Brian K. Bailey

Coming to you from a proper internet connection

The thing about quotes on the internet is you cannot confirm their validity.
Abraham Lincoln

Here’s the story of how I solved an elusive dilemma in Paris – apartment internet service. My apartment is already wired for fiber optic internet service. Easy enough. Then it should have been straightforward to order internet service. In Paris, there are a number of internet service providers, Orange, Free, and Bouygues, to name a few. Since there is a lot of competition, the various companies are almost always running some form of discount or promotion for a year of internet service. The rates go back up after 12 months, but it is customary to switch to a new service provider every 12 months to keep the lower prices. Internet service in Paris is very similar to other countries in which you can select the download speed, whether to include cable channels, and other accessories like a TV.

Like what I was told to do, I chose one of the service providers and scheduled them to install the internet. My first attempt was in November 2021 right after moving into my apartment. The technician arrived and verified that the fiber optic line was indeed active. I connected all the boxes per the instructions. Alas, there was no internet. After a month of multiple technician house calls and calls into the company, there was still no internet connection.

Thankfully, my downstairs neighbor had an unsecured WiFi service, so I was able to connect to the internet using a secure virtual private network (NordVPN, https://nordvpn.com). However, the speed was slow and the WiFi only was accessible in half my living room and the kitchen. The rest of the apartment had no WiFi service.

During this month, I did keep contacting the company including asking my friends to speak in French to try to understand why my internet was not working. After a month, the company acknowledged that the prior tenant still had an active contract for internet service with another company. My company was waiting unsuccessfully for the prior service provider to relinquish the line so that my internet could be set-up.

Needless to say, I decided to cancel the service and return the internet boxes. The company was clear and quick to explain how to do this. I had to send a registered letter via La Poste, and ship the boxes back to the company. The company provided the letter and the shipping label. My costs to cancel the service were the registered letter cost (about 7 euros) and the cancellation cost (about 40 euros). I decided not to challenge the cancellation cost since I’ve only heard stories of how nigh impossible it was to be reimbursed for the cancellation cost.

After another month of using the slower speed unsecured WiFi, I decided to try again with another company. I went with Bouygues (https://www.bouyguestelecom.fr/) who also provides my cellular phone service. I have been very happy with Bouygues cellphone service since it’s inexpensive (about 9 euros a month) and works well all over the city. Bouygues had a special promotion, and I scheduled for this morning to install the internet. The boxes came about a week or so ago. The technician arrived in his time slot, hooked up the internet in about 30 minutes, and verified everything was working before he left. My guess is he had to switch my line over to Bouygue’s line into the building.

So, now I have secure, fast internet service throughout my apartment. Download speeds are around 70 Mbps which is plenty fast for what I do (video streaming). I no longer have to use the workarounds from the past two months. I still use NordVPN to give my computer and cellphone an extra layer of protection from prying eyes.

I hope you learn from my experience so that you won’t repeat the mistakes I made including how to ask the right questions to make sure your service company will be successful or not. I am very happy now without all the workarounds. I now have my computer on a computer desk (rather than on the coffee table in the living room) and WiFi throughout my apartment. This was another exercise in patience, endurance, and bringing in my French friends to chug through the French service bureaucracy.

Until we meet in Paris…

Mickey and Friends at Disneyland Paris

I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.
Walt Disney

I bought an annual pass for Disneyland Paris being the major Disney fanatic that I am (https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-us/annual-passes). When I lived in Los Angeles, I visited Disneyland in Anaheim twice a month. Continuing the tradition here in Paris, this past weekend I spent a half-day at Disneyland Paris. Usually, I ride Ratatouille, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Phantom Manor (their version of the Haunted Mansion).

This weekend, I had the pleasure of spotting a few of the Disney characters. Even though I may be an adult, seeing Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Winnie the Poo, and their friends always brings a smile to my face. You may not be able to tell from the photos below, but I have a big smile in every one!

I love just to walk throughout the park, hearing the songs and seeing the sights. In fact, when I was about to retire from the military back in 2014, I applied to work at Walt Disney Engineering. While I unfortunately did not get hired, I did get a nice shirt from the employee store that I still occasionally wear while swing dancing.

Having the Magic Plus annual pass, I am able to visit Disneyland 350 days of the year. They allow me to reserve up to three days in the future. I often schedule my visits with reservations at one of the restaurants. I have eaten at the Silver Spur Steakhouse, Restaurant Agrabah Café, and Captain Jack’s – Restaurant des Pirates. All of which I highly recommend. At the Silver Spur, it’s like eating at a Western Saloon and restaurant with traditional American West food. At Agrabah Café, there is a buffet filled with Mediterranean and Arabian delights. At Captain Jacks, they feature Caribbean islands fare with tropical drinks. In addition, Captain Jacks tables are in view of the beginning of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride where you can watch the boats slowly pass by.

In addition to my usual “haunts” (pun intended), this time I rode on the Molly Brown, the big riverboat. What an exciting time traveling along the big river seeing the Thunder Mountain Railroad, geysers, and more to the sounds and music of the wild west.

I always have so much fun out there. Since I live in the 8th arrondissement, the “A” train takes me from the Charles De Gaulle-Etoile station to the Disneyland station in about an hour. So convenient!

Whenever you are visiting me, you, too, can accompany me to Disneyland for only 45 euros a person for both parks. What a deal! I’ll show you around my stomping grounds at the parks.

Returning at the end of the month, I get to eat at the Bistrot Chez Rémy which is based on the movie, Ratatouille. I’m so excited! Being about to go to a Disneyland is one of the many reasons I love Paris.

Until we meet in Paris…

My Contract With the French Republic

Today we fight for more than the Republic. Today we fight for all our brothers back home.
Captain Rex, “The Clone Wars,” Star Wars

It’s now about the middle of winter in Paris. The highs are in the 40’s Fahrenheit, with lows in the 30s Fahrenheit, brisk with overcast days and drizzly rain from time-to-time. Most stores and cafes are still open at this time with COVID restrictions remaining in effect until the Omicron variant subsides.

Integration Contract with the French Republic: Reminding me that I was in a scene out of “The Clone Wars,” I made a trip to the to set-up my integration contract with the Republic of France at the French Office of Immigration and Integration (OFII) located in the 13th arrondissement. The purpose of this contract is to define what I am required to accomplish in order to renew my visa to France this fall. My initial visa which was a long-term stay visa, expires in October 2022. There are a few requirements needed to renew the visa. Among those are setting up and accomplishing the tasks in the Contract (called le contrat d’intégration républicaine – CIR).

At this appointment, they gave us a written test of French and interviewed each of us. While my writing skills were adequate, my verbal skills were not at an A1 level, yet. As a result, I am required to take 100 hours of French language that they will schedule for me. In addition, I am to take four days of French civic lessons. It actually reminds me of probation, not that I have personal experience with being on probation…

The personnel at OFII were friendly and helpful including speaking English when it was necessary to understand some instructions. The contract interview was in English as well which helped to really understand what will be required of me in my integration contract. At about five months before my visa expires, I start the process to renew my visa. If I complete everything they listed in my contract, then they said it would be very likely my visa would be renewed. This also includes doing work consistent with my visa (teaching swing dance), making a minimum amount of income (~1200-1500 €/month), and paying taxes on that income.

VISA CONSULTANT, ALLISON FROM YOURFRANCEFORMATION: I would describe French immigration law as not difficult, but very specific. Thankfully, I employ a visa consultant, Allison (https://www.yourfranceformation.com/). She takes me along every step of the way from deciding which type of visa to obtain (about 10 months before leaving for France) through the renewal after a year in France. She made this process straightforward with her help and extensive training material. As long as you are told what to expect and accomplish for each of the steps along the way, the French system and civil employees seem to be effective and helpful.

I have not been in Paris for three months. It’s hard to believe how many friends I have made and adventures I have experienced in this short time. It has taken a lot of patience, for sure, but well worth the frustrations to experience the beauty of Paris and its people.

Until we meet in Paris…

Christmas in Florida and The Polar Express

Happy New Year! Bonne année! I hope your holidays were merry and bright with memorable times with your family and friends. My Christmas and new year were in sunny, warm South Florida with my family in Ft. Lauderdale in the United States. It was a warm respite from cold, rainy Paris for a short 10 days. Everyday included spending time with my family, eating great food, and enjoying the sunshine at my parent’s pool.

Having spent a few months in Paris, France, it was a little strange returning to the US. While everything was familiar, my perspective was quite different. I was not returning from a vacation in Paris, I was going to the US for a vacation. Going through border control and customs as a guest rather than returning “home” felt slightly odd like some form of a twilight zone episode.

COVID Antigen Test: With the COVID restrictions, I had to take an antigen test in Paris the day before I left. Delta’s Ready to Fly website made it easy to upload all my documents and be ready for the flight back to the US. In Paris, since most pharmacies perform the antigen test, it was quick and easy especially since the pharmacies seem to be on every corner. The pharmacy on my block charged me about 30 euros. The whole process took about 30 minutes. They sent me the results electronically within about 30 minutes after the test. I did have to download a pdf of the test results, upload it to the Ready to Fly website, and print out a copy in case anyone asked for it along the way.

The COVID Antigen Test – Results in about 30 minutes

I flew from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport to Atlanta, Georgia, and then onto Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. All the flights were on time with no issues. Security and border control at CDG took about 45 minutes. At the Atlanta airport, I went through border control, customs, and then through airport security check again which took about an hour total.

The Polar Express: The 10 days with my family was a lot of fun. One of the highlights was a trip on The Polar Express in Miami, Florida (https://miamithepolarexpressride.com/). What a fun time! The actors sang and danced in the train car similarly to the movie. Characters from the movie came through and performed scenes from the movie. We also had a visit from Santa Claus! The train trip was an hour and half long with cookies and hot chocolate.

Returning back to France included an Antigen test in Ft. Lauderdale, and completing the attestation paperwork. I uploaded the documents to the Ready to Fly website and had to show all the paperwork at check-in and at each of the flights. Flying back, I went through Atlanta, Georgia and Munich, Germany. There was plenty of time between each of the flights to get some food and relax. All the flights were almost full, on time with few issues. My original seat from Atlanta to Munich didn’t have a video screen that worked, so they moved me to a better seat in an exit row which gave me a lot more legroom and an empty row! I didn’t sleep much on the flights, watching movies and reading to pass the time.

Back at home in Paris: Now that I am back in Paris, it feels like home. Even as I write, it’s raining outside – a common occurrence in winter here. The rain and cold feel like home as I’ve acclimated to the winter here with the right clothes layers and mental attitude. In Paris, it’s now required to wear a mask in most public areas outside in addition to inside areas. They are encouraging and soon requiring a booster shot. Thankfully, I took my booster shot back in September in the US, so I’m all caught up at this time. I also continue French language classes this week at Alliance française (https://www.alliancefr.org/).

Swing dancing: Now that I’m back, I start teaching swing dancing in Paris this month. It will be good to be back in front of a dance class. I will be teaching dance classes in English and perhaps guest teaching with other groups as well. I still can hardly believe that I live in Paris as a swing dance instructor. What a life! Check out my Talenton Dance website (https://talenton.live/talenton-dance/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/talentondance) to keep up-to-date on classes.

Until we meet (and dance) in Paris…

Le Château de Vincennes

It’s Sunday afternoon in Paris. The sky is overcast. There is a light drizzle in the air. The temperature is in the 40s F. I am on the “A” train back to my apartment. Realizing my afternoon and evening are free, I wrack my brain for a new adventure. Looking at the stops on the “A” train, a destination never before explored calls me, Le Château de Vincennes. Steeling my resolve to try something new, I exit the station at Vincennes welcomed by a joyful sight: a Christmas market. The town is alight with the Christmas spirit with families shopping for tasty delights and presents for the soon arriving day. I meander through the kiosks avoiding the throngs to make my way to the edge of town where lies the grandiose royal retreat of Le Château de Vincennes. The walk is about 10 minutes through the center of town where shops selling chocolates and pastries line the street. The aromas of bread and sauteed plates waft from the cafes as they beckon would be customers to a warm respite from the cold and rain.

Leaving the middle of the city opens a wide expanse of trees, grass, and a castle! In awe of the grandiose site, I slowly encircle the chateau, following the border outlined by the moat. The walls tower above me, the moat falls below me. My head must move up and down, side to side, having difficulty viewing the complete chateau at one time from any direction. As I to explore the outward confines of the chateau, I continue to be amazed at the grandeur. The keep, the king’s house, the queen’s house, the walls, the drawbridges take me to a time centuries ago when kings, queens, and their court procession from Paris to this retreat, set-up court a few months at a time. I can hear the horses braying at the strain of the laden loads, the soldiers giving orders to move the king’s entourage into the chateau and prepare for receiving guests and dignitaries at the chateau.

Another time comes into view of prisoners being brought here to answer for their crimes or to be punished for displeasing their king. The look of despair on their faces while in chains to live out their sentence in the cold, damp cells within the keep. Their only respite is to draw on the walls or write letters to their families in hope that one day the injustices of their imprisonments will be righted.

Le Château de Vincennes: On the Eastern edge of Paris is the town of Vincennes which houses a country retreat for many kings and queens of France, Le Château de Vincennes (http://www.chateau-de-vincennes.fr/). It really is more of a castle than the typical image of a French chateau. It even has a moat the surrounds the complex. The moat is dry now with green grass at the base.

The chateau is large with about a one-kilometer perimeter. There is a keep, a cathedral, two large royals residences, and many support buildings. It took me about two hours to explore the site which included the self-guided tours of the keep and cathedral. The chateau was largely constructed in the 1300s with the location being used by multiple kings from the 1400s to 1600s expanding significantly during these centuries. Of particular note there are two royal residences that mirror each other. One residence for the king and one for the queen.

During the 1700s and 1800s, the keep served as a prison including many of those who displeased the king. The graffiti that remains on the walls of the keep are from the time as a prison. Inside the keep are many rooms that have been restored to what the rooms were used during some of the kings of France.

The cathedral at the chateau was quite large and looked like it could house the entire town at the time.

The stained glass windows of the Cathedral at the chateau

I recommend Le Chateau of Vincennes due to its rich history, extensively preserved buildings, and variety of buildings. The self-guided tour through the keep was informational with signs in French, English, and Spanish. Plus, it’s only a few minutes train ride from Paris on Metro Line 1 or RER Train A. There are a number of other chateaus surrounding Paris. This visit to Vincennes inspires me to travel out to the periphery of Paris to explore the others.

Until we meet in Paris…

A Grand Adventure with a Friend

Not all who wander are lost.
J.R.R. Tolkien

A friend of mine visited this past weekend. We worked together in the United States. He now lives in Europe working for a European company. He took the train to come visit me for a few days. I was so excited to see him since it’s been a few years since he visited the USA. After he arrived, we had dinner at Place du Tertre, my literal and figurative happy place. It was cold and raining (a very common situation in Paris until March/April). The plaza was sparkling due to the twinkling lights and the wet cobblestones.

As I’ve probably wrote before, Place du Tertre is surrounded on three sides by cafes. In the non-Winter months, the center of the plaza is filled with cafe tables under tents. The plaza is usually very busy during most of the year. This cold and rainy night brought few visitors to the plaza. We ate traditional French food for dinner at La Mère Catherine (https://lamerecatherine.com/): French onion soup, beef tartare, and duck. Then we went over to the La Cremaillere 1900 (https://cremaillere1900.com/) where we ate chocolate cake, drank hot chocolate, and listened to a live band singing traditional French songs. Place du Tertre is just around the corner from the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur which overlooks Paris with breathtaking views.

Later that evening my friend discovered that he was going to need a PCR COVID test in order to return to his country that Sunday (two days later). So, Saturday morning we searched for a laboratory that would accept non-reservations in order to get the test. We traveled to a number of neighborhoods in Paris that I had not ventured to yet which was a lot fun. We discovered a large park near my house (Parc Monceau) that I am sure to revisit in the future.

Once of the entrances to Parc Monceau, a gilded gate

After we found the laboratory, my friend was able to get his rapid PCR test which he received the results electronically about two hours later. We spent the day exploring Paris, stopping at the Tuileries Christmas market (https://talenton.live/2021/11/29/christmas-markets-in-paris-and-singing-reindeer/), shopped at BHV to see their Swiss Christmas-themed decorations (https://www.bhv.fr), walked through Le Marais (a more medieval section of Paris), and the Bastille area. We stopped at cafes along the way to warm up with hot tea or coffee since it was pretty cold and rainy the entire time.

While looking for used book stores, we stumbled upon Rue Nicolas Flamel. He was a scribe and manuscript seller in France in the 1300s to early 1400s (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Flamel). Later, he was imagined to be an alchemist and mentioned prominently in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series (especially the first book, the Sorcerer’s Stone).

At the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), there was another Christmas market with pretty Christmas trees and displays along with shops, food, and rides.

That evening is where we discovered my gas had been turned off as chronicled in another post (https://talenton.live/2021/12/08/i-have-gas-and-electricity-too/). The next day we went to church, ate lunch at a sandwich shop, and explored Parc Monceau again when it wasn’t raining as much. Parc Monceau has a food pavilion where we ordered hot drinks. I had a hot cider which is my favorite winter drink. The park also has a number of statues with architectural monuments scattered throughout. People were walking with their dogs and children. They even had a footbridge where I am pictured in my cap and heavy coat (picture taken by my friend).

In all a grand adventure exploring Paris, eating great food, dealing with the slings and arrows of outrageous situations, and generally having a great time. Next year, I will be visiting my friend’s home in the Alps (when it’s a lot warmer, though).

In response to the continual cold and rain, I recently bought a vest that has heaters which run on battery. It feels so good with just enough heat to keep me comfy warm in the cold, rainy Parisian winter. It is a Barrjee Gilet Vest. It runs on any normal cellphone recharge battery pack or you can buy one of theirs. This vest reminds me of a show on Nickelodeon when I was a kid in the 1970s called, The Tomorrow People. The show was about a groups of kids that developed special powers including teleportation. When they traveled they wore spacesuits that looked like normal clothes wherever they went but were climate controlled. I feel a bit like one of the Tomorrow People who is warm and cozy in the midst of the rain and cold.

I look forward to other visits by my friends and family. Having a guest bedroom with now working heat and hot water beckons you to Paris. Please do come and visit.

Until we meet in Paris…

I Have Gas! (and Electricity, too)

When you move into a new apartment, one of the first things they tell you to do is set-up gas, electricity, and other utilities so you have heat and hot water. Well, this is a story about how not to do it. I signed for an apartment in Paris to move-in on November 5th, 2021. Right before I moved in, the company that did the rental insurance offered to set-up my gas and electric. Since they spoke English, I happily walked through the process with the agent. I even received an email from the energy company welcoming me as a new customer. All good so far. So, I’m happily living in my apartment enjoying the heat (using water radiators) and hot water, all heated by a modern natural-gas boiler.

Then December 4 rolls around. This happens to be a month after I moved in. In the morning, I have my hot shower as normal and go out for the day with my friend, Weston, who’s in town for a weekend trip visiting me. We come back to my place later that evening. Weston comes into the living room asking me how to use the shower since the water is bitter cold. My first reaction was of disbelief. I had not had a problem with my hot water so far. Checking the temperature of the water, lo-and-behold it’s really cold (not even lukewarm).

I check on the water heater. The boiler has an error code (EA) that basically means there is no gas. I am confused, confounded even. Then I realize it’s December 4th, a month after moving in. I ask myself, “do I have a contract for my has and electricity?” Was the welcoming email a ruse to lull me into a false sense of security? Did I imagine the email in the first place? Have I been dreaming this whole time in Paris and this is the point in the dream where it becomes a nightmare and the walls start closing in on me and the clown starts laughing from the shower?

I call the energy company, and they do not have any record of my being a customer with them. They are very friendly about it, but cannot really help me since I’m not a customer. Then it begins to click in my brain. I was advised to get a subscription (or contract). I apparently did not, I only have a welcoming email, but no subscription.

Weston and I spend the next hour or so ordering electricity and gas service on line. The electricity subscription (Classic Electricity offer) with TotalEnergies (https://www.totalenergies.fr/) went smoothly. I was notified the service would start December 7th with no break in service. The adventure with gas was another story. I went with EDF (https://www.edf.fr/) for my gas service because they had the best rates for their Gas Advantage plan. The website walked me through the set-up process including a gas usage estimator calculator which I found very straightforward. However, I was without gas and needed an appointment ASAP in order to have heat and hot water.

Once I was able to set-up an appointment for the gas turn-on, the appointment date was December 13th, about a week later. My apartment was getting colder each day by about two degrees Fahrenheit. By December 7, the temperature in the apartment was down to 60 degrees F. I still had no hot water. My washing up included a washcloth dipped in heated water from the stove which was thankfully electricity-powered. One of the nights I decided to stay at a hotel in order to have a hot shower and a warm room to sleep in.

The thoughts going through my head included how weird that in Paris, it was possible to be without heat and hot water. How difficult is was to live this way and how normal this is for many people in the world. Rather than being upset, I decided to be thankful for the electricity and friends in Paris that helped me out at this time. And I continued my attitude of a smile and patience.

Now back to the date of December 13th. Another week was going to make my life much more difficult and probably drive me to live in a hotel. Coming to the rescue was one of the French teachers at my French language school, L’Atelier 9 (https://latelier9.com/). After hearing my story, she happily offered to be in the call with me with EDF to figure out a way to accelerate the appointment. Thankfully, there is an Urgent option where they can come that day for a price of 131 Euros. Since that is a lot cheaper than a hotel or space heaters, I jumped at the option. EDF came by the same day, the evening of December 7th. They had the gas on in no time and now my apartment has heat and hot water again.

This was another lesson learned for me. Be sure to complete signing up for contracts through the entire process. There are usually multiple stages in setting up a contract (customer number/information, subscription, contract, appointments, billing) and you need to be sure you complete them all or you may find your electricity or gas cutoff on a Saturday evening.

Now if I could just my internet service to start working. A topic for another post.

Until we meet in Paris…

Christmas Markets in Paris and Singing Reindeer!

One of the things I enjoy about Paris at this time of year is the Christmas market. Paris has a number of these that run from middle November to early January. They sport Swiss-chalet style booths for hot drinks, food, and gifts. Whenever I walk through them, I smile and feel all warm and cozy inside. Even though there isn’t snow on the ground, there are a lot of wintry scenes throughout the markets to make it feel even colder than it already is at this time of year in Paris. It’s currently staying in the 40Fs for the highs and 30Fs for the lows. Not quite freezing, but heavy coat weather nonetheless.

Tuileries Gardens Christ Market, “La Magie de Noel (The Magic of Christmas)”

The largest Christmas market in Paris is located at Tuileries Gardens along Rue de Rivoli (https://www.parisdiscoveryguide.com/tuileries-garden-christmas-market.html). The market covers the entire length of one side of the gardens and is filled with dozens of rides, food booths, and gift shops. I advise not going during the weekends as it gets packed with wall-to-wall people. The market is filled with the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas. The Tuileries market is called, “The Magic of Christmas.” Whether you want a hot drink (wine, cider, chocolate), chestnuts over an open fire, traditional French winter food (e.g, sausages, reclettes, sandwiches), or sweets, they have it in droves throughout the market.

A large booth inspired by candle carousel

Of the many choices for drink, food, and sweets, I chose hot chocolate, hot apple cider, cheese sausage, and macaroons (over two visits, of course). They were as charming as they were tasty. I already had roasted chestnuts a few days prior, otherwise I would have tried them here. Roasted chestnuts are certainly a unique taste. It took a few before I decided I kind of liked them. There are a lot of chestnut trees around Paris, so this is a local delicacy in addition to the Christmas song origins.

There are a lot of choices for gifts, too. They had jewelry, children’s toys, leather goods, and many other options. I was able to take care of a little Christmas shopping while I was here. And there are a couple of audioanimatronic displays of Christmas songs or poems. My favorite was the three singing reindeer. They were activated by pressing a big blue button and sang many different carols.

Reindeer trio singing “Carol of the Bells”

I highly recommend going to one of these Christmas markets, especially if you haven’t been to one before. There are other Christmas markets around Paris of varying sizes and opening dates. I really suggest you bundle up at this time of year in Paris in order to stay warm.

Merry Christmas!

Until we meet in Paris…

Spending Thanksgiving in Paris

This is one of the few Thanksgivings spent away from my family in Florida. No matter where I’ve lived, I usually fly back to Ft. Lauderdale or Jacksonville to spend the day with family. It was a little less frequent when I lived in California and of course when I spent six months in Kabul, Afghanistan. I love spending time with my family and will definitely be doing a video chat with them this Thursday.

Living away from the USA as I do now is a stark reminder that every country has their own holidays that are not always shared with other countries around the world. In Paris, they celebrate Halloween here and then start getting ready for Christmas. They do not have an intervening family holiday. Armistice Day is November 11 which is similar to Veteran’s Day in the USA but doesn’t have the same level of family gathering as Easter, Christmas, or New Years.

However, the French have adopted one American Thanksgiving tradition, “Black Friday.” Here in France, though, it goes for a week or two at the end of November instead of a couple of days around Thanksgiving. It feels very weird to see “Black Friday” sale signs plastered in all the stores. They use the English words, too, not a translation. In addition, I’ve also seen “Cyber-Monday,” in English, too. It is remarkable how much impact the US culture and economy has made on France.

Thankfulness in Paris: How I am celebrating Thanksgiving in Paris? I did put a Christmas tree (all IKEA components) since I often decorate for Christmas in November anyways. My family will be doing a video call this Thursday from where they are in the USA. In addition, I am very thankful for being in Paris: for those that were instrumental in getting me here; for those that sent me off to Paris with multiple going away parties; for those I have met and become friends with here; for the sights and sounds I am experiencing in this beautiful city.

I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving however you are celebrating this year.

Until we meet in Paris…

Christmas at Disneyland Paris

Take the “A” train
Duke Ellington and his orchestra

This past Sunday, I spent the afternoon and evening at Disneyland Paris catching a few rides, getting dinner at Captain Jack’s restaurant, and enjoying the Christmas decorations. I really enjoy having an annual pass to Disneyland given it’s only about an hour away by the “A” train from Paris city center. They do most of their shows and rides in both English and French making it easy to understand most everything. My favorite time of year at any of the Disney parks is at Christmastime. They go all out to show the red and green (and blue) through lights, displays, and music. Walking around listening to Christmas music filled me with wonder and awe of the joy of Christmas.

Disneyland entrance in front of the railroad

Mickey Mouse and gang Christmas sing-along: There was also a show where Mickey Mouse and the gang was on stage to sing a number of Christmas songs asking the audience to join in. It was in a combination auditorium and dinner theater. So much fun!

Ratatouille: One of the newer sections of Disneyland is the Ratatouille ride area. They had a number of winter French stands set-up selling hot drinks and Christmas pastries. There is also a restaurant in the theme of Chez Remy’s which I will visit one of these days. The Ratatouille ride is a free-moving ride where you experience being chased around the restaurant from the view of the rats. So cool – or rather, “hot,” since one of the stops is under the oven in the kitchen.

Captain Jack’s Restaurant: This time I ate at a restaurant at the Pirates of the Caribbean ride called “Captain Jack’s.” It’s very similar to the Blue Bayou restaurant at Disneyland in Anaheim. I enjoyed Caribbean-themed food with lots of seafood (mahi mahi and shrimp) and pineapple juice drinks. The restaurant had unique Christmas decorations that took advantage of the treasure theme while guests overlook the waterway where the Pirates of the Caribbean boats float by.

Pirates of the Caribbean boat gliding by the restaurant

Even though I am almost 50 years ago, I still smile when I see characters in the park. Fond memories of my childhood come back at these sightings. This time I saw Geppetto, Pluto, and Tigger, in addition to the gang at the Christmas sing-along.

I’ll be returning at least once a month over the next year to enjoy the place over and over again.

Until we meet in Paris…