updates updates

there are new photos up on flickr, please to enjoy :)

I try to organize my photos in sets, and I try to accompany each set with an entry, but sometimes, it just doesn't work out. This time you get 4 new photosets, one entry.

but first... I thought some more about what I said in What's it like? a couple of days ago, and I was reminded of another huge difference I've experienced here. In Luxembourg, you bag your own groceries. It is the best! Not only do you bag your own stuff, but you buy the plastic bags you're going to bag them in! 3 cents each for the plastic bags.

Or, instead you can buy an éco-sac for 80 cents and use it all the time, at any store. The éco-sac is a large, sturdy reusable bag. It is about as tall as a paper bag you get in the US grocery stores, but it is about 1 1/2 times as wide. It takes a while to get used to remembering to take the bags with you when you go to the store, but otherwise, it is super-handy, and a very easy way for everyone to reduce waste. I'll take a picture of one and post it up here soon.

ok, on to the photos...
first, just more photos of Luxembourg from my various walkabouts May 13-18.

next, Fond-de-Gras. We went to this place southwest of the city called Fond-de-Gras. It is an old iron mine, nature preserve and historic railroad site, Museums, and more all rolled into one. We were in the railroad/iron mine area. Then, we headed to France for dinner in Metz.

There's a farmer's market in Place Guillaume every Wednesday and Saturday morning. Here's a small set of photos of colorful tasty things we got at the market. One day I will take photos of the stalls at the market. Row after row of beautiful veggies and flowers!

and finally... Paris! Joe had to go to Paris on business a few Mondays ago, so we got to go for the weekend! It was a whirlwind tour -- here is the recap:

Saturday: hopped on the train for the 4.5 hour ride to Paris. Arrived in Paris Saturday afternoon around 4:30pm. We checked into the hotel and headed out to the Quartier Latin to find the Album comic book store. Album is a chain of comic book stores all over France. The one we went to is the first one, established in 1948. They carry American comics. So we were able to catch up on Buffy Season 8, and Joe's other faves.

After Album, we walked to Île de la Cité and checked out Notre Dame. Then we walked along the Seine, grabbed some food at Paradis de Fruits and then headed to the Louvre. The museum was closed, but we walked around the grounds, and down Rue Rivoli, (with a detour to Place Vendôme) to Place de la Concorde. From there, we headed up the Champs-Elysées all the way to the Arc de Triomphe. That was a LOT of walking.

Sunday: Spent most of the day at the Centre Georges-Pompidou. There was an exhibit on Samuel Beckett, Arshile Gorky, and lots of other cool things. We started with brunch at the restaurant on the top floor, with cool views of the city.

After the Pompidou Center we walked around the city some more, and met up with Shane and Sibyl at Place du Panthéon. We had dinner at a yummy place called L'Assiette aux Fromages on Rue Mouffetard. After dinner we grabbed a drink at a place nearby called Le Petit Cardinal, and then we took the metro back to the hotel.

Monday: I was on my own Monday because Joe was at work. Lucky me had the day off because it was Memorial Day in the states! I started the day with a Metro ride to Montmartre. I visited Le Sacré-Cœur, climbed a bazillion stairs up into its dome for some great views of Paris. I walked around Montmarte, checked out the Dalí museum, found the Moulin de la Galette and made my way down to the Boulevard de Clichy. I walked to Place Blanche, checked out the Moulin Rouge, and grabbed the Metro to the Louvre. I spent most of my time in the Louvre in the Richelieu Pavilion with the French sculptures.

Once the museum closed, I walked down through the Jardins des Tuileries all the way to Place de la Concorde. From there, I walked along the south bank of the Seine all the way to the Eiffel Tower. There, I waited for Joe, who met me after work, and we went up the Eiffel Tower and checked out the City of Light at night. It was beautiful.

We hopped back on the train very early Tuesday morning and were back in Luxembourg around 10am.

Yay! Paris!