SeNsOrY oVeRlOaD!!! mY hEaD iS aBoUt To ImPlOdE!!! (Adventures with MooReece and Jill)

For those of you who are interested to know what the heck my newest album is about let me first tell you that I have no idea myself. I'm of course referring to my photo album called "Twilight zone meets MJ sick dream" which is a collection of photos my Paris bestie Jill and I took on an evening expedition of Parc de la Vilette.

Why Parc de la Vilette you ask? I mean there are so many things to see and do in Paris, why go to some random park no one has really ever heard of? Well my friends, that's exactly WHY I suggested to go there. You see, Jill and I are SICK of SIGHT-SEEING! She's been to Paris several times already and seen everything SEVERAL times already and well I've been here almost 2 months (but it feels like 2 years) and I'm done with the museums and the expositions and lineups and the TOURISTS! In all honesty I wasn't much into that in the first place. Luckily for me I get to see most of the cool monuments and sites through my class and so that frees up my time to do things that I WANT to do. Like?? Explore the parks around the city. I had read in one of my travel books (books I've rarely ever used other than to check off things that I've seen) about this Parc de la Vilette and the unique scultures that can be found there. Not much else was explained. Furthermore, in class that day the professor mentionned the park and the science centre that is adjacent and said if we had time it's worth the trip up line 7 to go check it out. Again, not much detail given so I just assumed (NEVER ASSUME FOLKS!) that it was a park, just like every other park, with statues etc in it, only that these would be modern as opposed to classical etc etc...

So after scoring 10 points for my excellent flirting with my favourite "perfect parisian specimen" I throw out the suggestion to Jill that we go chillax in this parc de la Vilette as we were both on the border of falling asleep standing up. The photo album of randomness is the result of our impromptu "chillaxing" in the park.

Needless to say from the second I seen the giant reflective sphere behind this George Pompidou-like centre I was in LOVE! I mean it's the SPHERE!!! It has the capability of manifesting all your dreams and desires (and also your worst nightmares - so tread carefully). With great power comes great responsibility! (Couldn't help myself, sorry). For those of you who haven't seen SPHERE - Movie night CHEZ MOI when I get home! Warning now - I know almost every line! Anyways... if that wasn't cool enough we see directional signs pointing to various things (that we have no idea what they are) and we see one pointing to *Zenith*. You all know you would head in that direction ASAP! So we did... only to be mesmerized, magnitized, confuzzled and befuddled around every corner. NOTHING in this park is normal. NOTHING is this park makes sense. NOTHING in this park is logical. It is a pure mish-mash or randomness thrown onto something like 55 hectars of land. There is a giant water mill. A giant bicycle that is 2/3 burried in the ground. Oodles of red climbing structure thingies (one with cows on it). Spinney chairs! WEEEEEEEE!!!! A field to watch outdoor movies. What else... oh gosh our brains were on sensory overload! But we continued on in search of this "Zenith" following the signs as instructed until we ended up back where we started with a sign pointing back to where we had just come from. WHAT THE?!?!?!?!?! How do you miss something called the "Zenith"? It's got to be pretty impressive to be called that "n'est-ce-pas?" Well apparently not... or maybe we just weren't endowed with the magical powers necessary to experience it?

We walked into an exhibit called "Le reve americain" which was a series of lifelike statues of people in different ages and professions all "living the american dream" but not as "dreamy" as the rest of the world makes it out to be. It was quite a depressing exhibit. Fascinating and fantastic but sombre. We left Vilette scratching our heads and we still laugh about it. We will never forget our impromptu promenade through one of the strangest and most RANDOM places ever! T'was a GREAT adventure for sure!

p.s. Why would you need to strap a lawn chair to the back of your bicycle?

In the middle of a torrential downpour and you're watering your roses? - Only in Paris (Adventures with MooReece con't)

I've been in Paris for exactly 2 weeks now and let me tell you, it's been an INTERESTING 2 weeks. It feels like Antibes and the Riviera are years behind me now as I fight against the organized (ok well maybe not organized) chaos that is the Parisian way of life. Frankly I don't know how people live like this, it's not just a big city thing - it's a PARIS thing. Although I haven't travelled extensively, I am convinced there is nowhere else on Earth quite like this insanely condensed and manic capital. Only in Paris can you be in a constant rush and yet never be in a hurry to get there. Patience is a virtue in this place - it is teaching me great restraint.

I don't consider myself a tourist (except for when I whip out my camera and start clicking frantically) and everyday is an experiment in parisian life and trying to understand how and WHY they do it. Only in Paris can you cross at a green walking light and still get run over. Only in Paris can you walk further inside a metro station than it would take to walk there directly. Only in Paris will a bird poop on your computer as you sit in the park to type your blog (yep.. just happened - TERRIFIC!) Only in Paris can you walk home in a torrential downpour to witness a man "watering" the flowers outside his appartment block. And by "watering" I don't mean with a hose. Only in Paris can you meet more non-parisians than parisians. In fact, I have met more anglophones than francophones (and yes I realize these are Canadian terms, but you are mostly all Canadian and won't judge me or look at me like I'm from Mars for using such vocab.)

I finally understand why the French have no concept of personal boundaries or the space bubble. If you've ever ridden the Paris metro, you won't anymore either. Try being sandwiched daily between strangers of every shape, size and smell in 45 degree heat while couples take the opportunity to express the most intense forms of PDA I've ever had the non-pleasure of practically being involved in due to my uncomfortably close proximity. Have I ever mentionned my general anti-PDA rule? UGH! But this is the city of Love right? Well I have yet to feel the romance or anything resembling anything other than annoyance in my bried stay thus far. In fact, I was quietly enjoying my sit here in this lovely park all alone by a pretty tree and am now surrounded by an entire class of 4 year olds prancing around and SCREAMING! And we all know how much I LOVE CHILDREN! The parks ARE beautiful and they are where I spend most of my time. It's as close to nature as it gets here and for the most part they are quiet and peaceful.

In conclusion, I still have NO IDEA why anyone would ever want to LIVE here permanently. I suppose if you've always lived here, you don't know anything else...but why would anyone want to MOVE here PERMANENTLY! It's a 24/7 madhouse of cranky and creepy people who will either stalk you or not give you the time of day if you aren't a perfect parisian yourself. Don't get me wrong, Paris has it's MANY charms but would ultimately be more enjoyable without being pushed and shoved and stepped on while trying to get a glimpse of the Mona Lisa.