But you never know where you will find one.

This series came from a bathroom window.

I think this last one is my favorite.

Enjoy!

Leslie

But we plan in advance, around a table with food, coffee, and agendas.

Personally, I like the food part.

But the coffee was good too.

Enjoy!

Leslie

It can require strong nerves and knowing how to hold still…

Especially when standing by yourself on a creepy bridge in Paris at an hour that would upset most mothers.

Well not all the pictures were taken on a creepy bridge by myself.

Thankfully I have some fancy friends, with some pretty fancy views.

Enjoy!

Leslie

But I do enjoy looking back at my photos.

Sometimes I like them more and sometimes I like them less.

But I love looking back and enjoying the memory.

It’s a little escape… we all need a little escape now and then.

Enjoy!

Leslie

But that’s okay there will be more time in 2011.

I won’t go through all the things I did or didn’t accomplish in 2010 but I will tell you that January is “objective” month.

And nothing makes me happier or more scared than having to share my 2011 goals with the French team.

January is also the month for eating les galette des rois.  Yum!   If you have never tasted or don’t know what a galette des rois is click here to see what you have been missing out on.

Are you ready with your January objectives?  I hope so.

Enjoy!

Leslie

My weekly postings have slowed down too but it’s okay.

We all need time do nothing.

I hope you can take a seat, relax and slow down this holiday season too.

Enjoy!

Leslie

I document signs with my camera.

Normally I don’t share these images.

But this group was like an afternoon stroll through Paris…

Enjoy!

Leslie

But look closely…

These beauties don’t belong on your feet.

They would be best enjoyed after un diner with a small espresso.

Does window shopping get better than this?

Enjoy!

Leslie

In France a café is occasionally good but I’m sorry to say more often than not it isn’t very good.

What pains me most about French café is it’s often double the cost of a café in Italy, unless you are in a very tiny village d’étape (a French village with less than 5,000 inhabitants situated just off a free highway) and even then the quality could go either way.

A café in France sometimes arrives with a cookie, a piece of chocolate or even a tiny cube of nougat.   This makes me happy because it balances out the potentially bad café.

But in France your not just paying for an often watery bitter café you are paying rent for your seat and your view…to watch the people passing by, read the newspaper, talk with friends or just relax.

I like the relaxing part…so as you can imagine good or bad I’ve been drinking a lot of French café.

Enjoy!

Leslie

Launched in July 2007 Vélib’ is Paris’ public bike program.  Today Paris has 20,000 bicycles and more than 1,600 stations in the Vélib’ program.  For 1 Euro you can have access to bikes for 24 hours and your first half hour of use is free.

Other than a flat tire, I’ve never had a problem with the system until this visit.  I thought I had properly returned a bike but when I went  to take another bike (by chance at the same station) the machine said I currently had a bike out.  Yikes!

I pressed the service button on the station’s machine to speak with a Vélib’ representative to find out what went wrong but the passing cars and motorcycles made the voice nearly inaudible.  The representative explained she couldn’t speak louder because she would disturb her colleagues.  The conversation was a classic French lesson of ecoutez et repetez (listen and repeat) or maybe it was more listen and scream back what you thought your heard.

My language test ended once I located the bike, set it properly in its stand and was told I would be charged 35,00 Euro (about $48.00) for my mistake but I could call the help number on the machine for information on obtaining a credit.

When I called the number it was the same representative who continued the test by giving me an exhaustive explanation of how to obtain my Vélib’ credit.  I gave her my best “Oui Madame, merci beacoup” (Yes Madame, thank you very much) but forgot to mention I’d be calling American Express to get that credit merci!

Vélib’ may be one of the best ways to visit the Eiffel Tower and Le Champs de Mars…just be sure to station your bike properly before walking away and bring your American Express card, not for potential problems but because Vélib’ doesn’t accept any other credit card from the US.

Enjoy!

Leslie