Friday, January 23, 2009

I MADE IT! THE EIFFEL TOWER!!



Catacombs






In the 18th century, Paris decided they were running out of places to build, so they emptied out all of the cemeteries and stacked the bones below the surface of the earth in the catacombs. The catacombs themsevles are pretty increadible... basically, way back in Pangea days, France was underwater. The ground below the dirt is all ocean bed. There are even little tiny crustacious shells and fossils. Below Paris now they have mines out all these tunnels... which were turned into the catacombs, and also used for other things like growing mushrooms and potatoes and endives. The large blocks that they cut out to make these tunnels are the stones used to build the city itself, like the churches and castles etc.

Before you enter the catacombs there is a sign that says in latin "You are now entering the Empire of death." then you walk through tunnel after tunnel of stacked bones of old aristocratic Parisians.

PARIS!





Thursday, January 22, 2009

Im in Paris

Been here for like a week. Cant post any photos cause i havent been anywhere. Just work work work, all ive seen in the inside of the hotel and the inside of the wine bottle. This is our last night, and im waiting to see if others want to go and see the eiffel tower... even if it is at night ... i have to right? I mean ITS PARIS! and so far, its a pretty amazing city. The french are nice.

600 year old Tree

They brought it over from the CRUSADES. The damn Crusades! They planted it in Bordeaux and here it is beautiful and magnificent.


Dinner at the Chateau





Nancy cooked a huge meal for everyone. I miss sitting at a table and eating a real meal. We just spend all our times in Hotels and Bars. It almost made me cry it was so damn delicious and homey. It was in a 600 year old Chateau in Wine-country with a fireplace and... you know... ghosts!

Castle Walls


We stayed in town call Cadillac. Chateau Du Cadillac. Back in the day it was a little town inside of castle walls, with the Castle in the center. The Walls are still there surriounding the town.

Stop?


Why are all the Stop signs in spain in English? Shouldn't they say alto or something? Curious...

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Inaguration

I am in a hotel in Paris... the bar is covered in little American Flags... watching Aretha Franklin sing "America The Beautiful"... Obama soon to be president.
Hurray


by the way... did you knwo France and America are old friends? its true. I just want to say that all the people ive met here in France are lovely, helpful, friendly and not like the stereotype at all.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Beautiful Bordeaux




one of the oldest wine countries in the entire world. Bordeaux, France. absolutely stunning despite the gloomy weather. I ate cheese and drank wine that is the most amazing ive ever had. Oh man, and i thought Spain wine was a killer!! The Food The Wine The Cheese the beautiful people, the vineyards, man everything about France was just as i imagined it: romantic and beautiful in that aching sort of way.

Im In France. Been here for like a week. Thought you might like to know.




Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Pulp Fiction


Royale with Cheese. That's right. It exists and i ate it. I also put mayo on my fries. What's up john Travolta!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Pretty Little Fishies






We are outside of Barcelona in a little town called Sarria De Ter. Its a sleepy little town. We are close to France and Andorra so people speak a little French and a little Spanish. Im going to miss Spanish, its such a nice little language and i was just getting used to it again. French seems daunting. Par Le Vu Ingles?

Thursday, January 8, 2009

My Family


I just found this pic on my desktop. I love my family, they are so damn cute. That's my mom, the famous amazing Painter Nisla; My brother, Marcus, the professional world-class surfer; and my siser, Amber, the amazing and beautiful designer/architect/graphic designer. Oh and im in there too.

Vino


I like Wine. Ive been drinking it every night. Spanish wine, to be sure. I dont think ive had one beer. Oh, beer, please dont be mad, but sometimes we grow up and have friends on the road who only drink wine, and so we have to try new things. Its not you, its me. But lets be honest: when was the last time someone got a case of "wine-belly." Its for the best.

Spain Countryside




Here are some pretty pics from a small Spanish town called San Martin de Valdeiglasias. I feel like the old towns here remind me more of what i think Spain should be like. Old and small, narrow streets, and old ladies walking slowly, and restaurants full of cigarette smoke. Im also continuing my knowledge of the language. i got started in Peru and im only getting better! Spainish is such an amazing language, its time i really try and nail it down.

Why do I love Winter?


Its winter and one day we went to location and the grass was covered in frost. I spent about 15 minutes rubbing my hands all over it. Why do i think its so amazing? and pretty? And lovely? Oh, me! Its because i come from a tropical place.

Ghost Hunterst International PREMIERE!!!


Last night the first episode of Ghost Hunters International Premiered!!! Man im sorry i didn't tell anyone earlier, i totally forgot. Its a case from Peru and its SCARY OOOOOOOHH!!! Well, i dont know becuase i cant watch it way over here in the motherland, but you can! So watch it and tell me what you think and make sure to look for my name in the credits. I believe its going to be on every Wednesday at 9pm EST so keep watching because its the best damn show on TV!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

So this is Espana

When we arrived in Spain i couldn't believe how unremarkable it was. First of all, i didn't know it was basically desert. I think of Spain and i think of beautiful Spanish buildings and green rolling hills and romance and reds and bulls and all that good stuff. But here in Madrid i have to say i was underwhelmed. The buildings are all the same brick color and outside of the city its rows and rows of what looks like public housing, but its just apartment buildings, all identical. The ground is brown and yellow and sandy.
Luckily, we are working outside of Madrid in a little old town called San Martin De Valdeiglasias. On the way the roads were lined with hundred year-old olive trees. The terrain is flat. FLAT FLAT FLAT. The benefit is that you can see for miles and miles... all the way to mountains in the far distance. We passed over the only river/lake/body of water in the entire province... and you can see i was just so excited.





Madrid






Driving through.