Why I love to fly airliners

It’s the takeoff. Below is a great example. Just like the takeoffs I had in my AA 757’s to/from JFK on my latest trip.

It’s that whiiiirrrlllllbzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZiiing sound. It’s just like candy. And the harmonious ZZZZZbuuuurrrrinnnnng power reduction. Love it. Give me more power!!! Gives me goosebumps every time. Turn up the volume to an embarrasing level — this one is great.

Home. Finally.

OK, everyone knows I love travel — but I must admit sometimes I get the better of myself. Let’s see, depart Paris at 9 AM Paris time (get up at 6 AM), fly to JFK for 8 hours. 5 hour layover (turned into 6). Fly 5 hours home to Seattle. Arrive at 10 PM Seattle time. 30 minute delay waiting on plane for jetbridge to be fixed. Same day. Hmm — what is that…a 36-hour day? I dunno. Too tired for math. Anyways, I’m home and being mauled by my cats for attention. Still, Paris was fantastic.

Last Day!

So we were going to cook today. Unfortunately the chef mis-scheduled others during the day and couldn’t acommodate us — a truly bummer deal. So we ended up doing some “left-overs” of our own and hit some places we missed or wanted more of.

THEN we set off for our last night at new hotel near the airport, since we have an early morning flight. Below is the video that pretty much sums up my thoughts on the hotel. It was better than I had dreamed of — I’m such an airplane nerd. (Warning: I’m slightly a potty-mouth)

Watch video

Plus here’s the photos:

Facebook album of Day 7 — last day!

Public Pommel Horsing not allowed in France

Wandering around Paris I went down this ally to a little park as I was waiting for Claire to finish on her own taking some last pictures of the Musee D’Orsay and what do I find out: France discriminates on gymnastic apparatus. Damn. My routine was all ready to go, too.

Here’s the parks where the sign was — cute little thing, but what an interesting welcome. It’s obvious they mean not for you to slide on the railing there or jump it, but still

les omlettes sont les meilleurs!

I had the best ham omlette, of all things, for dinner tonight. The ham was real and tasty, cheese perfect and the eggs — remarkably done, yet tender and fluffy. Amazing something so seemingly simple could be so vastly better than you’ve ever had before.

Today we went to the Centre Pompidou and saw the Mus

Quick Paris Photos

We had perhaps the last good day of weather in our schedule today, according to the forecasts. So we made the best of it! Click on them for bigger versions.

No poop yet; The French DO smile!

I have travel stories already. I made it my goal of staying awake the first day until a reasonable hour. Yay — I did it. 10PM and it’s bedtime on this Friday night! I am dog tired!

Speaking of dogs, I had always read and heard that Paris has dog crap laying all over the streets as people didn’t pick up after their dogs. It must be one of those fallacies to keep people away — kinda like Seattle and rain, because I have yet to come across any of this detrius on the streets. As a matter of fact most are pretty clean actually. Hmmpf. Must hunt for this elusive French dogshit. Will take photos. This is my new mission.

And speaking of the French — I have yet to be truly offended by anyone’s rude behavior yet either. I actually got a lot of smiles and good natured-ness even using my extremely limited French phrases. Although you do get a lot of “matter-of-factness” as I call it. Call it a smooth indifference. They absolutely give you what you want, but just no smile. I say — so what?! That’s not rude. That just…is. Which apparently is very French. Definitely not American style. But that’s why you travel, isn’t it — to get out of your comfort zones, explore and witness that there are other ways of doing things just as good as your own.

OK, I’m nearly hitting the keyboard with my head nodding off to sleep. Pictures to come tomorrow and so does Claire!