Where to NEXT?

SLIDESHOW OF PHOTOS FROM MY TRIP

I've made a small slideshow of some of my photos from the trip. If you wave your cursor over a photo as it appears, a caption will pop out for you to read. I've tried to capture some of the highlights from the trip. Please enjoy.

love to travel

this will be my last post while in Europe on this current trip.its time to head home already and my internet access will be cut off for a couple of days. this has been a wonderful trip full of amazing experiences and incredible memories. its going to take me awhile to process it all. as i set out on my return trip home, i am reminded that i love to travel...so i know in my heart that i'll be back. please pray for safety as i travel utilizing planes, trains, and automobiles to make my way across the ocean and safely back home. i will try and post more photos and thoughts about the trip once back in the States.thank you for coming along with me as i travel Europe. Until later...Cheers!

Picturesque Germany

TOURING THE RHEINE:

if youre going to travel to Germany i highly suggest doing it in October (when the trees are changing colors in the crisp autumn air and the local peoples are in celebration and holiday spirits) ...and i also recommend taking a boat ride up the Rheine River. its a relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of the western region of Germany. there are several boats and routes to choose from...but whatever you choose i guarantee it will be worth it. there are medieval castles nestled against the mountainsides amongst wine vineyards and colorful trees. it almost feels surreal as you glide along the water in such a picturesque setting. take the time to also get out at the little towns along the way and enjoy a bratwurst and beer and some local traditional music. youll find yourself wanting to sing along (even if you dont know the language or the lyrics). this was a great way to end my time here in Germany.

Frankfurt am Main

FRANKFURT:

today we toured around the city of Frankfurt. its quite a large city that reminded me somewhat of Glasgow in that there is a river with bridges to walk across and there are modern buildings right next to quite old and beautiful architectural buildings. there are trees everywhere...many that are changing colors with the cooler rainy autumn weather. its quite beautiful...many church steeples and clock towers to see. also there is a square downtown that has some traditional buildings circling a fountain. the perfect picture of what old Germany mustve looked like.

we took the bus into the city from Bad Vilbel and did our touring by foot. we visited an art museum called the Städel (pronouned Schadel) where i got to see some of the German expressionists and impressionists paintings. im still blown away at the amount of amazing art ive been able to see over the last 2 weeks.

we stopped in at a traditional beer stein shop. they sell beer glasses and steins (for tourists) that look like the old German steins used by people of the past. my dad purchased one (it was the souvenir he was looking for all this time). we also popped into a local Gummi bear shop for a tasty treat. Gummi bears come from Germany (originally).

we had our lunch in the city at what they call the Market Place. Its sort of like a "Saturday Market" with a Beer Garden. 2 long rows with various booths set up. some sold fresh produce and others actually cooked your meal right there. you could choose from potato pancakes, bratwurst, schnitzel, onion breads, and many other various traditional German foods and you could wash it down with apple cider or with beer. they serve you on real plates with real silverware and real glasses. so they also provide tables and chairs for you to eat at. the photo is of a traveling bratwurst vendor...seems kind of handy if you need take away.

we enjoyed a day of rainy sunshine and even had the luck of seeing 2 complete rainbows painted in the sky over the river as we walked across one of the bridges. it was a lovely day in Germany.

tomorrow (Friday) we will take a boat trip up the Rhine River to view the castles. it will be our last full day in Germany. and then on Saturday we take the train back to Paris to prepare for our jouney back to the States on Sunday.

what is normal?

SHOPPING:

get this...this is a traveling grocer. i was taking a walk through the small town of Bad Vilbel where im staying here in Germany...and i saw this white van pull up on the side of the street (no signage on the van at all) and the guy gets out and opens the doors and starts selling fruits and veg to some old ladies who walked up to the van. this is a normal thing here that takes place (im told). but people also shop at supermarkets of various sizes and types. it depends on preference. my friend told me that vans like these tend to sell to the older generations...and they have regulars. they will knock on the door of a house (if the person hasnt come out to buy things when the van shows up at its normal time) and if there isnt an answer the man will leave the 10 eggs and head of cabbage on the doorstep (or whatever is the usual purchase of the person). if the person hasnt picked up the goods by the end of the day the neighbors will check to see if everything is okay or not (sort of a neighborhood watch produce program).

ANCESTORS:

im told that here in Germany they dont have a lot of family ancestral records beyond about 30 years ago. in fact, they dont even have gravestones beyond about 30 years old. im told that most records were destroyed during WWII due to profiling (and many were kept by churches back then and the clergy burned the records so they couldnt be found). and as to the graves...they dont bury their dead to "keep" they allow the bodies to rot back into the earth and then after that there is no need for grave markers. so after about 30 years these are gotten rid of also.

im finding out some very interesting things while im here. my dads side of the family is part German and weve wanted to do some ancestral history searching...but we have learned that it is impossible. there are no ancestral heritage places here...and there are no records.

enjoying a rainy autumn day

TRAFFIC & WEATHER:

this is a photo i took today as we drove on the famous Autobahn (the freeway system that has no speed limit). as you can see it has been raining all day today (which actually it is the first day weve had rain on the trip).

i learned that there is no speed limit on the Autobahn, but you are not allowed to drive slower than 100 km/hr and if you get in an accident and it was found that you had been traveling over 130 km/hr you could be fined for reckless driving. but technically it is allowed that you can actually travel as fast as your car can go.

in the photo you can see a lot of breaklights...this is because it was raining and there was a lot of traffic on the roads and so at this moment the cars were going slower and breaking.

it has been a bit cooler here in Germany than what we experienced in France. and today it was a typical autumn day of cloudy, rainy, windy weather. the trees here are changing colors and it is so beautiful. i really enjoyed this as it reminded me of my time in Seattle or Glasgow.

we drove along the Rhine River today to visit a military fort built in the 1800s that sits up on a hill along the Rhine. on our way we passed several (and i mean several) castles. castles here in Germany seem to be as prevelant as they are in Ireland...but they look much different. these castles seem to look more like the "fantasy" castles of fairy tales and Disney stories.

hey there my praying friends...i could use your prayers this week...i am struggling with a cold (it started with a sore throat the first day in Germany and today it progressed to a chest thing with a cough). i think it has been the change in climates and the change in lifestyle and foods that has left me a bit vulnerable as we travel. before we left the States i made my parents promise me that they wouldnt get sick on this trip (cuz the last trip to Europe that we made together they got sick about 1/2 way into the month long trip and then i got sick too and it was miserable the whole time we were in Ireland)...and this time im the one who got sick first. i really dont want them to get sick too...nor do i want my cold to linger too long. so please pray, thanks.

Achtung! (Watch Out!)

LANGUAGE:

while here in Germany i realize that i should`ve studied up on my German better. i don`t even own a phrase book or dictionary. i am grateful that our friends here speak very good English and so i am able to converse easily and they help to translate when talking with others. i am trying to learn a few words and phrases though, and am trying my best to speak the language when i can (at least to say Guten Tag "good day" and Danke "thank you" and Bitte "you`re welcome" and Tschüss "cheers") to shop owners and those i meet.

FOOD:

i have been enjoying the food here so far. but i must preface by saying that i have learned that my friends dont eat like typical Germans and i am thoroughly enjoying the cuisine here. they have done a lot of traveling around Europe and the Mediterranean and enjoy the foods of other countries, so they incorporate many types of foods into what they like to eat at home. they shop at Halal butchers and grocers. so i have not only had traditional German foods (potatoes, beef, cabbage, cakes, coffee, cheeses, breads, meats, apple wines and beers) but i have also enjoyed meals of Turkish (arabic) traditions (much like one would eat at a muslim kabob shop in the UK)...curries and spices on meats, couscous, kafka, flatbreads, etc. i am really loving this!

LIVING IN GERMANY:

im very glad that ive been able to stay in a German home while im here. it has given me a good feel for what life is like in Germany for a typical middle class family today. ive been learning about some of the differences and some similarities between our countries. my friends have told me that things are changing with this generation....but mostly people still learn the old traditional ways of doing things (like cooking and sewing and making homemade things)...in fact they prefer to have home cooked meals (making everything from scratch) and they teach their children the old ways too. both of my friends work. Germany´s school system trains the individual for very specific lines of work (the childs parents help to choose which type of "tract" the child will study in...so once the person graduates from whatever "tract" theyre on, they get a job in that field and stay in the same type of job all of their life. also, in elementary school, children have religion classes and also English classes. there are only 2 types of Christian churches (Catholic or Protestant) and depending upon which tradition a family comes from...then they have only one church to attend (the Protestant or Catholic parish in their neighborhood). my one friend works in the courthouse sentencing juvenile offenders. the other friend is a computer programmer. they also told me that they only know one or two of their friends who are divorced. it is very difficult to get a divorce here.

OTHER THINGS:

people here seem to be very friendly. everywhere we go they are very welcoming. they like to stop and talk. life here seems to be much more relaxed and layed back (especially contrasting to Paris!)
today we took a walk around the village of Bad Vilbel (the name of the town means Good Health...there are many hot springs around and the Romans had baths here). we enjoyed walking through the parks and even stopped to play in a childs playground and we also got some ice cream cones while we walked along. there is an ancient Roman castle in the center of town too.

over the next couple of days we will go into the big city of Frankfurt to look around and enjoy some art galleries. and on Friday we plan to take a boat trip up the Rhine River to see castles.

Medieval Europe

MEDIEVAL CASTLES:

this weekend i have been able to tour a couple of medieval castles and villages that are not too far from Frankfurt.

Having spent so much time in the UK and Ireland, I always welcome anything relating to medieval times. i really enjoy seeing castles and learning history. It makes sense and i have known that Germany has a rich medieval history...(in fact when you do research about the Celtic peoples who inhabited the British isles and Ireland, you find out that many of the original tribes came from the Germanic peoples). Anyways, im pretty excited to get to see castles here in Germany.

Saturday we traveled to the southwest to see a village that has been rebuilt (the buildings are authentic from the 1400s) and people live there making handmade things to sell...for example: I bought a handmade wooden paint brush at a brush shop. We took a horse and carriage ride around the site (which is quite large) and we saw old wooden windmills too. For lunch we ate steamed potatoes and i got to try apple wine (which is quite popular in this region of Germany) it tasted a lot like hard cider.

Then we traveled to an ancient Roman castle built by Hadrian (yes, THE Hadrian who also built Hadrians wall in England). And we got to see many Roman artifacts in a museum at the castle.

Sunday (today) we didnt go apple picking as originally planned, instead we slept in and enjoyed a late breakfast of smoked salmon & meats, cheeses, breads, and spreads. Then we traveled northeast of Frankfurt to a medieval castle (seen in the photo). It is the site of a very large medieval fair. People were dressed up in costumes, there were many booths where people sold their handmade things, they had performers and musicians and knights.

As you know my love for Scotland, I was excited to see that there were a couple of Scottish booths that sold whiskey and shortbread and I saw several men in kilts and even got to hear some bagpipes play. Im told people travel from all over Europe to come to these various medieval fairs held allover. Speaking of bagpipes...even in Paris I heard them! There was a guy playing the pipes on a bridge as we crossed the Seine River coming back from the Louvre. I am reminded even in Paris & Germany of my linking to that bonnie isle.

Oh, while at the castle today, i enjoyed drinking Mead (a hot wine made from honey) served in handmade pottery mugs. And to my surprise...the purchase price of the mug was included in what i paid for the drink...so i have a really cool souvenir now!

Overall, this weekend has been a great time of catching up on old friendships, tasting new foods, trying to speak a new language, and seeing old historical sites.

I`m in Germany

GUTEN TAG!

hello from Germany.

yesterday we took a 4 hour train from Paris that traveled through the north east of France to cross the border into Germany and arrive in Frankfurt. we were lucky to have our reserved seats inside a seperate room compartment on the train. i felt like i was in a movie. we had a door that that sectioned us off from the rest of the car and there were 3 other people in the compartment with us (one from Brazil and 2 from Germany). it was like having our own private train tour. which was lucky because the train became quite full as we stopped at various stations along the way to pick up more passengers (people were sitting in the corridors). there was also a bar car where you could get drinks and snacks.

the scenery along the way reminded me of the midwest in the States. very flat and a lot of agriculture. it was a lovely trip and i must say (as i have said before) i love to travel by train.

upon our arrival in Frankfurt our friends met us at the end of the platform.we recognized each other right away.it was so good to see them. it has been 13 years since we last saw them (when they came to the States) and about 10 years before that when we first met (thru an exchange program).

they drove us to their house in Bad Vilbel (a city of about 30,000 people, about 15 minutes away from Frankfurt on the freeway). we are staying in a basement apartment of a house owned by our friends, (and our friends live in a house next door). we had a lovely time last night catching up with each other. their English is very good, so we are having an easy time conversing.

after staying in a hotel for a week, this is really wonderful to be able to stay in a home and eat home cooked meals with a family. the photo is of our breakfast this morning (toast and bread with different cheeses and meats and spreads....and coffee).

this week we will get to experience what life is like for a typical German family and they will also be taking us around to do some sightseeing of a medieval town and castles and a boat trip up the Rhine River. and my friend has a friend who owns an art gallery and frame shop...so i`m going to be introduced and be able to talk art for a bit too.

my friends have a computer with internet access...so i will try to keep up on this blog throughout the week. my typing is slower though, as i am trying to get used to the German keyboard (some of the letters and symbols are in different places than a US keyboard).

i'll always have Paris

LAST DAY IN PARIS:

this is my last full day in Paris. and as i think back over the week, i am still overwhelmed at all that i've been able to experience. it has been tres bon!

to think that i originally had no real desire to visit Paris ~ due to my deep love for the UK & Ireland ~(until my friend convinced me that as an artist i would love Paris and i needed to go)...i can now say that i'm grateful i listened to my friend and got out of my comfort zone to experience something new.

i have a camera, a journal, a sketchbook, and a head full of memories that will last. i have been inspired and renewed creatively and i'm looking forward to time spent in my art studio painting once again. my experience here in Paris was such a positive one in so many ways...i do hope that one day i can return to enjoy more. hmmmmmmm....to come back...perhaps as an art student...now there's a dream to aspire to!

bold beauty

NOTRE DAME:

one of the most beautiful sights here in Paris is the Cathedral Notre Dame. like a citadel, it sits on an island in the middle of the Seine River...giving glory to God as water flows around it. there are several bridges that link it to the mainland on both sides of the island which allows for easy access by vehicle or pedistrian. the medieval cathedral has a huge history and it's worth paying the money to get the audio tour. you can also take a tour that takes you up into the cathedral on the outside.

the outside of the cathedral is incredibly beautiful! there is so much carved in the arches and doorways and windows. on the backside there are the flying buttresses (as shown in the photo) and of course, the every present gargoyles acting as protecting water spouts.

the stained glass and the arches are absolutely beautiful and they do allow you to take photos within the sanctuary (as long as there is not a mass going on). there are several side chapels where you can purchase a prayer candle to light. you can also utilize the confessionals and sign a registry.

the cathedral is a short walk from where i'm staying...so i've been able to visit it quite often while in Paris. today i chose to pay the small fee to enter the side room of relics. this is where they have many of the treasury items of the cathedral and some ancient relics (bones of some of the saints housed in ornately adorned gold boxes). Pope Benedict the XVI was in Paris the weekend before we came...he held mass at Notre Dame. so there are also many "souvenir" photos and rosaries with his picture on them that you can purchase.

we were going to try to go to a service sometime during this week that we've been here...but with everything else we found ourselves doing, we never did make it in time. but we did get to enjoy choir music as we toured through the sanctuary. Notre Dame....a must experience when Paris.

it's happening even here in Paris

STOP THE OPPRESSION:

it seems like no matter where i travel in this world, gnomes are not safe. even here in Paris this atrocity is taking place! they seem to be profiling and rounding up garden gnomes in cages. it's appalling! the poor little things...they just want to be free to roam. oh how horrid. this was a sad, sad sight to see today. when will this stop?! does anyone care? who will be the voice for the voiceless?

a dream within a dream

along one of the walks this week i stumbled upon an art store. and it happened to be THE Sennelier art store!

Sennelier is a French brand of paints and supplies made in Paris. they are of top quality professional grade. I have been utilizing their oil pastels and oil sticks for years (purchasing from an art store in Seattle).

so of course, i had to go in and purchase some paints straight away! to me, this is a priceless experience.

later i sat down at a corner cafe and had a coffee as i journaled and sketched and watched the people and traffic go by. and then i realized that i was doing what i had only dreamt of doing here in Paris. and then i thought...am i dreaming now?

if there is one thing i've learned of late, it's that you can do anything you set your mind to do. i want to encourage any of you who are dreaming of travel as you read my blog. if travel is your dream...you can do it (even in these dark & expensive economic times)...it is possible. don't be afraid to keep hold of the dream.

a lesson in art history: part four

MUSEE D'ORSAY:

so today we headed out once again for Musee D'Orsay to finish up what we were unable to see yesterday.

i'm still so blown away at the amount of incredible paintings & sculptures that i've been able to look at. several times throughout the day i had to sit down just to collect myself.

it was a quieter day today than yesterday...no evacuation excitement. but i did find myself overwhelmed with the enormity of my experience so far.

back home we have a monthly art walk downtown where the local art galleries stay open later and the evening focuses on the artistic culture of the city. i go each month with the arts group that i belong to, and i am always inspired to paint more, to learn more, to be more. this experience here in Paris...is like a lifetime of those artwalks! i look forward to time in my art studio once i return. the paint is gonna fly!

a lesson in art history: part three

MUSEE D'ORSAY:

today we began our tour of the museum that houses most of the impressionistic paintings (late 1800s-early 1900's) and sculptures and artwork. i have been extremely excited about this museum because i've known that i would be seeing some of my favorites (VanGogh, Monet, etc.) i have several friends who have already been to Paris and have had the opportunity to experience this museum, and they have told me that i had to go for myself(being that my oil landscape style is influenced by many of the impressionistic masters). but honestly, there's nothing or noone who could've prepared me enough for what i was able to see today.

but i'm jumping ahead a bit. today was a lesson in patience. okay, so we walked along the River Seine from our hotel to get to the museum. then we stood in a very long snaking line outside to get inside and go thru a security checkpoint. this took quite awhile. then we stood in another line to purchase our tickets. after reading the map we decided to start viewing the museum from the top floor down (there are 3 main floors of rooms). so we climbed stairs and took several escalators to get to the top. then we began our meandering through room after room of beautiful and telling impressionistic paintings...some by Toulouse LaTrec, some by Renoir, Manet, Pisarro, Gaugin, Matisse, sculptures by Rodin & Claudel. We even came upon a lady with easle set up painting (like the guy we saw yesterday in the Louvre). And then the excitement began...

No...not the Van Gogh's & Monet's yet...

an alarm went off. a very loud alarm. then an announcement came over the PA system in French. then it was translated in English. everyone was to exit the entire building as shown by the security guards, due to some "technical difficulty". and then the alarm resumed. so thousands and thousands of people (including myself and my parents) were herded through rooms, down stairs, through more rooms, down more stairs...until we were all standing safely outside the building on the sidewalk. thousands of people. surprisingly enough (and with as many diverse cultures represented by the numerous visitors) no one panicked or pushed. once outside we waited in groupings. no one ever told us what had really was going on and why we had to exit. did someone try to steal a painting? was there a fire somewhere in the building? perhaps there was a bomb threat? no info. no police. no fire brigade. no bombsquad. moments later (after everyone was out and standing about) we were all told we could go back in...but we could only do this thru ONE door...around the side of the building (because the new visitors: people who had not paid for tickets yet: were using the main entrance). we all had to go thru security checks again. so this took forever with an even larger line snaking along. finally when we were back inside, we resumed our original plan and we headed back up all the stairs and escalators to get back to the rooms on the top floor where we left off. absolutely crazy! but thru it all, i could only laugh...hey, why not? none of the wait mattered... i'm in Paris! i'm blessed!

so once we got back to where we left off we continued on and you know what...the wait was worth it! there was an entire room of VanGogh's. there was an entire room of Monet's. there was an entire room of Cezanne's. there was an entire room of Degas. it just kept going...impressionistic master after impressionistic master. i was in impressionistic heaven!

there was one moment where all i could do was stand still in middle of the Monet room and stare with my mouth wide open. as i gazed upon one of his water lily paintings (next to his Giverny and also his bridge paintings) i was stuck in place. i couldn't move. there's no way i can describe how i felt at that moment. seeing the original paintings like that...it was breathtaking.

i have spent years studying them, painting them, adoring them...i had tears in my eyes. i was seeing originals...here in Paris...these painters had been here, lived here, hung out together here.

i did sit down and attempt a couple of sketches. but honestly, i was still so blown away that my hands wouldn't connect with my brain.

well, needless to say we're going to go back to the museum tomorrow to try and finish seeing what we can.

a lesson in art history: part two

THE LOUVRE:

today we did our second day through the Louvre. we took on the second half of the museum. and i must confess, if it were a contest to see who could see it all at once...I'd lose. there is no possible way. you'd need a whole week! we got through about a 1/2 of the 1/2 we didn't see last time. you might ask, why it took so long? there seems to be no end to the rooms that are rooms within rooms. steps that you think lead out, actually lead to another room. it's a maze of corridors and steps and rooms. and each room has an endless collection of absolutely beautiful artwork. i'm telling you...it's crazy overwhelming! they give you a map of the 4 floors but i think you need a university degree in how to get out.

anyways, as i said in a previous post, they allow people to sketch and paint and take photos. you can see most people sitting on benches or on steps with sketch pads in hand doing their best to capture a quick likeness of a favored painting or sculpture. today we happened upon an artist who brought his whole studio with him to paint. as you can see in the photo...he wasn't afraid to bring a large easle and all his paints and supplies. and there he went to work recreating a masterpiece. unbelievable!

okay, this American is still in shock. i have had security guards practically acost me for chewing gum in a local small city art museum in the States...and here in the most famous art museum in the world with the most priceless paintings of all time...one can just walk right up to a masterpiece and only inches away, pull out supplies and start slapping paint on a canvas. inconceivable!

i love Paris!

food, language, and traffic

FOOD:

i am enjoying the food i've been able to eat here in Paris. as i mentioned in an earlier post, i've had the chance to sample a variety of crepes. there are crepe shops and stands all over the city where you can get just about anything inside of them, from cheese to meats, to veg, to chocolate, to fruits. my favorite is the cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese ones. those of you who know how i love to hold things in my hands to eat (like the chicken pita at the Western Idaho State Fair & the Boise Art in the Park) can know that I am truly enjoying eating crepes! they're like a French burrito/pita/wrap thingy.

I've also been enjoying the bread. Baguettes (long bread that is used with sandwiches), croissantes (buttery flakey layered bread rolls things), and the numerous types of other breads that you can get from the bakery shops.

Oh...and the cheese! Fromage! So many kinds and oh so good! I'm a cheese lover already...and the cheese here is fantastic! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

LANGUAGE:

Okay, I don't speak French. I've never taken French. And I certainly don't have a French accent of any kind. So before making this trip I was a little concerned as to how things were going to work out here...with me not knowing the language. So with my Rick Steves French phrase book in hand and a smile on my face...I am trying to get by. And my friends who have been to Paris before are correct...if you try to speak the language the people are really friendly and will help you out. Most people do speak English...and those who don't will find someone who does. I've even had a few passerbys stop to translate for me and the person I'm trying to talk to. Very friendly. I'm actually enjoying the experience.

When leaving the hotel I'm to give the concierge my room keycard and then when I return I need to pick it up. Well, he has been testing my French by playing a game with me...he makes me ask for it in French and he won't give it to me until I get it right. I've got BONJOUR (hello) and MERCI (thankyou) down quite well...but it took me a couple of days to pronounce the #65 in French. We have had quite a good time laughing about it.

TRAFFIC:

I would never want to try to drive in Paris. Paris is a very busy city. OH MY GOODNESS! They drive so crazy! Large trucks, vans, buses, cars, tiny cars, scooters, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians...they all seem to think they have the right of way and they take it at anytime anywhere. It's chaos! Especially around the huge intersection roundabouts. It's almost like a free for all. And everyone drives so fast too.

Oh...okay, here's one for nostalgia sake: so in the UK they no longer have the "nee-naw" sound to their sirens...but here in Paris it is alive and well. At any given time you hear a police car or van or an ambulance "nee-nawing" through the streets. It's very European! and it's a welcomed sound to my American ears.

being an artist

a friend of mine asked me years ago why I had never been to Paris...and honestly I couldn't give a reasonable answer. that same friend (who has been to Paris) convinced me, that as an artist I really should come to Paris.

so this (my first trip to Paris) has been an incredible adventure of allowing myself to truly be an artist in the city of artists. it's like I'm in a dream or a movie or a book. and in a way, I guess I am...I'm writing my own story.

one of the most surreal things for me to experience here in Paris is to be able to sit and paint in a city that is so famous for artists.

so far i have painted sitting on the steps of the Arch De Triumphe, sitting in the halls of the Louvre, and sitting in the square at Notre Dame.

just about anywhere you go, you can see vendors selling prints of Paris sketches and paintings, you can see artists with their easles painting the buildings nearby, and you can see students sitting on just about anything sketching in their notebooks. even the streets and bridges are lined with artists and musicians, performers and poets having a go at entertaining the passerby.

Paris is truly a beautiful place for an artist to practice their work. I am truly blessed to be here.

a lesson in art history: part one

The Louvre:

Today we had our first day of touring the Louvre. I'm absolutely speechless. I have no idea how many ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, how many rooms that go and on forever filled with historical artwork, how many Italian and Renaissance paintings, how much marble and gold...that I got to see today...I'm absolutely overwhelmed.

Being an artist, I found myself with my mouth gaped open as I turned each corner and entered each room. I was told, by many friends who have already been to Paris, that the Louvre was huge and that I would love it...but there's just no way to be prepared for what it is really like.

I was very surprised when I found out that I could take photos throughout the museum. They have signs up everywhere that say no cameras but thousands of people were snapping pictures and filming video...and the museum security in each room allowed it. So I figured...okay, here's my chance to document my experience in the Louvre.

Also, they allow people to bring in art supplies and sketch and paint. So I sat myself down in front of a rather large painting of St. Michael slaying the devil by Raphael and took my time sketching (surrounded by many other artists doing the same).

The place is so huge...we only got about 1/2 way thru the place. We'll return again this week for a go at the other 1/2. And then we also want to walk the beautiful landscaped gardens nearby. But...for today, my feet are tired.

I am in Paris!

Bon Jour!

Oui...I am in Paris. It is quite surreal to be here. But here I am standing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Traveling:

I have to say that this has been one of the easiest trips that I've flown overseas. Those of you who know me know that I typically get stopped at security somewhere along the way to be searched (for whatever reason they seem to flag me or something). But this time was smooth sailing for me. In fact the only security I went thru was initially leaving Boise. And then once we arrived in Paris they didn't even stamp our passports at immigration or take our info cards (we had to ask if they would stamp our passports as a souvenir!)

So we had a flight from Boise to Minneapolis and then we picked up our international flight to Paris. We actually arrived an hour early in Paris. BUT I think the most difficult thing about the 2day-span of traveling to Europe was maneuvering thru Charles DeGaulle airport in Paris. I think we walked the entire airport to get to the actual sortie (exit). Once we found our way thru the maze of corridors in the airport, we had to stand in a very long queue at immigration and then also at the train ticket counter (to purchase our one-way tickets into the city on the Metro). Then we took the Metro train into Paris. I think we figured it to be a total of about 3 hours from landing to setting foot at the door of our hotel in the Latin district at Saint Michel.

Day ONE in Paris:

After finding our hotel we were a bit early for checkin, so we were able to leave our backpacks there and go tour about a bit to familiarize ourselves with where we were staying. The street we are on (Rue de Huchette) is in the Latin district of the city (the place where students and artists and poets hangout). The hotel we're staying at (Hotel du Mont Blanc) is famous for having Hemingway stay there. The cobblestone street is lined with tourist shops, crepe shops, cafes, bars, and above them all are residences. It's an idealic scene as just around the corner is the Seine River...and we are right across from Cathedral de Notre Dame. And I found this internet cafe close by (huge plus for me) so I can keep up on this blog.

We took some time touring through Notre Dame. It is so beautiful! OH MY GOODNESS! They had choir music playing as we walked around (utilizing a handheld audio tour device) gazing at the statues, the paintings, the stained glass, and the beauty of it all. I sat down for a bit and sketched some of the arches on the ceiling. Magnificent! The cathedral is still in use and has 4 services a day. We may take in a service one day this week to experience it fully.

We also took a bus tour to get a view of the entire city. I highly recommend these sorts of tours when visiting any large foreign city...it's worth the money you pay. You typically get unlimited use (hop on hop off) for either 24 hours or 2 days in a row. So we usually go round the whole city the first day and then on the second day go back to sites we want to see more in depth utilizing the bus for transportation. This is a great tactic if some of the sites you want to see are somewhat farther away than others.

Oh...and I got my first taste of the French crepe. Fantastic! I love them! They have crepe shops where they make them right in front of you. You can get them with just about anything in them. And they roll them up and put them in paper and hand them to you, so you can walk around and eat...and they're real cheap too.

After walking around for most of the day and shopping at the street vendor stalls we came back to our hotel and enjoyed a good night sleep (after watching some French television...I think I watched the French version of CSI, they call theirs RIS...don't ask me what it stands for, I don't know...but it was very much like our forensic dramas in the US....all in French).

Day Two in Paris:

Today, we had a leisurely morning. We strolled out into the streets and purchased our coffees and croissants and then hopped on the tour bus once again. We made our way to the Arc De Triumphe and spent some time sitting in the middle of the huge round about that it sits on and sketched. Then we got back on the bus and made our way to the Eiffel Tower. This is where my time here so far became very surreal. I found myself sitting on the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower, eating a baguette with fromage (cheese), people watching, and painting. This is crazy!

After several hours of this idealic surrealness, we got back on the bus and made our way back to our neighborhood near Notre Dame, where we sat ourselves down a the window of Cafe Panis and sipped our coffees while we watched the people and traffic go by on the street.

Before this trip I was a bit concerned as to if I would be able to get by with the difference in language. I don't speak French and I've only ever traveled to English speaking countries in Europe. But I must say that my friends were right when they advised me to start out being friendly and try some words...the people here are just as friendly and they do usually speak English and will help the conversation if you at least try. I've only run into one time where the shop worker didn't speak English...but he quickly found another shop worker who spoke just a few words of English. We both gingerly made our way thru the conversation...it was actually somewhat comical as we both kept smiling and nodding and making hand gestures to try to understand each other. Eventually it worked out! And I most thankfully and happily smiled and said "Merci!"

Tomorrow we start our 2 day tour of the Louvre.

Then we'll do a 2 day tour of the Musee De Orsay.

And then who knows...it's an adventure!

I'm ready to be immersed in ART!

Until the next time...Au revoir!

my pack is packed...i think

i think i'm all packed.

this is my 5th trip to Europe in 9 years...and my 3rd trip taking only what i can fit on my back. i'm a fan of the Seattle-based travel guide, Rick Steves, who has dedicated his life to backpacking around Europe and teaching people (like you and me) how to do the same. i own one of his carry-on size backpacks (it is not the backpack shown in the picture) along with many other items of travel gear and guidebooks and maps that he sells. and i have taken some of his travel classes to learn more about the how-to's when it comes to traveling in Europe. it is with great pleasure that i pack and repack and once again repack the pack in order to see if i can fit what i need to take with me into it in some new and compact way that will allow for comfort & ease (and still be considered a carry-on). with each trip i learn something new and figure out something else i can do without while i travel. there are several tips to follow when trying to stuff clothes into a backpack: you can roll your clothes tightly. you can make the most of every bit of space available for something to fit into (like a puzzle). you can utilize net packing cubes for a compact way of seperating. you can use the plastic ziplock type vacuum seal bags. or you can just stuff the clothes in. it all depends. i recently had a conversation with a friend who confessed that when traveling, their bag starts out all neat and tidy with everything having it's place and then by the end of the trip it's a mad scramble to throw it in and get it all in some orderly fashion so it will make it on the plane...somehow. i laughed at this because packing is a common issue for all of us whether we're traveling to a nearby city or state or traveling to a country overseas. everyone has their preferred way to pack and with the post 9-11 stricter flying regulations & security procedures, packing for a trip has almost become a new Olympic sport.

overwhelming pool of creative inspiration

i'm looking forward to painting while in Europe. i'm taking my tiny travel watercolor set and my wee sketchbook and creative journal to document the beautiful and picturesque sights in Paris that i'll find myself experiencing. there is something romantic about the thought of sitting at a sidewalk cafe sketching a street scene, or having a go at painting while viewing famous art in a museum. i know i'm not the first artist to do this...but i look forward to being like a sponge soaking up the artistic culture of the city of love. i anticipate an overwhelming pool of creative inspiration to swim in while i'm there. and i pray that it splashes all over me.

reunion soon to board

2 weeks till my departure to Europe & i'm getting quite excited with anticipation of my upcoming travels to Paris & Germany.

this week we've been phoning our friends in Germany to discuss plans for that leg of our trip. it's been 13 years since we've seen them (when they made a trip to the States for a visit) and about 21 years since the initial connection (through an exchange student adventure).

i don't know who is more excited...us or them...but i do know that we're all looking forward to reconnecting. it will require each of us to go beyond our own cultural comfort zones to reach out and embrace each other here and now...this time in their country (not ours).

the reunion will take place after we've spent a week in Paris. we will board a train to Frankfurt where our friends will pick us up at the station. we'll be staying with them in a neighboring town named Bad Vilbel and embarking on day trips out around the west part of Germany. i'm looking forward to a great time spent in friendship and the opportunity to learn and experience their culture and what their life is like.

the countdown continues...

i'm headin to europe this autumn

it's 2008. this is my lucky year to travel.

i spent a month in Ireland this May (exploring and painting around the Republic with artist friends).

and now in late September/early October i am headin to Europe to play in Paris and explore Germany with family and friends. i have to say, "life is good" and i'm living the adventure. i'm having fun!