Tag: paris

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Photography Travel Blog

Day 3 And We Went Up The Towers Of Notre-Dame

Finally, the blue sky appeared on the third day of our holiday.  We switched from museum crawling to monument crawling.  If I am to pick one place in Paris I love to hang out the most, that has to be the two islands – Ile de la Cité and Ile St-Louis – in the center of the city.  These two islands are so tiny but yet, to me, they are the focal point of the numerous momuments in Paris.  That is why when you climb the 387 steps and stand on the top of the south tower of Notre-Dame, you can see Sainte-Chapelle, Hôtel-Dieu, Palais de Justic, Arc de Triomphe, echoed by Grande Arche de La Défense to the west.  Saint-Jacques Tower and Sacré-Cœur rise up over Montmartre to the north.  To the east, the Bibliothèque Nationale and to the south, the Latin district and turning westwards, Les Invalides.

To read more about the third day of our trip, here are the options.

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Photography Travel Blog

First Two Days In Paris Was Colder Than We’d Anticipated

Time flies.  If I don’t get started documenting our travel journal, year 2011 may hit me before I know it.  June this year, we have visited France.  Like our trip to Spain last year, I am going to publish an article every weekend, until I run out of materials.

I am familiar with Paris.  When I was studying in UK, I spent my summer holidays staying with my relatives in Paris, helping them with their work and in my free time, I wandered the streets of Paris.  I have worked in Paris too.  And I have always wanted to bring Cynthia to Paris and show her the city inside out.  10 years we have been married, it seems like a destination long overdued.

Late June, we would have thought the weather was going to be sunny and warm.  We landed in Paris on a cold, cold morning of 9 degree Celsius.  Time to jiggle our plan a little bit and improvise.  Below are the options to read more about our first two days of the trip.

Here is a quick peep at a highlight of our photos.

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Diary From the Attic

This, Is the End

End of May.  End of the project.  End of my stay in Paris.  In this two days, I have realised something.

“Almost nothing lasts forever.  But the end of something always marks the beginning of something else.  For better or for worst?  Who can tell?  That is when optimism and pessimism come into the picture.  How about neutralism? ” – Cycles, Me.

Today, My AC mates in BNP held a farewell party for me.  Dining in a very nice restaurant.  And we have 11 of us.  Janice was there as well.  Karin thinks that I am a gentleman but I told her that I am just trying to be.

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From the Attic Memorable Events

I Hate Goodbye

Farewell party.  I have invited 25 people and it was pretty crowded.  Sophie and they all have bought me some presents.  A pair of “waist cuff”, one brace and Mylene Farmer LD.  And of course, one card full of writings from the 7th floor.  I shall miss them all.  Very much so.  I hate “Goodbye”.

And then, we went to a Brazilian Restaurant and had a great time.

My emotion is so intense and I really don’t know what to write anymore.

I will miss Paris.

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Diary From the Attic

What Else Can I Do in Paris?

Server was down most of the day and really, I got really bored.  Had a haircut.  And watched the film “Absolute Power”.  What else can I do in Paris?

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Diary From the Attic

Tried

Spent the whole day in the office talking about sex Mohamed.  Can’t believe it.  What?  Mohamed had sex with 2 Italians on a mountain?  Hard to believe but may as well be true.

I am so tired.  Watched the show “Powder” on Pay TV and it is oh so touching.

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Diary From the Attic

Stripped, Shattered

I had nightmare again.  Too many nightmare nowadays.  Car crash, arrested by Chinese government, bullets in my legs, sick surgeon.  I really can’t stand it.

The whole weekend alone.  Mohamed didn’t call as promised.  So lonely and my mind was set to JP again.  What is love?  What is hate?  To love is to hate.  To hate is to love.  Do I still love her?  But it is not love anymore if it is one-sided.  So cruel of her to leave me alone here in Paris suffering the heartbreak.  How can she?  For we have been in love for four years.  From time to time, I dream that she will be there when I return to Singapore.  But why should I dream that for it has already been to late.  Far too late for any remedy to take place.  God doesn’t help me at all.  Time heal?  It isn’t true.  Not true at all.  I still feel the very pain even after 2 months.

I am yearning for everlasting true love.

Went to WH Smiths and bought the book “Hamlet”.  Published by Oxford University Press of course.  Watched the move “Michael Collin”.  A tragedy.  Too many tragedies nowadays.  Had a Mexican meal in the cold.  What else should I have done for my last weekend in Paris (this mission)?

I miss her so dearly.  It is just not fair to the way it turns out.  Why she dumped me?  What’s wrong with me?  And she is so happy.  Yes, so happy without my presence.  Shall I be happy for her for shall I be sad for myself.  All my grief and sorrow and nothing can ever mend this broken heart of mine.

Life is so unfair.  Life is so unpredictable.  And she striped me down to nothing.  Shatter my dreams, shatter my future, shatter all my hopes and leave me homeless in this foreign land, in Singapore.  Striped away all the joy I was used to have.

Shall I welcome my next stage of life?

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Diary From the Attic

In the End, Hamlet Died

Got up quite late and went to my favourite cinema and bought a ticket for the show “Hamlet”.  Dashed to my favourite restaurant (Japanese) and they opened it earlier especially for me.

Arrived just on time for the show and got a really lousy seat.  Anyway it wasn’t that bad.  Knowing the show would last for four hours, I came well mentally prepared.

A very good show indeed.  The third Shakespeare show.  And why do they always want to produce a tragic piece?  I have no idea.  In the end, Hamlet died.

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Diary From the Attic

I Hate Parting

They are going to organize a farewell party for me.  How nice!  On Monday, Michel, Noubi and Laurent will leave for Cairo and will not be seeing them in the near future.  From time to time, I do feel quite emotional towards it.

I hate parting.

And towards the end of the night, Michel has invited me to dine with him and his wife in the same Chinese restaurant again.  As I have nothing planned, it was really very nice of them.  We played “Black Maria “ till 2 am.  I lost the first game.  And made three continuous mistake in the second game, hence lost.  But it was really funny.  Something like this. Merela first wanted to “take all” but I stopped her with a big sacrifice.  Subsequently, she wanted to “take all” again and I managed to stop her.  But the sad thing was I took the spade of queen by mistake.  In the third try, I did not stop her but I could have done so.

But as for the last game, I won by mile!  And Michel lost.

Really sad that I have to part with Merela and God knows when I will be seeing her again.  Really sad.

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Diary From the Attic

I Wish I Could Record the Best Scenes of My Life

Spent more than half a day in drafting the final status report.  Feel a bit of void right now.  You see, really void.  I will miss my clients and the project itself.

And of course, I will miss Paris.

The Spanish food tonight was alright.  A bit far away (beyond Chatelet).  Funny that tonight during dinner time, I thought of JP again.  Thought of how nice it would have been if she was with me right now.  That idea sprang up when I was thinking of whether I should order some dessert afterwards.  I don’t like dessert but I know she loves it.  She would have love to have some dessert.

Oh, dear old history and so much in pain.

Watched the movie “Beautiful Girls” on pay TV.  Very lovely show and make sure I’ll buy the DVD version later on when DVD gets popular – just like CD.  And I was thinking if in the future, I can “record” some of the best scene and put it into one DVD.  Just like the old days when you record some of your favourite and place them into one tape.  Would have been nice.