Moulin Rouge....very French...

Today I visited the area around Mountmarte. What a nice little area in Paris...the streets are full of little shops and my favorite, pastry shops... I just keep eating and eating and eating.



In a square at Mountmarte, there is an area where artists put out their display for sale...then there is a church, Basilique du Sacré Coeur...and from the front, I can see the entire Paris. What a sight!!!

Well...since I am here, I might as well take a picture in front of the infamous "Moulin Rouge".

Little Sick Today....

It is Sunday today...not feeling too well today. I think I have a minor flu or something. But I still managed to get out and go see one site...the Modern Art Museum....but I did not feel I wanted to go in. So I kinda laid low today and ate my Creme Brulee.

If I walk, then I've gotta shop

Last night, I realized that I had the date turned-on on my digital camera. I was hoping to taking pictures of the paintings at Musee d'Orsay for future wall paper purposes...and that "date stamp" just does not cut it. My perfectionism tells me that I have to return to the museum and re-take everything. So I did...and that also means I had to pay admissions AGAIN. But it was worth it...



Afterwards, I got on the Paris version of 'Hop-on-Hop-off' bus, and went through the entire rest of Paris...to all the places I do not care to walk. But then.....shopping heaven arrived....Arc de Triomphe!!! I still recall years ago, this was the place where my sister and I discovered that there is different prices for food/drinks depending on where you sit within the restaurant. The closer you are to the street, the more you pay. Well...I did my financial contribution to France by shopping at Fnac (a combo CompUSA and Virgin Record Store) and celio (kind of like Banana Republic).

Uh...Van Gogh...Monet...

Paris is simply gorgeous!!! I am having pastry with espresso this morning....of course last night, I had to have Creme Brulee before I went to bed. Today... I went to museums and walked around Paris.

My first stop...Musee d'Orsay. It is a museum filled with some of the greatest modern art collection. This museum sure beats that other one across the street. I got to see some of my favorite art from Van Gogh and Monet...among many others.



Afterwards I went to the Eiffel Tower via the subway. Public transportation was very convenient...and much of what I wanted to see were just walking distance away. Although there were three separate lines to go to the top...but there were just too many people...and I was not really in the mood.... so off I go....to EAT!!!

Arrival in Paris...

Arrived in Paris today on Eurail. Quick....just a little more than an hour. What's great is that it only cost US$98 round trip!!! Cheap is good.

It's Showtime!!! Let's Rock!!!

I came...and I saw....although I would not consider "We Will Rock You" a Broadway classic...but it still is quite amazing how they can string a story together with only songs from Queen. It was a full house...and I enjoyed it very much. Well...the Dominion Theatre's exterior was sure an amazing display!!

Portobello...Nottinghill...nothing like the Movie

Portobello...a bit disappointing...a kind of run down place that is nowhere near as cool as similar flee market streets of Hong Kong. The junk they sold were really just....junk. I did manage to eat my first fish and chips in London. There was so much grease in the batter...that I kind of gotten sick. But I did get something out of this place....a little pin for my Russian Furry Hat that my brother got me from Moscow years ago.

Get Out of London -----> Bath

I took a morning train and arrived at a little town called Bath. It is so beautiful that I just want to stay here. But what do you know...there is no vacancy anywhere.

In the 1st Century A.D., the Romans dicovered the natural springs and named the size Aquae Solis (Waters of the Sun). They built an elaborate lead-lined baths with heating and cooling systems. So there goes some of the first smart plumbing engineers.

I love this place...so I stayed here all day until I have to catch the last train back to London. What was a nice touch was that it snowed in the evening....and I ate at this little sweet Italian Resturant ran by a Japanese lady...how weird.

Gotta get some....

...tickets, that is!! One of the big reasons for coming to this place is to see some Broadway shows. I was told that I can get some half priced tickets during the middle of the day.

So right of the bat, I hopped onto a "Hop-on-Hop-off" bus tour ride (at around 9am) that basically took me all over the place....seeing all the tourist traps for US$25. Not bad, considering I really didn't want to hop off since it is freezing cold.

But nonetheless at lunchtime, I got off around Trafalgar Square. I looked...and looked...and looked...and finally got a ticket to go see 'We Will Rock You' for about US$60 (which is already half price). So since I am around the area, I might as well get some Chinese food. But OMG, everything is sooooo expensive. My little disgusting chow fun cost my approximately US$10!!!!

The Indoor Sun

After the morning walk across the Tower Bridge (yes, not the ugly looking London Bridge), I arrive at the Tate Modern Museum. This museum used to be the former Bankside Power Station...a hulking, brooding, ugly brown-brick behemoth "thing". It is 850 feet long and 115 feet high with a 325-foot chimney.

Inside this huge space, there is this huuuuge sun-like thing....where everyone just sit and be mesmorized by its sheer greatness. It looks as if you get actually get a sun tan, if you stay there long enough. But I started to get kind of sick and nauseous. I just basically hurried up and rushed through the rest of the museum... I was getting kinda hungry too.

London Morning...gloomy and cold

It is so cold here on this early Wednesday morning with some very yucky weather. I am staying near the financial district and guess what I see in the morning....this big ugly thing in the middle of the City. Guess what comes to mind when I saw this thing.... I think I'd better keep this post PG rating.