once you get your tickets you line-up again to enter the palace. So the smart move is to buy the tickets online to avoid waiting outside. My sister ended up lining up for the tickets, whilst I waited in the other line. The only good thing about the waiting is that you get to talk to other tourists. There was an old couple from the States and a girl from Australia. Since she didn't have an umbrella we ended up sharing and she gave me a few tid-bits about Paris. Apparently there is a free historical walk tour. In the other line, my sister found out about this really good underground art gallery called the Palais de Tokyo. So considering how much we liked London's Tate Modern; we would hopefully get to check out some contemporary art in Paris, as well. I think the best part of travelling is meeting new people from all over the world.

The palace was worth the wait. It is gorgeous and like the most French imperial architecture is inspired by Greek figurines and mythology. The palace was commissioned by Louis XIV and it was here the Treaty of Versailles was signed (Duh!).

The most striking thing about the palace is that it is very underrated. The royal palaces in Russia are extensively decorated with gold and shiny wallpapers. Whereas, this palace was nicely decorated and didn't seem tacky. During the visit, we also saw the secret doors which Marie Antionette used to escape from the palace. The sad thing is that when the French people were dying of hunger the royalty was living lavishly.

Outside the palace there are beautiful Versailles gardens. Even in the freezing cold they seemed so beautiful and romantic. My sister and I were just wondering how could anyone be unhappy in the midst of all this beauty. But, I guess you know how they say that happiness comes from within. Yes, I am being very profound today :).

Photography is allowed inside the palace. And, it is just amazing how the French are so welcoming and open about their heritage. There were no guards present in the gardens. Visitors have the freedom to walk about and enjoy the beauty at their own pace.

After the palace my sister and I decided to walk about the city of Versailles. The architecture here was impressive, and the people didn't speak much English.

We bought bread from this bakery called Paul, which is really famous here. They have been around since 1889. Their bread and chocolate croissant are to die for. I was that embarassing tourist who took pictures of the bakery. Usually, back home I try to be more conscious about what I eat. But here I have been eating the carbs and the cheese and all the French goodness like there is no tomorrow. But, seriously the French know how to live. The rest of us...I don't know what the rest of us are doing.

By the way it is freezing in Paris.

Paris 1: Ratatouille

I love Paris.

The train ride from London to Paris was very comfortable. We got to Paris in the morning, but figuring out the complicated-pee-smelling Metro took us ages. It took us more than an hour to get to our apartment. When the journey time technically should have been only 20 minutes. Moreover, they don't have escalators inside the subway stations so you have to take the stairs, when changing lines or exiting the station. But, God bless the French men they took my luggage from my hand and carried it up the stairs. I am totally touched by their chivalry.

I don't speak French, even though I took French lessons in Russia. But regardless of my lack of French, people are nice and very polite. And, here people think I am Arab. I get that in Canada too, but people don't get disappointed when I correct them. Man, I guess my parents made a mistake I should have either been born in an Arab country or France :). I am considering going back home learning French and moving to Quebec City :). But, the French coming up to me, only to ask whether I was Arabic, was a bit strange. If someone had done this to me in Canada I would have been majorly freaked out. I guess people are very curious here.

The apartment I am staying in is beautiful. It is clean and extremely gorgeous. The washroom is divided into two rooms/quarters. The first one only has a toilet. And, the second, right next door, has a shower and the washing basin. I know this sounds gross. I think the washing basin and the toilet should have been together in the same room. My neighbours are American expatriates, who are extremely nice. I think on this trip I would be thinking of Ernest Hemingway a lot.

One of the advantages of renting out an apartment here is that you can save money on food and cook at home. After walking around our neighbourhood we did some grocery shopping. I saw a cute little rat. See, I am on such a Paris-high that I even found the idea of a small fuzzy rat inside the grocery store cute. It reminded me of the Pixar movie, Ratatouille.

The chocolate tastes so good here. And, the flowers they were selling outside the grocery store were so pretty. They had pretty pink-purple gerberas. I absolutely love gerberas.

I can see why people call it the city of romance.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I apologize, my dear readers, for not blogging lately. I have been busy with planning a trip for the holidays. You see, I am leaving for London and Paris (Yes, Dickens' twin cities) soon. So the trip planning really took a major toll on my time and social life. But at least now that I know what I am going to do during my trip, hopefully I would be able to relax and enjoy myself :).

I am not sure if I would have the internet in London, but I will try to keep you guys updated from Paris. Turns out my procrastination paid off, and I was able to rent an apartment in Paris. The apartment is in this bourgeois neighbourhood, and the legend has it that Ernest Hemingway used to hang around there. Plus, I got a very good deal. I did some serious e-bargaining via the email, and tried to dazzle the guy with shameless emoticon smiling. It all paid off, folks :) - See, I am doing it again.

I am very excited. It all sounds very exciting. Travelling in the midst of an economic crisis. And, people think I don't know how to live on the edge :).

Until the next post, I would like to wish you guys a Happy Belated Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year. And since I am from Canada, and we are all about political correctness, I would like to wish you all very happy and safe holidays.