asleep at the wheel

Funny pic to lift your spirits

strikes strikes strikes

Day 8 of the Strikes (and 4,5,6 Protest Marches...lost count ;-). This strike is actually a bit different that the others...because this is an on going strike. In 1996 (I think is the year) the strikes lasted for 1 month!!!!! AND the biggest thing is that there were NO trains OR buses running at all! It may not be a major issue in your minds but here...where A LOT of people do not have cars and if you can believe it or not some don't even know how to DRIVE...it is a big pain.

It's really not that bad right now though...

Yes I have had to walk or take alternative modes of transportation home a few times.

But ultimately It has not inconvenienced me or my husband at all. My MIL has had to drive instead of taking the RER from the suburbs into the city - but still no crazy traffic yet.

The Strikes are for the same reason as my last post. Retirement age is being increased from 60 years old to 62 and the unions are not happy (as well as the majority of the citizens).

In my pic you can see the beginning of the March...sorry I don't have a zoom on my phone. But it was the first march of the strikes - so it was big and loud!

jardin du luxembourg

Paris Parks Update

 Jardin du Luxembourg is just one of the most wonderful parks here! There is a GREAT play area for kids of all ages....BUT get this they have to PAY. Not just the kids but the parents (each parent!!!!!!!!!!!). So we are going to forget about that until he is really into playing on Jungle Gyms. Right now he is content with playing in the sandbox with the other rug rats.


Only major problem I have with the park is that it is an old school French Park. Meaning they do not allow people to sit, walk or run on the grass. I shouldn't complain really I am glad they let us look at the grass ;-0 But as you can see in our photos...we sat on the grass (well...everyone else was! But after 30 mins the security came and told us that it was not allowed).

I think it is the largest park within the city limits (I might be wrong - as Jardin des Plantes is quite large as well - there are 2 huge Central Park type parks but they are just outside the city). I am really jealous of the peps that live on this side of the river (Rive Gauche - Left Bank)...the city planning was really for families and was thought out a bit more than Rive Droite (Right Bank).

BUT good news on the Rive Droite front Place des Vosges (our largest square) is getting a rehab of the Jungle Gyms! YES we are getting the new PARIS Jungle Gyms that all the other parks have!! Instead of the old wooden rickety thing they were using. So happy...but I don't understand why the French think its a good idea to close the play area in October instead of say December/January when the parks will be a ghost town?!? Any who in about 4 weeks...M will be enjoying a new slide!

so long...

Sorry it's been sooooooo long (10 days) since my last post.

I am so busy lately. 3 days a week with French Class + a baby to boot is keeping me off the internet. But I hope to update everyone this weekend on our construction progress, my learning french, meeting new friends in Paris and M of course!

Until this weekend...

quai de la mégissserie

On the Quai de la Mégisserie there are a few pet stores and flower shops. For a 1 year old this is an AMAZING place to visit in Paris ;-)

and so the construction begins...part deux

so it is not all fun and games here...very dusty and noisy.

our smallest bedroom (aka) M's new bedroom...has a new door (we decided to move the door from the right side of the wall to the left). guess it was not such a huge deal since it took the contractor 1/2 day to install.

there is so much dust around...i mean in the kitchen in M's room in our room EVERYWHERE. even this computer i am typing on has a layer of dust on it! i have asked for the doorways to be covered in plastic. i can't stand it anymore and it's only been 1 week - 2 more to go if they run on schedule!

la menagerie du jardin des plantes

Wednesday we went to La Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes which is a zoo in Paris.

It is a small zoo but in the center of Paris which makes sense. The large zoo in Paris Bois de Vincennes (actually outside of Paris) is closed for remodeling.

This zoo is located in the 5eme (center of Paris) in the Jardin des Plantes which is the largest Botanical Garden in France. They also have a Natural History Museum in the Jardin as well.

La Menagerie has Camels, Porcupines, Leopards, Orangutans and Kangaroos. So not large animals like Elephants, Giraffes, Lions, Tigers etc...

There was not a lot of people in the zoo so it was a nice relaxing day walking around with M.