On my Erasmus year in Cergy on the outskirts of Paris, from about mid October until at least the end of March, the words “Que frio hace” usually preceded by “Joder” were uttered constantly by my Spanish friends (meaning more or less “Shit it‘s cold!”). I know from experience that Spain can reach temperatures below zero and it’s not just rain in Spain that falls mainly on the plains. Snow is certainly not unheard of, but nevertheless the Spanish are…
With more baggage than body-weight, travelling across the globe is stressful enough but with excess baggage charges moving great distances has the added stress of even greater prices; that’s why I decided to upgrade. If you’re travelling with lots of luggage don’t forget to weigh up the benefits of an upgrade. It can cost up to £10 a kilo just for excess baggage, where as for £110 more than the price of an economy ticket I received 10 kilos extra baggage allowance…
Five Things Left to Do in Paris So here I am, down to my last five weeks in Paris and unlike at the end of my Erasmus when I had a strong feeling that I would be back as soon as possible for an extended stay, this time I know that I won’t be back so soon and that next time probably won’t be serious, more likely a brief fling with an old flame. To be sure to leave Paris…
As the saying goes lightning never strikes twice in the same place… which makes taking photos pretty difficult! I was pondering this saying and what it might mean as I uploaded my video (unwatched at this point) of the impressive storm threatening to break for hours above Paris on Tuesday night. I had come to a few conclusions when I decided to watch back my snapshot – only to discover that lightning actually does srike twice in the same place!…
Bastille Day Thursday was my much anticipated day off, thanks to the French National Holiday – le 14 juillet. In a manner similar to the last public holiday I spent in France (Parc Asterix) I decided that a day off mid-week should not be wasted. The 14 juillet is often nicknamed Bastille Day by those of us who studied some basic French history as this celebration takes place on the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789…
According to Tuenti it’s been 110 days since I last updated my status: “En Paris – nuevo trabajo, nuevo piso :)” Almost a third of a year has flown by and both the job and the flat no longer seem all that new. The problem was that around 100 days ago all that happiness of finding a new job and flat was shattered in an instant: An evening which started out better than average, ended in tears. I didn’t feel…
There are many times over the course of just a year that we have the chance to re-define ourselves and start a new page in the story of our lives. This year I have had several occasions to do just that: New Year, new job, new flat, new experiences and new friends… but perhaps it is fitting that I choose Easter weekend to re-start the blog. Traditionally a celebration of re-birth. Although this entry marks the debut of my account…
Coming from the U.K. pretty much the only time we eat a roast turkey with all the trimmings is on Christmas Day. We don’t have Thanksgiving so, not being Canadian, I hadn’t anticipated doing anything special. A newfound friend invited us to spend the afternoon in the company of her family and friends whicch certainly made the holiday weekend a little more lively than dinner for two. It was a lovely way to spend my first Thanksgiving in Canada and…
I cannot express my disbelief upon hearing the tales of execution this week. All I can say is I am glad I’m not an animal living in these parts. Hunters show no mercy towards any creature no matter how great or small! You only have to glance along the highway to realise that the locals do not think twice about mowing down the wildlife. You could pick up a rather large variety of road-kill, ranging from raccoons to deer! On…