Category: Countries
Paris Day 1 Adventure: Musée des arts et métiers
After settling down in my petit apartement–meaning opening my suitcase and tossing out things I think I need and making it look as messy cosy as I can–I prepared for my Day 1 adventure.
On the top of my list Musée des arts et métiers and then the Louvre and d’Orsay to get my year pass. Although I have yet to buy tickets to Paris again, I felt it was both exciting and romantic be a member of those two famous museums.
I probably wouldn’t even have Musée des arts et métiers on my radar if I weren’t living nearby. But I glad that I was because the museum houses some automatons–which Wikipedia explains as “self operating machines”–or antique robots.
I believe the museum was housed in an old cathedral. It has a beautiful facade.
I missed the “Night at the museums” by just one night. Imagine how romantic it is to be inside a museum near midnight. Would the exhibitions come to life? I must must visit Europe one day around mid-May to be at one of its museums till late.
Back to the arts and craft museum. Once I entered, I saw the guy with the most fascinating hair. He was, of course, very handsome with large brown eyes and stubble. Stubble seems to be in, judging by the number groceries-shopping men sporting the look, or perhaps the weather just encourages hair growth.
Anyway, while I think men who man (ho ho) museum counters are definitely top on my sexy list, this young man had the weirdest hair that I did not know whether to give him a sticker for being dashing or just imagine him with normal hair and give him two Well Done stickers.
His hair looked like something out of a Japanese manga. I am serious. Imagine having hair past your shoulder and putting half a tube of gel on your hair. Then you make all of your hair stand up like a mohawk. After the mohawk, push all your vertical hair to a side so that you have hair that is parallel to the ground.
That was what this brown-haired, brown-eyed, stubbly dashing man looked like. I dared not take even a papparazzi photo of him because I would definitely offend him. All I could do was snap photos of him with my eyes and keep the copy somewhere in my brain.
After saying my greetings, I asked for a musuem ticket for the youth, en anglais… He was kind enough to answer in English and asked if I was under-26. Indeed I am and turns out, my entrance is free. I also asked for a ticket to the Théâtre des automates which just so happens to have shows the day I planned my visit.
Then I asked for an audio guide–which I didn’t really use because I didn’t felt the need to listen about irons and abascus.
The nearest show would be on in about 40 minutes time so I walked around a bit, feeling impatient most of the time.
After 20 minutes of listless speed walking past machines and more machines, I was terribly bored. I decided to take a seat in the theater and wait for the show to start.
The theater is actually a semi-circle small room with benches set like stairs. Down there were several automatons, all behind glass walls.
I took a set in the center of the middle row, not sure which would be the best seat in the house.
While I stared at the lifeless machines, in came an American with his five-year-old (possibly) daughter. The child had very short hair a la Shiloh and was dressed in gender neutral clothing, alright alright, boys’s clothes. She was talkative, asking her father questions.
The father was tall and had curly hair. He was patient with each of her questions. And I realized that there are men in this world who are: wonderfully bilingual, patient with children and would bring their children to the museum. I have much more faith in mankind now.
One of the questions the girl ask was whether the demonstration would be in French.
-Yes, it will be in French.
-Why isn’t it in English.
-Because we are now in Paris.
-Oh…
The girl then went on to demonstrate that she speaks Father by telling her father in French that this (ticket) is his and that this ticket is hers.
As I listened to the little girl talk, my womb started sending my wireless messages that it is time to get my own little curly haired tomboy who spoke in cute French. But of course I need to find someone to donate their seed.
Finally, the theater was filled up. The curator came in. He was a large man and held the keys to the wonderful little robots.
Luckily, most of what he said I half understood. The little robots activated by the turning of keys. One of the things on show was a moving picture where the little people and clouds would jerk from left to right.
There was also Marie-Antoinette’s musical instrument playing automaton. You can see it in action here.
Something went horribly wrong when the curator started explaining about the Marie-Antoinette doll.
My phone started ringing. The Nokia ringtone. My face burned with shame as I dug around for the phone. I pardoned myself and dashed out, with my phone ringing all the while.
I heard in the audience in French, “Oh it [the automaton] has started playing.” I found that amusing.
I finally found my phone and it was a missed call from my parents. I must remind them never to contact me, and for only me to contact them.
When I returned to the theater, it was reaching the end of the show. The audiece said their thanks and filed out while some stayed back to ask questions.
I continued my tour of the museum. Nothing too fantastic except the first-gen Apple iPod I saw.
Also, there was a urinal in the public toilet. Imagine walking in on some guy taking a piss!
The cathedral part of the museum was lovely.
But I was really hungry. really really hungry. It was time to leave.
From the airport to the house
Edited on June 11, 2011. A rainy Saturday.
I know it sounds really long winded, describing each step I take. It’s just that I haven’t figured out what sort of voice is best for these sort of writing.
xxx
We then had to queue at the immigration checkpoint. The EU-ians had a fast queue while we foreign people queue at the slow one.
I waited for my luggae and there it was. I decided that my gray coat was too bulky so took my things to a corner to stuff it in.
After packing my heavy coat into my luggage, I stepped out of the luggage collection area. On the way out was a drug sniffing black beautiful large canine and its guard.
Outside, the space was quite small. A long corridor stretched to the left. I went to look for transport into the city,
I passed a booth selling SIM cards. Eager to contact my mother and not wanting to roam, I bought one for 9.90 euro. The man promised 3 euros of credits today and 6 euros tomorrow. He also said that relaoding is easy and I can just ask for it at any tabac for Mobisud rechargee.
Bullshit. He lied. So my friends, please do not buy the first SIM card you see. Also, for anyone searching Mobisud online, it sucks. It sucks like a vacuum cleaner.
Anyway, I didn’t know anything about how sucky Mobisud was and continued on my way.
From my research, I found out that it is best for me to take the Orlybus to Denfert-Rochereau where there is a line 4 metro to take me near my homestay.
But, there was no sign of where the Orlybus could be found. Even the machine didn’t sell any Orlybus ticket.
The only sign was one for Orlyval.
The man at the counter (like what I read in guide books) took his time doing other things before serving me. I wasn’t offended or anything because it is actually expected of people in Paris.
I asked for Orlybus tickets. He said he only has Orlyval and I have to buy it behind (here he pointed his thumb to the back).
I went around the back and walked further down the corridor and still couldn’t see any sign of Orlybus. I did see signs for Disneyland.
At last, I went to the information counter, queueing behind a harrassed-looking lady. I was busy looking around that someone called me, “Madam” and gestured that I could go inside to ask.
I asked in halting French, where I could find the Orlybus.
The lady said it slowly, with hand gestures and used her fingers to tell me the location. Merci bien, madam!
As I exited the airport, a chilly breeze blew but the sun was piercing.
An Orlybus rolled to the stop, but I went to the ticket machine and slowly inserted my change. So slow that the bus left before I even finished putting half the change needed. Why do they not accept bills?
When I finally got my ticket, I sat down and enjoyed another egg. A sparrow chirped and hopped around me, perhaps hoping for a piece of what I was eating. I was quite horrified, it would be cannibalism if I let the bird eat the eggs!
Finally the bus came. I was at Orly Sud, the first stop so there was no one. I settled myself and my luggage in a cosy corner.
On the bus, I messaged my landperson–Louis who’s a Taiwanese working as a tour guide in the city of lights–that I am on my way and when he wants to come pick up the rent.
Louis called back, sounding like the friendly Taiwanese I imagined him to be. He advised that I bring my warm things out because the night can get cold.
I messaged my parents and spent the trip staring out the window or napping.
The trip from the airport to was unmemorable. Places just at the fringe of cities are often unmemorable.
But once nearer to the city, the buildings start to change. No longer are they dull gray “modern” buildings but petite red-bricked buildings with steps in front.
As we passed a neighborhood, I was surprised to find someone jogging. I had read that Parisians do not jog. (Or maybe they do now.)
The bus stopped at Denfert-Rochereau, a place which I would visit another two times and this is not counting my trip back to the airport.
The train station had a orange-cream sort of color and looked very European. I finally started feeling that my adventure has arrived.
Entering the station, I headed to the counter, queued behind two men. When it was my turn, I said my “Bonjour madame” and showed her the list of tickets I wanted to buy.
The lady was very kind as she did not shout to ask what I want. Instead, she put on her spectacles and read my list.
I did my research before traveling and found out that on weekends and public holidays, people under 26 years old can buy a Tiket Jeune (Youth ticket) which allows them to travel at a much cheaper rate. It’s also a all you can ride sort of ticket, but I found out later that the ticket works from 5am to the last train ride, not from 12am to 11.59pm.
After I have my ticket, getting to the right platform was the challenge.
The signs weren’t very helpful as sometimes they point up when clearly you can’t expect me to walk up the wall!
That was what happened to me while I tried to find the Metro underneath Denfert-Rochereau. Turns out I have to walk a long long long long way from the RER lines to get to the metro.
The metro line looked like a big cave. The wonderful thing was that everything smelled like piss.
Really, I find it very romantic that Paris–the city of lights and what have you–actually smells like piss instead of a room perfumed with rosewater.
The ride to my stop wasn’t very comfortable because of my luggage. But I managed to get one of the foldable seats and sat gripping my luggage.
My stop came and I luged my bag up the stairs. I tried following Louis’ directions–which he also included pictures. But like always, I failed at first try and walked in a completely wrong direction for two blocks!
However, being in Paris, smelling the piss-laced air, I didn’t find myself being angry. This is Paris! Paris! Paris! Paris! I had to stop myself from singing out loud.
At last I found my street. It was a dirty looking, cobbled street lined with Chinese shops.
As Louis was out, he instructed that I go collect my keys from one of the restaurants.
Forgive me for calling these eateries restaurants. They aren’t.
Food is pre-cooked and put in a glass cabinet. I imagine people order by pointing to the dishes they want and the serveur would take some of the cold dish and plonk it onto a melamine plate. And I imagine that the most Chinese part of the dish is the plate which was manufactured in China.
Having picked up my keys, I ignored a sheet of paper inside. That paper proved to be crucial and I regret not reading it sooner.
The paper was a printed letter from Louis, advising how to manuever the stairs. You have to switch on the light or else, like me, you will be in complete darkness climbing up the romanticly winding stairs to your attic where cold soup awaits room.
In the darkness, I climbed up blindly, not even sure if I had reached my floor.
When I suspected I did, I turned into one of the rooms in the corridor and tried the key.
The room was terrific. The curtains were shut when I went in but it felt really really good to see this neat little space after the darkness.
I quickly made a mess myself at home.
Read Part 2 of my first day in Paris here: Paris Day 1 Adventure: Musée des arts et métiers.
0812 Pre trip and Leaving for Saigon
My trip to Ho Chi Minh City began in an instant message chat:
Me: I’m hungry!Nguyen: Come here and I’ll treat you dinner.
Me: (Thinking she’s still in China) I want claypot noodles
Nguyen: You should ask for pho. I’m back in Vietnam
Me: Oh!
Nguyen: Want to come visit?
Me: (After 5 minutes of inner struggle) I’ll ask my mom The tickets were quite cheap, and mom (being mom and perhaps a bit guilty that she let my sister go to Australia while I could not go Taiwan) said yes. So I bought a ticket leaving Aug 12, and returning 22. And the rest, will be (hopefully) recorded here. ———
I started packing my bags four days before the trip. Packing as in throwing everything I want to bring into a box to decide if I really need them. I didn’t want to drag a luggage around as Nguyen might be fetching me on her motorcycle. So I got a red backpack from Carrefour at $4.90 as a check in bag. A girl needs all her toiletries, and not all of them are in 100ml containers. 100ml of sunblock can only last how many days?
Things to do in Saigon
A list of to do
- Eat Vietnamese food
- Drink coffee
- Eat French food
- Visit toiletry shop
- Read English and Chinese papers
- Watch water puppet
- Go to theatre
Another travel coming up!
I’ve decided to continue using this blog to record my travels (yes, plural because I forsee unending travels!)
On 12 Aug (Wed), I will be going to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This is the first time I am going to a country where I do not understand the language. This scares me quite a it because I will just be staring at people while they tell me I have spinach stuck between my teeth.
I will be staying with Nguyen for the trip. I’ve decided not to prepare an itinerary (which I find very difficult to spell) but prepare a list of Places I Want to Visit because of my local guide.—-
Cramming basic Vietnamese through youtube videos!
Wednesday, July 9: Takoyaki party
Slept at 11pm but was waken by cat at 12 midnight. What on earth!!! Thought I would have to live in fear of the cat coming in my room to disturb my sleep. But then I remembered the clothes hanging thing I have in the room. I took it down and adjusted it so it would hold the door. FInally, I will have peace during my sleep.
Okaasan drove me to the train station because she needed the bicycle. I was in time to catch the 8:31am train and reached the school’s station 2 minutes before 9am. But the walk from the station to the library was 8 minutes so in the end I only had little time to use the internet.
I brought my bottle of sunblock to school. It only has 15 SPF so I better reapply it often. The scent was a bit overpowering in class though. So sorry!
At lunch, I used the chopsticks I bought at DAISO. They use those wooden “hygenic” chopsticks and I don’t think these things are recyclable.
At 1pm, it was History class exam. I wrote really really lousy stuff. Well, the worse will be I can’t map it. Nevermind, I only need one module anyway.
Then when class was over, Wawa’s tutor took me and her to her apartment where we’ll be having a takoyaki party. Tako is octopus and yaki means the way of cooking it by cooking it on a hot plate. In Chinese, we call it “zhangyu shao.”
The party, there was Wawa tutor’s Skk, M, Syk and my tutor Nm. They seem to have these party every once in a while. So fun.
How to make takoyaki.
There’s takoyaki mix where you add in two eggs, 800ml of water and mix. Interesting!
Then there’s the DIY takoyaki plate. :D
And here are in ingredients:
octopus and chicken.
After mixing, pour the mix onto the hot plate.
Then you put whatever filling you like: chicken, octopus and cheese shown here
Wait a while before you prick at the sides of the takoyaki to flip it. I did ugly takoyaki. ha ha
Then when the how takoyaki is a nice brown colour, take them out and put on takoyaki sauce, mayonaise, seaweed and fish flakes.
The fun of having takoyaki at home is everyone gets to flip it
Apart from the normal octopus, we had chicken and also chocolate with cheese. Choc and cheese are desserts
Sounds gross but it tastes OK.
After takoyaki, it was ice cream. The ice cream has tiny chunks of filling which are heart shaped if you spoon ot correctly. (ha ha)
The girls walked us to the subway station after dinner. I took the subway (one stop) to my train station because it was quite dangerous to walk at night. Seems like their version of samseng is called Yankee, I wonder if it’s related to Americans
The train ride wasn’t expensive as they had a special fair for one stop rides. 100 yen
Okaasan fetched me from the station when I got there at 9pm.
After showering, I did my homework. The night passed peacefully with no intruding cat.
July 05, Saturday
I am so so sleepy. I think it’s the weather. It’s now officially summer and it’s very very warm, makes you want to switch on the aircon and snuggle in bed.
Japanese newspapers don’t have a lot of adverts inside. They are printed on another sheet of paper and folded with the newspaper. Here’s how big an advert (for an electronic store) usually is:
I was looking for the price of an electronic dictionary, mp3 and rechargeable batts.
In the morning, I went to nearby Jusco with okaasan. Felt a bit awkward shopping with her because I look at the weirdest stuff and don’t like buying clothes. I bought rechargable batteries at 1,980 yen. Perhaps I should buy extra batteries because I can use that charger when I’m back home too.
Simple design and the wrapper for the batts is white, instead of the normal shiny silver colour.
It wasn’t really Jusco where we went. It’s a big mall and their bread shop is lovely. The bread here all suit my taste. Yum Yum.
Oh, while we were at the mall and passing a phone shop. Okaasan told me that when they first bought K-kun a phone, he used around 700,000yen. That is F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G a lot. Now they took his phone away. AHH! How can you tell her that you would like her to help register a phone for you when she had such bad experience?
free tissue from phone shop
After shopping, we came home and tool K-kun to lunch. We had the famous Hakata ramen. It’s called tonkutsu ramen, which means pig’s bones ramen. The soup is a milky colour and those who don’t like it says it’s smelly.
We ate at Asahi ramen.
My bowl of tonkotsu ramen:
I liked it a lot, the soup reminds me of something I’ve had before. I was a bit disappointed that ramen’s noodles is just normal noodles. I like udon more than yellow thin noodles. But the ramen was good.
After lunch, we went to buy dog food at a supermarket. I love supermarkets, and this one has a whole HUGE row of skin care products.
Then we came back, everyone went for a nap while I watced the small TV at the dining table. Maybe I will put up the photo of the TV one day.
Then we went to the tea ceremony teacher’s place. While we were walking to the car, a little girl ran towards us teary face and said, “Mommy’s mad! The car’s gone!” Poor dear! Okaasan asked the little girl where she lived and they walked to her place.
Turns out, the little girl woke from her nap and found no one in the house so she ran out. She even said, “It’ll be dark soon.” It’s only 3pm and it gets dark only around 8. But she’s too cute!!
Oh before talking abuot how the tea ceremony class went, I want to tell you what I had imagined it would be like. I’ve read too many manga and watched too many dramas that I imagined we would be going to an old house and the teacher’s a young man (who’s good looking, by the way) who will inherit his father’s tea ceremony school. Ah, eye candy.
But in reality, the teacher is an old lady who has travelled to Indonesia, China and Mexico before. Oh, and she lives in a modern house with a room specially prepared for tea ceremony classes.what a disappointment.
I declined the teacher’s offer for a chair and sat kneeling. It was bad but not so bad that I screamed. So it was ok but I kept thinking, “are we done yet?? are we done yet??”
Oh, K-kun has been going to the classes for eight years. I must say, impressive! I don’t have to the patience for that long!
We came back tired, because of the weather and all that kneeling. Then I was in charge of Yume (you-meh, meaning dream) during the walk.
The cat sitting at the windows, watching us leave.
Then we went to dinner at Joy Fun, it was a western restaurant which also serves Japanese set meals. Interesting… I had some italian food. It was nice, but I don’t have much appetite for anything more.
Nearby, there was a temple-like building.
Then we came home and nothing much happened. Too lazy to study. :(
A few Qs answered:
–Why the cat comes in.
My door is a Japanese type sliding door and there’s no lock. sigh. The cat sleeps with the others so my room is probably one of the few places it has not been sleeping in.
–I do not pick dog poop. I may walk the dog but NO WAY I will pick up their poop. It’s just waaay too gross.
Blog for June 29, 2008. Sunday
It has been a rainy and cloudy day. The weather was very cool, we’ll need to wear our cardigans. Isn’t this supposed to be summer? Where’s the sun??
In the morning, one of the cats came into my room and took half my sleeping place. Oi!
I had trouble waking up at 7.00am when the sun was already shining on me. I kept saying to myself, “It’s only 6 back home.” In the end, I got up at 8am because it seemed like a good time to wake up.
Breakfast was pastry, salad, sausage and corn soup. The mom is on a diet. She’s so thin already in my opinion.
Later we went to Miyajidake shrine that is an hour away. I snapped a lot of photos during the ride. Hope I will be able to share it all with everyone.
The houses here are pretty. The shrine is some where in the “country” so there were a lots of paddy fields along the way. The hills here are cute too.
On the way to the shrine, we saw a plague and there was a picture of Pei Yong Jun on it. That’s the last thing I expect seeing in a Japanese shrine. Turns out, if you donate a really large sum of money, you can get your face on a it and they’ll put the thing at the shrine. Strange things happen.
The shrine is a magnificent wooden building. There was a HUGE coil of rope that reminded me of intestines.
This is a fortune telling machine. It was out of order when we were there. But I believe you put in money and they’ll drop you a random note with your fortune told on it.
There was some ceremony going on in the main shrine — a guy was wearing old costume, chanting and banging on his large drum. It seemed impolite to snap photos of him like a tourist so I didn’t take any.
There were other smaller shrines for different deities. I snapped a pic of the red tori. The gates leading to a shrine.
It was now the season of Japanese iris and another flowering plant. They had the most lovely bush of flowers and a field of iris.
After the temple, we had rice cake at one of the shops at the entrance of the shrine. It was my first time drinking konbucha. Seaweed tea, it looks innocent enough but when you drink it, it tastes like soup — not tea-ish at all. The rice cake was filled with red bean paste and it was yummy.
On our way home, we visited an air-conditioned farmers’ market. It looked more like Fairprice than a real market. The veg there were all sold out and we bought fish cake and some large orange.
I saw a Chinese bell flower there. kikyo!!
We returned home and rested. At 2pm we had cold somen and the soy sauce was very lovely!
At 4pm, K-kun’s tutor came and I hurriedly sent an email to my parents. I wanted to send mails to friends but I accidentally activated the Japanese typing stuff and couldn’t even type email addresses. >o<
Before dinner, we walked the dogs. I was in charged of the aged, cancer survivor Meri-chan. Meri is an old dog who (yes, “who” not “which”) wears a doggie diaper. Enough said.
It was raining slightly during the walk but I quite enjoyed it.
I saw the train I will be taking to school.
A fantastic garden
And lots of really Japanese stuff.
DAISO! A whole shop!!!
For dinner, we went to a sushi restaurant where they have food on belts turning round and round. I’ve found out that they drink miso soup right from the bowl (cool), that they have hot water at the table and you pour in your tea powder to make your own tea, and that sushi is damn nice!
See you in the next entry!
Blog for June 30, 2008 Monday
Pre-script:
Bloody cat woke me up before six by opening my sliding door. Bloody didn’t wear glasses to check time and thought it was seven. Bloody surprised that it was only 6 plus when I finished the morning routine. bloody cat likes to jump on my table and bloody sleep on my bed.
First day of school, okaasan made eggs and salad for breakfast. Personally, I think uncooked vegetables are eaten only by goats (uncute animal) and I really dislike eating raw leafy veg. But I had to eat every single piece off my plate because it would be rude not to do so. sigh
Okaasan walked with me to school. The road’s really easy to remember because it’s all straight then turn then straight. And of course my sense of direction is good so there’s nothing to worry about.
When I got to school, there were a lot of people gathered. I looked for the Singaporean group and couldn’t really fit in. So I drifted about until we could go in the room for the opening ceremony.
I did mom proud when I started chatting with random people (4!) around my seat.
The ceremony is really boring and so long winded. They also old us all the bla bla rules.
When all the official stuff ended, we were split into groups and brought to the cafeteria by our peer tutors. My tutor was still having classed so she joined us late.
We had lunch in the cafeteria. I had chicken (my fav meat) donburi. The extra soup was tasty! The donburi quite large. It was 376yen。The receipt even tells you how much calories there are in your meal.
Put your bag under your chair or on your knees. Should get dozens for NUS’s kids.
The cafeteria was really crowded, perhaps it’s the 63 ATW students all lining up for food. It’s the summer hols but there’s still lots of people.
AT 1.00pm, it was the placement test. I did so so, wonder which level I would be in. I hope I get to be in an effective level. The reading part bored me to death and I didn’t bothered finishing it.
At 3.30pm, it was the campus tour.
As you know from my previous post [Saturday (which I hope you’ve read before this)] my peer tutor is one gorgeous girl. I feel like shabby Cinderella’s step sister next to her. But of course we grow up to have thick skin so it’s ok.
One of our members was flirty with my peer tutor. (He’s a social butterfly, from what we saw later.) Will be a great businessman in the future.
Lots of old, abandoned buildings in Kyudai.
Haunted house #1
Haunted House #2
Haunted House #3
Dirty but not abandoned.
Never an unused buildling in NUS so it’s a real surprise seeing all those haunted houses. Update: Turns out Kyudai is moving from this campus to Ito campus because the buildings are sinking. ha ha
Bijin tutor, 2nd from top right.
After the tour was a boring wait at the entrance of the International Student Centre. Then it was paaarty
We have to pay 1,000yen for the party. I did it to socialise so it’s worth the money. Plus, they had lots of different type of beer. (Almost free flow, do I sound alchoholic?)
Six cans of shared 50% calorie beer. Very nice~~~
Cute keropok
P>
I took the train home and collected my monthly pass. My rotten Japanese got me through, I picked up an empty form for the pass (we had filled in the stuff in the morning) and told the lady something like this:
Excuse me. This morning, this form, wrote. *mimics shoving form into faraway box*
She understood and hurried to get my card. It cost $9,480. My money~~
I phone the family when I reached the station. I told them I would walk home, coz I wanted to check out a nearby shop in search of a calling card. The shop was a supermarket and I doubt they would have. Will have to visit a convenience store (konbini) soon.Mom must be worried sick.
On the way back, I saw two figures up ahead –one tall, one short. I thought of how I’ll kick them if they are bad guys, but it turned out to be okaasan and K-kun who walked to fetch me coz they think I might lose my way. Thanks, but I can manage :D
Night’s here again. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s class.
YQtravelling 