Lè Well Worn Map

The back left pocket of my of jeans has been reserved for one thing and one thing only this whole trip: maps. Sometimes I have more than one per city: for the city itself, museums, walking tours, etc. But that's the map pocket. I learned early on that if I try and switch up the different pocket designations I start frantically slapping different pockets looking for the familiar feel of my wallet or camera. So that's the map pocket.

Usually by the time I leave a city, the city map is getting pretty worn. Kinda breakin' apart at the folds and all. Some more than others, depending on how many times I had to open it. By the time I got on chunnel to London, my Paris map looked like a paper Chinese puzzle. If I tried to open it up, different flaps would fold this way and that, and it's now almost completely fallen apart. There's no way I could look at this in the wind- little squares of Paris would just fly away. This is just a small testament to how much I was out and around in Paris in July, in this city that I love so much. Let's go: (btw- I kinda went picture and video crazy here this time...)

So I took the subway to next the Louvre ...and stepped out of the tunnel and.....a fair!



Here's the Orsay museum. I loved so much art in here. But here's the coolest thing about the Orsay: it was originally Paris' first train station. You can totally see that here.



My host, Cedric, and I, we went to a club the first night to see one of his fav bands- Megasushi. That's his friend on bass. This lead singer- he's a doctor. Like a doctor doctor. And- he's a freakin rock star. If this guy gets a break, he'll be the next Mick Jagger, no doubt. I bought the CD.



Getcha some Megasushi!



In the Louvre! I think my favourite thing was the Venus di Milo. You could walk all the way around it, get real close, and also just enjoy watching the mob surrounding it. It really is a breathtaking work of art.



Spoiler Alert: Here's the Mona Lisa. Now you don't have to wait forever to see it!



Check out the paparazzi surrounding this thing- this is only about one third of the people crowded around it.



I know how this guy feels sometimes.



Check out that fair next to the Louvre! Paris in the summer, baby! Also, I think not a coincidence that those wooden things holding the flowers look like little Eiffel Towers...



One of many, many pictures I took of Notre Dame.



Classic french waiters.



Here's something you didn't know about Paris:



Cedric, Raquel and I went out for Chinese food in Paris. (Yeah, I know, real authentic). But I guess this restaurant is in Cedric's family. Here, I'm holding my dessert. Yeah, I don't know. Tasted ok, I think that was coconut milk- but those green slimey things, ugh, what a weird texture.



Here's a cool street musician, doin' his thang. "Merci!!"



Check out this street performer. To entertain the people (including myself) waiting over an hour to get up to the towers of Nortre Dame, this guy was just walking around scaring people on the street and then making then laugh a second later. Classic.



In action:



Bosom buddies!



The Bells of Notre Dame!



So many gargoyles on Notre Dame's towers. This one's using the Eiffel Tower as a toothpick.



More street performers! This grandpa was busting a move.



Enjoy some of "Papy Dance".



In fact, let's all Papy Dance together. Go ahead - get up out of your chair and dance with me! Do it! If you were there, you know you'd want to join in too! Dance with me!



Where Hemingway wrote a lot of "A Farewell to Arms". Picasso ate here frequently too. The wait staff inside was grabbing my arm and dragging me around to where they all sat when they dined here.



On my walk around the Left Bank, I came across Oscar Wilde's hotel - the one in which he passed away. Apparently his last words were "Either this wallpaper goes, or I do." I guess they must have taken his advice - because this place is el-e-gant.



In Luxemborg Garden. Ok- see the guy with the crazy cool mustache? This guy's a fugitive somewhere. This is the only picture I was able to get of him- cause he wasn't prepared for it. After this one, he would duck away and hide and was making it really obvious he was trying to hide from my lense.



See? I'm gonna run this guy through international terrorist databases.



Across from Notre Dame at night - the Seine river.



How beautiful is Paris at night...



I loved how this train station was so green. Like right out of The Matrix.



The Arc Di Triumph. One of many pictures.



Across the street from the Arc:



I formed a band in Paris. The CouchSurfers. This was our first gig. It was on Cedric's couch, and no one came, and we had no orginal songs, and my guitar wasn't plugged in, and neither was Cedric's blender, but we pretty much rocked the house till the cops came and then trashed the room like true rock stars.



There's a temporary (I hope) exhibition on the Eiffel Tower. These stars represent the European Union (it's on the EU flag).



Hey, if the Hulk sneezes, you help him out.



Doesn't this shrub look like a Hershey's kiss? Btw, Raqeul had never heard of Hershey's. Lunacy.



Walking to Luxemborg Garden.



In Luxenmborg garden. The band goes on tour.



Moulin Rouge. Scandalous and expensive, but such a Parisan landmark. SO many people taking pictures here.



A Big News update:



Sometimes you can find ice cream in the shape of famous Parisian landmarks!



Just imagine the music from Home Alone where they are rushing to the airport here:



Here's the Arc di Triumph being coy and hiding behind trees.



In the train station on the way home:



Jumping with Cedric at the Place St. Michel. Hemingway wrote around here. I jump.




Store windows with jumping pics!!!



I'd be jumping for joy to if I had white pants. (Not really.)



Are there anything more awesome than dogs?



I introduced Cedric and Raquel to the finest cuisine in the world. They are coming to CA in October, and I'm totally taking them there for their first In-N-Out! (btw- notice Raquel shopping for purses online, hahaha)



Cedric and Raquel ask every couchsurfer to draw or write something in their bathroom. Notice the In-N-Out sign, and the baseball flying out of San Francisco- where the Dodger's just hit a grand slam into the bay to clinch the pennet against the lowly Giants.



I made Thai food for dinner. And then we played a two-man encore for no one.



Taking off for London. Man, these backpacks are heavy now....



Ciao!