Dec 2008

Spent the past weekend in good ol' romantic Paris with a few friends and one word to describe it this time: COLD. Yep,
Paris is a very beautiful city and all but the first time we visited we were in light-weight sweater, no jackets, etc. This time around, my parka and sweater were not enough to battle the cold, wind and rain..lol..oh well, were in Paris know what i mean?

• Friday night we stayed at our hotel (Le Meridien Etoille) after arriving in the evening, and chilled in the hotel jazz bar. I guess because it was a hotel and there was a jazz band from the US there, the prices were crazy. ANY first drink was 26 euro and the next were 11-15 euro..and these were the regulr house drinks..ouch. No, big ouch.

• Spent Saturday in Versailles, home of Louis XIV. The chateau de Versailles is absolutely gigantic! We wandered from elaborate room to the next fancy room and didn't even make it out to the garden, which is decorated with shapely hedges and stretches out as far as the eye can see! It is difficult to fathom how someone could actually live in a place this big and posh..wow, to be an aristocrat back in the day eh?

• There was an art exhibition on display within some of the rooms to give a contrast between old and new art. The artist was Jeff Koons from the US. His works of art with bubbly figures like balloon dogs, Michael Jackson and Bubbles, Pink panther, hoovers...so weird and out of place.

• Had dinner in the Latin Quarter, around Notre Dame cathedral, mmm fondue and more Bordeaux wine lol!

• Sunday morning we went to this trendy, quirky brunch place recommended to us by one of Michelle's co-workers who lives near Paris, called Curieux spaghetti Bar . Very cool place with japanese anime as wall-paintings, orange lighting, waiters dressed in tight, short pajamas and very good french buffet breakfast. This really got me thinking of the possibilities of this kind of place in t.O. hmm..?

• Before catching our plane we took a walk to the Pont Des Arts, aka the 'kissing bridge'! Yep, we found it! It's a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Seine River and is just outside the Musee du Louvre. Had to take the obligatory kissing photo op there.

• Walked around outside the Musee de Louvre, down the Champs D'Elysees and checked out a few stores (we missed Chanel! darn :P) before realizing that things are much too expensive in Paris. Sacre Bleu!!

• Had another great but COLD, WET and RAINY time in Paris this Winter, vive la France!
  

So this past weekend we went to cork, ireland to visit Kuya Boris and his family (Ate Nancy and their 2-yr old daughter Mia..such a cuuuuutie!!). Cork was about an hour flight away from Heathrow and we flew Aer Lingus again since they 'fly 22 times a day from Heathrow'..

• What a GREAT family and extremely hospitable to us, whom they've seen only twice! When we visited the Philippines a couple Xmases ago, we hung out with his younger sister and had fun times in Boracay. They've been in Cork almost 8 years now and have built such an amazing life there..

• They took us out at night to go check out the Cork nightlife (how cool parents are they?) and we checked out a couple pubs/clubs. Suffice to say, we were the only asians in both places but the Cork citizens were so nice and not one ounce of attitude but just pure fun/happiness all around. The last place we stayed at played a variety of music, reminded me of the Peel Pub (lol) and Kuya Boris almost lost the car keys (which luckily the security found and was holding!)

• Checked out the town of Kinsale and Charles Fort - that day was freeeezing!

• I went to Cork, Ireland and bought a pair of England football shorts.

• Mia is such a cutie and good girl. She's just learning words and calls both mommy and daddy , 'daddy' hahah! She loves dogs, Hi-Five and Pingu the Penguin lol! (seriously, seeing her small frame standing directly in front of a 32" TV , while watching a Pingu DVD, was hilarious).

• I just can't mention enough how much they went out of their way to show us a good time and treat us like we've known each other forever. That's what i call family. Now come visit us in Toronto so we can return the favour!