Once more into the Breach, Good Friends

Here I sit at the Airoport Charles de Gaulle.  Looking looking forward to seven hours in a hard, small seat.  I am reminded how small the seats are because a very large man is seated at the other end of the row of seats in the waiting are eating potato chips.  I'm going to try to write this entry offline an post it during my free fifteen minutes of internet. 

Saturday was the Sans Clue and Paris H3 Christmas dinner.  I had a glorious time.   I'm told.  Yesterday was the Hangover run sponsored by Sans Clue.  I suffered throught it.  Mostly because I am in such miserable shape.  I was a liittle out of sorts from the wine, but I've not run for months and it showed.  The plane is about to board so I must sign off.

You snooze, you lose

This is the Samaritaine department store.  The shot was from the mid point on Pont Neuf.  Therefore I was not on the bridge at all.  The New Bridge is also the oldest bridge in Paris.

Back to snoozing.  I never saw the famous view from the restaurant in the top of this building.  I kept putting it off.  Now (since 2005) the store is out of business and may reopen in a couple of years as an office/apartment building.  The presence of a restaurant atop it is up in the air.  (Did I just make a bad pun?)

This visit is about to wind up.  If there is anyone out there who absolutely must have something from Paris, ya best let me know immediately.  No artworks from the Louvre or anything I can't get on the plane with.

I won't be returning to Paris soon.  I know this city better than I know Columbus.  I've made some goods friends here.  This trip wasn't as enjoyable as I've lost two friends since preparing it.  It's just been a bummer.  That is also why I haven't been posting very much.  I didn't take many photos either.

Drizzly day in Paris

1. Here is a picture of Madame Agnes, proprietress of Le Petit Bar at the corner of Rue Fondary and Rue Voilet.

1. This is a view of "Liberty Lighting the Way for the World"  AKA the Statue of Liberty.

This statue is at the end of a very pleasant walk called Alee de Cygnes or Swan Alley.

At the mid point of a very pleasant walk it began to mist, or , as the Irish would describe it, it became a "Soft Day".  I decided to return to the hooch.  Since the concierge had not yet completed his duties, I adjourned to Le Petit Bar.

The bar is like Madame Agnes' extended kitchen, where her neighbors congregate.  The elders of the neighborhood have a meal and/or a drink there.  I have been stopping there for maybe 10 years.  The best boulongerie (bakery) in the neighborhood is across the street.

Drinks here are small and not particularly inexpensive.  Nevertheless some of her patrons often have a "Bag On".

I stop here for a Cafe Noir of indifferent quality on a regular basis.  Agnes has no English and my French is totaly inadequate, but we do communicate after a fashion.

A couple of her patrons speak enough English.  Bernard isa a little guy with a bit of anger in him who has spent time in the US.  His English is very good.  He is a heavy smoker who has an oxygen bottle that he carries outside to smoke.  I guess the harm is done.

Isabelle is a drunk with an inexplicable interest in me.  She is now in Florida and has become married.  Thank goodness on both counts!

Agnes has a small dog that has decided not to like me.  perhaps it knows that i am not fond of dogs.  She also has a parakeet that screeches incessantly.  I have finally decided that the bird is trying to seduce the pigeons outside it's window.  Good luck with that!

It is, as the Irish say, "A Soft Day", which is to say it is drizzling.  So I am in Le Petit Bar and the usual five patrons is now eleven and every one who leaves is replaced by two.  I sit at the bar surrounded by conversations that I cannot participate in, much less understand.  It's okay.

Last night's TNDC was at Au Caveau Montpensier.  A "cave" is a basement or cellar.  This place has vaulted ceilings and other clues that it may be an actual cellar.  The name is very French, but the staff is very English.

There was lively discussion about economics and politics.  No blood was shed and there wasn't even use of pepper spray!  We adjourned with the general understanding that I should actually be Emperor.

Russia?!?!

I checked the statistics on this blog.  It looks popular enough until you discover that most of the viewers are in Russia!  I double checked my profile and feel secure enough as I haven't disclosed much about myself.

If anyone wants me to continue, I will.  I have no desire to entertain Russian hackers, though. 

You know my email.  I'd give out my Paris cell phone, but certainly not here.

Not so much a Flaneur as a Pieton

I think I have posted a photo of two cops on horseback.  I have seen the Paris police on horseback, bicycles, inline skates, motorcycles, motorscooters, walking and in cars.  Not on skateboards, yet.

Today I just went for a walk.  Of course, even though I followed a familiar route, I learned something.  When the Prime Minister is in residence, he gets lots of visitors that require police escorts.  I was in his neighborhood about half an hour and no less than three convoys of police escorted limos went by.  In the US they would have half a dozen Lincolns and a dozen Hardleys.  In Paris each consisted of two standard size sedans with two BMW motos in front and sometimes one or two following.  No sirens, only whistles.  Heads of state and ministers don't seem to take themselves so seriously here.

Paris was sunny and warm today.  I just didn't have so much enthusiasm.  My difficulty with the language sometimes knocks all the fun out of France.

The Christmas market on the Champs Elysee is open.  There are a bunch of others but they may not be open yet.

Hopefully this will publish.  Meanwhile the Duck is going to take this back to the room and wander about.

A long walk to Parc Bellville

Thursday night, at the Thursday night drinking club (TNDC) I passed this cafe.  I'm told it means The Hunchback Cat.  Gruesome!   A great time was had at TNDC.  Charlie bought a round.

This was also Beaujolais nouveau night.  We all had a glass of green wine.  I think the whole purpose of the festival is to consume the production of a mediocre grape.  

This is a panoramic view of the city of Paris as seen from the top of Parc Bellville.  It was sunny but hazy so the view didn't measure up to expectations.  The walk, there, however, was worth every step.  I walked through an African neighborhood, an Asian neighborhood and something from the Pacific.  I've heard you mustn't go there at night and I can believe it.  I was not concerned but it pays to be aware of your surroundings.  The photo op didn't pan out but it was still a marvelous walk.

Another day in Paris

 Parking spaces are at a premium here.  This person found a space and immediately bought a car to put in it!  Now they dare not move the car for fear of losing the space!

This is an interesting clock tower.  It is nearly invisible from the street!  I had to trespass in a closed  courtyard to get this photo.  No one noticed.

No one commented on the defective post either.  Zennybody out there?   (Crickets)

Big Mac Index

I have neglected to post the Big Mac Index.

At Rue Commerce in the 15th Arr a Big Mac costs 3.40 Euros.  On the Champs Elysees it is 4.00 Euros.  There has been heated discussion as to the value of this comparison.  I offer the numbers without comment.

Should I do a Chocolate Index?  Suggestions?

The duck examines some photo exhibits

 This is perhaps the most photographed doorway in Paris.  The rest of the building is ignored.  The door is bizarre, but so is the rest.

I know some folks who like chocolate.  I pass stores like this every day.  Every day!  Oops, didn't mean to rub it in.  (Yes, I did!  I'm in Paris and you are not!)

I studied at least six photo exhibits.  November is a whole month of Photography.  Mairie VI had two exhibits, the College of Medicine had one,  the Irish Institute was closed!.  Just about every art gallery has a photo exhibit.  There are a few art galleries.  There were three displays at Luxemburg Gardens.  I am about galleried out!

The weather here has been nothing less than perfect (is that redundant?)  Some Novembers have been overcast and cold.  This promises to be nearly perfect.  Life is good!

The Duck is a flaneur and not at all ashamed!

The duck as hasher and flaneur

Before I get into the narative, let me include a few photos. This is Charlies favorite Italien restaurant. (I spelled that correctly)

This is the square where it is located.

This is where Charlie prefers to have breakfast and browse the web.

They are all located within a 200 foot circle.

Yesterday the Paris hash stumbled around Boise de Vincennes. Leaves are falling in Paris, too. The fallen leaves cover the footpath and the occasional doggy surprise. I got a poo shoe! Uggh!

I had a good time. I have proof! Pictures!

Today was a day to walk. All of Paris seemed to agree with me. The mayor closed down the riverside street from Tour Eiffel to the Louvre. The Tuileries Gardens were fully used. There were pietons (pedestrians) everywhere! Bunches of them. French women have legs! I know this because I saw lots of lots of legs. Short skirts, Lycra running tights, and stretch jeans were in abundance. I enjoyed the view of the river bank as well.

It was a sunny day in Paris. If you don't envy me, you should!

Duck out!

Armistice day parade cancelled!

Taken out of context this picture is disconcerting. This is the start of the Paris Armistice Day parade. It should have started at 0900. This picture was take at about 1000. Doug and I waited until 1200 or thereabout and suddenly thew Gendarmes who had been lining the Champs Elysees were withdrawn. The parade never happened!

I have seen the parade several times and in every case it proceeds down the Champs from Etoille to Concorde. It starts at about 0900. At noon the street was opened and the paraders left. Wahoppen?!!!

I've checked online and find no mention. It may have been a terrorist threat or somesuch. I was vwery disappointed! Especially since I scheduled this trip to see it. Charlie, you are vindicated!

The Duck has landed

I think ducks are funner than eagles anyhow.

I arrived in Paris at about 0830. The train to town took about 45 minutes. I was way too early to check in. I went to Le Petit Bar and said hello to Madame Agnes. Then I checked in at Au Pacific. The room was not really ready but I left my things there anyway. Then I went to Cosmo and had an espresso. The place has been remodeled. I had lunch at Mario and Lilo's. By now I am a bit fatigued. I went back to the room to take a nap. It was still not ready. Doug Scofea was there. We stopped at the Concierge's hooch and asked him to fix up the room. We went shopping for groceries and to see the Tour Eifel.

Having had a dinner of cammembert, baguette, moutard and Bordeaux we are now off to TNDC.

I tried posting photos to this thing but had no success.

Off to Paris!

I arrived at Port Klumbus 2.5 hours before departure rather than the recommended 3 hours. I've been sitting in the terminal for over an hour and still have another to go. When I was a kid flying was expansive and exotic. Now that I am exceedingly old it is becoming expensive again, and security is demeaning. Give me back exotic!

If I sound unhappy, I am not. I am going to Paris no matter how many times I must remove my shoes!

Once more into the breach, Good Friends

Next Wednesday I depart for Paris.  I will arrive on Thursday in time for TNDC! 
Charlie isn't going this year.  He is down with lung cancer, something that seems to be going around as my one remaining male neighbor was hospitalized yesterday with it. 
I dunno how bad Rick's condition is but no lung cancer seems to be trivial.  Soon I may be the only guy on the culdesac! 

Erin go Brah!

I'm off to Ireland!

http://lachanbui.blogspot.com/

Lachan Bui means Yellow Duck in Irish.

The Duck is finaly going to Erin

Dia Guit!

Lachan Bui is Irish for Yellow Duck. I've never been to Ireland. That is about to change.

I've been, by turns, ill and injured. I discovered that I am eligible for VA medical. Like a fool, I took advantage of it. Don't, and advise your friends to shun it! I came down with a devastating MRSA infection that took two months to overcome. Just about the time I was getting over that, I went on a motorscooter trip and was struck by a car. That put me in ICU for five days and a month of recuperation.

On the positive side, a friend is going to Ireland and renting a house near Dingle. He offered me use of a spare bedroom. I'm off to Eire! I'll be there 6 to 20 September.

I've got to scout out County Tyrone as well. I'll be traveling light so souveniers must be small.