This is the traffic in Paris:
Absolute and utter chaos. Is it any wonder that I didn't even attempt to drive there?
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Traffic Nightmare
After this clip, consider yourself completely caught up with my entire trip to Europe. :)
This is the traffic in Paris:
Absolute and utter chaos. Is it any wonder that I didn't even attempt to drive there?
This is the traffic in Paris:
Absolute and utter chaos. Is it any wonder that I didn't even attempt to drive there?
Before Sunset
One of my favorite movies ever is the movie "Before Sunset" starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. The movie takes place in Paris and it's basically just the two of them walking around Paris talking about anythng and everything. The thing that I love about it, is that you feel like you're eavesdropping on a real conversation. It doesn't feel like the typical unrealistic dialogue of a Hollywood movie.During the movie, the two main characters go to this cafe.
When I went to Paris a couple months ago, one of the things I wanted to do was to go and find that cafe that they went to. So I did....with the help of google.
Here it is. Bry and I found it and I was stoked!
I was grinning ear to ear. It's so awesome to see something in a movie and then go to the actual location. It was the coolest thing!
The table that Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy sat at is the one in the bottom left hand corner of the picture.
Bry and I sat at the bar for a long time, just hanging out and talking. This place has great ambience.
We ended up staying there for dinner. The food was great...from what I could taste since I had a cold and everything.
Before we knew it, it was 10:30pm. Bry and I had hung out there for 6 hours! It was one of those nights where time disappears and you get to just enjoy the moment. It was the perfect last night of my time in Europe!
Clips
Here are a couple clips I thought I'd share.
After seeing the Eiffel Tower and how incredible it was, I was on a natural high. Needing to express my joy, I did so and it was captured on film.
As were were about to leave the Eiffel Tower, it all of a sudden erupted into a mass of glitter and sparkling lights. Quite something to behold.
After seeing the Eiffel Tower and how incredible it was, I was on a natural high. Needing to express my joy, I did so and it was captured on film.
As were were about to leave the Eiffel Tower, it all of a sudden erupted into a mass of glitter and sparkling lights. Quite something to behold.
Night at the Eiffel
After the sunset, we began our lengthy descent. Here are a couple great night shots I got:
There was still a line to go up to the top even on a cold night.
This is one of my favorite shots.
I do have to say, I think that I like the Eiffel Tower better at night then I do during the day. It just seemed even more grand when it was lit up like this.
There was still a line to go up to the top even on a cold night.
This is one of my favorite shots.
I do have to say, I think that I like the Eiffel Tower better at night then I do during the day. It just seemed even more grand when it was lit up like this.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Up Up and Awaaay
Continuing from my previous post about my time at the Eiffel Tower...we begin where I left off...at the half way point of the tower.
As I was at the halfway mark, I decided to take this shot looking up to the top of the tower. I literally got dizzy.
The only way to get to the very top of the tower is to take the elevator. I decided to try and capture a short video of my ascent to the top:
Here's a view of Paris from the top. Pretty spectacular!
There was a coffe bar area. I got a piece of pizza and some tea since it was freezing cold up there. Birds were flying in and out.
Several of you told me I had to get a kissing picture on top of the Eiffel Tower. So here it is as requested. I don't think I've been so happy to oblige. :)
This pic looks like something out of a movie.
We were there for the spectacular sunset. It was so beautiful!
Paris - 2nd time around
I was finally able to get the rest of the pictures from my 2nd visit to Paris....just before I flew back to Portland. I can hardly believe that it's been 2 months since I've been back. I've loved looking at these pictures again. It was hard to pick which ones to use, but here they are:
On the way there....
The weather cleared by the time we reached Paris. It was a gorgeous day but it was really cold out.
After a bit of a walk, the Eiffel Tower finally came into view. This time, my camera batteries were working. It was a bit surreal to see this.
This is my "I was here" picture.
The architecture is pretty amazing and c'est magnifique. Over the years, I've heard people say how ugly the Eiffel Tower has become, but I didn't feel the same way.
A lot of people from all over the world have left their mark on the railings. I could've spent a long time just reading the graffiti.
We took the stairs halfway up the tower. This is at the halfway point. Naturally, I had to wear my very cliche beret. I was in Paris at the Eiffel Tower for crying out loud! I'm really glad I had a hat to cover my head. The higher you went up, the colder it got.
This is somewhat of a panoramic view from the halfway point. You just have to imagine these three pics pieced together
I really love this pic.
I'll post more in a bit....
On the way there....
The weather cleared by the time we reached Paris. It was a gorgeous day but it was really cold out.
After a bit of a walk, the Eiffel Tower finally came into view. This time, my camera batteries were working. It was a bit surreal to see this.
This is my "I was here" picture.
The architecture is pretty amazing and c'est magnifique. Over the years, I've heard people say how ugly the Eiffel Tower has become, but I didn't feel the same way.
A lot of people from all over the world have left their mark on the railings. I could've spent a long time just reading the graffiti.
We took the stairs halfway up the tower. This is at the halfway point. Naturally, I had to wear my very cliche beret. I was in Paris at the Eiffel Tower for crying out loud! I'm really glad I had a hat to cover my head. The higher you went up, the colder it got.
This is somewhat of a panoramic view from the halfway point. You just have to imagine these three pics pieced together
I really love this pic.
I'll post more in a bit....
Melody
Tchaikovsky once said, "I do not write music. The peasant in the fields writes my symphonies. The butcher writes my ballets. The engineer writes my romance songs. All i do is organize the notes."
Love this quote.
Love this quote.
Cello
I was in the studio on Monday and we had a cellist come in and play some parts for a couple of my songs. It was absolutely beautiful and I was really moved and encouraged by it. We did a couple takes where we gave her the opportunity to just be creative and play whatever she was feeling along with the song. There was some really pretty things that came from the cellist freestyling it. I fell in love with the cello all over again.
As I drove home, I remembered this story about a cellist that I read about a long time ago:
Vedran Smailović is a famous musician in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Smailović is the son of musician Avdo Smailovic. He played in the Sarajevo Opera, The Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, The Symphony Orchestra RTV Sarajevo, and The National Theatre of Sarajevo.
After the start of the war in Bosnia,in 1992, Vedran Smailović, just like hundreds of thousands of other residents who witnessed the Siege of Sarajevo, survived the cold, food and water shortages, the constant bombings and sniper fire in the street.
After his Opera theater was destroyed and twenty two of his neighbors were killed by a mortar while standing in a bread queue, he dressed in a full evening suit, and refused to stop playing his cello on the streets of Sarajevo. Smailović played his cello for 22 days to honour the 22 people who had been killed. He was seen on television all over the world. When asked by a CNN reporter if he was not crazy for playing his cello while Sarajevo was being shelled, Smailovic replied, "You ask me am I crazy for playing the cello, why do you not ask if they are not crazy for shelling Sarajevo?".
Just thought I'd share.
As I drove home, I remembered this story about a cellist that I read about a long time ago:
Vedran Smailović is a famous musician in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Smailović is the son of musician Avdo Smailovic. He played in the Sarajevo Opera, The Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, The Symphony Orchestra RTV Sarajevo, and The National Theatre of Sarajevo.
After the start of the war in Bosnia,in 1992, Vedran Smailović, just like hundreds of thousands of other residents who witnessed the Siege of Sarajevo, survived the cold, food and water shortages, the constant bombings and sniper fire in the street.
After his Opera theater was destroyed and twenty two of his neighbors were killed by a mortar while standing in a bread queue, he dressed in a full evening suit, and refused to stop playing his cello on the streets of Sarajevo. Smailović played his cello for 22 days to honour the 22 people who had been killed. He was seen on television all over the world. When asked by a CNN reporter if he was not crazy for playing his cello while Sarajevo was being shelled, Smailovic replied, "You ask me am I crazy for playing the cello, why do you not ask if they are not crazy for shelling Sarajevo?".
Just thought I'd share.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Winter Wonderland
I've never been much of a fan of winter. Maybe it because Portland's winters mainly consist of rain, wind and the cold. We don't get a lot of snow.
I recently had a new appreciation of winter and how beautfiul it can truly be. I had forgotten. These are some winter pics I took up in Canada:
I recently had a new appreciation of winter and how beautfiul it can truly be. I had forgotten. These are some winter pics I took up in Canada:
Full Coverage
Hey everyone! Happy New Year! Hope you had a great Christmas.
I'm doing well. The last month was completely insane, but it was a blast. I'm all moved now and it's great!
The day after Christmas I flew up to Fort St. John, B.C. (about 20 hours north of Portland).
Here are a couple pics I thought I'd share:
My man greeted me quite nicely at the airport. :)
And then promptly told me that he was picking me up via snowmobile. I laughed it off and then realized that he was serious. He even brought me a bag of snow clothes to wear in the -20 weather.
I do have to say that this is the most original pick up at an airport that I've ever had. All my luggage was loaded into a sled that was hooked up behind. We roared off into the night and hit every bump along the way catching some good air every now and then. I don't think I've had so much fun screaming.
I like my meat fresh....
Had a hoot and holla skating out on a pond and playing me some hockey. It was my first time, if you can believe it!
Went for another snowmobile ride and came upon a herd of buffalo. These guys made me nervous.
When one of my friends saw this picture, she told me that I look like a terrorist. What do you think? If I was holding a gun, maybe so. It would up my menacing look. heh.
This pic was taken during the snowmobile excursion. It was beautiful.
I'm doing well. The last month was completely insane, but it was a blast. I'm all moved now and it's great!
The day after Christmas I flew up to Fort St. John, B.C. (about 20 hours north of Portland).
Here are a couple pics I thought I'd share:
My man greeted me quite nicely at the airport. :)
And then promptly told me that he was picking me up via snowmobile. I laughed it off and then realized that he was serious. He even brought me a bag of snow clothes to wear in the -20 weather.
I do have to say that this is the most original pick up at an airport that I've ever had. All my luggage was loaded into a sled that was hooked up behind. We roared off into the night and hit every bump along the way catching some good air every now and then. I don't think I've had so much fun screaming.
I like my meat fresh....
Had a hoot and holla skating out on a pond and playing me some hockey. It was my first time, if you can believe it!
Went for another snowmobile ride and came upon a herd of buffalo. These guys made me nervous.
When one of my friends saw this picture, she told me that I look like a terrorist. What do you think? If I was holding a gun, maybe so. It would up my menacing look. heh.
This pic was taken during the snowmobile excursion. It was beautiful.
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