Last night was my farewell dinner, I imagine it will be a long time before I return to Europe.
I went to my favorite evening restaurant, which specializes in cuisine from the Auvergne region in the southwest of France. Snagged an outside table and watched everyone go by.
I decided to go for the Tripoux d'Agneau (lamb tripe) with aligot, which is a copious concoction of smashed potatoes and cheese, and about 3 lbs of garlic, which is the house specialty.
I am writing this for two reasons:
First, I realized that the meal is symbolic of the William the Conquerer connection between the U.K. and France because the meal was a variation of haggis, with lamb substituted for sheep, and only the stomach included (sincere apologies vegetarians for the gory details. Means you Manoj :-) )
The other thing of note here is that as I feasted, no less than THREE people stopped and asked me what I was eating, was it good, should they eat there, etc. HAHAHAHA. The first guy looked a bit scruffy, I thought he was going to ask me for something, then felt embarrassed that he was sincerely interested and nailed the regional origin of the dish. Impressive.
Then a lady came along and asked what the aligot potato dish was and buzzed off.
Then a very distinguished couple excused themselves profusely and launched into a big Q&A session on the restaurant the dish, asked me where I was from, complimented me on my French, then sought out their own table. They both had really cool glasses, everyone here does. We show off our cars, they show off their glasses haha.
Outta here in a few hours, already job hunting online.
In spite of the obvious downside, it has been a great trip. I have enjoyed it immensely.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Lasting impressions........
The things I'll remember most are the way people know how to really enjoy themselves and the quality of human contact is very impressive and civilized in such a big city. Pretty cool. This would be a decent city to live in, I haven't seen anything remotely resembling crime, women walking around late at night without concern, etc.
I also admit that the food just knocked me out from day one. Wow. That beef and veal tartar will be with me forever, as will the goats cheese salads, and the special "variation of salmon" (smoked, grilled, and tartar) served at Felicie. Yummy.
I have yet again been lucky with my trip: nobody was rude to me or cheated me or treated me badly in any way. Quite the contrary actually. I asked lots of people stuff on the streets and they all stopped and gave me very lengthy replies. Most of them were French from out of town and couldn't give me an answer, but we had a good yack.
These people sure are masters of sitting around and enjoying things.
I also admit that the food just knocked me out from day one. Wow. That beef and veal tartar will be with me forever, as will the goats cheese salads, and the special "variation of salmon" (smoked, grilled, and tartar) served at Felicie. Yummy.
I have yet again been lucky with my trip: nobody was rude to me or cheated me or treated me badly in any way. Quite the contrary actually. I asked lots of people stuff on the streets and they all stopped and gave me very lengthy replies. Most of them were French from out of town and couldn't give me an answer, but we had a good yack.
These people sure are masters of sitting around and enjoying things.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Pieds Noirs / Black Feet
June 21 2008
No, the carpet in my studio is not dirty (actually it is a tad scruffy) causing my feet to be black. Pieds Noirs is a term used to describe immigrants from former French colonies in North Africa. Just like pigeons and other colonialist powers, the French left their little droppings all over the place, and North Africa is the one they really regret. Of course they had to grant special status to citizens of former colonies - to which degree I don't know, but there are a truckload of people from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia and all the problems that go with it.
The overwhelming majority is Muslim and integration is difficult. The battles continue on - you may recall some very serious riots in the sleazy suburbs north of Paris a few years back.
In the news here right now, there are two hot items of interest on this topic:
First, a local Muslim community center (it's not called that but since 90% of the residents are Muslims that is exactly what it really is) tried to ban men from sporting events so that women could swim and play basketball unveiled. We live in an age of triviality and frivolity where we argue endlessly about meaningless symptoms rather than actually facing and solving the root problem. Sad to see that such idiocy has extended to this part of the world, I would have expected better.
The real issue is integration versus religious tradition. The right of men to go to such tournaments is far more important than that of the women to go unveiled. Obviously either they play and swim veiled, or invent a veil that works under those circumstances, or they go without, or they don't play. In their culture they are confined to the house to make food and babies, and are never allowed to go out anywhere except to buy food, hence the veils in the first place. Rather than exercising common sense with a spirit of integration, these type of people want to have their cake and eat it too, always at our expense. It's great that these women have a real life here and it's silly to lock anybody in the house and it's great they can get out and actually do things. This isn't about men or women to me.
When you choose to go somewhere else to live it's not fair to abuse that privilege and start imposing your country's norms on the people of your host country. I'm so glad I lived in Switzerland all those years where common sense rules: you are told from day one that it's their country, not yours, if you want to live here follow the rules and do things the way they do them. Don't like it?? GO HOME. They say we didn't ask you to come here, we just let you in. Don't try to tell us how to cook our soup, go home and cook your own. If you want to cook your own soup in your own home you are welcome to do it, but don't stink out the neighbors doing it.
There is also a hilarious twin story all over the press these days: a judge annulled a marriage between two Muslims because the 20 year old bride had sworn she was a virgin, but it turned out not to be the case. HAHAHAHA. Hilarious.
CAVEAT EMPTOR (buyer beware!!) DUDE hahaha.
In their culture it's critical for many that the girl be a virgin. It's a bit of a red herring either way since there are lots of ways around that which I cannot expand upon here. Ha.
Enough of that story and sorry for the rant. As a lifelong foreigner somewhere I have strong feelings about it all.
In the evening there was the Festival of Music which takes place on the first day of summer each year. Everybody was out and I had a great time zipping around all the various spots, it was great fun and I took a lot of pics. My favorite parts were the two teenagers on dueling saxophones (didn't get a pic I was spaced out), the blues/rock group with the Elvisy looking lead singer, and the guy dancing with his daughter to James Brown. It was a great night.
June 22 2008
I got up, packed although I am not leaving until tomorrow, organized my finances and expenses, and got ready to go so I could enjoy the day and tomorrow until 230 when I go to the airport.
I jumped on the Metro and went to Montmartre. Usually I take the local Metro station by my hotel, but this time I walked up Av. du Maine to the Montparnasse station and jumped on the tube there so I wouldn't have to change. Yikes, the place is like a rabbit's den, tunnels and passageways and stairs all over the place. On top of that it's all underneath this huge train station. So I found my way in without incident and went to Montmartre to buy a few things and do a couple of videos for you Mom. I think the place looks exactly like it did 29 years ago, probably the same artists hanging out too haha:
Here is part deux:
I think that's it for Paris. I also added pics of my favorite bistrot FELICIE (means bliss) and it sure is blissful. I go there for lunch each day and just enjoy the food immensely. It's not even expensive or fancy or anything, just home cooking like your mom did it. Most of the places are like that around here - good and reasonable prices. I mean, the prices are reasonable if you pretend that the Euro and dollar are equal as they were meant to be. Taking the Euro as it is today everything is very pricey.
I'm glad I stayed the weekend and hope it's on their nickel as promised. All in all it was a great trip, I worked a bit too hard but did get some private time and a different perspective.
No, the carpet in my studio is not dirty (actually it is a tad scruffy) causing my feet to be black. Pieds Noirs is a term used to describe immigrants from former French colonies in North Africa. Just like pigeons and other colonialist powers, the French left their little droppings all over the place, and North Africa is the one they really regret. Of course they had to grant special status to citizens of former colonies - to which degree I don't know, but there are a truckload of people from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia and all the problems that go with it.
The overwhelming majority is Muslim and integration is difficult. The battles continue on - you may recall some very serious riots in the sleazy suburbs north of Paris a few years back.
In the news here right now, there are two hot items of interest on this topic:
First, a local Muslim community center (it's not called that but since 90% of the residents are Muslims that is exactly what it really is) tried to ban men from sporting events so that women could swim and play basketball unveiled. We live in an age of triviality and frivolity where we argue endlessly about meaningless symptoms rather than actually facing and solving the root problem. Sad to see that such idiocy has extended to this part of the world, I would have expected better.
The real issue is integration versus religious tradition. The right of men to go to such tournaments is far more important than that of the women to go unveiled. Obviously either they play and swim veiled, or invent a veil that works under those circumstances, or they go without, or they don't play. In their culture they are confined to the house to make food and babies, and are never allowed to go out anywhere except to buy food, hence the veils in the first place. Rather than exercising common sense with a spirit of integration, these type of people want to have their cake and eat it too, always at our expense. It's great that these women have a real life here and it's silly to lock anybody in the house and it's great they can get out and actually do things. This isn't about men or women to me.
When you choose to go somewhere else to live it's not fair to abuse that privilege and start imposing your country's norms on the people of your host country. I'm so glad I lived in Switzerland all those years where common sense rules: you are told from day one that it's their country, not yours, if you want to live here follow the rules and do things the way they do them. Don't like it?? GO HOME. They say we didn't ask you to come here, we just let you in. Don't try to tell us how to cook our soup, go home and cook your own. If you want to cook your own soup in your own home you are welcome to do it, but don't stink out the neighbors doing it.
There is also a hilarious twin story all over the press these days: a judge annulled a marriage between two Muslims because the 20 year old bride had sworn she was a virgin, but it turned out not to be the case. HAHAHAHA. Hilarious.
CAVEAT EMPTOR (buyer beware!!) DUDE hahaha.
In their culture it's critical for many that the girl be a virgin. It's a bit of a red herring either way since there are lots of ways around that which I cannot expand upon here. Ha.
Enough of that story and sorry for the rant. As a lifelong foreigner somewhere I have strong feelings about it all.
In the evening there was the Festival of Music which takes place on the first day of summer each year. Everybody was out and I had a great time zipping around all the various spots, it was great fun and I took a lot of pics. My favorite parts were the two teenagers on dueling saxophones (didn't get a pic I was spaced out), the blues/rock group with the Elvisy looking lead singer, and the guy dancing with his daughter to James Brown. It was a great night.
June 22 2008
I got up, packed although I am not leaving until tomorrow, organized my finances and expenses, and got ready to go so I could enjoy the day and tomorrow until 230 when I go to the airport.
I jumped on the Metro and went to Montmartre. Usually I take the local Metro station by my hotel, but this time I walked up Av. du Maine to the Montparnasse station and jumped on the tube there so I wouldn't have to change. Yikes, the place is like a rabbit's den, tunnels and passageways and stairs all over the place. On top of that it's all underneath this huge train station. So I found my way in without incident and went to Montmartre to buy a few things and do a couple of videos for you Mom. I think the place looks exactly like it did 29 years ago, probably the same artists hanging out too haha:
Here is part deux:
I think that's it for Paris. I also added pics of my favorite bistrot FELICIE (means bliss) and it sure is blissful. I go there for lunch each day and just enjoy the food immensely. It's not even expensive or fancy or anything, just home cooking like your mom did it. Most of the places are like that around here - good and reasonable prices. I mean, the prices are reasonable if you pretend that the Euro and dollar are equal as they were meant to be. Taking the Euro as it is today everything is very pricey.
I'm glad I stayed the weekend and hope it's on their nickel as promised. All in all it was a great trip, I worked a bit too hard but did get some private time and a different perspective.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
My Studio in Paris for 11 days
Here you go everyone, this is what you get for 120 bucks a day, not bad at all. The other hotel was 260 and in an expensive touristy area near the Eiffel Tower, so this is a more local area, quiet, and cheaper in all ways. Also, the Montparnasse train station is just down the street for when I go to Bordeaux and return late at night, so that is good too.
I guess I will return in September, not sure yet, but I imagine I will spend a lot of time here until next June. The issue is there are 3 factories that I will focus on: 1 in the East near Switz and two in the West near Nantes. So far I have been thinking that Nantes would be the best place to live, but I am not sure if I will need to be closest to my customers in Paris or to the factories. Probably a bit of both. In that case I will start out here, then migrate as needed later on in the project. The main thing is to decide before people start chipping in with their ideas, for example, my counterpart on the customer side lives in an absolute dump about 90 mins north of here. To be avoided at all costs.
More as it happens!
I guess I will return in September, not sure yet, but I imagine I will spend a lot of time here until next June. The issue is there are 3 factories that I will focus on: 1 in the East near Switz and two in the West near Nantes. So far I have been thinking that Nantes would be the best place to live, but I am not sure if I will need to be closest to my customers in Paris or to the factories. Probably a bit of both. In that case I will start out here, then migrate as needed later on in the project. The main thing is to decide before people start chipping in with their ideas, for example, my counterpart on the customer side lives in an absolute dump about 90 mins north of here. To be avoided at all costs.
More as it happens!
Saturday Morning Sirens
You'll like this, reminds of those Matt Damon Bourne movies where they are all chasing each other around like lunatics:
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Euro Grik is Back
I arrived two weeks ago and have gradually been settling into the pace of life. Certainly Paris is as big and bustling and stressful as any other big city anywhere, no question about that. It's a madhouse in the car, and, although I have avoided rush hours in general, I can imagine it's a nuthouse in the subway too. Even on the weekend it looked pretty darned busy.
A lot of things haven't changed too much in the last 16 years since I spent any serious time here, but I did spend a month or so about 10 years ago. Since then they cashed in their French Francs for Euros so that is still a bit weird. There are a lot of Russians here. Since they discovered money a few years ago, they have moved west in droves I guess. Other than that and the internet and those funny little cars, the French cling to their traditions.
Thanks to Bush, a Big Mac is $9.60. With the death of the dollar, the prices certainly are one thing that have changed. It costs about $1.60 for one Euro, which was designed to be about the same as the dollar. So where have the 60 cents gone? Iraq, the housing crisis, the 10k per head average credit card debt, and various other get-rich-quick schemes that deflate the real value of our money.
Speaking of dimwit Bush, he was here a few days ago. I can't believe his trip clashed with mine. Haha. Here's a funny article talking about his very first trip to Europe (can you believe that?) in 2001: http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2001/06/12/itinerary/index.html
Anyway, I'm pretty well back now, meaning I have fallen into Euro habits and French just slips off my tongue for the most part. Good, that is what I was wondering about. I have definitely forgot some vocabulary, but it will resurface with time.
I just came back from lunch. I can't believe it. I ate a tartare of beef and veal, slightly cooked (usually it is raw), with some foie gras embedded in it in bite-sized pieces, and some capers, garnished with a salad au vinaigrette and some potatoes that tasted like your mom made them. Yikes, WHAT A FEAST!! These people do not fool around with food. The prices are not cheap either, but there is a restaurant on every corner and they are all busy - tells you about the values here. I don't know where we got the habit of cooking everything to death in recent years. Must be the lawyers who did it aided and abetted by the press of course. Some kid in Cleveland gets trichinosis and the whole country knows about it. If you buy meat in the grocery store these days at home it says COOK ALL MEATS THOROUGHLY on the label. Why? We never used to, now you can't even ask for a hamburger medium. Same deal in a restaurant - I guess they think they could be blamed if you caught something. Anyway, around here they are eating everything half raw.
The sites in Paris are endless, so endless in fact that I advise you to bring your video camera, then buy a big rolling suitcase and fill it with batteries, and just let her rip during your entire trip, 7 x 24. You can edit out the stuff you don't like when you get home, there won't be much. Every building has a certain age and charm about it, every park it's cute little benches and fountains, every street has something unique. And that's just the NORMAL stuff, I'm not talking about tourist sites.
Now about the women. I know you've had your radar up about this topic Sara, and I admit I have been hiding from it, but enough is enough. First thing I noticed is how natural they are, very little make-up, not overly dressed, all their body parts appear natural and without enhancement as far as I can tell. The other thing I noticed is they look you right in the eye WHAM, no fooling around. All in all, they are very delicious, very feminine, confident without any haughtiness. The proof is in the lack of beauty parlors and ads for boob jobs and lypo and stuff that we are bombarded with.
This week has been a joy so far, until my boss drops a last minute bomb on Friday afternoon that will keep me busy this weekend. Grrr. I am working in my little studio, all I need is the internet and I'm in business. I am translating a bunch of stuff and doing some planning. I just bought my train ticket for Bordeaux, I leave Monday lunchtime, unless something changes.
Finally, I have been in contact with my old DEC Mafia buddies having tracked down 3 of them in Geneva. My closest travel partner Pierre still owns a hotel outside of Geneva and the rest of us have already agreed in principle to a fall surprise reunion.
A lot of things haven't changed too much in the last 16 years since I spent any serious time here, but I did spend a month or so about 10 years ago. Since then they cashed in their French Francs for Euros so that is still a bit weird. There are a lot of Russians here. Since they discovered money a few years ago, they have moved west in droves I guess. Other than that and the internet and those funny little cars, the French cling to their traditions.
Thanks to Bush, a Big Mac is $9.60. With the death of the dollar, the prices certainly are one thing that have changed. It costs about $1.60 for one Euro, which was designed to be about the same as the dollar. So where have the 60 cents gone? Iraq, the housing crisis, the 10k per head average credit card debt, and various other get-rich-quick schemes that deflate the real value of our money.
Speaking of dimwit Bush, he was here a few days ago. I can't believe his trip clashed with mine. Haha. Here's a funny article talking about his very first trip to Europe (can you believe that?) in 2001: http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2001/06/12/itinerary/index.html
Anyway, I'm pretty well back now, meaning I have fallen into Euro habits and French just slips off my tongue for the most part. Good, that is what I was wondering about. I have definitely forgot some vocabulary, but it will resurface with time.
I just came back from lunch. I can't believe it. I ate a tartare of beef and veal, slightly cooked (usually it is raw), with some foie gras embedded in it in bite-sized pieces, and some capers, garnished with a salad au vinaigrette and some potatoes that tasted like your mom made them. Yikes, WHAT A FEAST!! These people do not fool around with food. The prices are not cheap either, but there is a restaurant on every corner and they are all busy - tells you about the values here. I don't know where we got the habit of cooking everything to death in recent years. Must be the lawyers who did it aided and abetted by the press of course. Some kid in Cleveland gets trichinosis and the whole country knows about it. If you buy meat in the grocery store these days at home it says COOK ALL MEATS THOROUGHLY on the label. Why? We never used to, now you can't even ask for a hamburger medium. Same deal in a restaurant - I guess they think they could be blamed if you caught something. Anyway, around here they are eating everything half raw.
The sites in Paris are endless, so endless in fact that I advise you to bring your video camera, then buy a big rolling suitcase and fill it with batteries, and just let her rip during your entire trip, 7 x 24. You can edit out the stuff you don't like when you get home, there won't be much. Every building has a certain age and charm about it, every park it's cute little benches and fountains, every street has something unique. And that's just the NORMAL stuff, I'm not talking about tourist sites.
Now about the women. I know you've had your radar up about this topic Sara, and I admit I have been hiding from it, but enough is enough. First thing I noticed is how natural they are, very little make-up, not overly dressed, all their body parts appear natural and without enhancement as far as I can tell. The other thing I noticed is they look you right in the eye WHAM, no fooling around. All in all, they are very delicious, very feminine, confident without any haughtiness. The proof is in the lack of beauty parlors and ads for boob jobs and lypo and stuff that we are bombarded with.
This week has been a joy so far, until my boss drops a last minute bomb on Friday afternoon that will keep me busy this weekend. Grrr. I am working in my little studio, all I need is the internet and I'm in business. I am translating a bunch of stuff and doing some planning. I just bought my train ticket for Bordeaux, I leave Monday lunchtime, unless something changes.
Finally, I have been in contact with my old DEC Mafia buddies having tracked down 3 of them in Geneva. My closest travel partner Pierre still owns a hotel outside of Geneva and the rest of us have already agreed in principle to a fall surprise reunion.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Two Days Off WHOOPIE (= YUPI in Spanish haha)
Friday June 13, 2008
Here we go kids, I have worked every day since May 19, time to take a day off or even two. Actually, I started working even before I started working here - there were things to do the week before I left to get ready to go, plus of course putting my life in Sunnyvale on auto-pilot.
Today I am playing the hotel game. This is fun! Yesterday I wanted to stay in St-Mande with my colleague Brandon as it was his last night and told my hotel here in Montparnasse I would only arrive today. To make a long story short I arrived yesterday as originally planned, but in spite of a call to reconfirm, there was no room for me. So the Receptionist kindly took me around the corner to a nice place where I spent the night.
I have arrived here now late morning and am waiting for my studio to finally be ready. I will be here for 10 whole nights plus it has a little kitchenette which is really cool, I can do some food preparation.
I will meet work and personal friends here this weekend and do some sitting around and sleeping and relaxing before next week's events kick in Monday. I will meet a friend from Marseille who is here in Paris as well as Corinne from the office, who is a HOOT. Not sure of the details but the camera will be involved and you will get all the photos very soon.
Saturday June 14, 2008
OK got in here, all settled, it ain't the Ritz but it has a kitchenette and living/dining area, super quiet location, internet, there are few tourists around here in Montparnasse, and, best of all, it is 75 Euros vs. 170 (about 120 dollars vs. 260) at the hotel around the Eiffel Tower, huge difference.
I met up with Manon and we went to Chinatown and walked around and ate. Either we missed the main part or it is very small. I will have to return and check it out. Of course it is mostly Vietnamese, France has a similar refugee situation to the USA regarding accepting VN refugees.
I will hook up with Manon and Corinne today and/or tomorrow. Absolutely no working. My main goal is to visit the Grande Arche de la Defense, it is one of the truly unique things in the world, and only the French could do it!
Just came back from visiting the great Box on the Hill (La Defense) and will post pics in the next day or two. Very impressive.
Also, I am very tired, just phoned my family and now I'm going to have a well-deserved siesta.
Here we go kids, I have worked every day since May 19, time to take a day off or even two. Actually, I started working even before I started working here - there were things to do the week before I left to get ready to go, plus of course putting my life in Sunnyvale on auto-pilot.
Today I am playing the hotel game. This is fun! Yesterday I wanted to stay in St-Mande with my colleague Brandon as it was his last night and told my hotel here in Montparnasse I would only arrive today. To make a long story short I arrived yesterday as originally planned, but in spite of a call to reconfirm, there was no room for me. So the Receptionist kindly took me around the corner to a nice place where I spent the night.
I have arrived here now late morning and am waiting for my studio to finally be ready. I will be here for 10 whole nights plus it has a little kitchenette which is really cool, I can do some food preparation.
I will meet work and personal friends here this weekend and do some sitting around and sleeping and relaxing before next week's events kick in Monday. I will meet a friend from Marseille who is here in Paris as well as Corinne from the office, who is a HOOT. Not sure of the details but the camera will be involved and you will get all the photos very soon.
Saturday June 14, 2008
OK got in here, all settled, it ain't the Ritz but it has a kitchenette and living/dining area, super quiet location, internet, there are few tourists around here in Montparnasse, and, best of all, it is 75 Euros vs. 170 (about 120 dollars vs. 260) at the hotel around the Eiffel Tower, huge difference.
I met up with Manon and we went to Chinatown and walked around and ate. Either we missed the main part or it is very small. I will have to return and check it out. Of course it is mostly Vietnamese, France has a similar refugee situation to the USA regarding accepting VN refugees.
I will hook up with Manon and Corinne today and/or tomorrow. Absolutely no working. My main goal is to visit the Grande Arche de la Defense, it is one of the truly unique things in the world, and only the French could do it!
Just came back from visiting the great Box on the Hill (La Defense) and will post pics in the next day or two. Very impressive.
Also, I am very tired, just phoned my family and now I'm going to have a well-deserved siesta.
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