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Dixieland jazz band at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Hippodrome de Longchamp, Paris.
Today marks five years of blogging from Paris: 2,210 posts; many new friends; much travel and unexpected opportunities.
Five is my lucky number. And I look forward to discovering what the next five years will bring! Thank you for your continuing encouragement and support. Hope you'll come along on my journey to Amsterdam and beyond...
Egyptian antiques, Chatou, France.
Whether or not you're intrigued by Egyptian politics, I think you will be touched by this heart-felt video interview with Waseem Wagdi filmed during protests at the Egyptian Embassy in London.
Peaceful protesters were chanting anti-Mubarak slogans today at the Egyptian Embassy in Paris. And in the Paris Metro, someone pasted a white piece of paper with the words "Egyptian Revolution!" over a Cairo travel poster.
A man reads a newspaper while waiting for market customers, Bhaktapur, Nepal.
Right before our eyes, some very big changes are taking place around the world. In Nepal, they're still struggling to form a government, after years of corruption has weakened the country's infrastructure. Numerous talks among the three main political parties have repeatedly failed to reach agreement.
But the real sea change is taking place in the Arab World. This week anti-government protests in Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria and Libya follow on the heels of Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed El-Baradei has returned from his home in Vienna to join the protests in Cairo. No doubt the deeply-unpopular Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is wondering whether he can maintain his 30-year grip over an impoverished nation of 80 million people. Mubarak's recent attempts to quell dissent by silencing the press and limiting internet access have inflamed discontented Egyptians, who long for freedom and democracy.
Egyptian police have used deadly force against some protesters, while secret police wearing civilian clothes have been filmed arresting and beating protesters in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Sinai. At least three protesters were shot dead.
Further anti-government demonstrations are planned after Friday morning prayers, with the opposition Moslem Brotherhood expected to participate.
Updates at noon (Paris time) Friday:
The day that Egypt unplugged the internet
El Baradei says Egyptian government on its last legs
Live updates: Protests in Egypt
Cutting internet, mobile phones, landlines and assaulting and/or arresting protesters will not stop Egyptians intent on change. The genie is out of the bottle.
Laughing children playing the universally-popular Tug-of-War in Bungamati, Nepal.
When my daughter was about three years old, we were on a plane from New York to Amsterdam. She and a little Japanese girl spent at least an hour giggling and playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors" together, even though neither spoke the other's language.
These girls reminded me that a smile transcends language.
The boys laughed in the background as this young beauty posed, but were shy about having their own photos taken.
Meanwhile, political games continue as Nepal remains without a government. When I was In Kathmandu in November, government corruption was often the topic of conversation.
Coffee shop at a ferry crossing, Amsterdam.
Mais oui, la vie est belle - if a bit hectic. David and I are just back from a lovely trip to Amsterdam, bearing red ribbon-tied keys for our next abode. Alas, our Paris apartment now looks as though a cyclone hit, with things piled everywhere, waiting for the moving company to bring boxes.
In Amsterdam, we went to the Rijksmuseum yet again, where an exhibit of Gabriel Metsu's paintings was the star. I never tire of the Dutch masters and their remarkable use of light, particularly Johannes Vermeer. I could look at his paintings for days. Both The Little Street and The Milkmaid are on display; Girl with a Pearl Earring is at The Mauritshuis Gallery inThe Hague. Oddly, none of Vermeer's paintings are at the museum in Delft, where he lived and worked. Perhaps it's an insurance issue.
One of the Rijksmuseum's most famous attractions is Rembrandt's The Night Watch. A group of schoolchildren, probably 8 or 9 years old, was sitting spellbound on the floor beneath the wall-size painting, as their enthusiastic teacher told them stories about each person depicted in the painting.
The Rijksmuseum also has recent photography acquisitions on display, including abstract architectural images from Man Ray and black-and-white documentary photographs by Robert Frank and other 20th-century greats.
In Holland, we had casual lunches at bistros in Amsterdam and Utrecht. I bought glittery magnolia blooms on sale for half price. We had dinner at an old favourite (where lobster bisque is my standard choice) restaurant in the Museum and Fashion District. The next night, we enjoyed a more festive meal with new friends in a bijoux town. Earlier, we bought an American retro-looking chrome refrigerator, to be delivered the day I arrive to greet the movers.
One afternoon we walked down a cobblestone road to find a ferry crossing flooded, with deep water standing in riverfront property. Only the tops of fenceposts were visible. Later when we mentioned the flooding to Dutch friends - who are used to dealing with wayward water - they shrugged. Apparently such flooding is seasonal and to be expected, as snow melts.
Am looking forward to more intriguing aspects of life in Holland. Now if I could just finish packing...
Bicycle with floral garland, Delft, Holland.
"Lost in a crowd of greats; not a single Oscar. That's showbiz." - Maureen O'Hara
Look beyond what's in front of you. See the bigger picture. But sometimes the best part of the picture is the frame.
Photo taken through patterned concrete wall opening in the Himalayan foothills, Nepal.
This mural in Centraal Station, Utrecht, Holland roughly translates to "Peace in your heart."
Hello! I've been so busy preparing to move, I keep forgetting to blog!
Am distracted by a million little things requiring my attention, not least dividing my possessions to go to three separate homes: some to my friend Gabrielle's house near Versailles; more to my friend Charlotte's home outside Paris and most of it to our new abode in the Netherlands. Gabrielle and Charlotte will babysit some precious and sentimental things until 1) we move to a larger place or 2) decide to sell the items. I've also had a scary dental appointment, a routine doctor's visit and photo shoots and edits. The hairdresser was a bit too scissors-happy for my liking, cutting off at least four inches and leaving me with an unintentional new look.
All this activity pales in importance with the recent deaths of two friends. Along with the tragedy in Tucson, these losses make worrying about what to do with too many possessions seem a ridiculous enterprise.
Much of this week I'll be in Amsterdam, but will post again soon. Meanwhile, some food for thought:
The bad:
Why you might want to leave your laptop at home when visiting the US.
The good:
The Babylon Lane Tales: without a doubt my blog find of 2010. Elsie Anderton is the English answer to Nora Ephron. Read her hilarious posts and you'll see why.
Barbie on skis at a French hair salon.
Diana Baur writes about the lessons of having more time at her lovely blog A certain simplicity.
A profusion of pink blooms.
Library emptied in bid to fight closure. I love how these Brits are fighting for their local library!
Minimalist pendant lights at Merci's soldes prives last Friday in Paris.
Happy...
Onze (eleven)...
A chandelier fashioned of sleigh bells.
A crystal chandelier influenced by tree branches.
Blue crystals enhance this more traditional chandy.
Modern ball lights.
A new take on chandeliers and bleached wood chairs.
A 1920s zinc dental cabinet with a marble top.
A zinc boulangerie cart.
Red metal chairs.
Pick a colour.
Child-sized wicker garden furniture.
1960s iron mesh patio cart.
Cushy sofa with hand-stitched pillows.
Pillows covered with vintage silk and lace trim. One of these came home with me.
Russell Wright-inspired dinnerware.
Frosted glass carafes.
A wrought-iron frame and wicker-and-straw protective cover over this 19th-century water bottle.
19th-century stoneware pottery jug on a rustic wood coffee table.
Merci cotton t-shirts.
Shoppers browsing sale items. Merci's clothing is also on special offer. The sale continues through February 15th.
Merci, 111 Bd. Beaumarchais, Paris. Métro Line 8 to Saint Sébastien-Froissart.
The Kumari, Bungamati, Nepal. The Kumari is considered by Hindus and some Buddhists to be the living embodiment of the goddess Taleju. The child is selected by religious leaders after passing a series of tests to determine her innocence and worthiness, according to Shambu, my Nepali guide.
Ceremonial dress on a religious holiday. I told the Kumari she was beautiful and she kept repeating the word in exaggerated syllables "Buw-tee-full."
The Kumari's lovely attendant - possibly her mother - who looks after her.
See more Nepal portraits on my website here.
Ever feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders?
Time to lighten the load.
No doubt about it: moving is stressful. I've lived in Paris longer than any place in my adult life, yet it never has felt like home. Amsterdam, where I've never lived (but have visited many times over the years) always has tugged at my heartstrings. Happily, we're moving to the Netherlands in just six weeks. And I'm on a mission to lighten the load!
Am going through possessions and giving many things away or tossing them. Am moving only my favourite and most necessary things (but four pieces of furniture and quite a lot of art must remain in France, as the beautiful criss-cross timber beams and architectural features of the Netherlands maisonette present decorating challenges).
Hard to believe that during my years as a reporter, my daughter and I moved to the Middle East and back with only four suitcases! I've spent the last 11 years in Europe frequenting brocantes, flea markets and antique shops - "nesting" - to make up for all the items lost during our travels. Now I've collected too much, so am letting go of some treasures.
If you're in Paris, I have two huge stacks of design and decor books to give away. The catch is that you have to come pick them up - soon! Email me ASAP if you're interested.
Hope your year is off to a good start!
Photos (above) taken in Bhaktapur, Nepal.
It's a bright new year! Don't be shy...
Time to shine. Adventures await!
Namaste.
Top two images taken at Bungamati, Nepal; little girl's photo near Swayambhunath Temple, Kathmandu.
P.S. Head over to Got Saga for an article in which I reveal the identity of The Secret Brocante!
