October 2007 Archives

Tower of London - where they keep the Queen's Jewels and where Queen Anne was beheaded

The Tower Bridge

The Tower Bridge when it's lit up during the twilight

The City Hall - the glass panels are solar that are being used to power the building

British Airways' London Eye

The Parliament

Big Ben

Saint Paul's Cathedral

William Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Doris Salcedo's Artwork

Monet

Pollack

I go back to the United Kingdom tomorrow.  I'm taking the Eurostar train to London at noon.  I got a First Class seat and this is the only splurge I did for this trip.  This is the last leg of my trip before I head back to the United States.  I'm a little excited to go home and enjoy my own bed again and drive my car.  I don't mind going back to work and that means work more overtime so I can travel again next year.  I definitely want to come back to Europe, maybe to Spain. 

This is my last night here in Paris.  I decided to go back to Trocadero and take a last look at the Eiffel tower for the last time.  There were tons of people watching the rugby game in the big screen in front of the tower.  Tonight was the qualifying game of South Africa and Argentina for the World Cup .  Anyway, I really enjoyed my stay here in Paris and lived here just for a week and be a Parisian.  I got to know the city very well and I think I have been to all the places here.  I became expert on the Metro and got used to climbing the stairs when transfering from one metro to another.  I want to come back here again. Maybe next year.  Paris is a magical place.

Notre Dame de Paris is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.

View of West Paris

Also known as Pompidou Centre is the home of the modern art in Paris.  This place was a controversial building when it opened.  The building itself is a modern art and it looks like a building that was build inside out.  The view of Paris from the top floor is amazing.  The Centre is located in the Latin Quarter and the shopping area.

Kandinsky - one of my favorite painter

Picasso

Autumn is here. Some of the leaves have already started changing colors and some leaves already fell to the ground.  I'm really enjoying this because we don't have this in the Phoenix area, only in Northern Arizona.

The weather is so nice outside and the sun can be seen in the sky as early as 9AM.  People are taking advantage of the nice warmer weather before the winter starts.

Moulin Rouge is the red light district of Paris.  Moulin Rouge is french for red mill or windmill.

This is the place to shop in Paris.  This is the equivalent of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills  or the Fifth Avenue of New York. They also have car showrooms everywhere and they show all the latest car models and prototypes.  My apartment is just a few minutes walk from here.  Its fun walking here and there are lots of outside cafes and restaurants here.

Pont Neuf

Pont Neuf

Boat Houses and Restaurants

Pont Des Arts - The first iron and wood bridge that is still standing in Seine River

Pont Des Arts

Pont Des Arts

La Conciergerie is the oldest prison in France and this is where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned during the French Revolution. Its name derives from concierge - the name of the royal governor who was in charge of the building. Today, La Conciergerie constitutes a wing of the Palais de Justice.

This is where the famous Frenchmen's and Frenchwomen's were buried with the likes of Voltaire, Marie Curie, Victor Hugo and some other famous French people.

The Pantheon's dome

Victor Hugo's resting place

Voltaire's memorial

Grand Arche La Defense

La Géode

Entrance to the Metro

La Basilique du Sacré Coeur de Montmartre

View of Paris from the Basilica

Museé du Louvre

Palais Royale

Palais Royale-Musee du Louvre

La Concorde

Arche de Triomphe - Charles de Gaulle Étoile

My apartment is very small but nice and clean.  This place is just a walking distance away from the Metro and to the tourist spots. My landlord is very nice and helpful.  I will stay here again when I come back to Paris.

View from my window.  This is like a little sanctuary for people living here.  It's very quiet in this complex and people are mostly asleep after 10PM.

Rue du Niel - a really busy street that leads you all the way to the Arch de Triomphe

The Eiffel Tower with it's twinkling lights.  It twinkles every hour for 10 minutes.

Versailles is about 35-45 minutes train ride outside Paris.  You have to take the RER train to get there and from the station, it's just a 5 minute walk.  I was instructed by the information desk at the castle to buy my inside ticket after 4PM because it cost less (€10).  It normally cost €14 before 4PM and there is no line at the ticket office.  The gardens are free and you can stroll along in the enormous garden until 10PM and that is if you don't get lost which is very easy to do here.

The State Apartments

The Dauphins Apartment (Royal Apartments)

This is France's sports car. You can see Citroen brand everywhere.

Back in Paris again but this time, it's more work than being a tourist.  I will be taking photos of the city in Film and I'm excited because I can say that I work in Paris as an artist.  My brother left for the US today via Los Angeles and back to Phoenix.  It's just kinda weird not having him here.  We were always together for a month and now I'm all alone in my apartment in Paris.  I'm staying here for 6 days and then back to London for another 5 days.  What a life! I really can't complain though.  My apartment is in the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees area.  The area is nice and quiet and there are lots of bakery, restaurants, outdoor market and shops and of course the high end fashion stuff in Champs Elysees.  My apartment is in the 6th floor and the good thing is there is a lift because I cannot carry my suitcase anymore.  My arms are getting tired hauling my equipment.  This afternoon, I bought my grocery and I bought myself a french bread and carried it like the Parisian.  Compare in the US, they carry the bread here without a paper bag.  You can even just eat it on your way home while walking.

Well, back to London again. I have to drop off my brother in the UK and he head back to the US tomorrow and I go back to Paris for a week.  My trip is almost ending but not so soon though.  I got two more weeks to go before I go back to the real world. 

Zürich is divided by two canals and this is on the West side

Zürich at night

Zürichsee (Lake of Zuerich)

Lake Zürich with the Alpine on the background

On our way to Uetliberg Mountain

Panoramic view of Zürich from Uetliberg Mountain