New Favourite Radio Station

Fabi introduced me to this French Radio station, and I just love it.  I've got it streaming on my MacBook all the time now..... and thought it was time I shared it.

Enjoy... (click on the link below and then choose FIP for the streaming link which will work in iTunes and other streaming software)

FIP

And even though we wanted it to last forever..... it couldn't....

I'm good at abusing superlatives, I know, but this day was every superlative I've ever used, multiplied by 100.

We did all the cliched Parisien tourist things, in our own "Fabi" way.

We began the day with croissant and cafe in a market in Belleville, near Fabi's old home. The market was bustling and noisy and fit to burst my senses! The smelly fish! The stinky cheese! The body odour!! It was magnifique!!!! We bought bagettes, chicken, cous-cous, tomatoes, avocadoes and fruit and then spent half an hour finding 3 available "public" blikes (the flaw in the plan is that often there are no bikes where you want them, and too many where you want to return them!) before riding for hours through Central Paris (sometimes in the rain).

This weekend is Bastille Day, and the city was celebrating. Balloons, firecrackers, music, conversation, laughter.....

We stopped on Pont Marie to watch this wonderfully comic street performer....



...before riding along the side of the Seine and then stopping on the tip of Ile de la Cite for our picnic lunch, under the protective gaze of Notre Dame. There were young lovers sitting near us (the perfect backdrop) and the sun shone for our picnic.

We then rode through St Germain, on to Luxembourg Gardens for glace and an explanation as to where all the people had gone!

And then we rode back through the busiest and most beautiful areas of Paris .... over bridges and through markets..... past Churches and Galleries.... to the Canal near Fabi's house for refreshments, before riding back to Belleville for a Chinese meal.

By the time we rode home and dropped the bikes off, we had been on them for over 8 hours. And even Fabi was marvelling at the beauty of her city.

Knowing that we had an EARLY start (9am!! How shocking!) we fell into bed to the sound of firecrackers exploding underneath our window.

We DID arise in time, packed the bags in time and Fabi took us to the airport in time for our flight.

I've adored Fabi each time I've met her, but we've never spent an entire week together before. I can now say, with a full heart, that she is a lifelong special friend to all of us. Her willingness to be "taken over" by the three of us (like all of our hosts on this trip) and her wonderful approach to my boys and her relationships with them is testament to her beautiful nature. I am SO grateful for the journey of life that has given me these wonderful friends.

But goodbyes are agony. And so we said "see you later!".

Thank you Fabi.

What A Day!! (Or "I Love Paris")

I know this is a LOT of photos, but I actually took 657 today, so please appreciate the effort in keeping this post to a minimum!!!  

I forgot to mention that the very first thing that I did in Paris (when Fabi was walking us to her car after collecting us from Paris-Nord Railway Station) was step in dog poo.  Quite a good luck event (apparently) and definitely a reminder of one of the things to watch out for in Paris!!

Today was (and still is) wonderful.  Fabi had to work, and so the boys and I slept in before leaving in search of a typical Parisienne-tourist breakfast of hot chocolate and croissant.  We caught the Metro to Saint Michel....

where we saw our first Parisienne demonstration (un-registered workers demonstrating for respect (kind of))...

and then walking on to Notre Dame.  Sigh.
Isn't she beautiful?? (Notre Dame, of course)

and then hopping on another Red-Bus for the easy-access approach to the city...

(this smile's for you, Nonie.  He refused to look at me until I said "Just smile for a photo for Nonie!")

We think these guys were all smiling WAY too much for it to be a real arrest, and as all of Paris is filled with Gendarmes preparing for Bastille Day next Monday (July 14) we have decided that it was an exercise.....


Ummm...... I think they're tired of being Supermodels.  Can't blame them.  I'm absolutely relentless (if I do say so myself)..

*sigh* .... back on the Metro for the trip home.....
where boys have had dinner and baths and are dancing to tunes on Fabi's iMac.  I'm waiting for Fabi to return home before we decide how to spend our evening.  Couldn't get better really.