Some more pics and the history of the thumb statue

The Grand Arch Went to the top of this. It is enormous. there was fog so we didnt' see very far, but it was really cool to go up on top. No wind and it was completely silent up there. That was kinda wierd.

This was by the grand arch. Le Pouce (thumb). Huge and thumby, and made of Bronze. That could have been a lot of instruments for underprivaleged children...but look at that thumb!!! Just kidding. I think it was a gift given in memory of France's extraordinary victory in the thumb wars of 1795. Margot Clinet, France's leading "Pouceur" (thumber) beat Germany in a crushing defeat. The king at the time however, Louis XIII, had bet against France and was humilated by the victory. He had Clinet sentenced to death by Guillatine. But shortly before the execution Louis XIII had one of Clinet's thumbs removed and given to the German King Shrelorgre IV as a sign of no hard feelings. 100 years later in the spring of 1895 Germany had this giant thumb sculpted of bronze and given to the French. Having nowhere to put it at the time it was stored in a shipyard on the Atlantic see until 1937 when Francois Renault deciced to have it transported to Paris and put on display for all the city goers to see and remember the history of the Thumbwars and the misustice that had been done to Margot Clinet.

Feris wheel at the Place de Concord at the end of a garden attatched to the Louvre and the beginning of the Champs Elysees.

Notre Dame and a (Sapin) christmas tree

Contact juggler...that was a sphere of glass!!! Very cool Outside the Pompidou Center. The big inside out museum

The Louvre!

The winged victory of Samothrace, everyone has seen this piece of art, and I got to see it up close. It was cool, but well I would say there are a lot cooler and more interesting statues...

Yeah, we know this one...Venus De Milo. Very famous, but again, the statues like the one that follows were awe inspiring. The expressions that the artists managed with their work is incredible!!!

Look at that! This is just one, and little at that. I didn't get the name, but look at the detail. It was about as big as a Microwave.

This is all I saw of the Mona Lisa. I didn't want to battle the giant Japanese tour group that came in right in front of me so I settled for the sign telling me where she was located.

Ahh, the Louvre at night! What a site! So dark yet so light, outside the Louvre at night.

Some Pics of Paris...I am going back, who's going with me?

Welcome to the Seine as seen from the first level of the Eiffel tower (Tour Eiffel). My last day in Paris I sat on a bridge over the river and smoked a pipe that I bought in a little shop under Le Musée de Louvre.

This is me sitting in front of the Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart church). Very serious. This was the morning of my first day.

This again is Sacre Coeur. The sun peaked out of the clouds and I snapped this pic. I loved it there. Great view, but you couldn't quite see the Eiffel tower from the hill.

L'arc de Triomphe! I payed to climb to the top of the tower and take pictures. That is where I snapped the following pic from of the Tour Eiffel.

Created in 1889 for the internation exposition in Paris with the intent of being torn down after twenty years, the Tour Eiffel transformed from an ugly iron eye sore to a symbol of Paris and the French people. When the time came to tear it down, radio and meteorology stations requested it be left standing because of the potential it had as a broadcasting antenna. Without radio and meteorology stations, it is almost certain there would be no Eiffel tour today. Pretty cool huh?

IN PARIS

Hey all, I am writing to you from my hostel in northern Paris. I just ate breakfast and I am about to embark on my first day in Paris. I will soon take some pictures and take a tour. It is a little rainy, kinda like Ireland was, but it is not as cold as Minnesota right now!!! HAHA!
Well, talk to you soon!

Leaving for Paris today

Hey, I leave for Paris in 6 hours and 13 minutes!!!! 4 days, it will be amazing!!!

Some more Barcelona pics

Check out this expression!!!! I think he was waiting for his wife to buy some clothes, he was pacing back and fourth smoking and looking really irritated .

the Gaudi park overlook. That is the Mediterranean sea and the city. I am pretty sure that this is where a scene from a famous french film was made.

This was the group I traveled with the second day. Everyone but the guy in the red was french.

This guy and that dog was waiting at the entrance/exit of the subway system, pretty scary huh?

the main drag in Barcelona... at least the part we went to.

Oh Yeah...I went to Barcelona a while back...

AHHHHH!!!! Bird MAN!!!! Run away!!!

yes, he is actually faking playing the harmonica.

These were two of the guys I hung out with the first day. They were crazy, and kept calling things "Prolo" like Proletariat .

Cardboard would have been just as comfortable, but this place was cheap, so it was totally worth it.

Need I say more??? This was like the first guy that talked to us in Barcelona...he spoke russian, spanish, english, french, and who knows what else.

Birthday pics part III

Tine and Xavi smiling and having fun with the game.

This was a game we played called "Bonjour Robert!" We had four cards with actions associated with them. We had Robert- who had a baguette under his arm and when we saw him we had to all say "bonjour Robert". When we got the american in blue jeans and a white t-shirt we said "Hello" and had to raise our hand like we were waving. When we got an African guy we had to put our hand over our heart. The last card was an "asian" (here is where this game might not really float in the U.S.) and we had to bow when we got him. It was a game of speed and reflexes. The first one to lose all their cards wins, and they do that by never messing up on the actions. My neck hurt the next day from getting the

Kaori!!!

This was the end of the party. I got everyone on the stairs of my host family's house. It is a pretty fun photo.

Birthday pics part II

These are pics of us in the back yard playing ping pong. Yang and Xavi were the best players, I think Yang won, but no before Xavi stepped on a plant and promised to be more careful.

Check this out!!! It was a fruit platter with sparklers and two little flags in the middle. An American flag and a French flag. They were really excited that Obama won the election!

Birthday pics part I

That is the "acheteur" of my amazing cake and beloved host mother.

That is my amazing cake!!!

Xavi (Spain) and Kaori (pronounced like Cow-Lee from Japan)

This was the dinner table. From left to right, Tine (from Norway), Me, Yang (China) and my host mother (France).

This is me pretending like I was working on the food my host mom was preparing for my party, but she did all the work. It was amazing.

This is probably one of my favorite pics. We discovered this hidden cave that must have been a store room or basement room.

This is me...obviously...when we had just reached the top. We then continued on towards the Chapel.

Almost to the top...and the TOP!

This is a furry friend that was having an easier time at climbing this mountain. He looked really thirsty, so when I found this old water bottle filled with water too dirty for the people, he was more than happy to drink it all up.

This is Yang and another little friend. He, his mom and the dog were climbing up and Yang was helping out.

Yang at the top. Yes, that is a cliff to his left...our right.

This was the Chappel at the top of Pic St. Loup, at the very top. Who climbed this thing and built this stone chappel? I am pretty sure it said, but at that point I was too thirsty to do anything.

Here you go, an amazing view from the top. Occationally there were glider planes wizzing by, and this couple was enjoying the sun and the fresh air after a long hike. I wanted to sit there...stupid couple...

Another interesting fact about the trip; we road 26 kilometers there and 26 kilometers back. Sun up to sun down and we mounted two, not one, but two peaks!

Part II of the Pic St. Loup Collection

When we didn't know where to go we looked for these little painted markings. They were very helpful.


This is Yang going solely on intuation as to which direction to go. He prides himself in his sense of direction...



The route was this rocky the entire time!!!

This is the group, minus the photographer...me : (

This is the first peak with a little castle on top. It was actually a church, but it looked like a castle.