Parisian Chickie

It took me a while to pack for our trip to Paris laaaaast weekend.(Hello! It's PARIS!) And even longer to recover! In fact, it took a complete post-holiday holiday to begin to feel somewhat normal again.

What can I say... The macaroons changed my life! :)

So, outfits carefully planned and packed, we set off on Friday morning and a short little plane ride later, we were there. Europe is amazing like that! ha ha

After taking the 'scenic route' we found our hotel, which was so typically French. A little pricey, old, and small. No, really, the entrance was just a doorway in between two shops... if it wasn't for the small sign I would probably not have seen it. Okay, it wasn't that small, more, well, vertical. A narrow, steep staircase and we were on the top floor. And yes, we did race each other up it every night.

A quick bag drop off and we were off to the Louvre, which was quite close to where we were staying, which is huge, so we needed to prioritize artifact-seeing. My main priority being the Mona Lisa, but there were some other nice pictures too! (Insert cheeky grinning face here).

After that we met up with Frenchie, aka Charlotte (A REAL French Girl) who walked around with us and then took us to a lovely little typically French restaurant for some Quiche and wine. My kind of meal! Plus, there were tea pots in the window, so I felt right at home.

The next morning we were up, dressed and eating breakfast by 8am, (not even I recognised this Early Rising Couple we had morphed in to, but there was a lot to see and not much time!!!!) and off we went to... The Eiffel Tower. Mind blowing, really. One minute you're walking along, the next there is this thing in the distance and by the time you've convinced yourself that yes, that is, in fact, It, boom, you're standing underneath it. The queue was redonkulous, even that early, so we took the short-queue-option (aka the Stairs Only queue). A short wait later, we were on our way up the (approx.) 704 steps to the second level. Man, oh man... the view... look at me, speechless AGAIN!

(Pause for sip of tea... aaaah)

Then it was a slush puppy as we sat gazing at where we had just been, and off to Arc de Triomphe followed by a little meander down Champs Elysees. Charlotte met us there and took me to heaven. By heaven, I mean Laduree. It's been around since 1862, which the decor more than mildly represents, and they make The Best Macaroons In Paris.

(Pause for another sip of tea, bigger sigh as taste buds tingle in memory).

We then did the only thing one can do after a taste explosion like that, lay on the grass at Invalides. F promptly dosed off while Charlotte and I gazed at the funny French people playing hockey on rollerblades and throwing an American football.

Saturday night we went for a quick photo in front of Montmarte, a traipse through the 'seedier' Sex Shop Section of Paris (sorry, I mean 'Love Shop') before... Moulin Rouge!

The most wonderful array of sequins and feathers I have ever seen! Nimble dancers shimmying, shaking and shimmering. Wonderful! Plus there was the girl that swam with pythons...

Sunday, up early again, we went to see Notre Dame with it's ridiculously long queues (took me a while to realize that it was Sunday, therefore Mass, therefore Very Busy), put a lock on the Lovers' Bridge, and took a boat cruise around Paris to see the bits we may have missed in between, before we headed off to Versailles where we lay on the magnificent lawns sipping wine, eating pizza, and reading Madame Bovary. Well, I read, F slept a little, and then I slept too. The weather was amazing, and the sun just japped out all our resistance...

Charlotte made us a wonderful little pasta for dinner and then we headed home for an early night before our early flight back to Munich.

(Pause to drain the last bits of tea from tea cup, biggest sigh, I am a lucky lucky girl).

Bonjour!

Back from Paris, a little stiff, a little sun burnt, and slightly overdosed on Macaroons, but I will tell you all about it tomorrow once my pictures are organised.

I can share that I am OFFICIALLY finished my course and have started The Great Job Search!

Tell you friends! :)

It is scary/exciting, that is for sure! More exciting, but when it comes to pushing send and sending my CV Out There... eeek... that's scary!

But it will be fine. I will find an amazing job. I just need to get the kettle on and sip sip sip away while I look for a company that needs me!

HOORAY for new adventures!

Snow? In April?

Today I:

1) Attempted going for a run, but it snow/hailed (in Spring?? Really Munich) so that did NOT happen.

2) Attempted to log onto Skype for a date with Nat, but the little circle is still swirling around trying to connect, so that did NOT happen.

3) Attempted to iron, ok, that one did happen...

4) Attempted to cook some mince for a wrap for lunch, but it didn't come out like I wanted so the wrap happened, just not as well as I'd hoped.

5) Attempted to do some 'strengthening exercises' but I'm pretty sure my back / neck is now worse of than when I started.

So I will now plonk my bedonkdedonk on the couch with a hot cup of tea and one of the lovely books we just got in the mail...

1) "Hey Whipple, Squeeze This" Luke Sullivan (that one's for me)

2) Crime and Punishment

3) Basic Writings of Nietzsche

4) Madame Bovary

5) Teacher Man (Just read "Angela's Ashes" and "'Tis" and am hooked...)

Looks like I might just achieve something today after all! :)

Tree Climbers Anonymous

When I packed for Germany, I am not sure what exactly I thought I would be doing with these kids.

It seems I packed with the travelling to Paris and Prague in mind and not the tree climbing and playground trips that are actually involved.

I am working with a family with two little girls who love to play dress up and barbies, but also like to ride bikes, climb trees, run around and get very, very dirty at the playground. They are more 'running through puddles' than 'princess.' Although they do really like princesses and fairies.

Not sure why I imagined they would be any different to us when we were kids...

Perhaps I watched 'Uptown Girls' 1 too many times.

My clothes are fine for playgrounds, and my sneakers are perfectly happy to troll through mud, my pants... well, they're not so good at climbing trees. And, since Spring is now well on its' way, tree climbing on hot days happens a lot.

I should have brought a few less dresses and a few more pairs of Adventure Pants (cargo pants).

And of course, my adventure handbag (which sounds odd, but is in fact a very handy, canvas, multi-pocketed real thing), and perhaps I would have managed to avoid the buttox-baring that occurs...

Oh well, I suppose I have made it this far in skinny-ish jeans, with only one pair giving up the tree climbing fight and ripping across the butt area (thank goodness I was at home) I will make it to the end!

At least the trusty Denim Shorts Season is nearly upon us!

Sweaty, sweaty palms

I did it. I finished up my Final Project, loaded it onto an email and with a deep breath of Courage, I pushed Send.

And now, we sit back, and wait for the feedback, all the while wondering how it could have been better, more Life Changing, and hoping that any ideas that pop into my koppie now are not Better.

So tonight, when you sit down for dinner, have a glass of wine for me.

Pull out your Cougar-Town-style 'Big Carl' wine glass and fill it up for me, won't you?

Picture from here

Vaalie Invasion

I have to admit, I am a little worried about these German folk...

It seems that now it is Spring, and we must wear our Spring clothes and shoes (yes I did get a lecture on the train last night about not wearing my Uggs because it is now much to hot - lady clearly couldn't tell by my pink face and the bit of pink tights sticking out under my jeans that I had just finished a Ballet class, and Uggs were the only thing my feet wanted in the world!) and make the most of every available minute of sunshine, for fear of the looming Colder Months, the faanie side of the Germans has been revealed.

There are obscure lobster suntans contrasting with the palest of pale skin. Socks and Sandals. Anoraks in very strange colours. And even... a few veld skoens. Oh the HORROR!

And when asked if she really thought her white socks and velcro sport sandals go well together, my one kiddie replied, "Oh, I have another pair, they're green." GULP!

Not even my upbringing on Durban's beach front during Vaalie season could have prepared me for this.

But, there is an upside to Spring... and that is, well, Spring!

Flowers have miraculously sprouted out of every available patch of grass. Daffodils (also known as the Very Common Osterglocke here), tulips, pansies, and my personal favourite... the daisies.

These are just a small selection of the many in our tiny little patch of garden outside.

Another good thing about Spring, is that you can really see the sights. These is no more snow covering EVERYTHING, or making you shrink further and further into your Very Warm Jacket.

While Ker was here we took a trip to the Nymphenburg Palace. Although we didn't get to go inside because of the very late, but seemingly Very Important (hence the intense police presence, and press) arrival of the Belgian King and Queen. But we did walk around the gardens and get some nice pictures. From behind the ropes of course.

Last weekend F and I took a leisurely stroll around the English Gardens. For anyone that has never heard of them, there is only one thing you need to know... they are BIG. Very Very Big. (Thankfully there are maps dotted around so sense-of-direction-less people, like me, can find your way home - there are far too many birds and ducks for bread crumbs to walk).

It was about 23 degrees, so we were positively melting, but we made it to our favourite beer garden for a nice cold one. And just in time for McOnie Saturday Lunchtime Shandy, as per tradition.

Look carefully now... this is a nudie park after all!

Chinese Beer Garden. Live band plays from the second tier.
Our favourite, but very busy, beer garden.

And then, there is the other side of Spring. The erratic weather. One minute you're walking along, enjoying the wonderful day, and the next...

Ominous Clouds!

I have yet to experience a storm anywhere near as spectacular as a summer storm in Durban... but perhaps there is more to come.

Am off for my Saturday shandy... you have yourselves a great weekend now!

I'm baaaaack

And a whole lot has happened... Let's jump right in!

Ker Bean came to Munich. It was only a week but I think we managed to sufficiently catch up on the last 7 months as well as top up my Girl Time Tank (it was running awfully low).

Of course, she wouldn't be the Bean I know, and love, if she hadn't been a terrible influence, dragging me into shops and pubs. Brightening up my life with colourful clothes and the occasional snort between laughs. Plus, she came with a whole bag of new clothes from her travels around the globe, so we had to show them off :)

We did as many touristy things together as possible before I went off to work, English Gardens, walking around the city, Nymphenburg Palace (which was closed due to the arrival of the King and Queen of Belgium, so we walked the gardens). And a few more after hours. (Kultfabrik, Hofbrauhaus, Lowenbrau and many a Mexican restaurant and Irish Pub) and lots, and lots of sleeping. Turns out, catching up is EXHAUSTING!

I also sent the Very Experienced Traveler on a solo mission to Dachau Concentration Camp (I'll tell you about it some other time).

And now she's gone, back home to SA to find a new adventure...

But it's ok, because it is SPRING! I haven't worn my big coat in a while, and when I did, it was with sleeveless top underneath! Can you imagine my surprise when I discovered I have ARMS!? Very very pale arms, but arms none the less. Next thing you'll be telling me the things under my jeans are LEGS!

This weekend is supposed to be about 22 degrees. Yes, you did read that correctly...

Can you imagine such warmth!? We are probably going to head to one of the Big Lakes to soak in some rays, so when we head to our Surprise Island Getaway over the long Easter Weekend, we will not look like the Ghekko on King Julian's crown. (Able to dance, but still, CLEARly a ghekko).

But for today, it's laundry, and vacuuming and a little Project Doing, a little Tea Drinking.

All in all... Life is goooood.

Happy Friday