seaotteratpedro

but first, a quote from John Muir which is in itself poetry:
Climb the mountains and get their glad tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as the sunshine flows into the trees. The winds blow their freshness into you and the storms their energy while cares drop away like the leaves of autumn.

Time to stimulate "the little grey cells" as Hercule Poirot says. Time to try something different career-wise. What is my purpose? I have many interests and skills but I don't see how they can fit or be appreciated in the corporate world. I am formulating some ideas and hope to come up with a plan, perhaps a business plan to offer my services to others. I would also like to offer my artwork to others but I just have to get to the easel and actually produce something, dang it! Stay tuned.

We arrived in Frankfurt on Oct. 30 and took the bullet train to Paris. Very fast train! Outside the train station, we got a taxi. It was raining but the taxi driver was angry with us because our apartment in the Marais was only 3km away. Sorry monseiur but that is a long walk in the rain with all one's luggage. Like most drivers, he probably wanted a more lucrative fare to the other side of the city.
Our apartment was small but quaint. The elevator was so tiny that Danny and I were in a tight embrace inside. No wonder they say Paris is so romantic. The apt. manager let us in and showed us around. Unfortunately, he blew a fuse while showing us how to operate the heater while all the lights were on. Danny to the rescue with his travel flashlight! He went over to the fuse box and got the power going again.
My French was non-existent to minimal but Danny had some prior knowledge of the language so he took the lead when it came to speaking.
We really enjoyed the Marais district. It was nearby falafel takeout places, frommageries, boulangeries, etc. Also, a very short walk down to the Seine. We loved walking along the river. The bridges were so detailed. Notre Dame was gorgeous (from the outside, we didn't feel like waiting in the long, long line to get inside). The sun came out and the weather was perfect for strolling. We walked through the lovely Jardin de Tuileries, the Louvre, Place du Carrousel, etc.
We took the Metro over to Montparnasse to buy our bullet train tickets to Bordeaux but then we took the bus back. The bus above ground is so much more scenic!
The next day we hopped on the #69 bus and really got a good picture of all the streets of Paris. On the way to the Eiffel (Champs de Mars) we stopped at Rue Cler to pick up picnic items - love the goat cheese. Rue Cler is a gourmet food neighborhood. All down the street are shops that foodies dream of. Then we got back on the #69 and continued to the Eiffel. Really loved the Eiffel and the park surrounding it. We walked up to the first and second levels but then you are required to take the elevator to the top.