Enter into Man’s Obssession

27 04 2009

As I’ve said before, I was gonna find the photos of the Bugatti Museum in Mulhouse. Since it was too cold to go walking around villages last winter, we decided to visit this muesum – where it was actually twice as cold inside! But anyway, the cars were pretty amazing, even if I do say so myself. I’m not really into cars but well, after visiting this museum, I would like to have this Bugatti model:

I want this car

I want this car

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I want this car

Ettore Bugatti built this 1/2 size replica of his famous 35 type at the end of the 1920s for his son, Roland, who was only a few years old then:

Voiture d'enfant type 52

Voiture d'enfant type 52 1927 France

This model was designed and built by Monsieur Louis Lejeune, engineer of the Arts et Metiers.

Jacquot Tonneau a Vapeur 1878 France

Jacquot Tonneau a Vapeur 1878 France

The world’s first series bus, launched by Daimler in England:

Daimler Bus 1899 England

Daimler Bus 1899 England

A classic Mercedes Benz – reminds me of the 40s:

Benz

Benz

I forgot what model this car belongs to, but I remember my boyfriend telling me that this car is very strong and practical. I think his dad had it, I’m not sure, or his grandmother.

Practical!

Practical!

I love this car as well – it’s so elegant:

Bugatti white

Bugatti white

Porsche

Porsche

Racing Cars

F.A.T. Porsche 962c N°17 Germany

F.A.T. Porsche 962c N°17 Germany

Renault

Renault

Outside the Bugatti museum – it’s raining cars:

Raining cars

Raining cars





It was Good while it Lasted

23 04 2009

We arrived in Barcelona last Thursday night and stayed til Tuesday morning. I didn’t want to go back to Paris yet. Barcelona was great, but the time flew by so fast that I cannot believe I’m back to working inside an office again in front of a computer. Boring.

Here’s what I noticed when I was in Barcelona:

- everyone walks very slowly

- people smile a lot

- in every corner, I can hear someone speak Tagalog

- lots of Italians, little Paki stores, and hotdog stands wherein the vendor (or maybe owner) are Filipinos

- people can smoke inside restaurants

- lots of walking

- good tapas

- people have dinner at 10 in the evening

- there is the San Miguel beer

- cheap clothes and shoes (I love Pull and Bear and Lefties)

- when I buy in souvenir shops and they learned that I’m Filipino, they immediately speak Tagalog to me, like “magandang babae” — I like

- laidback, laidback, laidback

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Casa Mila by Gaudi

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Barcelona

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Barcelona

Plaza Catalunya

Plaza Catalunya

Gaudi Park

Gaudi Park

View of houses from the park

View of houses from the park

Park Gaudi

Park Gaudi

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia

Port

Port

Tapas

Tapas

Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas





I heart Vacations

15 04 2009

The Easter holiday made me lazy (to go back to work) but at the same time, it did wonders for my mood, which had been down the previous week.

The air in Alsace was different from the one in Paris. I was able to go biking around the village without getting hassled by aggressive drivers. At one point, I saw a man riding a horse and I thought maybe I was hallucinating. Until I followed them – but just ’til the entrance of the Haguenau forest.

Yesterday was back to work – back to Paris. We passed by a friend’s house in Paris for her birthday. We told her about our upcoming Barcelona trip on the end of the week.

“I am so excited because this will be my first trip out of France,” I said.

“What?” my boyfriend asked, “Where have you been just last weekend?”

Ohhhh I forgot totally! I’ve been to the city of Khel, in Germany – wherein you cross the bridge on the Rhin river. From Strasbourg to Kehl – where Obama was! Unfortunately, the red carpet was not rolled out for us.

It was amazing how crossing a bridge can bring you to another culture. Everywhere we go, I hear people speaking the hard German language. It’s not music to my ears – but I appreciate change. For Easter, there was the public market where you can buy different useful and useless stuff, but heh since it’s made in Germany – I can be assured that the quality is good.

People were very friendly and laidback in Kehl. It’s a far cry from Paris.

Pont de L’Europe is the bridge that connects Strasbourg to Kehl.

Pont de l'Europe

Pont de l'Europe

Kehl

Kehl

The Hollywood Last Supper – with Marilyn Monroe in the place of Jesus Christ and Clark Gable as Judas.

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Hollywood Last Supper

I ate spaghetti ice cream – it was delish! Of course, it doesn’t taste like spaghetti at all – just made like one. Vanilla ice cream in the shape of spaghetti pasta, topped with strawberry sauce, and the grated cheese lookalike is actually sprinkled white chocolate.

spaghetti ice cream

spaghetti ice cream

I’m not exactly sure what this means, but the French caption – I know it says No service during winters for the Ubergang passage. Use at your own risk.

No service during winter

No service during winter

Rhin River

Rhin River





I missed Obama

7 04 2009

So what? We didn’t go to Strasbourg last weekend. But what is the possibility of seeing President Obama and President Sarkozy (with first ladies) walking around these places?

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The plan for the Easter Holiday is to go back to Strasbourg – visit Kehl – and then go to Baden Baden. Our itinerary was exactly like Obama’s. I heard though, that the French and German Police were all over these places during the 60th anniversary of NATO. Brr…nothing scarier than the German Police.





Counting the Days…and Calories

6 04 2009

Winter had been cruel to me. In order to survive the cold, I had to eat a lot – and all those raclette and other cheese dishes, pierrade, oil-and-butter rich food went straight to my hips. From a size 1 to a size 4.

Nowadays, it’s so pleasant to run outside that I cannot believe I can wear short sleeved shirts while doing outdoor sports. Not bad. Or maybe, I just still have too much fat in me.

The weather is so nice out – to work in front of a computer all day inside an office should be forbidden.

In two weeks, I’m going to explore a place that is totally different from Paris. Barcelona – a place with friendlier people, a not so depressing metro, and a laid back atmosphere.

And my best friend is coming to work in France as well – the same day and time we will arrive from Barcelona. Woot!

I am counting the days.