Chapter 12

Ah...Paris

Decided to spend New Years weekend away from Moscow and in Paris. Paris is one of the few major cities in Europe that I haven’t been to yet. Well I DID go to Paris for 4 hour with Steven back in 2001 but just had a taste for what was there. Back in 1999 Chad was living in Paris and for the amount I spent calling his dumb non-French speaking ass I could have visited him. Everyone went but me. One of those lifelong regrets that bothered me...So who says you can't relive the past...I'm a firm believer in 2nd chances so off we went.

This time we had a 'surprise' guest. I invited our dear English friend Teresa S. to Paris with us. She was all the way in Wales with her parents being bored and I thought it was time for us to have a welcome little reunion. She was surprised though that it was just going to be us boys in Paris...maybe it was somewhat harder to explain to people that she was going to share a hotel room with two studs like us.... oh well.

We all went through our own little headaches to get to Paris. Chad called me in the middle of the Moscow night (30th early AM) saying that his flight from Florida to Atlanta was delayed severely and that there was no way (without his Air France flight being delayed) he was going to make it to Paris that morning. He told me to make sure Teresa knows that she may have to make it to the hotel on her own. We of course had reservation at the Paris Hilton (thanks Faiza), which was a fun joke in itself, b/w Chad and me. I went back to bed, sad with the thought that Chad would miss his flight, only to read in the morning that his Air France flight was delayed as well. There was JUST enough time for him to make his connection. Go on my son! I shouted at my computer when I saw the delay. I can just imagine Chad screaming through the Atlanta Terminal like a madman.

I myself almost missed my flight. Moscow Traffic has b
ecome unbearable. I left at 3:15pm to make a 7:30pm flight only to pull up to the Airport at 6:40PM! I was in the car for over 3 hours to drive 40 kilometers! I hate hate hate that airport. Took the uncomfortable and severely delayed Air France flight to Paris, arrived at Charles De Gaulle and felt like I was on a U2 video set. Met the kids at the Paris Hilton and the fun fun fun ensued.

We went out and about in Paris. We went to the famous Dorsey and Louver Art galleries. I saw the Mona Lisa, Whistlers Mother, Venus D'Milo, Hamurabi's Code, other famous works by Monet and Van Gogh in the course of a few days. T didn't like the Mona Lisa but I found it really provocative. We had our share of Croissants and ate like kings the whole time. Food in Paris just was good. Croquette Misours, Onion Soup, frites, everything just tasted great. We also explored most of the key neighborhoods like the Latin Quarter, The Mariane, and of course the infamous Montmarre area where of course right at the Moulin Rouge train station I ended up wallet less! We stayed closed to the Champ Ellese so we walked by the Arc de Triumph and up and down the famous boulevard daily. Of course we spent some quality time at the Notre Dame and even saw a packed live Church service. They had confessional booths ready for anyone who wanted to pop in....

One goofy trip Chad and me went on was up to the area known as La Defence. It’s the main downtown area of France where all the corporate skyscrapers and office buildings are. It’s all the way at the top of the Champs-Ellese blvd. If on a clear day you can see from the Toullaries Ferris Wheel the Arc de Triumph with La Defence behind it. There is this building that is really crazy in La Defence. It’s a Square building with the insides of the building being en empty space. It’s an outlined squared office building. Its hard to explain but still really cool. We did some Matrix style photos up there and Chad almost fell off the platform and killed himself. There was this creepy little Santa's village next to the Grande Archway. We stayed clearly away from that area!

For New Years Eve we took a boat ride along the Seine River and saw all the highlights of Paris while eating this lavish dinner. On the boat was live music and plenty of dressed up people. For a set price you get to the boat ride and all entertainment. Champaigne and other festive friendly concoctions and the right to party on this boat till dawn. Right at 11pm the boat docked at the Eiffel Tower and we watched the lighting of the tower at midnight. One thing needs to be said about the Eiffel Tower. Its really an amazing structure. Its one of those things you need to see with your own eyes. Nothing beats coming out of the Trocodero and seeing the tower right up in front. Breaktaking...

We all went a bit nuts that night but it was great to spend the night together as friends, ushering in a new year, a year with new possibilities and a fresh start to learn from past mistakes and allowing yourself another chance to make things better. . Chad, Teresa and I danced the night away (or atleast until we got tired/sick). I hope to do something active like this at NYE every year, or at least be together with my good friends. It sure beats all those years sitting at home alone while my parents were sleeping. Next year, who knows, maybe we'll go to Rome (neither of them have been to Italy before) or even Florida to usher in 07. I have never been to Miami or spent any real time in Florida. Lets see how 06 turns out first.... I’m hopeful it'll be better if at least less dramatic than ‘ 05. A fresh start, a clean slate....exactly what I need.

posted by RU ETL @ 4:29 PM