The Louvre

A rare December blue sky led us to the Louvre for our most recent photo expedition.








Patrice enjoys playing with the camera controls and post-production special effects:


p.s. Oops, it's hard to see the birds in the tiny video window.
Here's an enlargement.

Happy Birthday Sonia

Today is Sonia Martin's 79th birthday. We have been friends since 1961 - 50 years! I wrote about Sonia last year here.

In October, 1956, Sonia Stromback married William R. (Bill) Martin. Here they are on their wedding day.


Bill was older than Sonia, and yet they were married for almost 49 years when Bill passed away in July, 2005. Here they are in 1957.


Now, Sonia's live-in companion is Owen, a rambunctious* Airedale that Sonia rescued a few years ago. (Rambunctious = turbulent)



I'll be thinking of you, Sonia, and sending love from Paris.

McDonald's in Paris

What? Elaine agrees to eat a BigMac?? I thought she preferred oysters, foie gras and champagne? Yes, she does prefer French food and NEVER goes to McDonald's - until yesterday. We were out on a photography expedition and after spending a couple of hours on bicycles and on foot, we were tired and hungry. And it was 4 in the afternoon - certainly not a proper time for a meal. I decided to put aside my prejudices for the sake of exploration.


Yep, a BigMac tastes about the same anywhere in the world.

Réveillon de Noël

The traditional French Christmas eve dinner (réveillon de noël) gathers friends and family around a table that often includes oysters, foie gras, champagne and other delicacies.

Patrice and I were invited to réveillon at the Cabane a Huitres. It was a private dinner with Francis, his wife Régine, son Frédéric and a couple of family friends. Dinner included champagne and plenty of oysters - of course!

Holiday lights

Paris grands magasins (large department stores):
the Galeries Lafayette

with its five-story Christmas tree inside

and nearby rival - Le Printemps.

I'm missing my family this year, but looking forward to my first Christmas with Patrice.

Happy Holidays to all of my loyal readers. I hope you'll send me photos and letters and tell me how YOU are doing this Christmas.

Montmartre

Patrice and I have been experimenting with our new cameras, taking them out to photograph the sights of Paris. Yesterday's excursion took us to Montmartre - a neighborhood situated high on a hill in the north of Paris with a rich history and now a favorite of tourists.

It's great exercise climbing the stairs to the top of the hill.


Or you can do what we did - take the funicular.


People come up here to check out the view of Paris


Or to ride the carousel


Or to visit the Basilica of Sacre Coeur


Or to have a drawing made in the Place du Tertre.


The performance artists are much appreciated by the crowds and the photographers.

Eight months

Patrice and I have been together for eight months now. Each month, on the 19th (the day we met), we celebrate by drinking a Kwak - the Belgian beer that we drank on our first meeting. We now have our own special glasses, so we had a toast with our Christmas tree in the background.

Eight months - and each month is better than the last.