Barcelona on my mind

I'm working in sunny Barcelona this week and as the plane flew in, I recalled how mountainous it is, how coastal it is, and how much I do really like Spain - the architecture in Barcelona is unlike any other.

Tonight a colleague and I walked in the center of town among boulevards lined with shops and restaurants, which anchored a few 'hidden' squares. It was nice to get out of the hotel and prowl around a bit, even if the smell of scented cigarettes dotted the night. My colleague spoke Spanish which was helpful, but for much of the night, I felt a slight pang of helplessness, a longing to know more Spanish than I do (which is basically nil). In a former life, I think I would have liked to have been a linguist.

As I packed last night, my kids were also preparing for my departure. Carter came in and sat on the edge of my bed as if to engage in a serious conversation. Callie came in a few min later, handed me a note, and quickly departed...

Carter: mom, so is there any chance I'm going with you on this trip?
Mom: Sorry no - not unless you fit inside this (tiny) roller bag.
Carter: I can fold. I'm foldable (or some variation of this).

Callie note to mom:  Plese can you wak me up when you leave so I can say goodbye?  Check yes/no.  Rite back.

I do love these bittersweet traveling mommy moments. Yes, I will 'rite' back.

Nine Lives en Velo

I've been riding the velib bikes to work and home the last few days (check in / check out bikes all over Paris).  Its hit or miss in the am whether or where I find one, but when I do, my most frequented route is very straight forward (literally - its straight for 5-7 min down one road, park, then walk 2 min). The bikes have a large basket on the front and are generally a bit clankety and top-heavy in design.

Since I visit different rented offices around the city for the sake of variety (today's office had a fab courtyard), I have multiple routes to learn. The route there normally isn't the route home since I have to navigate around the many one way streets. Though mornings are hectic, its really the peak end of day return that gets the adrenaline pumping. On my newer (farther away routes), its nine lives in action, with no less than:

- 1 pedestrian avoidance maneuver (not watching bike lane)
- 1 close encounter with car/bus (its a shared lane)
- 2 questionable passes by a motorbike or bicycle
- 3 missed turns, navigation snafus, or around the block redo on any of my new routes

And that's just within a 15-30 min time span!

So its exhilaration...of the best and worst kind. The busiest streets are of course the most nerve racking; small stop lights off to the side for easy misses don't help. The cars are very accommodating, obligingly making room for me to ride next to them.

I found myself today, in two instances, shimmying between one or more buses with one foot on the ground and the other on a pedal flopping along, hoping the light didn't yet turn green until I found a notch of space in which to exist there among them all. The light changed and my heart rate started racing even before I moved. I notice the more experienced riders navigate across many lanes with ease, easy will, and far more grace than I manage just yet. They never frazzle and rarely seem to stop.

The city promotes a 'what you can do with your velib' theme, and I have to laugh at the image they use; its so fitting (a woman riding with a dress and probably heels). I am still a novice but I have an annual pass, so I'm all in.

Things I See When I Walk to Work

Lately I'm walking to work a lot, which I love. Though many storefronts are closed up yet at that hour, sometimes I walk by something interesting or worthy of nabbing my phone for a pic.  Here's my walk along view of some interesting things...





Funky mannequin designs, lots of wine shops and wine in windows, beautiful stonework and architecture that looks like one big long palace (well except for the shady areas of town). Courtyards, entry alleys, everywhere stone sidewalks, and interesting furnishings (I never thought to make a lamp out of matchbox cars - goodness knows we had enough).

Of course, I'm also watching out for dog mess (what's up with people not curbing their dogs?!).  And normally most people that I pass are hurried in nature, quiet and expressionless. Some listen to music, talk on a phone, or just walk - deliberate and intentional. It is amusing to me and sometimes I think of bursting out a song or a hug to one of them just to see their reaction.

Just another day in Paris....