Paris Update #2 - Happy New Year!

 January 1, 2024

Hi all and Happy New Year to you and yours, from me and mine! I hope it has been a good start to this year. My year has been a bit crazy as you know. It is weird for me to think that I was in china last year at this time, as i am so removed from there now...we were still dealing with the covid restrictions disappearing overnight and trying to find cheap and easy flights for chinese new year...it seems like a lifetime ago, because my world is so very different these days.....

living in europe again is so very nice and i love how many people "swing" through paris on their way to someplace else in france or in europe....i have not lived in a place this popular to visit before and have been enjoying the visits with all of the folks coming by...no one is staying with me because my apartment is too small, but it is fun to see them as they enjoy the aspects of paris on vacation.....living in paris is a bit different than visiting paris...i take notice of different things than people who are here for vacation....like all of the dog poop...i have heard it is less than previous years...but who really knows...or all of the trash....even though the trash folks seem to be out collecting 24-7....let's hope they do not go on strike...or the crazy strikes....everyone in paris strikes and protests....they go after what they want, which has led to amazing workers rights...its wild....but sometimes this makes my commute to work crazy 😉 BUT...i live in paris....and the art, food, music, walkability of the city, food, dance, theater, food, architecture, museums....did i say food😉   it really is amazing.....i love jumping on the metro and going and exploring a new part of the city....even in the rain, of which there has been a lot of in october, november and december....but overall, i would say paris is growing on me and i am enjoying my time there....if you are passing through or coming somewhere near by...be sure to let me know....i will always grab a meal and drink😀

although the fall was quite busy getting used to my school, i am now using my free time much better - which the french really cherish....i am so impressed with workers rights here and the fight to keep things a life-work balance and not the other way around....the french enjoy their lives and this is so very different than other countries i have worked in where they squeeze every drop of effort and work out of you....i have to say i could get used to this....there is a ton of bureaucratic stuff and the amount of paperwork and mailing of things blows my mind, but the place is growing on me....come and visit....i am not sure you should do that before the olympics, because things are definitely ramping up, but after the olympics, i highly recommend you come and visit🍷🥖 

i also was able in the fall to get to my 90th country - Malta...i wanted to get back under the water and scuba dive and was able to at this quirky island...below you will see some pics from my trip....it was an interesting mix of all of the countries that have once ruled over the island...so its a combo of roman, slavic, arabic and african flavors...which makes for an interesting world of the maltese....the dive company and the diving was wonderful though...and that was my main focus....

i am also including some shots from paris and strasbourg, where i was over a weekend to hit up the christmas markets with a friend.....i have to say it was lovely to be back in a country/city that really decorates for the xmas holiday....store fronts are beautiful and completely decked for the season.....this coming year i do have travel plans and the olympics on the horizon....so it should be another good year ahead.....plus, i really am grateful for the ability to travel and see the world and take you along for the ride....plus, thanks to those who have stopped by or are coming in 2024 and for those who have allowed me or will allow me to stop by and see them....thanks for your friendship.....anyway, here are some pictures from october to now....happy new year to all 🍻

Of course i had to include a shot of me at the musee l'orangerie.....with one of my favorites, on a day that it was not so very crowded....i love monet's water lilies and really do hope to go on a day and just sit and read and admire his work....one of my goals of 2024!!!

this is a shot of malta - specifically st julian's, where i stayed...this is a shot of one side of their harbor from the rooftop of my hotel....i stayed here because of the dive shop, but it was a bit crazy of a town...who knew they had so many gentlemen's clubs😂

i love being under the water, so i had to include a shot or two of this....malta is not known for soft corals or huge reefs, the water is too cold at times to sustain them...but there were lots of rock formations and rock walls, as well as wrecks...i saw tons of fish and moray eels and barracuda and trumpet fish and fire worms, etc....this was a cave with a statue of mary in it....a perfect place to visit on a sunday😀

this is me and one of the dive masters who watched over our group....i was always checking out the walls and rocks for the small things....they were quite surprised at the things i found....you just have to slow down and look in my opinion🤿

this was one of our dive spots the day before this shot was taken...it was of a wreck....that was carrying ammunition and supplies during one of the wars and had been hit by a torpedo...malta was a spot in the Mediterranean that countries fought to control in many wars....hence why it has a mix of so many different cultures....

here is a shot i loved getting....just a guy hanging out his window on the second floor...this style of window on the second floor really reminded me of some of the middle eastern places i have visited....and they were in lots of different colors....so cool....

with malta being an island, obviously fishing is a huge part of their economy...i loved the colorful fishing boats you saw on the southeastern side of the island...i think that part was less rough....we did not dive here, we dove on the northern side and in one of the harbours...

of course i had to try the local beer of malta.....it was a great spot to visit and to dive...very quirky...yay for country number 90!! This year i am hoping to add a few more new countries to my list - morocco, lithuanian and estonia are already booked....i am back to my old traveling ways!!! yahooooo 🌍🌎🌏

of course i needed to include a picture of the eiifel tower here...i see this monument almost every day...either on my walk to the metro or my bus ride to school or walking around in my neighbourhood...i cannot see it from my balcony, but the light that goes around at the top, it used to be a lighthouse at some point in its history i have heard, i can see from my balcony as it goes overhead....so cool and what a reminder that i live here in paris....so wild 🥖🧀🍷

i also decided to include this metro stop entrance....i know folks always like the ones by hector guimard and of course i will have one here at some point....but this one, down by the louvre, always makes me smile😀

during my fall break, i also headed out to chartres....which is a town outside of paris by about 2 hours, that is known for its lovely cathedral - which you can see in the picture above...it was an interesting place, but very, very quiet.....

this is the inside of the cathedral...it is known for the sculptures throughout the cathedral of the different stories of the bible....amazing work....

we also visited this amazing house where everything was a mosaic....it is called La Maison Picassette, after the artist who covered literally every surface of his and his wife's house in mosaic....it was incredible....

this is a shot of one of the garden walls that he had covered with different cathedrals in the area....yes, notre dame, sacre coeur and st chapelle are there....amazing work 🎨

i also felt i needed to include a shot of a cheese plate....these are part of my life on a regular basis...some are larger, some are smaller, but all are tasty....i had no idea how many different cheeses there could be in the world and am so much happier because of this 🧀 it is definitely making it tough to become vegan😎

It was fun being back in europe again for holidays...including all souls day & all saints day....the day after halloween...to celebrate i went with a friend to the pere lachaise cemetary - the famous one where jim morrison, oscar wilde, edith piaf, gertrude stein and chopin, along with many other famous folks, are buried...a perfect place to be for all souls day as the sun was setting....freaky!!!!

i loved this skeleton as an ornament for one of the graves....this was the grave a of a famous french government official, who fought for worker's rights....something that is super important in france, even today!!!!

i finally made it to one of the china towns in paris...let's just say it was tiny and did not fill my chinese food requirement....however, i did find another piece of street art done by a man known as invader...and i loved this one....i am actually playing "space invaders" on my phone, where you look for his artwork and take pictures of it for points....he has a work of art on the ISS and at the bottom of the sea in cancun on a sculpture...i love his stuff👾

another place i was able to visit in paris once again, was sainte chapelle....it is just an amazing place....the stained glass windows are some of the most amazing in the world....and they represent the 13 books of the old testament...simply stunning....

plus i made it back to the moulin rouge with friends who were visiting....it was just as good as i remembered....and the can-can still happens and is amazing....such a fun night...

i also have been to sacre coeur basilica quite a few times now....but this is the picture of it with the best light....in the summer & fall the lawn below this basilica was teeming with people....such a fun spot to visit, with amazing bookstores, cafes and brasseries in the area....so much fun to people watch as well....

one weekend i did make it out of paris to strasbourg, france, which is known for its amazing christmas markets....i think in the two days i was there with a friend, we made it to 13 xmas markets...it was insane....the whole old section of town is decorated for the holiday and it was a wonderful visit....even if it poured rain on saturday night and interrupted our visit.....

the town is quaint and lovely to stroll around with thousands of your closest friends during xmas time...between the food and xmas gift shopping and mulled wine, we had a wonderful time.....

and literally, all of the buildings are decorated.....it was beautiful and put me in the xmas mood...all of france and germany and croatia and austria, etc do xmas markets and they really are able to put you in the holiday spirit....

the picture above is of made made mannele....a very tasty treat....the little brioche man, all covered in different chocolate....amazing!!!!! i even was able to bring some of these home for the holidays....

strabourg had a lovely outdoor tree at one of the markets...probably the biggest one...it was a great weekend away and really put me into the holiday spirit!!!

back in paris, places were also dressed for the holidays...especially the big department stores...from their decorated windows with animatronics, to their displays on the inside....parisiennes love to shop...and love to be surrounded by beauty while they do it....it is interesting to me that malls and department stores are going by the way-side in the states, because they are certainly not doing that in france....this is the huge ribbon tree at the galleries lafayette hausmann....it was incredible....

the image above is the rue des bulles - also know at the street of champagne bubbles....the french take their champagne seriously and this street was just lovely....we did not have champagne while there, but we did stroll down and buy some amazing chocolate in the area....

and of course, at every christmas market, you must have vin chaud - hot wine or sometimes referred to as gluhwein....there are many different types of this...but i have to say i am a fan of the traditional red base mulled wine...and i certainly tried a lot of it during this festive season....

even in my own area of paris - the 15th arrondissement - there were tons of holiday decorations and lights....it was so much fun to be back in a place that celebrates christmas in a very classy and traditional way...so.much.fun🎄

the last shot of this set is me, vin chaud, and the eiffel tower...of course....it was a great holiday season and i have had a wonderful visit to the states to be with my family....i am enjoying life in paris...there are of course ups and downs, as with any move you ever make, and believe me, i have had a lot of moves and ups and downs, but overall i am enjoying my time and all the visitors and exploring the city of lights with everything it has to offer 👍😀😎

i hope you have had a great start to your 2024...and remember, if you are europe bound, let me know....you never know where paths can cross....i wish you health and happiness in 2024, and per normal, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to pass them my way....

thanks for reading the blog....i hope to have another update out in the next few months

peace out....dani😎