UNESCO (Saturday pt. 2)

My next and last stop of the day was the UNESCO headquarters, which are just behind l'Ecole Militaire, which is just across the street from La Tour Eiffel.

This time I already knew that the place would be closed, but I went anyway just to see what the building looks like. UNESCO has come up a few times on the list of places that people have told me they could envision me working, so I figured I might as well go there in person while I'm here. To be honest I'm not very knowledgeable on what all the organization does. But for those who don't know, UNESCO is an agency of the United Nations, its acronym stands for "United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization", and one of its many functions is to designate World Heritage Sites.

I have to admit that the place isn't that impressive from the outside. There was hardly anyone there and the neighborhood was dead quiet, so maybe I would've had a different impression if I'd gone there on a more active day. You also can't see much from the outside (for obvious reasons), so I had to snap photos through iron bars. The only part of the barrier that wasn't fenced off was a thick sheet of glass that marks le Square de la tolérance. You can see a little more inside from here but not much. Given UNESCO's closure during the weekends and the important nature of its work, of course I wasn't expecting to see a lot or get some sort of inside scoop. But for some reason I still left feeling a little underwhelmed. At least I know where it is now.

Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JULY
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JUNE
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - MAY

The Time I Was Politely Kicked Out of a Buddhist Temple (Saturday pt. 1)

Today I had to force myself to go out. I didn't really feel like it and I didn't have any ideas of what to do or where to go, but I couldn't just stay in and do nothing because that's what I did yesterday. So I went to le Bois de Vincennes and UNESCO just so I could say that I did something.

Le Bois de Vincennes was first, which is all the way at the southeastern end of the city. Unlike La Défense, le Bois de Vincennes is outside the city limits but is still officially part of Paris. It took me just under an hour to get there by metro, having to change lines once and walk a little ways at the end. The park has existed for nearly 160 years and is the largest green space in Paris.

My sole purpose for going there was to visit La Grande Pagode du bois de Vincennes, which is the headquarters of l'Union Bouddhiste de France (UBF). It also houses the largest statue of Buddha in all of Europe. I got to the park and had to walk around Lac Daumesnil for a little while before arriving at La Pagode. The doors were wide open, so I thought it was okay for me to go in.  But no one was there, except for a crew of people who looked like they were setting up for an event. They kinda glanced at me like I was in the way, but they didn't tell me to leave. Plus I saw a French woman sitting and talking on the phone and assumed she was a visitor, so I thought I was good.

Unfortunately, however, La Pagode was closed and its facade was blocked due to construction. So I just took pictures of the little that I could see, and I walked a little through the compound to explore. I was just about to take a picture of this really cool elephant statue when I heard, "Madame! Excusez-moi..." Turns out that French woman was not a visitor, but actually worked at the center. She explained to me that the center was not open to the public today, since they're prepping for a Vassana Kalo ceremony (where monks retire for the rainy season) tomorrow. Apparently I'd actually gone through the side entrance which someone had forgotten to close. I apologized for unknowingly tresspassing, but she was really nice about it. She told me that the ceremony would start at 9am tomorrow if I wanted to come, and kindly asked me to close the doors behind me on my way out.

At first when I left the center I'd resolved to get up early and come back tomorrow for the ceremony. But then I gave it a second thought. I'd have to get up and leave super early to get there on time... it takes an hour to get all the way down there... I'm already going to have to get up early on Monday for the Bastille Day parade... And I like my sleep. So I think I'll pass and just know that I tried. Went all the way outside the physical city limits to see the biggest Buddha statue in Europe, and I missed it! Eh well.

After leaving and closing the doors behind me, I walked around the rest of Lac Daumesnil before leaving le Bois de Vincennes and starting my long metro ride back toward UNESCO.

Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JULY
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JUNE
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - MAY

Office Lunch Outing + Expensive Notebook

Today was Louisa's last day as an intern and we were going to do a barbecue again like last time, but since the weather was icky we all went to a Japanese restaurant together instead. Not including the boss there are only 4 of us left (1 person finished their internship right before I started, 3 people finished two weeks after I started, and another person finished last week), so it was a small and laid-back lunch gathering. The restaurant we went to is called Kokis. We had their buffet, but it was confusing because the waitress still brought everything we ordered to our table anyway. We got a little bit of everything for all of us to share, so I won't go down the list. But I will say that I tried perles de coco, nougat chinois, and lychee for the first time, and I enjoyed each one very much! I also really enjoyed the jokes and casual conservation that we shared. Thanks to my boss for footing the bill!

Louisa had also made an apple cinnamon cake to share with all of us at the office. I love desserts with apples in them, and top it off this cake was so moist! It was perfect! Another fellow intern also brought in Swedish candy to share, so it was sweets all around this afternoon.




The notebook I've been carrying around with me everyday (my "travel journal", you could say) is almost full, so on the way from work I stopped at a papeterie in my neighborhood to buy a new one. They had a few made by Paper Blanks, which is the same brand as my current one. Paper Blanks is awesome because their notebooks are of exceptional quality and their covers have really intricate and interesting designs. However, they're also super expensive. :( I bought the one that I'm using now on clearance so it didn't cost much at all, but the one I just bought today was just... too much. I'm ashamed to say how much I paid for it. Just know that it didn't make any sense. You gotta pay more for quality sometimes, I guess.

Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JULY
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JUNE
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - MAY

Gelato Date!

With my Paris homegirl, H! We were supposed to do this last week, but we kept putting it off. Thursday I was busy, Friday I went to London, and then it rained Monday through Wednesday. It rained today too but it tapered off this evening just before we both off work, so even though it was still grey and cloudy and gross outside, we said Let's go for it!

We met up at a little square in the 5th arrondissement where Rue Mouffetard and Rue Lacépède meet. H hadn't eaten yet so I went with her to a nearby restaurant called La Contrescarpe. We chatted like we always do but I did most of the talking while H ate since I'd already eaten dinner and wasn't in the mood to order anything. H had croque monsieur, which seems to be one of her favorites. Also, props to this place for having the quickest service I've experienced at a brasserie before.

From there we walked directly across the street to Amorino Gelato. There are dozens of these around the city, but H had been to this particular one before and that's why we went there. Both of us ordered a medium-sized cornet, which is a cone with the gelato shaped like a rose. You can get these in two flavors, so H got raspberry and cherry-something, while I got vanilla and mango. As you can see, hers came out much prettier than mine even though they were made by the same person (she even joked, "Yours looks like an egg!"). But hey, it tasted delicious and that's what matters most.

After getting our gelato we walked around the neighborhood a little bit eating and talking. Rue Mouffetard and its surrounding streets are really cool because they're cobblestone, and you can walk directly in the street since not many cars pass through. In that way it was similar to walking in the Jewish quarter in le Marais.

Our little meetup only lasted for an hour and a half before we took the metro to our respective "homes", but it was just what I needed. I got out of the house, I visited a new neighborhood, and I tried gelato for the first time, all while hanging out with H. Before I left I had a splitting headache but now that I'm back I feel so at ease. I guess good company can do that.


Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JULY
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - JUNE
Bread and Butter [Paris] photos - MAY

45 Hours in LONDON (Sunday pt. 2)

After having our picture taken and admiring the bridge from the riverside, Anna and I walked across Tower Bridge. I decided to be a daredevil and stand right in the middle, where the two sides of the bridges sometimes lift  to make room for ships. 

We got to the other side and passed through Hay's Galleria and wandered for a little bit before stopping for lunch at The Old Thameside Inn near London Bridge. The table we sat at overlooked the River Thames, and we ordered one traditional British dish each. While Anna had their Sunday roast, I got fish and chips, which was the one dish that was on my London to-do list. It came with "mushy peas", which I guess is how it's traditionally served. Normally I can't stand peas, but these weren't bad. More importantly, the fish and chips were sooo good! I was so full and happy when we left! Anna really enjoyed her roast too. Just a note that probably goes without saying: if you're going to eat riverside when there's a breeze, eat quickly so you can enjoy your food while it's still warm.

 

After lunch we continued on down-river to The Globe Theatre, the famous theater most often associated with the great playwright Shakespeare. Directly across the river from the Globe Theater is St. Paul's Cathedral,which stands at the highest point in London and is the second largest church building in the UK.

After spending some time chatting and seeing what there was to see there, we headed back to Anna's place. I got all my stuff together and then we rode atop a double-decker bus to St. Pancras International. Check-in wasn't open for my train yet, so Anna sat and waited with me for a little while before she had to leave to get some work done and prepare for another trip the next day. We hugged and wished each other well before she left. I only had to go through border patrol once this time (turns out it's easier to go from Britain to France than the other way around), and I got back to the apartment in Paris around 11pm that evening.

As you might have guessed from the numerous places we passed by and the few places we actually visited, my goal in London was just to see the city rather than to spend a lot of time doing anything specific. Walking around for two days was exhausting, but it was also loads of fun and I saw so much more of the city than I'd expected. This was no doubt thanks to my old friend/tour guide Anna. She even surprised herself by how well she knew her way around!

Also, I thought I was cheap, but Anna REALLY knows how to cut corners. Which is necessary because as expensive as I thought Paris was, London is even more so. Anna knew this and took care to not have me spend more than was necessary for food, transportation, and souvenirs. All in all I ended up spending 70 pounds (about $120 USD), which isn't bad at all for a weekend in London

Thanks to Anna for being such a gracious host! My short trip to London was one of the best
times in my life, thanks to you. I hope to see you again when we're both back stateside!

 45 Hours in LONDON photos

45 Hours in LONDON (Sunday pt. 1)

Anna and I hit the grown running, getting up extra early to attend service at Westminster Abbey. That was the free way in, so of course I wanted to go for it!

Our journey there started off alright. But then we couldn't change lines on the tube where we'd planned to because of construction, so we ended up walking the rest of the way. We passed through Green Park and by Buckingham Palace again, witnessing a procession of horsemen on the mall.

Time was slipping by quickly and we tried to walk as fast as we could, but we didn't think we were going to make it. When we finally arrived at Westminster Abbey there were guards lined up at the main entrance, and attendants at the gate were keeping the crowd of onlookers out. Apparently today wasn't just any regular service; it was their Civic Service, where important members of city government . These government officials started filing into the church in a line of red, burgundy and blue robes just after we got there. The attendants were adamant about keeping people in the crowd out of the way, and I heard someone near me say something about needing a special ticket to enter. So I thought it was a lost cause. But thank God for Anna being willing to ask, just to be sure! She asked an attendant right at the gate if we could go in for service, and he was replied nonchalantly, "Sure. There should still be seats left." And he let us through. We walked down the red carpet and everything!

That right there reminded me of a valuable reoccurring lesson that I've been learning during my time here. You have to ask for what you want. Especially in Europe; you can't expect people to do things without being asked or give you information freely as you might in the States. But I digress.

The point is... we sat for Sunday service IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY! I was so relieved that we made it in and humbled by the opportunity that I almost cried. I just couldn't believe it. I've noticed that I often feel this way when I visit historic places of worship. I had the same reaction watching Buddhist rites in Osaka, marveling at the daibutsu in Nara, and walking around Notre Dame in Paris, and now I was experiencing the same thing in London. Even though I'm neither Buddhist, nor Catholic, nor Anglican. I know a lot of people don't believe in "all paths to God", and I'm not sure how I feel about that idea either. But there's just something overwhelming about being in a place of worship, where you can feel the earnest faith of the people around you and those who have passed on. Being in Westminster Abbey was also fascinating for me because I'd never been to an Anglican service before.

While everyone who comes is made to feel welcome for worship, the staff wastes no time showing you the way out once service is over. So we left with the quickness and hopped on the tube to get to Tower of London. Basically, we went from holy to gruesome in about 10 minutes, haha. The Tower of London (actually a castle) has served many purposes during its existence, but it is known mainly for being a fortress and dungeon where many people were imprisoned, tortured, and executed. Anne Boleyn was beheaded here. The Tower also currently houses a chapel and the Crown Jewels. All of this information was given to me by Anna, who'd toured the castle a few weeks ago.

This place is enormous, y'all! And there were tons of people there gathered to look at it, or waiting in line to enter. I'd just wanted to see it though, and once I had my fill we walked down the hill and turned the corner to reach the bank of the Thames and... catch full sight of the Tower Bridge! I don't have much info or history on this one other than that though this is the London's iconic bridge, this is not THE London Bridge. That bridge is further down-river and is much less remarkable. Tower Bridge however, is huge, with grey brick beautifully arranged with dark and light blue paint, with the occasional red and white to mark the colors of the English flag. Anna and I took our first and only picture together in London here. Once gain Ma, this was for you so I hope you're happy.

Find out what we did next by reading part 2! 

45 Hours in LONDON photos

45 Hours in LONDON (Saturday pt. 2)

As I'd mentioned, we were going to  go see Big Ben after leaving Traflagar square, but as we were walking Anna realized we were in close enough proximity to make a detour toward... Buckingham Palace! So we went there instead.

We took a nice stroll through St. James's Park to get there. We walked along the lake, admiring the beautiful scenery and observing the ducks, geese, and various other birds as they went about their business.

There were even a couple incredibly gorgeous swans! One of whom was watching over his/her cygnets as people approached to feed them and get a closer look. Everything was just so green and serene and picturesque, with so many waterfowl. Being there reminded me very much of walking along Avon River in Stratford, Ontario.



After taking our time passing through St. James's Park we arrived at Buckingham Palace at the other end. In case you were wondering, no, we did not catch a glimpse of Queen Elizabeth II. In fact, the palace isn't the Queen's official residence and she's often not there. So for the most part, it's safe to say that unless it's been announced or otherwise indicated, the people who stand outside the gates expecting to see her or someone else who's really important are wasting their time.

From there we passed through Green Park and hopped on the tube, getting off at Westminster. We came up the steps from underground and there he was! Big Ben! Right across the street! I was busy taking it all in when Anna casually mentioned that I hadn't posed for a picture in London yet... and this would be a great spot to take one... I explained to her that I prefer being behind the camera, but she wasn't having it. Uggh. So I reluctantly handed her my camera and made the first pose that came to my head. This picture only exists because I knew Ma would want to see it. So there you go Ma. I hope this makes you happy.



Next we walked around the adjoining square to pay respects to the Nelson Mandela statue before crossing the next street over to get an up-close look at Westminster Abbey. For those of you not familiar, this is the church where Prince William and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate) got married. It's also over 1,000 years old (founded in 960) and is the coronation and burial site of numerous English and British monarchs. It was closed when we got there, so we just stood in front of it for a few minutes taking pictures and standing in awe of its magnificence.

Then we walked back the way we came and crossed Westminster Bridge, taking in spectacular views of the River Thames, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, and the London Aquarium all at the same time. We took a break to sit and enjoy all that was going on around us as the sun was setting.

From the bridge we continued along the Thames passing the Eye, Jubilee Gardens, and the Udderbelly Festival before climbing the steps of Hungerford Bridge to start making our way back to Anna's place. We crossed this bridge slowly, taking one last long look at all the wonderful sites we'd just passed by. Lights on the bridges and along the water flickered on, and Big Ben lit up just as we left.

45 Hours in LONDON photos