A Day in London 2/22/07

We left the apt. at 5:15 in the morning to get to the Gar du Nord station where we went thru tight security to board the Eurostar. The trip takes less than 3 hrs. and travels under the channel about 20 min. 'There is quite some pressure on one's ears, like when you take off in a jet. We then made our way to the "London Eye" right along the Thames, which is a huge ferris wheel-like with many enclosed compartments which hold 15-20 people, and as you slowly make your way up, there are wonderful views of Parliamnet, Big Ben, and the rest of the city. Then we made our way on a foot bridge across the Thames to board the tube, to the Barbican, which is London's large arts and cultural center. We met one of the couples, Kevin Scott and Landa Avevedo whom John is marrying in April, and had a delightful lunch with them. She works there at the Barbican. Then we walked to the Moorgate Station to meet Andrew Pratt, who lives 2 hrs. north of London, a Methodist pastor/teacher, who has written several hymn texts which John has put to music. We walked to the Wesley Chapel, which is the birthplace of Methodism, --with lots of memorbilia of Susannah Wesley, and her sons, Charles and John. Had a tour of the church/ museum, etc and had an inviting lounge area to visit with Andrew. Pictured is the pulpit of John Wesley, and the organ of Charles Wesley which he had in his home. And John got to play it! Then we made our way back to the Waterloo Station, ate dinner there, and boarded the train back to Paris. We finally tumbled into bed at 12:30 am, very tired, and thankful for a wonderful day in London town! 'Til the next adventure! Sharon

Where is the Eiffel Tower?

Where is the Eiffel Tower? This morning we looked out our apt. window, and the Eiffel Tower was no where to be seen!














Wha' happened????On some other days, we have had part of the tower showing in the fog/haze, and of course, as the day wore on, it began to reappear!


Later, we spent 3 hours at the Louvre, enjoying the Dutch and French paintings, Egyptian artifacts, Sacre Armenian exhibit, and noticing an increase in tourists! I attended the English/French interchange class again down in our church basement, which is always stimulating....most people are there to speak English better. Tonight my group had folks from Tunisia, Paris, and Bangladesh. Til later....Sharon

Sunken treasures of Egypt

A beautiful spring like day here, and we went to the Grand Palais to view this outstanding exibit--artifacts, sphinxes, statutes, coins, jewelry--some dating back to 6-8 B.C. On the way back to our apt., we walked along the Seine, crossed over a foot bridge, near the base of the Eiffel Tower. We thought (briefly) about the snow and cold back in MI.!! Sharon

Metro Musicians

Friday, February 16, 2007

Musicians in the metro
Just came across kind of an interesting article on musicians that we have heard performing in the metro lines. "In typical French fashion, putting esthetics above all other needs, not only must Métro performers be licensed, but they must also be accredited by l'Espace Métro Accords (EMA). Since 1997, the EMA selects the artists and musicians authorized to perform in the corridors of the subway. Twice per year, there are more than 1000 who audition in front of a jury made up of agents of the RATP, which in turn grants approximately 300 accreditations. This selection is insurance for the travelers to enjoy the highest of musical quality! In 2003, the Métro musicians recorded a CD of the best 14 representing the 14 lines of Métro, after a panel of judges heard 360 musicians, favoring original works. It was distributed by FNAC, Virgin and other music retailers. The Métro majority of musicians are men, but surprisingly 47% are women, and 65% perform alone, rather than in duets, trios or groups. Naturally, these musicians are immigrants from all over the world -- so they offer a broad repertory: medieval songs, symphonics, songs of North Africa, jazz and blues...and the corridors of the Métro resound in musical colors. " Perhaps those of you who are coming to visit may hear some of them. Today (Wed) all day it has been raining. We are going to an off site wedding reception tonight, so that should be interesting. John had the wedding this aft. The bride was late, (not so unusual in France) and kept everyone waiting over a half hour. Cheerio. Sharon --


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Exploring Paris

A beautiful, sunny day in Paris, and we set out to find a particular restaurant in the Cite area, only to find that it was no longer there. The coffee shop, JP's in Holland, has a photo display of people who have had their picture taken in front of that restaurant. Oh, well....We walked along the Seine, past the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, noting that there is already an increase in tourists all over the city. We found a little place to eat, and then headed back to our apartment. We used the train, metro, and bus, needing our maps, for sure!
Steve Soper came to our apartment to help us learn about setting up and using a blog. That was very helpful, so now we need to practice!
We later welcomed a visit from a newly married Chinese couple, Anita and Ken, who will be moving to El Monte, CA, where he lives and works. At their wedding this past week, they used the opportunity to witness to their faith, and how God had brought them together. He speaks 7 languages, and Anita has been a translator in the Chinese churches here in Paris. Such a gracious and appreciative couple......
Au revoir....Sharon