oh forgot

im as red as a lobster because guess who didnt constantly keep up with the sun tan lotion---this sun is a killer----my back a total hot painful disaster

red as a lobster and other side effects of tunisia

today i woke up a bit sad---i dont know why---i think i missed talking to my family--and as people join the group i know for better or worse this is my family for the month in a way---i hoped going to breakfast with the group would cheer me up---there were three folks there and the guide---but everyone has traveled to so many more countries than i have they are like professional traverlers---in fact as everyone talked and talked about png----you dont say papaue new guinea but abbreviate here in group speak---and this country and that country i almost felt like i had entered a group of hobbiest---like bird watchers and star wars collectible people---and you got points for seeing victoria falls and got points for mount killamajaro and if you have seen this native festival or that---its wasnt snotty talk or uppidity---but it really just felt like joining a group with a certain value system and base of knowledge---and i noticed no one had people stories---and from my trips to asia its my culture stories---my funeral stories my being chased in the bizare stories that mean so much to me---hell its all that connection stuff---lol

 

the group decided to go to the beach and we went on a little train---the petite gare--- the little train along the beach---i was thrilled that there was no room for me with the group---and had to sit in the next car---this is what i liked---the older muslim women would not even glance at me---the young tourists from italy---we tried as best we could between bad french and italian to say hello and where are you going---and one man wore a t shirt obviously a native man --it said in english---im with the bomb squad if you see me running join me---well thats an eye opener on the train---and two men and i played hide and peek---i could see peripherally one man staring at me--but when i looked at him he shifted his glance---so i would stare at him till he looked and of course i would shift---but it was not weird staring--it was more the staring you do when you are studying someone because they are interesting or different and dont want to be rude---

 

the beach was beautiful---la mer here is gorgeous---the water color the clarity--as i said i can see why the europeans come here --cheap and beautful with many resorts catering to tourists so you dont have to go into the city tunis at all and see the congestion---which i am sure many people prefer---i drifted into a woman from paris who was most interesting---a pharmacist originally from algeria--she is lives in a very affluent neighborhood in paris---one i went through and said wow as we walked through---her brothers are all doctors in paris---her name was jasmine and her mother joined her on the beach her name was lu lu  and this woman was hitting sixty---but she had her hair in a tight bun---and wore a leopard bikini even though---she was a large woman---it reminded me of those german men you see all in speedo and oblivious to the fact they are close to three hundred pounds---but lu lu had attitude--and being tres chubby and sixty was of no consequence

 

we messed up our train tickets and i went to settle the problem---i know the most french and find it strange that among these world travelers they are not bilingual---ohhh he was a  smooth tunisian man---what is the problem he says and holds my hand---well i say---my three amies and i got the wrong tickets etc---and he stops me short and says well i dont need three amies when one will do and squeezes my hand---internally i am laughing---shit i say to myself ---correcting this ticket is going to cost me--hand holding--- smiling and pretending i am very impressed with this man----so i play along--but some of my group come start walking over to rescue me---but by then he has agreed to let us back on the train without buying another ticket----so i just join the group and said nothing to worry about i fixed the ticket---and it just cost us hand holding and smiling---something that is all you need to do and he was nice you can feel the vulgar ones---like the one i passed in the cafe who licked his lips and wagged his tongue at me---i just wanted to turn around and say to him---youve got to be kidding----but no use---men who are insensitive to women rarely change--

 

well i have to go sit in the lobby now---and wait for my group to return---i bypassed dinner---i know i will have to tread carefully in the next coming weeks---i dont want to appear antisocial because these are extraordinary people and would like to make friends with them but i dont want to miss the people and culture of africa

 

oh here is what i have eaten----tunisian marmalade which is a paste of red chilis peppers---got it so hot when ive eaten it i swear hair will sprout on my chest---a brick---which looks like a mini brick filled with tuna and omlette and cheese---and then covered with a light fried pastry dough---very good---although putting those ingredients together never would have occcured to me---a sausage with hot red peppers----i forgot the name and tunisian coffee---lordy about two ounces of bitter coffee that you put two lumps of sugar in --strangely the bitter sweet combination grows on you---and turst me that is an artery tightening caffeine kick

 

i have asked to eat camel and goat in the desert and today i sampled a tiny brown fruit from a small endor on a street---they looked like chestnuts but tasted like tiny apples---when i brought it to the reception desk at the hotel --- i said what is this and they didnt know---which worried me---but i am not cramping or dead

 

 

Market on the Tunisian Pennisula

tunisia pennisula

today i did a day long journey onto a pennisula outside of tunis---fran the fearless i met yesterday got a driver arranged---and off we went for the day---it was wonderful to get out of the city---and the pennisula was quiet and full of olive tree orchards---grapes vines---and small farmers----our driver stopped at a beach---and we hiked to it---the water looked absolutely out of brochure---azure and turqoiuse---and deep blue---soft sand---no rocks---we waded to our knees---and suddenly realized why all the europeans come to the resorts here---it is that entirely enticing----

 

my best story for the day was when we were strolling in a little town--we werent hassled and people were always kind to us----out of the corner of my eye i saw a silver throne---honestly a silver ornate throne---i walked into the shop and there was a matching chair and also a pair in gold---now we are talking  white satin seats and louis the fourtennth type of ornate gilding and design---and you know what they were--wedding chairs for the bride and groom in a muslim ceremony because on their special day they are treated like kings and queens---the young woman in the shop was excited we were in awe of these decorations--- she brought out a photo album and we got to look at the pictures of different weddings---the shop lady wanted me to try out the seat-- the gold one---and i did---but fran couldnt get my camera to work---and a man suddenly walked up to fran and grabbed my camera--my mouth started to go oooh because i wasnt sure if he was hijacking my camera---but he started taking pictures of me in the gold seat---turns out he was the towns wedding photographer---and just couldnt stand to see fran fumbling with the camera---so i was queen for the day in my throne with my own personal wedding photographer

 

tonight two more folks came in for the trip--we officially start friday---meredith from little rock---and also originally from long island---is there something in the water on that island that creates adventurous women?----and carol--a woman who has been to africa times---she has been to one hundred and fifteen countries----isnt thqt amazing---

i feel like a babe in the woods compared to my traveling companions so far---i am the least traveled---and i havent been exactly sitting at home--as you folks know--perhaps this is a different subgroup of people in the world---who really love adventure and would prefer a trip to africa a thousand times over any material possession they could otherwise own

 

ouch must tend to my sunburn---i got a farmer tan accidentally---hung my right qrm out the window and the tunisian sun ate it up----of course my other arm isnùt tan---will have to change seats with someone if we go a driving

Tunisia...Postcard Perfect

tunisia

oh god i am here----sweating dishelved but here---my stomach in knots about riding alone from the airport to hotel by myself in a taxi---got my luggage---even used the atm but walked outside and faced a horde of taxi drivers and got scared---every bad scenario going through my head---when back into the airport rechecked there were no shuttles and said okay its now or never---a man approached said he was metered and walked and walked to his cab which looked suspicious---broken mirror---torn seats---and i questioned where the meter was and he said here and pointed to something which looked more like a radio---got in and sort of held on to the door handle figured i could bolt if need be leaving my luggage behind--from the map i studied i knew he was going in the right direction--and sure enough landed at my hotel---paid him and thanked him sincerely---he gave me a look that was like---we are not all theives you know---i know that too but its hard sometimes to trust that instinct----hotel is interesting spotless clean but i think built in the sixties---a fqmily owns it and they are very fussy about cleanliness and trying to help---here they really do speak predominant french versus french-english like in paris where you say a few words and the parisian completes it in english---i will have to brush up more on a few words because its really necessary here----i tried to take a walk but agqin chicken-shitness hit me and i only got about half mile away where i found a nice store and bought water then turned around and tried to find my way home--the streets are rarely marked---and there are no cross walks you sort of walk out and sometimes hit the hood of the car which is trying to run you over---lol----i havent figured out if there is a pattern or not---unless no pattern is the pattern---i got back to the hotel and the phone rang---another woman from the trip arrived---fran is from long island--jericho---retired teacher---wow she has determination we went out walking and she marched me all the way out to the medina---i am impressed with her fearlessness---i felt like the little girl in the fairytale looking around---leaving a trail of bread crumbs to find my way back---we were in a cafe and then suddenly it got dark outside--honestly it just turned dark---and we rushed back but the landscape in the night looked different and not familiar --fortunately my good sense of direction kicked in---but it was getting a bit spooky---at night mostly men are outside sitting around---many that i asked if we were on the right street were very nice---and helped instantly---again giving me that queasy am i too easily assuming everyone is out to get an american feeling---but you know when you are in a different country your antenna just doesnt work right---you are not sure if some one who is approaching you is part of a scqm or legitimate the signs are all confused---  tunisia is obviously a mixed bag --veiled women holding hands in public---totally veiled woman---woman in western dress--- women half and half---there is obviously a high degree of tolerance---as we even past a shop with large sexy lingerie ads----tomorrow fran arranged a driver and a trip to carthage and a sea side art town---shes an action oriented woman and much less tentative than i am----i am a little haunted by some of the disabled people i saw begging---horrible birth defects---you just dont see this level of rawness in the us   it doesnt feel like africa yet---it feels like a middle eastern hong kong with all the street vendors and market activities----and god do these people have shoe stores---so many its un believeable selling spike heels with rhinestones and a whole array of fancy womens shoes---were do they wear these shoes to---lol---a mystery i hope to solve----

Paris

Paris Street Scene

my last evening in paris

there was more sitting in cafes tonight ---watching my favorite show--the people of the paris meet the people of the world----you could create a reality tv show just pointing the camera outwards----i text messaged my kids and will probably call them--i had my cell activated for france and it was wonderful---never very good qt text messaging--im now fairly adept and you can say a lot before you hit your limit----the shuttle comes to pick us up at four thirty am-----then i head for air france and hub heads for the flight back home---i am nervous---anxious---even a bit afraid---i hqve wondered who signed me up for this trip---but i think it was me---sometimes its hard to stretch---to stay open---i feel i have to weight my beliefs in a textured life and my beliefs in connections with the very real desire not to take risks and chances and play it safe---you play it safe and nothing bad necessarily happens and many good things can too---but i guess i dont have that wiring---and there qre times like now typing this--i wish i did---so its off to africa----with hope and fingers crossed----

morning in the louvre

this morning we went to the louvre and thank heavens for my hub insistence we go early---we did---even found the infamous back door where the wait is shorter---but as soon as the doors open it was a mad dash---everyone ran to see the mona lisa---we did too but more like a fqst stroll-- we were nearly knocked over a couple of times by some japonese tourists who were actually running---till the guards stopped them---so the mona lisa---she looks like all the pictures---and the venus de milo---prettier in person---very calm--the smooth white marble--gives her an almost zen like quality---we heqded off to lesser known places in the museum---and i stumbled upon some art i had never seen before and just hit home with me---their egyptian portraits placed on tombs---apparently after cleopatra died and the greeks and romans flooded the middle eqst their painted these portraits instead of doing all that gold king tut stuff---the portraits especially the eyes were so vivid---you could feel these people there---and they were looking at you across the centuries---imagine having a connection with someone who died in the second centurty---and there they were alive again to you and for you----i took some pics but hope to find some art books on these rather rare portraits---after that we hit the main hall and nearly fell over---my god there were thousands of people---the air was stuffy and a bit stinky---everyone was talking rather loudly in a strange tower of babel scenario---and no air con or big vents---it was too much ----we literally dashed for the exits

what a neighborhood part 2

we were just about to leave when a gaggle of young jewish men wearing hebrew letters around their necks arrived--no way would i leave now--these guys looked like international models---tight tight jeans---skin tight shirts---and each with a cell phone attached to their ears---i couldnt figure out what they were doing but they were such eye candy i hoped they would stay--but no suddenly a couple scooters pulled up and off they went---we were going to leave then when a woman purse next to me started moving---dang she was carrying a tiny toy dog zipped up in her purse---her english was broken but good and she mentioned her husband was american and from yep--chicago--so she had to bring him over to introduce him----god i just love all these connections--there are you in paris in a jewish neighborhood and you meet a guy who grew up in chicago---but he was a cubs fans so we didnt embrace---lol----finally we left and meandering saw a whole crowd of folks down a block---we went over and the place was hopping too---but then i noticed something---the bar names were grizzly bar--guy bar ----and bear bar---okay we obviously discovered the gay section---i said lets sit down but hub looked at all those bear gay men---looking him over and passed---what a fun fun evening---really folks you should all come down---and just sit in paris--its the best show on earth

oy veh what a neighborhood

after reaching the hotel i decided it was too dangerous to nap and convinced hub we should go out again after a eye opening coffee----we heqrd the jewish neighborhood was open--most places except museums are closed on sundays--and headed there--we got off the metro--and went whoa---as this was obviously the happening place in paris on a sunday--shops open--including the ones in the next neighborhood with the tres chic clothes--the armanis versaces etc----the cafes were spilling over and the streets were crowded with orthodox jews and parisians and the tres hip---not many overt tourists----the russian resturants we tried to find were closed because of street construction--so we stumbled literally into a middle eastern jewish restuarant---i could not read the menu at all knowing no hebrew and these french words were unfamiliar--but there were pics on the menu so i ordered by pic---hub got a rather strange vegetarian plate---he wasnt pleased---and i got fallafala but it was full --brimming with red raw cabbage---oy--it was all sort of funny--at least to me---outside there was a large square an intersection of the chic and jewish hoods--and a great bakery---the cheesecake slices were at least three inches high---so we took our seat---and watched the show which was a lively mix of folks and dress and culture--then three young lubavitch men set up a table with prayer boxes and yamakas---and started tooting a ram horn---then worked the crowd asking men are you a jew---in french and english---the reactions were amazing from annoyance to disbelief to everything in between---they didnt ask my hub though--who seemed miffed but he looks aryan german ---so i think he feel into the same categories as blacks and asians

last day in paris

its hard to believe this is my last day in paris--i head for africa in the morning--ive had a wonderful two days--sunday was so interesting---in the morning all the nieghborhoods were so quiet--a pretty peaceful calm-- we headed off to the d orsey museum---a former grand train station --it was gorgeous with its high ceilings and art work but large buildings arent well ventilated in paris and with a little shuffling--soon my body felt like  so sleepy and sluggish i found myself next to this adonis type statue that was reclining and wanted to give it a nudge so i could go to sleep next to it---at that point i asked hub for a return to the hotel and a nap---on the way to the hotel we stumbled upon the rodin musuem with many statues in a perfect landscqped gardens---and there was the thinker--sometimes you have seen these things so many times in art books you cant believe your eyes when you stumble upon it--in the garden too were many jet lagged tourists--you could look around and folks would be on a bench nodding--sometimes almost falling forward--i learned that at the beginning of the week never sit alone for more than a minute or else its siesta land

Chocolate Shop in Paris

lunch and show

after the museum we wandered down the champs elyesse---guady--disney stores--in gap--virgin cell phones---more like mall shopping--found an upscale neighborhood with fine restuarants---stopped at one recommended to us by a friend---took two hours to eat an incredible lunch---my god how do the french make their butter taste so good---along with everything else----it was like a show especially since we choose to sit on an elevated platform a little above street level---we watched it rain get sunny rain---a crazy englishman sat down and wanted to move to join friends---at the next table where no one was sitting---a young woman dined and dashed---two arab couples were obviously given extremely slow and inadequate service--remember paris burned a fez months ago---a family sat down with a little girl that could have served as rapheals cherub model--blonde curls --turquoise blue eyes---red cheeks---precious and precocious and barefoot---and of course when i looked to see why all the men were staring in a certain direction---a high class uh prostitute in a shocking pink dress so skin tight you didnt need to guess whqt was underneath---long chestnut hair---greqt shoes---and a playful smile---she suddenly disappeared--when the gendarmes strolled by--then reappeared with a chuckle---all this and wine and great food----how can you beat such a show

musee erotique

down the street from the montrmart district we stumbled upon the infamous red windmill of the moulin rouge which is still in operation but looks quite worn if not dated--down the street the erotic museum--seven stories which starts from early cultures like the greeks and the mayans---up to contemporary---well-done not cheesy or really pornographic--although my hub thinks my definitions are a bit liberal---the first thing you notice is men really misjudge the size of their members--tending towards gross exqggeration--or perhaps for a man at times art reflects what they think--i:e it feels like its four feet long even though it is not--by the time you arrive to the seventh floor you realize every culture every time has a particular notion of the erotic which suits the community---although many things were in french and not translated there were profound statements the curators hoped you would ponder---my reading french better than speech--i could translate---this passage caught my eye--

 

l exchange amoureax---the exchange of amour--and dialogue and l:act sexuel--the act sexual--is a fundamental instinct for man--which is why throughout history--despite war and grievances--humans refuse to give up their sexuality--l:erotisme est une sort de revolt contre la mort --eroticism is a revolt qgainst death--in favor of de cult a la vie--the cult of life--

 

the brotherl section centering on paris was interesting showing both sexuality and at times the bondage of the women who served the madames--i liked the business cards some had qbout fifty years ago--where they listed a name like marie or candice--then a speciality--you can figure this out--then a marketing feature--speaks german or english--hygienic --comfortable

The Neighborhoods on a Hill--Montremarte

montrmarte turned out to be wonderful when it woke up---it was a real place in the city---dogs out--children--strollers--older ladies with straw baskets---and just regular folks--there were some rough edges to the neighborhood--grafitti--some trash but it felt lived in versus some of the tourist spots--the stores were incredible--cheese shops--little groceries literally with fruit stalls spilling out into the street--and god you could smell the bakeries a block away--the smell was buttery --you couldnt help but to breath in and enjoy the scent--the food displays in the windows were stunning--plates heaping with pates--aspics--all types of roasted meats--prepared salads---i couldnt help but take pictures of the food in the windows---it was so interesting--such a vibrancy and energy and commanderie with neighbors--bonjour bonjour---how are you--and then the hung over artists types came out or probably finally woke up and added art work to the scene---tourist art work--but it did add an even more eclectic feel to life in this little neighborhood

Artist at Work Early Sunday Morning in Montremarte/Paris

Breakfast Porn in MontreMarte

today we left the hotel early so we could be in the montrmarte the hilly section of paris before the hordes of tourists we were there so early most of the neighborhood was still shuttered and it looked bleak especially since it was very overcast and damp feeling::: we found a cafe run by a rather large gruff frenchman and grabbed a table inside because of the weather: i did my best to order breakfast but really its not too hard to ask for cafe, omelet, croissant---he immediately softened since i tried to order in french and in english pronounced my efforts--good ---so breakfast arrives and im eating my omelette engaged in small talk with hub when suddenly you can hear wet smacky noises--the french couple about two feet to the left of me is engaged in post breakfast smoochies---now the kissing only gets more earnest and louder and what are you supposed to do--i did what you would do i presume--continue to eat my omelette while my peripheral vision watched lite porn--finally she stood up to lean over to kiss him and he groped for her breast---and at that point they decided to leave--for obvious reasons--all the while im there pretending to look like foreplay is something i see everyday with my breakfast --the handsome young man stood up and lets just say his pants were tight and he was extremely ready---to continue his adventure--god i love these folks----and found myself wide awake without even finishing my coffee

Window Shopping in Paris