So yeah, Paris Disney, awesome! I will miss our Disney trips with our good friends the Daniels. It takes so much work to get to the Disney's in the States, and hard cash! Disney is an easy train ride, with one transfer, and with our Disney Obsessed Annual pass friends we always get a deal on tickets. Plus, the pure excitement and joy on the ladies faces with one look at any princess is worth a million bucks. It's just a great place and we are leaving Paris with fond memories of our time there.
Prague was a great trip too. I think we're all a bit tired and for the ladies, there is all this talk about going back to America and then we get on a plane and go to the Czech Republic where the language is strange and once again we are lost in a mysterious city. So, we're all a bit off but still managed to see ALL the sites, drink a lot of cheap beer, and eat a LOT of pork! We hit the jackpot of food by visiting Prague during their annual Prague food festival and ate in the main square for just about every meal. It was pretty huge. The second awesome decision we made was to get out of the center of the city and hit the south side for some incredible BBQ. If you ever make it to Prague, the Hospůdka na hradbách is a must!
Finally the riot action: Celia and I are off to get our laundry when we hear some good yelling and arguing coming from the boulevard out front followed by four dudes sprinting by us through the Cite. They definitely look like they are running from the law and up to no good. (the funniest part is the Cite Security guard who is standing outside our main building just enjoying the day, shouts out, "Ca va?" with half interest, as the dudes go running by. Now, I'm not formally trained in law enforcement, but anyone can tell, these guys aren't out for a quick run around the park. Plus, did you just hear the same loud yelling and disturbance from the street? They are running from something. I think the security guard got the hint to react and do something when the two large riot policemen in their full gear and helmets came running in after them a few seconds later...)
So sure enough something is going on. The Parc Montsouris is on lock-down and Celia and I have to walk all the way around to pick up Elise from school for lunch. Riot Police are all over the place with helmet, big guns, and shields. There are random groups of people that look like they are instigating some trouble and up to no good, but things are overall quite peaceful and calm. Except for the undercover bust Celia and I just missed being in the middle of while walking along Rene Cote. Very exciting!
Great ending to the month but the excitement was really limited to our first interaction with the hoodlums racing through the Cite and the undercover bust. (which was really just a cop in street clothes and a backpack talking to a group of suspicious looking people while his buddies were hiding in the bushes. Celia and I had passed the group just as the cop was approaching to pull the trigger on the arrest. It was pretty cool, but I'm super glad Celia was playing beast and running ahead of all the action. Not sure it would have been so cool if we were in the midst of the action!). Still, the riot police make a good story. I think my favorite part is where the lock down the park with lots of people still in the park. Nannies with their babies are trying to get out so they can go home and feed the kids some lunch and the riot police stand in the street with their backs to them, not more than 25 feet away, completely ignoring them. They most be trained not to trust those nannies.
Any how, we're getting to the end. Less than a month away from departure and I think I'm ready. I got to enjoy what could end up being my last futbol game of my Paris career Wednesday night. We got to play at Parc du Princess where the professional PSG Futbol team plays their games. It was a mini 6 on 6 game on a small portion on the field but on the artificial turf and so super cool! Not a bad way to end the career.
So that was June. Now we're looking at three more weeks come Monday and I know it's time. My biggest lady has finished a brilliant career of maternelle and I just can't wait to see what great things she works on next. Celia is working out an excellent fro and I can't wait to get her in a salon in the states where I can clearly explain how I want it cut, be understood, and understand what they ask in return. It's going to be glorious...not so much the taming Celia's hair, but the being understood/understand part.
Not that I'm complaining. I keep thinking that it's time to live it up. I gotta go back to the "real" world when we hit State-side. Job, hopefully a mortgage, grocery shopping on Sundays, and being able to buy just about anything I want whenever I want it! Glorious! However, I don't think the fabulous nap that I took this afternoon is going to be much of an option on most Friday afternoons this fall!
See you all soon!
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