Christmas lights in the lightless avenue

It's not Christmas yet but, like most other cities, Paris is already "dressed up" for the next holiday season.
That time of the year when people are naturally happy, everyone tries to make a good action and share.

These images were taken at Champs-Élysées, the famous avenue in the City of Lights. If this avenue was once filled with glamour, now has its reputation going lower and lower.
Paris is worldwide known for its beauty and for the parisians' bad reputation.
This week it was published a survey of the most prestigious shopping streets in the world, and les Champs were ranked last out of sixteen famous names.
Main reason? Shop assistants and poor service at the main boutiques... oh yes, and the entire avenue isn't as clean as it should be.

But there is one good explanation regarding garbage: simply because there aren't trash cans! :-D
In 1995 there was a serie of terrorist bombings and most of the bombs were hidden in garbage cans. In order to avoid problems in the future, authorities removed the cans.
Regarding the parisians' "politeness"... well, there's no explanation for that! eheheh

But soon will be Christmas again, and people's hearts will be warm, happy and fill with joy... even for the parisians ;-)

Happy Saint Martin!

Is true that Saint Martin's Day is November 11th, but in Portugal we usually celebrate it on the following Sunday. How do we celebrate it? Typically with chestnuts and local light alcoholic beverages.

Chestnuts are usually eaten roasted, preferably outdoors on an open fire, with friends and family. Alternatively, if going out and cold are an obstacle, you can prepare them in the oven.

Regarding the wine, in Portugal St. Martin's day is also associated to the maturation of the year's wine (the first day when you can taste the new wine).
The popular beverages are água-pé (a watered-down wine) or the stronger jeropiga (a liquor).

At this time of the year the weather really doesn't invite you to go outdoors, but in Portugal usually there's a small period of good weather which we refer as Saint Martin's Summer (Verão de São Martinho).
But this weather "phenomenon" is related with the most famous Saint Martin's legend. By the time when he was a roman soldier (travelling supposedely from Italy to France) he met a beggar during a rain storm. So he cut this cloak to save the beggar from dying of the cold.... after a while the rain stopped and the sun started to shine.

Now is time for some chestnuts! Even if I'm in France, for me a tradition will always be a tradition! ;-)

Happy St. Martin! Bom São Martinho!

Darth Halloween

It was Halloween and all the freaks came out! eheh Of course not, it was a normal typical Halloween night, with some people dressed up for the occasion.
Although not as popular as in England, Ireland or USA, some teenagers and young adults were dressed up as vampires, pirates, "gothic creatures" and so on.

But on the subway there was this guy who got everyone's attention. He was disguised as Darth Vader with this huge black helmet!

Even bad guys like Darth Vader have to suffer in the parisian public transports! eheheh

Bond, James Bond

Guess who was tonight's guest? That's right, the latest 007 movie had its premiere tonight, but once again I wasn't invited! eheh

"Quantum of Solace" has some interesting curiosities like being the first James Bond sequel (the action of this movies starts one hour later from "Casino Royale"), the vilain is french (played by a french actor, of course) ... and the movie will be opening in the USA 15 days later that the european release.
Hmmm... I think the american elections are the reason for the delay! ;-)

Tonight only Daniel Craig, Mathieu Amalric (the vllain), Olga Kurylenko (the Bond girl) and Marc Forster (the director) were present. No Judy Dench this time.

Let's see when I'll check out this movie... it seems to be a bit un-007, but maybe it's just me! eheh

It was hard to wait under the rain and cold... but now is time for a dry Martini ;-)

My spy shoe

All kids dream about presents, from the simple ones like a car toy, a bicycle or a doll, to those dream presents like a space rocket, a laser gun or giant robot (I watch too many movies, I know).

I never asked for weird or unusual presents to anyone... not even to Santa Claus (wait, there was that time I would like to have a time machine! Cooool!).
Recently I had an unexpected "present": a shoe phone! eheh Like the ones used by secret agents to make secret phone call (et voilá... too many movies again!).

During a launch a break, at the office, one of my coleagues tripped over my shoe and the result was like seen in the picture. I still don't know what was the special touch in order to create this work of art! eheh
The worst came afterwards: how could I return to office with a clam on my shoe? Well, I tried to walk for a while but ... everyone was staring and making jokes! :P Luckily that day I had with me an extra pair of shoes (which I was going to drop at the shoe repair shop), so I managed to change.

And talking about movies, spies and shoes... I recommend "Get Smart", the movie based on the famous 60's TV show, with Steve Carrel as Maxwell Smart, a.k.a. Agent 86... with a real shoe phone! ;)

Don't try this at home

It was a sunny day, blue sky, the birds were singing, me without ideas... and I thought... "Hmmm, how about grab a Velib, going to the crowded city center and shot at the same time?"
First things first: I'm not becoming one of those teenagers (although I'm still one! eheh) who wake up one morning and decide to kill everyone they see! :P And if you don't know, this is a Velib.

I was having this idea for a long time: pick up one Velib and to film while pedalling. Well, it could be worse... I could pedal blindfolded while juggling 5 croissants on fire... AND filming at the same time, of course! eheh

So I headed to Arc de Triomphe and then down to the Champs-Élysées avenue. It wasn't a big ride, but it was a nice first experience. For a next time maybe I'll do the same at one of the tipical downtown districts... with better quality, preferably! ;)

And one day, who knows, maybe an Oscar for the best very-small-tiny-short documentary! eheheh

It was an interesting challenge to steer the bicycle with one hand and to film with the other. But usually I drive my car with both hands.... usually! :D

I've lost you all!

I'm still living and working on the same planet as you... but I've lost you all. No, I haven't got amnesia. I This could also be an essay about "Kayak for Dummies".

Recently I've managed to convince (finally!) some people from work to go on a canoe-kayak river descent, outside Paris. Negociatons were hard, and when I thought the "worst" was gone... well, let's say that my good will was punished! eheheh

It was not the first time I did such sport activity, but it was my first time without a guide or someone to oversee the group. Here everyone got on a canoe, with only a basic "rivermap". It's a safe system, where families usually go with their kids, because the rivers are extremely calm, with one or another small waterfall.
At the beginning I thought "Cool! We're on our on"... but the first problem arrived in minutes: the river had two different paths to follow... and both were blocked by small trees.
So... who you gonna call?? eheh I had decided to bring my cell phone with me just in case (very wise!), and as soon as I realized we were "stuck" I took my phone and call the organizing company. As soon as I hung up... I accidentally misplaced the phone into my pocket... et voila... au revoir! :P

Anyway... I've learned the lesson! eheh The bigger problem is all the contacts I've lost, but it could be worse of course... I could have lost an arm or a leg! :P

There are some lucky fishes who won a new cell phone! eheheh

But not everything was bad... there were some priceless moments! Revenge! eheheh



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