Short trip back to Paris

Special occasion: my old friend, Laure, is getting married.
Who would have thought this? It's always weird thinking someone you grew up with is building his/her future as an adult.

So I took a ticket and came back for that particular occasion. On the day, I went a bit earlier at Laure's place to see if all was ok. She already went to the hairdresser and Daphné was ready to do her make up.
There was a little tension in the air that showed me that day wasn't a common day. Sylvie, her mum and my Godmother, was running everywhere to have everything sorted and Laure was moaning as usual. :)

I came back home to get prepared and met my mum and brother who were all dressed up too. 15-30 min before the meeting time, Daffy called me to help her with the bride and groom flowers. We rushed to the flower shop and saw, before all guests, the flowers taht Laure would have on all pictures. It was a very nice little bunch of various flowers.

I finally came back to pick my mum and brother up and all together, we left for the other side of the road to the city hall, as the wedding was taking place in Levallois.

After having waited for a while due to some delay, we finaly took place in the wedding room of our beautiful city hall and the deputy mayor started the speech. He talked about both parties, talked about the link each and everyone had with the city of Levallois and all summed up it was a nice ceremony.

Straight after, we left to Laure's parents' place and had the little "party". I had the occasion to talk to Antoine, which I hadn't seen in 2 years, since our separation, and it all went very well.
The party finished late at night (or should I better say, early morning) and everyone seemed satisfied with the day.

I really wish this wedding will go well in time. I may haven't seen Laure in ages and we may not agree all the time on everything but she will remain forever someone I do care about. Let's wish them the best of happiness.

Unknown and great!

Lyon. Everyone told me it's a nice city so I decided to go and have a look... and, as often, Cécilia followed me in my adventure.

We had decided to go there on the week-end after Cécilia's birthday. It was Easter, so we'd have a 3 days week-end and that would be a nice way to celebrate Cécilia's 24 years of age.

Cécilia's mother absolutely wanted us to have a guide there so she gave her number to some fellow she sort of know.

DAY 1: On the day, we were sitting in our 1st class chair (yes, it was as expensive as 2nd class so...) when we received a call from Ludovic, our "guide". He said he would come to pick us up at our hotel in the evening.

With Cécilia we arrived and went straight to the hotel to visit it (our visit was half professional, that was the only way to get the accomodation for free) then decided to have lunch in a typical restaurant as Francis told us Lyon is the capital of gastronomy. What he didn't tell us was that Lyon's gastronomy is based on tripes and offals. So we had some "tablier de sapeur" and an "andouillette aux tripes" and after two bites we just wanted to have desert! Tripes are just awful!

After this culinary experience, we went for a walk to have a first view of the city. Pretty disappointing as we were expecting something more modern. the city actually looks like an Italian one!

Coming back to the hotel, we decided to go to the Spa as no one was there and we still had time before Ludovic called. The problem was: we didn't think of taking of bathsuits with! Nevermind! We went in underwears!! Great time in the jacuzzi taking pictures and relaxing.
In the evening Ludovic came and introduced us to his brother Max and all together we went for a drink and a chat, then for a bite and finaly we ended up in a great dancing bar, drinking, dancing, laughing... We got on very well straight away all together and we really had a great time!
Back at the hotel at 4 am!

DAY 2: Up at 9 am to enjoy the wonderful buffet breakfast and change hotel. Once settle up in the other, we used the velo'v (public bycicle!) to cross the city and arrive in the Parc de la Tête d'Or. This is such a nice place. I don't know how many hectars of parc there is there but the place is huge enough to have a lake in the middle! As we ran out of batery in our camera, we agreed to come back there the next morning to do a shooting session.

Max an Ludo came to pick us up in the evening and again we went to take the aperitif and finaly spent the evening chatting in a tropical pub. There again, just great!
Came back at the hotel at 5 am.

DAY 3: After the traditional awesome breakfast, we headed with the velo'v to the Parc de la Tête d'Or for our shooting session and did some very nice pictures!
Guys joined us and together we rented a pedalo. It was a 30 min ride laughing and enjoying.
Then after one last bite, we left for the train station.

What I really liked about this week-end was that we met these two guys and we got on so well together that it just seemed to everyone that we've been knowing each other for 10 years!
We had a really great time and now we look forward welcoming them here, in Nice.

Like in the old days

I didn't expect a simple little green shamrock to rock my world like this.

This week-end I went back to Dublin for an extended week-end and I found there the peace and the joy I lost when I left Ireland... This seems quite a philosophic sentence... Ok, let's start from the beginning.

It was the first time since I'm in Nice that I took a day flight. Normaly I'm always flying late in the evening or too early in the morning to see anything. That time, my 11 am flight allow me to have a wonderful panoramic view on the French Riviera: Nice, Mont Boron, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat... The coast is a real jewel and I didn't expect it to be that nice. That was the first surprise of the day.

The 2 hours and 15 minutes flight went ok. Nothing much to say except maybe that all France was under the clouds and that I was next to the window so I could "face-sunbathe" during the flight.

Landing in Ireland, I had the opportunity to look at the landscapes and they stoke me. Everything was plane and green. Just beautiful. I was invaded by some inner peace and happiness. Memories, wishes to be there again, I felt like the time was suppended... I looked at the beaches and the cliffs that reminded me of so many nice memories with Ramona, Michi, Marie, Siemens, Antoine... Beauty was there. Inner beauty I mean.

Landing and meeting Sonia I haven't seen at all for 1 year!!! That's the longest period we've been separated and I was so excited to see her again. Kristjan was there too and after the expected hugs and kisses, we left the airport to go to her place.

The weather for the week-end was expected to be ok. Not so cold (some 8°C) and not so cloudy. When I landed the captain said it was 5°C in Dublin but when we waited for the bus to come, it started snowing!! No joke! Only for 30 seconds but still!! Funny!

After a good lunch and some chat and gossips, Sonia and I went in the city center for shopping. Penneys, a|wear, Carroll's of course. Dinner and the first part of the evening were spent at Sonia's place while for the second part, I met Marie at my former house.
It was so nice to see her again and to be in that house. I felt like I never left. Everything was at its place and only a couple of new things had appeared.
To respect our traditions, we went to Searson's to have a couple of gin tonics and to catch up with time. Marie introduced me to her new (and let's say it, handsome) Spanish boyfriend. "Marie in love? No way!!" And still, she definitely is (and so is he!).

We went to bed around 4.30am (change of time during the night) and as I slept on the sofa that night (José took my place in the bed) I got waken up at 8.30 (new time). So a little 3 hours sleep.

José left and Marie and I had our traditional breakfast at the restaurant on the other side of the river: salmon, scrambbled eggs, toasts, capuccino and a glass of fresh orange juice. YUMMY!!

I met Sonia straight after at her place and with Kristjan we went to Bray for the afternoon.
Sonia and Kris just bought a new reflex camera (I'm loving it!!) so we spent the whole afternoon trying to make professional pictures and understanding how it worked. My next camera will definitely be a reflex!! Bet on it!
The evening went on at Soso's place looking at the pics made, chatting, transfering movies from a hard disk to another...

I took monday off to enjoy better my time in Dublin. I had planned to go to Siemens to see Michael O'Connor and get some news from the Siemens life and I was stunned when I saw my beloved second floor. The financial crisis has made some damages: 2 divisions out of 5 or 6 (can't remember) have disappeared, all devices in the showroom were all packed up, ready to leave, and the second floor is about to be sold.
Michael didn't look very happy too... it seems he's kind of worried. The only moments I saw him smile sincerily was when we talked about our common memories. Old times...

I finally walked back to the city center, to buy the last souvenirs and on my way I realized I left Dublin 2 years ago. 2 years already... and I felt like I was right there in these wide streets yesterday!

Time to say goodbye to Sonia and there I was, at the airport, on my way to Nice... again... leaving my heart and memories in Dublin... again...

Salsa Queen

Since a bit more than one month, I'm following salsa courses given by the Columbian association in Nice. I've known this association thanks to Francis, my colleague, and Luz, his wife, who are part of it.

So after having revised the basis, I am now evolving a bit and learning new steps. Well not exactly... Actually we're still learning steps that I know but as there aren't enough men in the course, and since I know the basics already, I'm learning man's steps and that's quite funny. So I'm Cécilia's partner and we both rock! We're great together and really get on well on the dancefloor!

Aside from that, we're participating to a lot of salsa evenings like yesterday at the Karé(ment), a club in Monaco.

I hope soon I'll be able to dance salsa perfectly... ok, maybe not soon but maybe one day! ;)
Special thought for my brother who celebrates his 10th birthday today. Lots of love Greg!

The King is dead! Long life to the King!

Last day of the carnival and again the parade. It was my last occasion to take a picture of the dragon which was, according to me, the most stunning attraction of the whole carnival.

For this last day, Cécilia and I got from the Tourist Office 2 stand tickets and even the rain didn't put us off watching one last time this ballet...

And there it comes! The dragon and its very well done sound and light effects: its green eyes rolling, its mounth lightning and smoke coming out of its nostrils... One could just stand there, admire the huge beast and feel the power that it represented.

I felt so little in front of the hours work that thing represented and I really felt like I changed time period for a minute.

The show continued later in the evening: after a last parade of the King and Queen, they put a replica of the King on a boat and sent it offshore. Suddenly, the shadow of the King cought fire and burned until nothing was left while the speaker was saying: "The King is dead! Long life to the King!!"

Right after started the fireworks of carnival's closure. It was over the sea fired from 4 boats and it was really nice and well done. With Cécilia we managed to get a nice spot on a rock of a pier really close to the sea. So close that everytime there was a wage, we got wet! :)

It was a real traditional evening (waaaaayyyyy better than Menton's "party") and I'm glad I participated to the Carnival event.

Dying at Menton's carnival

Isn't carnival supposed to be a funny, getting together party?
Isn't it supposed to be a good occasion to enjoy the family reunion?
Isn't it the moment when everyone makes jokes and masquerades with anyone, even if they don't know each other?

If yes, I really wonder what the carnival in Menton is for?

Cécilia and I had the chance to go to Menton for the lemon party (all paid by the company by the way). Before the "show" started, we went around to have a look and were surprised to see only some chariots and few dancers. The chariots were nice but not as impressive as in Nice.

When the show started, it was like nothing happened: some music of course but no festive atmosphere, no one seemed to really appreciate and to celebrate, everyone was so passive! Gotta say that the public average age sould have been 70 years old... That may explain something...

With Cécilia we decided to "awake" the public a bit and we started shouting and dancing to animate a bit... but nothing... We watched the parade and complimented the dancers that were the only real attraction of the evening (Brasilians, Mexicans, Hawaian dancers...).

At the end of this boring parade was the fireworks which was as boring as the rest of the evening.
We took some funny pictures of ourselves getting bored and went home convinced that Menton was a place to die, not to live! :)

Viva Carnaval!!

Carnival started in Nice this week-end and I had decided to be part of the party.
This year's theme was "The King Of Masquerades" and I assumed this would lead lots of fun.

On Satuday afternoon was organised the Flower Battle so at the right time, I went on the Promenade to get a nice spot. Unfortunately, the event was reserved to the people who'd bought tickets and at 25€ each, I didn't see the point in getting one and staying there the whole afternoon alone just to see some decorated chariots. In fact Cécilia was on holiday and Noémie didn't felt like coming. So I tried to take a couple of pics and to see throught the fences but after 15 minutes I gave up and my festive afternoon ended up doing shopping.

Nevertheless, on Sunday was the Corso Carnavalesque and that one was opened to the public.
It was a parade of chariots one more beautiful than the other. A great job has been done there and the athmosphere was really nice. Children on their parents'shoulders and everyone with spray bombs and confettis. Some friends had even organised spray bombs battle and everyone got sprayed in the public! The athmosphere was really childish and fun.

The parade lasted 2h and I really enjoyed the moment. I would certainly have been better with a couple of friends but I had fun anyway and will continue to go to the various events organised until the 1st March, day of closure.