Vivre La France!

French streets have an atmosphere all of their own. 

Arrive in Paris @ 6.00am a cool 8 degrees

Catch Black B and B bus to hotel to be met by unfriendly black guy on reception who states "pas une livraissons a vous"  Au revoir to my sim card I think

We find our way to our hot, tiny, but clean room 

Train into Paris

Every nationality

The message is everywhere the North is dangerous, poor, desperate

Run down buildings, some occupied, graffiti everywhere

Montmartre appears and then we are in Gare du Nord

Men stand aimlessly, dangerously around

Clasp bag closer.

Parisien Petit Dejeuner

Baguette at last

Crosssant confiture and noisette…. Eh bien!

Rue St Denis

Full of suprises

Indian Thali, menu Chinois, cheap cheap cheap

Glitzy shops abound with sequins

Prostitutes stand poised

Wrinkled faces,sagging bodies and augmented breasts accost men as they pass 

Men and their prostitutes scanning the crowds eagerly for business.

A smart chappie emerges from a secluded stairwell giving the smiling but aged prostitute a cheery pat on the bum.

Glitzy school crossing lady poses proudly

We emerge at an amazing but nameless arch

Refugees, poor and dirty, slick business men and women mingle in the melee.

Formule lunch

Bifstek and chicken
Passing crowds entertain us!

Fruits and veggies gleam

Restaurants buzz

Haute couture abounds
Men lie sleeping in their own filth

Grouchy ticket attendant tries to sent us off to the suburbs... ha! ha! worked that one out!  Leap on Roissy bus which roars through town and back to hotel

Asleep by 7.00!

Bon Appetit, Bon Soir et Bon Voyage!

As we got on plane saw..Gateway to heaven... or First class!  Not for us though!

Left Sydney on a beautiful day, Really can't believe we're going!.... 

Wow the map makes it look a long way.

Thank goodness for flatbeds and yummy food!

It's not all Apples!

We’re off!  After all that has happened I can’t believe that we are really going.  For once we are organised or so I think.  I just have to back up my computer and set up new external hard drives to take with me.  I’ve bought a very swish time capsule for home. Caleb pops around to see if there is anything he can do to help out.  “Just fix up the hard drive for me” I say. 

Four hours later he’s still there, trying to set it up.  Meanwhile a wild storm has rushed through the garden undoing all of the hard work of yesterday!  Branches and leaves are strewn everywhere.  Too late to worry about it now!

Julie our lovely neighbour, is to pick us up at 2.00.  At 12.00 I’m anxious that Caleb is still trying to get the hard drive to work.  I’ll take it back I say.  In Mac 1, the guy is supercilious.  “Sorry, not our product you have to go back to Apple.”  “No” I say “By law I bought it from here and I have 7 days to bring it back.” 

“Its been opened” he says. 

“Well, how would I know it doesn’t work if I didn’t open it?” I say.

“Well all I can do is send it back to Apple.  It takes about ten days.  Then they’ll send it off for repair.  It can take up to three months.”

“That’s no good to me.” I say “I am leaving Australia in a couple of hours and I won’t be back for three months.”

“Sorry that’s it. Take it or leave it.”

“No” I say “That’s not it.  I’m entitled to a full refund.”  He turns his back on me.  I get my phone and loudly describe the situation to my lawyer (Roger).  “Yes” I repeat, “So I am entitled to a full refund.” 

I go back to the guy.  He has been listening.  “OK” he says “We’ll just check whether there is anything wrong with it.  “What’s your password?”  I put in the password… it doesn’t work.  His mouth curls in derision.  You can see ‘Stupid greyhair’ written all over his face.  I get back onto the phone this time to my “technician” (Caleb). “I set the password back to default.” says Caleb.  I tell the guy again.  He says “Look you don’t even know your password, so how would you know how to set this thing up.”

I am livid.  I need to get out of there.  I need to return this and go.

I call my lawyer again, he regurgitates all that he has learnt from “Checkout”.   “You are entitled to a full refund.” I repeat the advice loudly to the whole shop.  “So you suggest I call the police” I say.  “Ok, will do.’   So just to get this clear shop policy does not replace the law and I am entitled to a full refund.” 

I go over and tell the assistant “This is my advice and it’s what I’m going to do.”  He doesn’t need me to repeat, he along with the whole shop, has been listening.  People are starting to ask, “So if I have a problem you can’t help me, and I might be without my computer for 3 months.” 

The crowd is coming with me and the assistant feels the pressure.  “Ok” he says.  “I’ll give you a refund.”

“Yeah!” 

But then he adds, “But there’ll be a $30 restocking fee.” 

“Restocking fee!”  The whole shop bunkers down at my outrage.  “No way” I say ”I am entitled by law to a full refund.”

“I don’t care how many times you say that” he says,” You have to pay $30.”  I reach for my phone.  “OK, OK,” he says, “I’ll give you a full refund, but only because I want to get you out of my shop.”

“No” I say “You’re giving it to me because it is the law.”  He gives me the refund slip and growls, “and don’t come back!”

I can’t be bothered to deal with that one right now.

I’m off flying down the road.  A quick call to Julie “Can she pick us up an hour later?”  After all the weeks of beautiful weather, the rain is tumbling down and the wind howling. 

Home…….final quick pack of bags………drop Caleb off and I am standing in the rain waiting outside Balgowlah Boys for Julie and Roger to pick me up.

And then, we are in the Ibis’ world of silence, watching planes go silently by.  Dinner, wine, sleep and we are ready for our new adventure.

Hole in the wall, hole in the head

Mmm just feels that way as we are in the midst of renovations. Not one room is untouched!

We are putting an ensuite onto our bedroom and a toilet upstairs! Phew! those of you who have stayed with us.

We are also re-tiling the verandah and in the middle of allof this we thought we should do something about the damp in the laundry... result is that everything from the study is in the lounge room.The pantry and laundry in the family room. All the cupboards upstairs have been emptied into the bedroom and everything else is on the verandah. Not to worry our house exchange partners arrive for lunch in 3 weeks... HO! HUM!

As to the rest of our news, we just had a great trip to Byron Bay Blues Festival. Caught up with the Neves on the Central Coast, which was great, lots of fun at Ishi's exhibition.Fab to catch up with Wendy. Love her new place, but miss her in SydneyByron was of course FANTASTIC. Brilliant acts from 12.00 lunchtime till 11.00 pm. Favourites were Seasick Steve, Wolfmother, Melbourne Ska band, Vusi Malasela, and many more including the famous names. Loved it so much we have booked for 5 days next year, though goodness knows what we will be doing.

As to the family. Roger is now having cortezone treatment on his ankle. 8 weeks on he is getting pretty fed up with the moonboot... no he wouldn't let me take the photo.

Caleb is going well. His workshop is looking fab, he has just put in another window and sliding door and is getting geared up for more artworks. We head off for another brain scan today so fingers crossed.

I am busy doing my usual things, singing of course. Our performance of the Schubert is on May 5 so there is lots of tra la laaing happening. Both Roger and I are still involved with Writers Festival which is now getting busy. Can't wait to get the house back together ... sure it will look fab! Will post piccies when its done.

Marrickville madness

Along with the Greek cafes and delis that haven't changed in the last 30 years, there's also a certain zaniness and community pride.

Shops advertise by setting up displays on their awnings and locals have created mosaics all along the main road. Luv it!!!

Foodies heaven

Had great fun in the Greek supermarket.. bags bulging with goodies we headed back over the Harbour Bridge.

As part of our "Discovering Sydney" idea we visited Marrickville, an inner city suburb that has attracted people of Greek heritage.

It was another rainy day but we walked along the main street, Marrickville Road and visited all the shops along the way.

There were Greek butchers, delicatessens, book shops, hair dressers and lovely traditional restaurants.

It "feels" like your in an actual restaurant in a Greek provincial town with bouzouki background music and guys sharing a Greek salad!