I think I'm old.
Well....not like standing on the porch, waving my fist at the neighbor's kids running across my lawn, old. Maybe more like outdated.
Job hunting is not what it used to be.
Back in the day...the last time I looked for work...14 years ago...you would go into a company, fill out an application, hand it off to a living, breathing person, smile, maybe get in for a preliminary interview and at least make a connection with someone before walking out.
Have I mentioned once or 5 times that was 14 years ago?
Look at what all has happened in just the last decade alone! As we entered a new millennium, the geniuses in television development gave us Survivor, American Idol, and 24. Online we found Wikipedia, Facebook, and Twitter. We all ran out to buy Ipods, hybrid vehicles and the IPhone. We saw natural disasters, war and terrorists destroy--but we saw human kindness, strength and determination rebuild. The Red Sox won the World Series, the Saints won a Super Bowl and the poor Cubs still can't get it together. And don't even get me started on politics--I just don't have the energy.
If you sit there and really think about what all has happened in 14 years...it's staggering!
So it should have come as no surprise to me that trying to find a job would have morphed with the times as well. Foolishly, I thought that it would just be as simple and easy as it was "back in the day" to find employment.
It was not that simple.
Now I know that there are a lot of people out there looking for work. And arrogantly, I couldn't figure out why it was that no one could find a job. Seriously...how hard is it?
It's a nightmare.
I must have sent out well over 50 resumes and filled out countless applications in the time span of a week. That was in one week!!! I updated my resume, I changed my cover letter, I applied, I followed up, I bragged, I downplayed, I begged, I pleaded.
And I got a lot of silence.
But despite the mounting frustration in not getting any responses back from the places I contacted, I started learning a few things....
First, I don't think I ever truly appreciated having a job. Now don't get me wrong, I liked my old job...but I didn't appreciate just having a job itself. I never really thought about how much of myself went into working (again, not even specifically my last job...just any job in general). I've never thought that my life was defined by my job. And although I've discovered it wasn't...my life IS partly defined by just working and feeling like I am somehow contributing to society BY working.
Next, despite having a job...the next time, I'm diversifying. I didn't realize how much of a "work rut" I had gotten into, doing just one job for so long and not stopping to branch out into other things--like volunteering or joining a bowling league or something. So much focus was spent on swimming through the day to day dealings of my one job the last time, that when I finally came up for air, I found I'd swam way past the markers and was a little lost out there in the ocean. Work can't be the only thing in your life. It's important...but there have to be other outlets.
Finally, I learned that finding a full time job really is a full time job. Filling out applications online, taking aptitude tests, running around from one place to the next...it takes up a lot of time. And if you're not careful, can become a crazy obsession. I found myself checking out Craigslist at all hours of the day and looking up job postings when I was supposed to be on "vacation". I found that there have to be limits. So, just like a real job, come 5pm, I finally had to just tell myself to put it away and wait to deal with it again the next day.
It's hard to not get frustrated and start to feel like you're not hire-able. YOU know you have plenty to offer. But it's difficult to relay how sparkling your personality is, or to show a potential employer how fabulous a fit you would be for their company when all you have to work with are black and white words on a page. You can't smile and ooze enthusiasm for a job on an auto-response website. You can't radiate your own style and come across as dynamic while filling out a standardized aptitude test. It's nearly impossible.
But things are looking up. I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel...and I'm starting to feel pretty good about my employment status again.
Although I'll tell you this...next time, I'm hiring someone to find a job for me.
All this work...I'm ready for a vacation.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
London day 8 ... California day 9
So Wednesday was the day to leave London and head back home. It's been 9 days of non-stop travel, and although I got to see some fantastic sights, met some fabulous people and enjoyed a lot of wonderful food...I have to admit that it was definitely time to come home. I love to travel, but after a while there are things from the home-front you just miss....like driving your own car...on the right side of the road.
Do you ever notice how much harder it can be to pack to leave? It's a phenomenon that I've never understood. For the travel out, you have to make sure everything is packed all nice and neat...find a way for it to not wrinkle in the suitcase. But on the trip home, when everything's been worn, so who cares how you stuff it in the bag, why...is there just that one... last... piece... of....clothing....that just won't fit, no matter how well it all fit on the way out?
And I take back everything about the flight out - because the flight home was much, much more dramatic. Between airport closures, missed flights, catching a final flight out of Dulles that put me on the bumpiest flight known to man, I finally set foot on solid California ground around 12:45am Thursday....which was 9am in London. So let's see, 5+3-2, carry the 12....yup....I had been in an airport or on an airplane for 23 hours.
Very. Long. Day.
But now that I'm back home, I went back through my photos and other blog postings to see if there was anything I missed or forgot to share with the group. And what do you know...there are a few thoughts that I realize I never found a home for in the earlier postings.
For example, I learned on this trip that if someone says I’m “a few pounds light”…unfortunately they’re NOT referring to how well I fit into my jeans. Means I’ve shorted them money and they’d really like it if I’d pay up. Whoops.
So countries have their own embassies on foreign soil…y’know…the French Embassy, the Italian Embassy, the Australian Embassy. Well, it turns out Texas really has been its own country this whole time after all, complete with…you got it…
Who knew???!!!
Next, I believe that Parisian women are among the most beautiful women anywhere. I swear…I don’t know how it is they do it, but they just have this aura about them that radiates elegance, chic and exquisiteness. These ladies could be walking around wearing garbage bags and they’d still look better than most. Now, if I could figure out how to put that essence into a pill form, I’d be rich.
It's been said that Americans don't like to drink British ale because they believe it's served too warm, or some weirdness like that. Now I don't necessarily believe that to be true...but, I can see where Americans could be put off drinking in London for other reasons...
Personally, I found that I liked my Brains on tap better than in bottles. Tasted smarter...less temporal.
And finally...
I don't care how much the French hate it, I don't care how overrated anyone may find it, I could go back year after year and still find myself in absolute awe of the Eiffel Tower. Lit up at night, watching the sun rise against it or just sitting there staring at it from the park...there is just something I find so magical about it...if you haven't been, I hope you can find a way to get there someday.
Actually...if you haven't been to London, or Paris...or to wherever that dream vacation spot you have in your mind is...truly try to find a way to get there as soon as you can. Because whether it's the Eiffel Tower, a hundreds-year old cathedral, seeing a famous painting in an art museum or just sitting on a comfy seat at the corner pub while watching footy on the telly (I SO don't get tired of saying that), there are sights and experiences that--if you want them--are out there to be seen, felt and experienced. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to find your favorites to go back and visit again. But even if you only make it there once, you'll have those memories to carry with you always.
Except for maybe those women behind me on the flight out. Phew! Gotta say that's one memory for the books I could DEFINITELY have done without!!
Do you ever notice how much harder it can be to pack to leave? It's a phenomenon that I've never understood. For the travel out, you have to make sure everything is packed all nice and neat...find a way for it to not wrinkle in the suitcase. But on the trip home, when everything's been worn, so who cares how you stuff it in the bag, why...is there just that one... last... piece... of....clothing....that just won't fit, no matter how well it all fit on the way out?
And I take back everything about the flight out - because the flight home was much, much more dramatic. Between airport closures, missed flights, catching a final flight out of Dulles that put me on the bumpiest flight known to man, I finally set foot on solid California ground around 12:45am Thursday....which was 9am in London. So let's see, 5+3-2, carry the 12....yup....I had been in an airport or on an airplane for 23 hours.
Very. Long. Day.
But now that I'm back home, I went back through my photos and other blog postings to see if there was anything I missed or forgot to share with the group. And what do you know...there are a few thoughts that I realize I never found a home for in the earlier postings.
For example, I learned on this trip that if someone says I’m “a few pounds light”…unfortunately they’re NOT referring to how well I fit into my jeans. Means I’ve shorted them money and they’d really like it if I’d pay up. Whoops.
So countries have their own embassies on foreign soil…y’know…the French Embassy, the Italian Embassy, the Australian Embassy. Well, it turns out Texas really has been its own country this whole time after all, complete with…you got it…
Who knew???!!!
Next, I believe that Parisian women are among the most beautiful women anywhere. I swear…I don’t know how it is they do it, but they just have this aura about them that radiates elegance, chic and exquisiteness. These ladies could be walking around wearing garbage bags and they’d still look better than most. Now, if I could figure out how to put that essence into a pill form, I’d be rich.
It's been said that Americans don't like to drink British ale because they believe it's served too warm, or some weirdness like that. Now I don't necessarily believe that to be true...but, I can see where Americans could be put off drinking in London for other reasons...
Personally, I found that I liked my Brains on tap better than in bottles. Tasted smarter...less temporal.
And finally...
Actually...if you haven't been to London, or Paris...or to wherever that dream vacation spot you have in your mind is...truly try to find a way to get there as soon as you can. Because whether it's the Eiffel Tower, a hundreds-year old cathedral, seeing a famous painting in an art museum or just sitting on a comfy seat at the corner pub while watching footy on the telly (I SO don't get tired of saying that), there are sights and experiences that--if you want them--are out there to be seen, felt and experienced. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to find your favorites to go back and visit again. But even if you only make it there once, you'll have those memories to carry with you always.
Except for maybe those women behind me on the flight out. Phew! Gotta say that's one memory for the books I could DEFINITELY have done without!!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
London...days 6 and 7
So after staying up until well after 4am to watch the Colts annihilate the Giants on Sunday night football, I was prepared to spend a nice leisurely morning of sleeping in before heading back out onto the streets of London. My hotel, however, apparently had other plans for me.
Yup…that’s the entire hotel evacuated out onto the streets of London sometime around 10am after the fire alarm went off. Full evacuation too…complete with a visit from the Fire Brigade.
Guess it was a good thing I don’t sleep naked. That could have caused an international incident all on its own right there.
So after stumbling back upstairs, I figured it was as good a time as any to get up and moving for the day. Still a little tired from the whirlwind visit in Paris and having been rudely awakened after only 6 hours of sleep, what is there that could brighten a girl’s day?
Retail Therapy!!
Welcome to Harrods…over 1 million square feet of space in 5 stories with 330 departments of luxurious decadence, they carry only the highest quality brand name designers and goods. This homage to shopping is also home to 20 different restaurants…including a chocolate bar and champagne bar…
In addition to the usual clothing/jewelry and home goods departments, this place also has its own grocery store (called the “Food Halls”), bank, pharmacy and pet store. Imagine Wegmans meets Nordstroms meets Rodeo Drive meets CVS meets Petsmart. I actually overheard someone on the street asking about Harrods—inquiring as to what it is they have there. Well, after visiting, I can tell you that the question is not what Harrods has…but what they DON’T have. They have things there that you didn’t even know you needed!!
It truly is a mind boggling experience. And I have to admit, when I first walked in, I was trying to imagine how I was going to get everything I was going to buy home with limited luggage space. But truly, by the time I walked out, I hadn’t bought anything to take home. There was just SO MUCH to consider, there wasn’t one single item I could decide on purchasing.
Wait…I take that back. I did end up spending money on lunch. And I finally got to have my first “official” cup of English tea.
As you can imagine, this entire shopping experience killed just about the entire day. Which worked out OK, because this place is also really cool looking at night.
Walking back to the hotel, I got a chance to hit some of the highlights all lit up at night.
I was going to pop in to see if the Queen was in the mood for a chat, but I didn’t want to arrive unannounced. Oh well…maybe next time.
By the time I arrived back on The Strand, I was famished (tea will only get you so far, you know). But I realized that I just wasn’t in the mood for yet another sit-down restaurant style dinner. So…like any good American, I opted for the country’s finest cuisine…
Yeah, I did it. I broke down and had dinner at McDonald’s. What can I say? Sometimes you just want dinner out of a bag.
Now despite the fact that I was starting to feel a little punky—all that running around was starting to get at me—but knowing that I only had 2 nights left in London, I decided that it was a good night to hit the West End nightlife. As I mentioned a few posts back, however, there aren’t a lot of places that stay open past 11pm. Well…I managed to find one after all. And it was Heaven.
No, really. The name of the nightclub was Heaven. 5 different nightclubs in one fabulous underground location. I wound my way into the Secret Discotheque and danced my (still somewhat aching) feet into….oh….maybe 4:30 in the morning.
I finally awoke on Tuesday morning feeling absolutely miserable. Remember that mention a little while ago that I was feeling a little punky? Yeah…well apparently my immune system decided it’d had enough of the late nights and the running around all crazy, because I woke up to a full blown cold. Sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching…I sounded like a commercial. My last full official day in London—and I end up spending most of it in bed trying to ingest as much cold medication as allowed so as to at least salvage the latter half of the afternoon.
(I will now spare you any further details of my cold and move straight to the latter half of the afternoon)
So today we venture back towards the Thames for a chance to ride The London Eye.
If you get a chance to ride this, I highly advise it. It really is a pretty amazing thing. The views are simply amazing! After a brief wait in line, you hop into a little capsule with about 9 or 10 other people. And just like the giant ferris wheel it is, you go once around—takes about 20-25 minutes for the entire cycle. From the capsule, you can see almost all of London:
And you’re waaaaaaaaay up there…
It was really very beautiful—especially at sunset.
After dinner, it was back to the hotel for packing and an early turn in. Tomorrow morning begins the long trek home. My flight leaves at 1pm Wednesday…and by my calculations, I actually won’t get back to LA until 7am London time on Thursday.
And here I thought the other night I was out too late.
Well…I guess as long as I have plenty of tissue, customs lets me back into the country, and if I can get some sleep when I get back, without another visit from the fire brigade…I think we’ll be all right.
Slightly delusional....but all right.
Yup…that’s the entire hotel evacuated out onto the streets of London sometime around 10am after the fire alarm went off. Full evacuation too…complete with a visit from the Fire Brigade.
Guess it was a good thing I don’t sleep naked. That could have caused an international incident all on its own right there.
So after stumbling back upstairs, I figured it was as good a time as any to get up and moving for the day. Still a little tired from the whirlwind visit in Paris and having been rudely awakened after only 6 hours of sleep, what is there that could brighten a girl’s day?
Retail Therapy!!
Welcome to Harrods…over 1 million square feet of space in 5 stories with 330 departments of luxurious decadence, they carry only the highest quality brand name designers and goods. This homage to shopping is also home to 20 different restaurants…including a chocolate bar and champagne bar…
In addition to the usual clothing/jewelry and home goods departments, this place also has its own grocery store (called the “Food Halls”), bank, pharmacy and pet store. Imagine Wegmans meets Nordstroms meets Rodeo Drive meets CVS meets Petsmart. I actually overheard someone on the street asking about Harrods—inquiring as to what it is they have there. Well, after visiting, I can tell you that the question is not what Harrods has…but what they DON’T have. They have things there that you didn’t even know you needed!!
 |
| Matches my sparkly Ferrari! |
 |
| Because who doesn't need speakers as tall as themselves at home? |
 |
| Whatever happened to your basic Big Wheel?? |
It truly is a mind boggling experience. And I have to admit, when I first walked in, I was trying to imagine how I was going to get everything I was going to buy home with limited luggage space. But truly, by the time I walked out, I hadn’t bought anything to take home. There was just SO MUCH to consider, there wasn’t one single item I could decide on purchasing.
Wait…I take that back. I did end up spending money on lunch. And I finally got to have my first “official” cup of English tea.
As you can imagine, this entire shopping experience killed just about the entire day. Which worked out OK, because this place is also really cool looking at night.
Walking back to the hotel, I got a chance to hit some of the highlights all lit up at night.
 |
| Buckingham Palace |
I was going to pop in to see if the Queen was in the mood for a chat, but I didn’t want to arrive unannounced. Oh well…maybe next time.
By the time I arrived back on The Strand, I was famished (tea will only get you so far, you know). But I realized that I just wasn’t in the mood for yet another sit-down restaurant style dinner. So…like any good American, I opted for the country’s finest cuisine…
Yeah, I did it. I broke down and had dinner at McDonald’s. What can I say? Sometimes you just want dinner out of a bag.
Now despite the fact that I was starting to feel a little punky—all that running around was starting to get at me—but knowing that I only had 2 nights left in London, I decided that it was a good night to hit the West End nightlife. As I mentioned a few posts back, however, there aren’t a lot of places that stay open past 11pm. Well…I managed to find one after all. And it was Heaven.
No, really. The name of the nightclub was Heaven. 5 different nightclubs in one fabulous underground location. I wound my way into the Secret Discotheque and danced my (still somewhat aching) feet into….oh….maybe 4:30 in the morning.
I finally awoke on Tuesday morning feeling absolutely miserable. Remember that mention a little while ago that I was feeling a little punky? Yeah…well apparently my immune system decided it’d had enough of the late nights and the running around all crazy, because I woke up to a full blown cold. Sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching…I sounded like a commercial. My last full official day in London—and I end up spending most of it in bed trying to ingest as much cold medication as allowed so as to at least salvage the latter half of the afternoon.
(I will now spare you any further details of my cold and move straight to the latter half of the afternoon)
So today we venture back towards the Thames for a chance to ride The London Eye.
If you get a chance to ride this, I highly advise it. It really is a pretty amazing thing. The views are simply amazing! After a brief wait in line, you hop into a little capsule with about 9 or 10 other people. And just like the giant ferris wheel it is, you go once around—takes about 20-25 minutes for the entire cycle. From the capsule, you can see almost all of London:
And you’re waaaaaaaaay up there…
It was really very beautiful—especially at sunset.
After dinner, it was back to the hotel for packing and an early turn in. Tomorrow morning begins the long trek home. My flight leaves at 1pm Wednesday…and by my calculations, I actually won’t get back to LA until 7am London time on Thursday.
And here I thought the other night I was out too late.
Well…I guess as long as I have plenty of tissue, customs lets me back into the country, and if I can get some sleep when I get back, without another visit from the fire brigade…I think we’ll be all right.
Slightly delusional....but all right.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Paris...day two. Back to London...day 5
Have I mentioned how much I love Paris today? No? Well…day two…and nothing has changed. Still love it.
So today started off early… waking up just as the sun rose over the city. I stood out on the balcony of the hotel, and watched the city wake up.
It was so calming and serene…in a city that bustles with activity day after day, hour after hour…to sit there and watch the sun rise and enjoy the beauty of Paris was calming, beautiful and peaceful.
Well, even though I could've stood on the balcony the entire day, just watching the world go by, I decided that it was finally time to get up and moving around...and so headed north towards Montemartre…the site of Sacre Coeur…
Which...by the way, is at the top of the highest point of Paris. So that means, not only do you get to look at an example of beautiful architecture and a highly spiritual site, but it also has one of the most FABULOUS view of the city as well….
You can see just about all of Paris from these steps. And apparently I’m not the only person who knows this, since there were hundreds of others, sitting on the steps, enjoying the same view. In the background played a harpist, and along the sidewalk, various others sold their wares (purses, key chains, etc…). Don’t worry…I behaved myself when it came to the handbag salesperson…I only have so much room in my carry on for souvenirs.
After winding my way around Sacre Coeur…I meandered towards the artist square at Montemarte.
And enjoyed the performers as I continued to walk through the streets…
After leaving the Montemartre district of Paris, and after 5 days of absolute pain, I finally decided to give into my wallet and head back towards the Champs de Elysees to purchase that which would relieve me of my pain………new shoes.
Now tell me…can you deny how absolutely sexy and saucy these are……really?
However, despite the sexy, saucy new shoes on my feet…I did discover one other fabulous way to help my feet on the road to recovery…
Yup...that's me...soaking my my feet in the fountain at the Louvre.
Oh! Did I say The Louvre?? Why….yes, I did!!
Hey...it's Paris...how can you not?
After a brief visit to the infamous Louvre, it was time to start the process of making my way towards the train station to head back to London. I find it ironic that the first thing I saw of Paris this morning was the sunrise...and as I head into the Gare Nord station, the last thing of Paris I see is the sunset. Poetic...no?
So I sat on the train…and watched the darkness zip past as we made our way through The Chunnel. 2 fabulous days in Paris…and still 2 more full days in London. I have to admit that I am just about at the point where I’m ready to go home…but despite my homesickness, there is still plenty to see and do and with purple kicks on my feet, I’m ready to take on the world.
OK…maybe not The World….but the East end of London to be certain…
So now it’s after 2 in the morning…I was just about ready to throw in the towel and go to sleep when I decided to turn on the telly…and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but AMERICAN FOOTBALL!!! They’re showing the live broadcast of the Giants/Colts game. On British network TV! HOLY CRAP!!!
Now, the announcer did just make a comment saying that this time of morning is normally reserved for either porn, poker or home shopping. I don’t exactly know where amongst the three the Brits feel that the NFL falls into…but at this point, I’m going to find me an all night convenience store, pick up a six pack of beer (oh yeah…did I mention that you can buy beer here 24 hours a day???!!!) and just enjoy being an American in London for awhile…(instead of an Englishman in New York…for all of you not in touch with your Sting side…).
Have I mentioned how much I love London???
So today started off early… waking up just as the sun rose over the city. I stood out on the balcony of the hotel, and watched the city wake up.
It was so calming and serene…in a city that bustles with activity day after day, hour after hour…to sit there and watch the sun rise and enjoy the beauty of Paris was calming, beautiful and peaceful.
Well, even though I could've stood on the balcony the entire day, just watching the world go by, I decided that it was finally time to get up and moving around...and so headed north towards Montemartre…the site of Sacre Coeur…
Which...by the way, is at the top of the highest point of Paris. So that means, not only do you get to look at an example of beautiful architecture and a highly spiritual site, but it also has one of the most FABULOUS view of the city as well….
You can see just about all of Paris from these steps. And apparently I’m not the only person who knows this, since there were hundreds of others, sitting on the steps, enjoying the same view. In the background played a harpist, and along the sidewalk, various others sold their wares (purses, key chains, etc…). Don’t worry…I behaved myself when it came to the handbag salesperson…I only have so much room in my carry on for souvenirs.
After winding my way around Sacre Coeur…I meandered towards the artist square at Montemarte.
And enjoyed the performers as I continued to walk through the streets…
After leaving the Montemartre district of Paris, and after 5 days of absolute pain, I finally decided to give into my wallet and head back towards the Champs de Elysees to purchase that which would relieve me of my pain………new shoes.
Now tell me…can you deny how absolutely sexy and saucy these are……really?
However, despite the sexy, saucy new shoes on my feet…I did discover one other fabulous way to help my feet on the road to recovery…
Yup...that's me...soaking my my feet in the fountain at the Louvre.
Oh! Did I say The Louvre?? Why….yes, I did!!
Hey...it's Paris...how can you not?
After a brief visit to the infamous Louvre, it was time to start the process of making my way towards the train station to head back to London. I find it ironic that the first thing I saw of Paris this morning was the sunrise...and as I head into the Gare Nord station, the last thing of Paris I see is the sunset. Poetic...no?
So I sat on the train…and watched the darkness zip past as we made our way through The Chunnel. 2 fabulous days in Paris…and still 2 more full days in London. I have to admit that I am just about at the point where I’m ready to go home…but despite my homesickness, there is still plenty to see and do and with purple kicks on my feet, I’m ready to take on the world.
OK…maybe not The World….but the East end of London to be certain…
So now it’s after 2 in the morning…I was just about ready to throw in the towel and go to sleep when I decided to turn on the telly…and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but AMERICAN FOOTBALL!!! They’re showing the live broadcast of the Giants/Colts game. On British network TV! HOLY CRAP!!!
Now, the announcer did just make a comment saying that this time of morning is normally reserved for either porn, poker or home shopping. I don’t exactly know where amongst the three the Brits feel that the NFL falls into…but at this point, I’m going to find me an all night convenience store, pick up a six pack of beer (oh yeah…did I mention that you can buy beer here 24 hours a day???!!!) and just enjoy being an American in London for awhile…(instead of an Englishman in New York…for all of you not in touch with your Sting side…).
Have I mentioned how much I love London???
London...day 4. Paris Day 1
Ahhhh…..Paris.
I have to admit that it was a little odd waking up in London on Saturday morning and thinking, “Wow! I should jump on a train to Paris today.”.....like somehow this is just a run-of-the-mill, something to do just because it’s the weekend type of thing. But when you think about it....it's really not such a bad thought.
So off to Paris on the train…leaving out of Kings Cross nice and early.
Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever been on a long distance train ride before…but they are not always the smoothest form of transportation. But I have to tell you…riding along the countryside on THIS train felt nothing short of floating. I just glided along on the rail and watched the world go by…well, zipped along actually…this thing really moved.
By the way…did I mention I got to ride in The Chunnel? Oh yeah…also way cool. And it’s truly an amazing feat of engineering, if you really consider it. But not as long a part of the train ride as I expected. The actual Chunnel itself was maybe only a half an hour out of a 2 hour trip.
So finally, I arrived in Paris.
After a quick drop off of the luggage at the hotel, I hit the town running. Since I only have 2 days to cram in hundreds of sights and years worth of history, I had to get started as soon as possible. So the first stop was a stroll down the tree lined Champs de Elysees to the lovely Arc de Triomphe.
Then it was time to jaunt over to the Left Bank for more sights. Coming out of the subway station on the escalator, I looked up to see a beautiful blue sky, and emerged into a city full of amazing sights and sounds. The architecture is simply gorgeous, the streets were bustling with activity and I found myself right in the middle of the Saturday farmer's market. The smells coming from the booths were just incredible. Fresh fish out of the ocean, vegetables so fresh they look like they were picked today, chocolates, cheeses, wines and meats. Anything you would normally think to grab out of the corner grocery store were all right here in the Latin Quarter instead….ready to go home to be prepared for a couple of suppers later in the week. If only I had the time…
Time for a quick bite at a wonderful little restaurant in the Latin Quarter...with a maitre'd who could guess any one's nationality as they walked by. No seriously...his "call out" to people was where he guessed they were from...and 9 out of 10 times he was correct. It was the craziest thing!!!
After filling up on my first Parisian lunch, and just around the corner from the earlier farmer's market, another fabulous Parisian sight….Notre Dame.
The clock was just chiming the hour when I arrived, and as I stood listening to the bells, I found myself in awe and amazement. The craftsmanship of the building is spectacular…the attention to detail astounding and, once inside, the stained glass, the gilded walls and the expanse of the interior is nothing short of breathtaking.
Emerging from the church, I decided to proceed down the pathway of the River Seine to catch more lovely sights…
Until finally I came around the corner and caught sight of that which we all know so well…
That trash can in the corner is my absolute favorite in all of Paris.
Well, and then, of course is that whole Eiffel Tower thing in the background.
Yup…there it was. The Tour Eiffel….designed by Gustave Eiffel and was built in 1889 as the entrance arch to the World's Fair. The tower stands 324 metres...about the same height as an 81 storey building...
So yeah....that's waaaaaaaayyyyyyy up there.
Well, after milling about the park a bit, it was time to head back to the hotel and freshen up for dinner. No I actually didn’t get a chance to ride up the Eiffel Tower yet. Unfortunately, at the time, there was only one of two elevators running and only about a thousand people waiting to buy tickets to join the other thousand people waiting in line for their turn. I kid you not…that line was ridiculous.
So for dinner, it was off to the Ile Saint Louis for my absolute favorite restaurant in all of Paris. I don’t know if you’ll find it in the tour books…I don’t even think I’ve ever seen it show up on a website. But it is, in my opinion, the absolute best place to go in terms of food, atmosphere and an entire dining experience. Welcome to the Au Sergent Recruteur (The Recruiting Sargent).
When you walk in, the first thing you’ll probably notice about the restaurant are the baskets of vegetables and meats out on the table. If you choose the prix menu that they offer, this is your first course (after a lovely aperitif). You literally grab the knife and start slicing away at whatever you’d like to eat from the basket. This is then followed by your main course, then a frommage plate and lastly dessert. Oh…and did I mention that ALL the wine and beer you can drink is included in the fixed price of your dinner? Yes…all of the wine you could want is free. The story of the restaurant was once explained to me like this…apparently, back in day, men would be lured into little holes in the wall and fed all the food and wine they could handle (which, let’s be honest, when it comes to free, is a lot of wine). After spending the entire night drinking bottle after bottle, the men would apparently awaken the following morning, only to find that—at some point during the evening’s festivities—they signed their lives away and enlisted into the French Army. Now, I did not end up enlisting in the French Army last night, but I was able to tuck away quite a bit of food and libation.
Everything about the dining experience was fantastic…the food was fabulous, the wine divine, and the servers so delightful and charming; all in all a lovely evening. We also had the opportunity to meet up with two very lovely ladies also visiting from the States…Julia and Sarah...whom we ended up chatting away with during the course of the two hour dinner.
After a post-dinner drink (or two), as the clock neared midnight, there was one final task to be met before the night was over. So back on the Metro and a race against the clock to get back to the Eiffel Tower so as to not only see it lit up at night…
But to also catch the top of the hour light show; where thousands of lights along the tower begin to sparkle
In one completely understated word…beautiful.
So after being dazzled and blinded by lights, it was time to head back to the hotel…my feet still ache, and I was exhausted, but what an amazing day. Awe inspiring sights…scrumptious, decadent food and wine…a city full of fabulous people and the chance to make new friends…
I love Paris.
And I still have another day left!!!!
I have to admit that it was a little odd waking up in London on Saturday morning and thinking, “Wow! I should jump on a train to Paris today.”.....like somehow this is just a run-of-the-mill, something to do just because it’s the weekend type of thing. But when you think about it....it's really not such a bad thought.
So off to Paris on the train…leaving out of Kings Cross nice and early.
Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever been on a long distance train ride before…but they are not always the smoothest form of transportation. But I have to tell you…riding along the countryside on THIS train felt nothing short of floating. I just glided along on the rail and watched the world go by…well, zipped along actually…this thing really moved.
By the way…did I mention I got to ride in The Chunnel? Oh yeah…also way cool. And it’s truly an amazing feat of engineering, if you really consider it. But not as long a part of the train ride as I expected. The actual Chunnel itself was maybe only a half an hour out of a 2 hour trip.
So finally, I arrived in Paris.
After a quick drop off of the luggage at the hotel, I hit the town running. Since I only have 2 days to cram in hundreds of sights and years worth of history, I had to get started as soon as possible. So the first stop was a stroll down the tree lined Champs de Elysees to the lovely Arc de Triomphe.
Then it was time to jaunt over to the Left Bank for more sights. Coming out of the subway station on the escalator, I looked up to see a beautiful blue sky, and emerged into a city full of amazing sights and sounds. The architecture is simply gorgeous, the streets were bustling with activity and I found myself right in the middle of the Saturday farmer's market. The smells coming from the booths were just incredible. Fresh fish out of the ocean, vegetables so fresh they look like they were picked today, chocolates, cheeses, wines and meats. Anything you would normally think to grab out of the corner grocery store were all right here in the Latin Quarter instead….ready to go home to be prepared for a couple of suppers later in the week. If only I had the time…
Time for a quick bite at a wonderful little restaurant in the Latin Quarter...with a maitre'd who could guess any one's nationality as they walked by. No seriously...his "call out" to people was where he guessed they were from...and 9 out of 10 times he was correct. It was the craziest thing!!!
After filling up on my first Parisian lunch, and just around the corner from the earlier farmer's market, another fabulous Parisian sight….Notre Dame.
The clock was just chiming the hour when I arrived, and as I stood listening to the bells, I found myself in awe and amazement. The craftsmanship of the building is spectacular…the attention to detail astounding and, once inside, the stained glass, the gilded walls and the expanse of the interior is nothing short of breathtaking.
Emerging from the church, I decided to proceed down the pathway of the River Seine to catch more lovely sights…
 |
| Pont Alexandre |
 |
| Grand Palais |
 |
| Les Invalides |
 |
| The River Seine |
Until finally I came around the corner and caught sight of that which we all know so well…
That trash can in the corner is my absolute favorite in all of Paris.
Well, and then, of course is that whole Eiffel Tower thing in the background.
Yup…there it was. The Tour Eiffel….designed by Gustave Eiffel and was built in 1889 as the entrance arch to the World's Fair. The tower stands 324 metres...about the same height as an 81 storey building...
So yeah....that's waaaaaaaayyyyyyy up there.
Well, after milling about the park a bit, it was time to head back to the hotel and freshen up for dinner. No I actually didn’t get a chance to ride up the Eiffel Tower yet. Unfortunately, at the time, there was only one of two elevators running and only about a thousand people waiting to buy tickets to join the other thousand people waiting in line for their turn. I kid you not…that line was ridiculous.
So for dinner, it was off to the Ile Saint Louis for my absolute favorite restaurant in all of Paris. I don’t know if you’ll find it in the tour books…I don’t even think I’ve ever seen it show up on a website. But it is, in my opinion, the absolute best place to go in terms of food, atmosphere and an entire dining experience. Welcome to the Au Sergent Recruteur (The Recruiting Sargent).
When you walk in, the first thing you’ll probably notice about the restaurant are the baskets of vegetables and meats out on the table. If you choose the prix menu that they offer, this is your first course (after a lovely aperitif). You literally grab the knife and start slicing away at whatever you’d like to eat from the basket. This is then followed by your main course, then a frommage plate and lastly dessert. Oh…and did I mention that ALL the wine and beer you can drink is included in the fixed price of your dinner? Yes…all of the wine you could want is free. The story of the restaurant was once explained to me like this…apparently, back in day, men would be lured into little holes in the wall and fed all the food and wine they could handle (which, let’s be honest, when it comes to free, is a lot of wine). After spending the entire night drinking bottle after bottle, the men would apparently awaken the following morning, only to find that—at some point during the evening’s festivities—they signed their lives away and enlisted into the French Army. Now, I did not end up enlisting in the French Army last night, but I was able to tuck away quite a bit of food and libation.
Everything about the dining experience was fantastic…the food was fabulous, the wine divine, and the servers so delightful and charming; all in all a lovely evening. We also had the opportunity to meet up with two very lovely ladies also visiting from the States…Julia and Sarah...whom we ended up chatting away with during the course of the two hour dinner.
After a post-dinner drink (or two), as the clock neared midnight, there was one final task to be met before the night was over. So back on the Metro and a race against the clock to get back to the Eiffel Tower so as to not only see it lit up at night…
But to also catch the top of the hour light show; where thousands of lights along the tower begin to sparkle
In one completely understated word…beautiful.
So after being dazzled and blinded by lights, it was time to head back to the hotel…my feet still ache, and I was exhausted, but what an amazing day. Awe inspiring sights…scrumptious, decadent food and wine…a city full of fabulous people and the chance to make new friends…
I love Paris.
And I still have another day left!!!!
Friday, September 17, 2010
London...day 3
OK...I just want to point out that I am NOT a shoe person. At best, I probably own, maybe, 10 pairs, tops. I realize that this is probably shameful for a woman to admit that, but considering the size of my purse collection, you can obviously see where I decided a while ago to overcompensate in other areas. Now in saying this, however, I'm also not one of those people who isn't ever NOT prepared for anything.
Anything...that is, except for apparently bringing the WRONG SHOES TO LONDON!!!
I don't know what I did wrong! I packed shoes I've worn before...that were properly broken in and could handle long-distance walking. Why it is, however, that my shoes have decided to stand up and revolt against me is completely beyond my comprehension! My blisters have blisters. This is not good...nor is it conducive to walking great distances around a city that apparently has no beginning or end. I would like to, for the record, sit down for five minutes and have a good cry over how much my feet ache.
But....I digress.
Despite the podiatry aches and pains, today was spent cruising around the area around the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. For those of you unfamiliar, the Tower of London is a huge castle-area-type-thingy that has been a prison, a residence and a gigantic vault for the Crown Jewels. .
This place is HUGE!!! Holy cow is it expansive!! I mean, I truly thought I was just going to walk in, check out the grounds, see where Anne Boleyn got her head lobbed off and leave...but noooooo....there is all kinds of crazy going on there!! There are 12 actual towers to the Tower of London. There are chapels, residences where kings and queens slept, rooms where people were imprisoned, a vault where the Crown Jewels are kept, Royal Guards,
...Beefeaters, suits of armor, and ghosts! It's its own town in and of itself! And what I found to be absolutely even more fascinating, is that most of the history that this particular building garnered came even before America was even colonized!! And then, on top of that, never mind the fact that this "city"...probably extremely modern for its time...is now surrounded by evidence that time marches on....no matter how historical a site may be in value.
It's amazing...absolutely not to be missed!!
So, after leaving the Tower of London...you have no choice but to hit the Tower Bridge...
And of course, right up the river is the infamous London Bridge (not falling down, however...)
Pretty cool, huh??
So after all the history that I've absorbed today...it was time to wash it down with a cool pint...or two...or three...or...ALE TOUR!!!
Yes, you heard me correctly...there was a pamphlet at one of the pubs I visited recently that had Ale Tours for different sections of the city. How cool is that? And how perfect is that for me? And yes, there was an Ale Tour that followed a portion of the city from the London Bridge around the Tower Bridge. Coincidence that I was in the area today....???? I think not.
So, to start the Ale Tour, we hit the Old Thameside Inn off Clink Street...
Winding past the Borough Market, we make our way up to The Horniman at Hay's right by Hay's Galleria...
Which was right about when I was getting hungry, so a traditional lunch of Fish and Chips was in order...
After filling up on lunch it was time to venture towards The Mudlark...
followed by The Walrus and The Carpenter...
And to finish off the tour...we end up at The Ship off Talbot Court...
Oh...don't get me wrong...my feet are still killing me by this point...even alcohol hasn't numbed the pain...but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...and since I'm not one to leave anything unfinished, there was no way I was going to leave an Ale Tour incomplete.
The cool part about all of this, was that, despite the chance to sample a variety of local cask ales, it brought me around to more of the city than just the "tourist attractions." I mean seriously, if I were just in the area for the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge, I would not have discovered the Borough Market, the Hay's Galleria and the area surrounding The Monument to the Great Fire of London (1666). It was a great chance to see different parts of the city and enjoy the local scenery.
So....with that in mind, I think it's time for me to hang up my pint mug for the night and consider hitting the sack a bit early. Tomorrow I'm scheduled to leave for Paris at 6:30am via the Chunnel...so I'd best get my poor tired feet into bed and rest up for the busy weekend ahead.
Hmmm....Paris. Think anyplace there will be able to sell me a decent pair of shoes???
Anything...that is, except for apparently bringing the WRONG SHOES TO LONDON!!!
I don't know what I did wrong! I packed shoes I've worn before...that were properly broken in and could handle long-distance walking. Why it is, however, that my shoes have decided to stand up and revolt against me is completely beyond my comprehension! My blisters have blisters. This is not good...nor is it conducive to walking great distances around a city that apparently has no beginning or end. I would like to, for the record, sit down for five minutes and have a good cry over how much my feet ache.
But....I digress.
Despite the podiatry aches and pains, today was spent cruising around the area around the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. For those of you unfamiliar, the Tower of London is a huge castle-area-type-thingy that has been a prison, a residence and a gigantic vault for the Crown Jewels. .
This place is HUGE!!! Holy cow is it expansive!! I mean, I truly thought I was just going to walk in, check out the grounds, see where Anne Boleyn got her head lobbed off and leave...but noooooo....there is all kinds of crazy going on there!! There are 12 actual towers to the Tower of London. There are chapels, residences where kings and queens slept, rooms where people were imprisoned, a vault where the Crown Jewels are kept, Royal Guards,
 |
| I love the furry hats!!!! |
...Beefeaters, suits of armor, and ghosts! It's its own town in and of itself! And what I found to be absolutely even more fascinating, is that most of the history that this particular building garnered came even before America was even colonized!! And then, on top of that, never mind the fact that this "city"...probably extremely modern for its time...is now surrounded by evidence that time marches on....no matter how historical a site may be in value.
It's amazing...absolutely not to be missed!!
So, after leaving the Tower of London...you have no choice but to hit the Tower Bridge...
And of course, right up the river is the infamous London Bridge (not falling down, however...)
Pretty cool, huh??
So after all the history that I've absorbed today...it was time to wash it down with a cool pint...or two...or three...or...ALE TOUR!!!
Yes, you heard me correctly...there was a pamphlet at one of the pubs I visited recently that had Ale Tours for different sections of the city. How cool is that? And how perfect is that for me? And yes, there was an Ale Tour that followed a portion of the city from the London Bridge around the Tower Bridge. Coincidence that I was in the area today....???? I think not.
So, to start the Ale Tour, we hit the Old Thameside Inn off Clink Street...
Winding past the Borough Market, we make our way up to The Horniman at Hay's right by Hay's Galleria...
Which was right about when I was getting hungry, so a traditional lunch of Fish and Chips was in order...
After filling up on lunch it was time to venture towards The Mudlark...
followed by The Walrus and The Carpenter...
And to finish off the tour...we end up at The Ship off Talbot Court...
Oh...don't get me wrong...my feet are still killing me by this point...even alcohol hasn't numbed the pain...but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...and since I'm not one to leave anything unfinished, there was no way I was going to leave an Ale Tour incomplete.
The cool part about all of this, was that, despite the chance to sample a variety of local cask ales, it brought me around to more of the city than just the "tourist attractions." I mean seriously, if I were just in the area for the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge, I would not have discovered the Borough Market, the Hay's Galleria and the area surrounding The Monument to the Great Fire of London (1666). It was a great chance to see different parts of the city and enjoy the local scenery.
So....with that in mind, I think it's time for me to hang up my pint mug for the night and consider hitting the sack a bit early. Tomorrow I'm scheduled to leave for Paris at 6:30am via the Chunnel...so I'd best get my poor tired feet into bed and rest up for the busy weekend ahead.
Hmmm....Paris. Think anyplace there will be able to sell me a decent pair of shoes???
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