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EuroTrip: Paris, Sept 4

On Saturday morning, we said our goodbyes and rushed off to the Tube station to get to St. Pancras Station for our 2-hour train ride to Paris on Eurostar.

The train station itself was beautiful and they had free WiFi!  We bought economy seats and were pleasantly surprised at how comfy they were.  We originally got window seats but this older couple was already seated and settled into our seats.  I was a bit annoyed at first but realized that we were better off in the aisle so that we could go wander the train to find the buffet car without disturbing them.

In the buffet car, we got a bottle of wine and enjoyed the scenery whizzing by.

Once in Paris, it was a little bit of a frenzy trying to find an ATM for Euros, standing in line for Metro tickets, and finding our way to our hotel.  We arrived at our hotel in Montparnasse to find out that Expedia had a glitch at the time we booked it and by the time the hotel received our reservation, they were full.  Oh no!  I thought we’d be homeless until the nice man at the desk explained that they were sorry and made arrangements for us to stay at a more expensive hotel in the 9th arrondissement.  A taxi was called and they paid for the fare and told them exactly where to take us.  On the way, I got my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in the distance and we drove right past the entrance to the Louvre.  It was all very exciting.

We finally arrived at Pax Opera Hotel and check-in was super easy.  They didn’t even ask for ID or anything!  The room was very clean with modern fixtures and everything we needed.  Hotel also had free WiFi for us to look up restaurants and directions.

We were hungry so we headed back out in search of lunch and some sights.  We walked up towards Montmarte and found the red light district and Moulin Rouge.

Stopped at a Cafe de Luna and had a delicious ham and cheese crepe while checking our guidebooks.  Finally made it to Sacre Coeur where the lawn between the stairs was covered with people and there was a carousel at the bottom of the hill that had a bunch of old ladies riding it.

We climbed the stairs and got a good view of Paris.  It’s just too bad that while we were up there it was overcast.

Afterward we did a little wandering and got a little lost but found our way down to the River Seine in time to catch the sun setting behind the Eiffel Tower in the distance.  Had a quick dinner that wasn’t very good but it was a nice place to hang out and watch people.

Later we walked down towards Notre Dame and walked along the Seine where there were lots of young people hanging out by the water.  Notre Dame is beautiful at night.  Too bad we didn’t make it there in time to climb the tower.  I really wanted to see the gargoyles close-up.  Oh well.

After a little wine stop at a nearby cafe, we hopped back on Metro and made two stops.  First was the Arc du Triomphe at the end of the Champs Elysses. This photo was taken at a stop light in the middle of the crosswalk.

The next was the Eiffel Tower at midnight.  The lights were on and it also had a light display of sparkle lights every hour.

Here’s a video of it:

We happened to arrive as it was starting so we got to see it in all its glory.  If you can’t see the video above, click here.  Metro stops running at 1 am on Friday and Saturdays so we had just enough time to hang out and then hop back on to get back to the hotel.

Here are photos from this day.

EuroTrip: London, Sept 3

Once we washed up, it was time for lunch.  My cousin accompanied us to a local pub where we had fish and chips with mashed peas (the traditional English preparation).  I also got to taste Guinness, which supposedly gets better-tasting the closer you are to Ireland.  Well, when in England, have some Guiness!  And it WAS better!

After lunch, cousin went home to finish working while Jes and I hopped on the Tube, got off at Westminster and ta da!  We were greeted by Big Ben as soon as we emerged street level.

To the left was the River Thames and a gorgeous view of the river and the London Eye.  I guess we lucked out on weather that day because the sun was out with blue skies and comfortable temps outside.

We made frequent stops at different pubs along the way to enjoy a beer and take toilet breaks.  Buying a beer is a small price you have to pay to use their loo.

We walked past the House of Parliament and Westminster Abbey and noticed all the closed circuit television cameras everywhere on the streets.  The security around Parliament was ridiculous.

We strolled through a really big park and ended up at the front of Buckingham Palace.  The queen wasn’t home and there was a little construction out front so we didn’t stay very long.

She’s gone only 2 months out of the year and that’s when they open the palace for tours.  We thought about going inside but they had JUST run out of tickets for the day.  So, we just went to another pub for another potty break.

Jes was starting to fade that afternoon so after a little walk through the shopping area, we took the Tube back to John’s flat so that he could take a nap.

In the meantime, I caught up on emails, hung out with my cousin, and played with his guinea pigs.  They were so cute and funny!

Dinner was at an Indian place called Imli.  It wasn’t the most traditional restaurant, which made for some interesting dishes and a huge dinner bill.  It was ok but I think we would have been better off at a whole-in-the-wall.  It was recommended by John’s wife’s co-workers who were all Indian but when we arrived, everyone was white.  Hm.

After dinner, we stopped for frozen yogurt at Snog where it was very Pinkberry-esque but with lots of rainbow lights inside.

We also walked through Picadilly Circus, which is like a miniature Times Square with flashy lights and engergy.   The next stop was at a local bar/pub where the bartenders were extra lively and friendly, which made it really loud and maybe a little too loud for 2 weary travelers on less than 3 hours of sleep.  After one drink, we were back on the Tube and we all went straight to bed.  That felt like the longest day ever.

Here are the photos.

Spa Day

On Sunday, we drove up to Calistoga for Michelle’s Baby Shower.  We scored a spot on the balcony with two tables, plenty of chairs, and reclining chairs in the sun.  We had a feast of snacks including hummus, pita bread, cheese, olives, salad, salami, and fruit.  I got a 30-minute massage and the girls all got a treatment of some kind that afternoon.  The pools were all from hot springs and only a few went in the water.   This summer has been so cold and windy that it was just nice to be out in a warm, sunny area for a change.

Michelle also received a bunch of really cute girlie gifts for their October baby.  I had a fun time shopping at Target for her gift.  Kids clothing at Target is so cute AND affordable!  Congratulations, Michelle.  Hopefully Miss Labor and Miss Delivery will be kind to you.

Here are the rest of the photos.  I didn’t take as many as usual.  Sorry.

Lassen and reCamp

Yesterday we got back from a 4-day camping trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park and once again it was quite an adventure.

We drove up on Thursday morning with a 3-car caravan.  Koa sat in a laundry basket and tolerated the 4-hour drive quite well.  We made a couple stops along the way including lunch at a Truck Stop along I-5.

Once we arrived, we set-up camp right away and started the fire shortly afterward.

Jes brought two Coors Light kegs and there were plenty of Coors Light shotguns sprinkled throughout the afternoon.

We enjoyed a warm afternoon at the campsite as Jack played in the dirt, Koa also played in the dirt, and we had delicious burgers that were grilled on the fire. The boys played with fire and late that evening around 9:30pm, the Bangs arrived and we were all asleep by 1 am.

The next morning, we had breakfast burritos and then drove up Route 89 for a trail that allowed dogs.

We found a place called Spatter Cone Trail and it was an easy 1.5-mile loop that took us around to different site where we learned about spatter cones and the local shrubs while Koa ran free off-leash.

Afterward, we found Subway Cave Lava Tube, which was a long tunnel that was pitch black and cold inside.  It was a good thing we brought flashlights because it was the only way we were able to explore it on our own.

Once we got back to camp, we had chicken sandwiches and then the boys took naps while some girls went for a walk while I hung out with Jack, Michelle, and all the gnats buzzing around us.  For dinner, we made beef stew and waited for Dayantha and Krissy to arrive.  They got to the site around 10:30 with some very important items: a sleeping bag for Jack (he froze the night before), Pillsbury biscuits for breakfast the next morning, and some firewood and beer.

The next morning around 4 am, I heard tapping on the top of our tent.  It was raining!!!!  Aw man!  It not only rained but poured.  It just kept coming down all morning while Vyl and Bang prepared breakfast on the fire and with coals.  They managed to bake biscuits in a dutch oven with coals underneath and on the lid.  It was amazing!  To go on top of them, we had some tasty tasty sausage gravy with hot sauce.  It was perfect for a cold, wet morning.

After breakfast, we got into our cars and drove up the mountain where it was SNOWING.  Yes, it was snowing at 8500 feet elevation.

We also stopped at Sulfur Springs where we saw a mud pot and a stream of sulfuric yellow stuff running down the mountain.

When we got back to the campsite, we decided to pack everything up a day early to head out for a new campground.  We drove down the highway and decided to have reCamp in Corning, CA where there was a state park called Woodson Bridge State Park.  It was literally a park with fire pits and felt like backyard camping.  But we didn’t care because we were happy with the warmer weather and lack of rain.  The tents dried out and we were burning the wood that Ryan threw in his trunk along with other wood that was poached from nearby campsites.  Dinner was steak cooked directly on the fire coals and it was yummy.

We also roasted marshmallows and made E. L. Fudge and Oreo s’mores.

Later that night it actually started to rain – AGAIN.  Luckily it didn’t last as long and we woke up the next morning to sunshine and warmth that dried the tents in time for our drive home.

Overall, this camping trip was just as fun as all the others in the past.  It just had another element – lots of water everywhere.  Unfortunately, I woke up on the last day with a raging headache and nausea so I wasn’t able to eat the corned beef hash and bullseyes that morning.  I puked all morning and was sick to my stomach for the rest of the day.  Despite that and the rain, it was still a fun trip and I can’t wait for next year’s.  Until then, I will enjoy my comfy bed and easy access to showers.

Here are the photos.

Dayantha’s Birthday Weekend

It was Dayantha’s 34th birthday a few days ago and he came down to SF to do some celebrating.  On Friday night, we all met up for happy hour and dinner.  It’s so nice to have the 4 boys back together again.

We also made a phone call to Yoon since it was her actual birthday that evening.  Sounded like she was enjoying her birthday at a water park.  Aw…I just saw her in June and miss her already.

On Saturday, a few of us went to the 2nd Annual SF Street Food Festival in the Mission.  I went last year and it was a crowded disaster.  This year had a lot of improvements but it was still packed with people wondering if they’re waiting in the correct line. I made it to Hapa Ramen and got a taste of their cold soba salad and a bowl of ramen with shredded pork.

Afterward, we walked down to Dynamo Donuts to try their Maple Bacon donut but they were sold out.  Dayantha was hoping to taste it since it was on an episode of Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate”.  Oh well, we instead got to try the vanilla bean donut and the blueberry cornmeal donut.  They were both pretty yummy.

Before heading home, we also stopped for ice cream at Humphry Slocombe.  We had to stand in a pretty long line but I thought it was worth the wait.  You know me and my ice cream…

On Saturday night we met up again in Japan Town for a late-night Korean BBQ dinner and karaoke just like old times.  The food was tasty but our singing was not what it used to be.

I left the place saying “I’m too old for this stuff.”  Here are the rest of the photos.  Happy Birthday Dayantha!

Neato…

Back in April, there was a blog posting of Pearl’s Kitchen on SFWeekly and I wasn’t given photo credit on my photo.  They just wrote another article about their fabulous street cart and two of my photos were used and they got it right this time.  I didn’t think it was too big of a deal the first time around but when I actually saw my name under the photos, it was pretty neato.  Sooooo…does this make me a legit photog?!  At least in MY little world it does.  🙂