Part FOUR (that's all folks!) :)

Ah Paris!


Hello!


Our (free) picture in front of the boat picture stand (our picture behind us was going for 10 euro!)


Our New Years Eve menu!


On the way to the Champs-Elysees.


Bonne Annee!


Happy New Year!


The artists of Montmart, even working in the rain!


On the steps of Montmart.


The amazing park job! (Yes, the red truck & silver car in front were there before we parked!)


Our new boards!


The view from the slopes of Megeve, France.


Chapter IV: New Years in Paris

After a three hour delay at the Geneva airport (we put the time to good use and taught Pat how to play hearts!), we were off to Paris! We got in late, so all we had time for was dinner and a little bar hopping. We were all exhausted so we headed back at a reasonable hour so we could save our strength for the big event the next night! In the morning we did some sightseeing and hopped on a boat tour on the Seine River. The tour was interesting, but our guide was amazing! She spoke six languages, including Russian! Very impressive for someone who barely knows more than just "Grazi!" in Italian! After a late lunch and a little shopping, it was time to get ready for our New Years festivities!

We had dinner reservations at the restaurant just across from our hotel. We sat down to (unbeknownst to us, since the hotel made the reservations) a fixed-price menu which offers just one meal since it was New Years! It was complete with venison, foie gras (goose liver), and other scrumptious delights for all the vegetarians in the house. After the boys had a meeting with the hotel across the street and Pat & I, in our best broken French, tried to explain that two of us cannot eat the deer, we managed to piss off the snooty French waiter (he never talked to us again!) and made the kitchen go to all kinds of trouble (so we were told) to get us two heaping plates of vegetables! Bonne Annee to you Mr. Waiter! ;) Oh, there was also fish for Gary & his allergy. Kevin didn't mind though, since he ate everything the rest of us couldn't! Thanks Kevin!

So, after our three hour (average for the French), 7 course dinner (which was very good, despite the waiter), we headed out to the Champs-Elysees. It was closed off to traffic and well over a over a million people filled the 3km avenue. It was really a sight to see! People were drinking out of Champaign bottles, home bought fireworks were being lit off in the streets, people were kissing & singing, and everywhere you turned people were yelling "Bonne Annee!" It wasn't until maybe 12:45 the crowds started to thin out. We were hoping to go to the local casino on the avenue, but of all nights, it was closed for New Years!

We ended up outside a little bar and while we were waiting to get in, the French riot police seemed to be forming a wall and were heading our way! As soon as the bottles started flying, the door opened and we were hurriedly rushed inside to safety. We may have escaped the rioting outside, but we didn't escape the bar bill! Little did we know that our first (and only) round of drinks (two big beers and two rum & cokes) were 94 euros! We were stunned, but then again, it was New Years Eve on the Champs-Elysees! We struck up a conversation with a guy from Brazil whose friends had gone home for the evening, and the five of us ended up next door, where the drinks were only six euros! Much better. This bar even had dancing! So I was thrilled (and so was Gary!) ;)

We literally danced the night away, and at six in the morning, made our way to the Metro station where we bid our little Brazilian friend a fond farewell. Needless to say, check-out time came all too soon! But it was time for more sightseeing! Kevin's sister, Courtenay (with her boyfriend Alexi and their cute baby) who live in Paris, picked us all up and we were off to the artist's district of Montmart. When we got there Courtenay pulled off the most amazing parking job I have ever seen! The cars and parking spots in Europe are small, but this was ridiculously small, and she had no hesitations! So, we had a nice lunch and saw the sights. Montmart sits on a hill that overlooks the whole city and even though it was pretty grey out, Paris was still beautiful!

It was soon time to say good bye. We had a great time with Pat & Kevin! We had so much fun on all of our adventures and I have to say, my first New Years outside California was certainly one to remember.

Gary & I have been taking it easy since we've returned. This past week I've mostly been catching up with organizing the house, since our last sea shipment arrived just as we were leaving for our trip. We did go up snow boarding on Sunday with some of Gary's friends of his from the office. We went to a place in France called Megeve (about an hour away). It was sunny and the snow was very nice. The views were amazing, and we could even see the observation tower at Mont Blanc where Kevin, Pat & I visited the week earlier. Since this was the first time we have been up to the snow this season, we had a chance to try out our new boards! I love mine, and the best part about it is my boots don't put my feet to sleep! For all those who have ever hit the slopes with me, (Scotty) rest assured that there will be no more complaining about my feet! :)

The resort itself was very nice with high speed gondolas and very long runs. The runs have four classifications; green (beginner), blue (intermediate), red (advanced intermediate), and black (steep!). We stuck with the blue & red. In addition to helicopter skiing, they also had paragliding on skis! A guy literally had a parachute on and would swoop down and ski for a second before flying up in the air again. Pretty wild! That's it for now, until next time...

Au revoir!