Thursday 30-10 - More Oxford shopping

Karen went to work for the first time, leaving Aiden with his new nanny. Lioni and I were with her as she left. Soon after I went to Danis place. We had bagels for breakfast and decided what we hadto do that day. Dani still was feeling a bit flu-y and had Uni stuff to get done.

We went to Maria´s room, where she was looking at concert tickets that she wanted to buy. There were so many amazing acts playing over the next month. So many I would want to go to. Thats the thing with London. Everyone plays here all the time, but you hardly end up seeing them. Okervil river were set to play a couple days before our birthday, supported by The Dodos. I had seen both these acts before,but could easily see both again.

Maria was going to meet her friend Eva and buy tickets near Oxford street. I decided to go with them. So Maria and Eva and I went to get tickets. Then Maria left to go to a lecture. Eva and I carried on down Oxford Street. We had to find costume things. We tried Hamleys. Big mistake going to the biggest city toystore in London in the middle of school holidays. It was a battlefield and we fled with our tales between our legs.

Eva left soon after,but I still needed to find the right tops of my costume. I planned on trying super cheap Primarq. I walked and walked until I got to the end of Oxford street. The wrong end of Oxford street. I had gone in the wrong direction. So back down I went to the other end in the rain.

I pushed my way through Primarq until I found my white top and skirts and stripy stuff. That place is an absolute jungle. Then back to Karen. I met Dani at the door. For dinner we had the most excellent salad. It consisted of grilled holoumi, watercress, rocket, oven grilled carrot, eggplant and sweet potato, onion, apple with balsamic drizzle, cooked spinach, rocket, olives and nice bread. Mmmmmm.

Wednesday 29-10 - Oxford shopping

I hung out at Danis for a while. She had uni work to do. So I had a good time drawing in my new black sketchbook. I was in a drawing head space. Dani had errands to run around town. We headed to the west end first to Top Shop. Dani found some socks. The girl at the checkout was new. In fact it was her first day at the till. She was nervous but we tried to be nice to her.

Next and to Urban Outfitters. There she found an Andy Warhol style thermos. We also found silly straws that became glasses. We got three for the upcoming party. We went to top shop get socks and bits. It was the check out girl's first day at the till. The alarms went off as she forgot to take the security tag off the socks. I picked up a tiny pencil case.

It was dark at 4-30. The Northern Hemisphere was really in winter now. It made me sad. Dinner was a goats cheese salad. It made me happy.

Tuesday 28-10 - Apocalypse

I got out the house late and walked down to meet Lioni and Karen at Wahaca for lunch. They do the most amazing Mexican style food. Especially good is the salad, which has lettuce, pumpkins seeds, avo, meat, black beans and quinoa served in a bowl made of deep fried tortilla.

Then Lioni and I walked down to the Tate Modern. I hadn't yet seen the new Unilever piece in the turbine hall, so I was interested. The only other Unilever commissioned piece I had seen was the set of twisty slides a few years back. They were great, I got to slide down tube slides that started at the top floor of the museum and ended at ground.

The new piece was by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, called TH.2058. It was meant to symbolise a post-apocalyptic world of the future. As I approached the green and red plastic curtains leading to the exhibit, I looked up. I noticed the writing, journal-like, sitting above.



Stepping inside, there was the sound of rain around me. In front of me, 200 yellow and blue metal bunk beds. Above them stood the centre pieces of the room, two giant monuments that seemed to touch the roof. One was an abstract red metal sculpture. The other a colossal spider formed from twisted black metal. Its menacing legs perched ominously between the beds.





Scattered on the beds were books. I didn’t recognise them all, but they ran along a similar theme. The end of the world.



At the front of the room, a movie screen playing silent scenes from old apocalyptic films. Next to it, there sat some almost grotesque smaller sculptures. One like a rotten apple.



The other was the skeleton of a dog like creature the size of a dinosaur. It bared it teeth without moving.



The whole experience would have been chilling, if not for the mid school break. The room was full to the brim with kids. They ran around screaming and throwing the books. Oh well. I spent some time browsing the amazing Tate bookshop.

It was a really cold day. We briefly met the mums at Corams but it was just about to close. We got a message from Josh that it might start snowing up at Milton Keynes. That would be cool, I thought.

Back at the flat we had dinner. The others went to bed. I got a message from Dani that it was snowing in Bethnal Green. I looked out our window and sure enough, there was snow. It was a light fall. I could see the gently falling specks by the glow of the street light. A car parked below was covered in white. My brother and sister and I got excited as one. It didn’t matter we were in different parts of the UK.

Monday 27-10 - Getting things done

I got things done today.

I had a long list of things that needed to be done. I did washing and organised uni things back home.

The I went out to buy things at the chemist. I topped up my UK phone card and got an exchange on a broken bag. After all this was done I got in touch with Karen, who was at the Xmas markets with the new nanny. She was showing her the ropes and the area.

I met up with the three and took a walk down the street while eating a burrito. I remember the street being crowded the last time I saw there. Last time was a few weeks before xmas. There were tree stall lining the roads and baubles all around. Now it was just sad and empty.

We all walked back to the flat. There we waited for the door to buzz. Karen´s pal Lioni was back from traveling the rest of UK. The rest of the night was quiet.

Sunday 26-10 - Giant burgers

The clocks changed back, throwing the house into chaos. Trying telling a baby that he has to eat and sleep an hour later because of national legislation. His clock was a bit out of whack.

We stayed around the flat and then set out around the corner. On the corner of Karen´s street is a meat and steak type pub that started having Sunday roasts. It sounded like a good idea. We walked around until Aiden settled and then we settled ourselves for late lunch. We all decided upon enormous meat burgers. In arrived plates filled with chips and burgers as big as my head.

I managed to eat most of the plate, but was stuffed to the brim. Josh left to make his way back to Cranfield. Karen, the bub and I walked down to Paperchase. I love Paperchase, its like a stationary Disneyland. So much wonderful sights. I happen to be one of those people who are obsessed with stationary. There they were, blank and lined notebooks as far as the eye could see.

We browsed the aisles until we found what we wanted. I got erasers with headphones and mixtapes on them. Then set off home with our spoils of war.

Back at home we gave Aiden an adorable bath. Karen and I were still so full from lunch that neither of us wanted dinner.

Saturday 25-10 - THE Hamlet.

This was one of those days that had been planned for before I had even left Australia. A year ago, some time in October I had booked tickets for a Royal Shakespeare Company playing of Hamlet. Hamlet, featuring Patrick Stuart and David Tennant. I could hardly have imagined two actors that I would have rather seen doing the play. I booked the tickets and got really excited, then not thought about it much as I traveled around. But this was the day. It was finally here.

We had 4 tickets, plus one that Steve had booked but couldn´t use. But with little cousin Aiden, Karen couldn´t make it. Then Dani couldn´t get anyone to cover for her at work and to our dismay couldn´t go either. So it was Josh, Me, Mara and Keith, who had bought some of the tickets off us. We found a buyer for the final ticket at the last minute.

The play was at Stratford apon Avon, 3 hours away by train. We got up early enough to not be in a rush to get to our 1pm matinée show. Except that the tickets were still at Dani. Crap.

I took a speedy Saturday morning cab to Dani´s place and then rushed to the station. The extra time meant we had to catch the slower train which left later. Not only was it slower, but also 10 pound more expensive and needed a change over.

But no matter. I used the time to read my book of Klingon Hamlet, which had the play in both Klingon and English. To my shame, I had never read the play before. I realised I should probably have some idea what was going on.

Our seats were quite high up, but right in the middle. The view was great from everywhere though. I was so excited to see Stuart and Tennant in action.

The Play.

The costumes and sets were modern adaptations.The opening scene was almost in complete darkness. The guards were dressed as modern guards would and flashing torches around. They used the torch reflection on the shiny floor to light up the other actors´ faces. Brilliant. The royal dress was like modern royalty. With the sounds of paparazzi in the background.

Early on in the play Hamlet (Tennant) is playing crazy. He wore jeans, an old orange t-shirt and no shoes. We all loved his bare feet. Actually he was in bare feet through most of the play, even when the rest of him was in a tux and crown. He was a master of the quirky and a slightly mad. What a perfect actor for the role. He sly remarks and glances, his sneaky off beat comments. It reminded me a lot of the guys down in Graylands mental hospital. He also brought the humour into the play. At one point he was rolled onto the stage duct taped to a wheelie chair. Very well done.

Stuart was just incredible. He had the presence of a seasoned Shakespeare actor. His voice was deep and majestic. I loved seeing him at work. His talents almost seem wasted on TV. Polonius was fantastic as well. He did the old man forgetful thing like it was the most natural thing in the world. Every one in the play was amazing. I tried my hardest not to be the squealing fan girl. But I couldn´t wipe the smile from my face.

It was already 5 by the time the play finished and we got out of the theatre. I didn´t much like the idea of the long train ride back, so we got the ok to jump onto the faster cheaper. It only took 2 hours and was direct to London. I ate a giant white chocolate chip cookie on the way.

I was exhausted from all the travel and didn´t go out that night. It was all worth it though.

Friday 24-10 - Girlie day and night

I met up with Dani and Laura at Notting Hill tube and then with Stacey. Stacey had met a girl on the train who arrived in London 2 hours earlier. She invited her to peruse the market with us. They girl spent the entire time on the phone. Actually she spend it on two phones,often at the same time.

Down the road to Portabello Road markets. Of course we stopped off at Hummingbird bakery to get the awesome cupcakes. We stopped into toy shops and looked at vintage clothes. Dani found an old sailors outfit for the upcoming Halloween party. After Portabello Road we met up with Mara to exchange tickets for Hamlet. We also booked Laura´s minicab, because her flight was very early the next morning.

In the evening we started with girls night. We got scrumptious Chinese take out and bottles wine and pear cider. Then we sat and watched Empire Records. We all had fond memories of that movies. I grew up with it. I knew every line and every song. Well, I would have been able to if it wasn´t a strange fan edit version. There were extra scenes added in that none of us wanted to see. Apart from that it was good though.

Laura, Dani, Josh and I made our way to Popstars. We drank pear cider and danced to old White Stripes songs. Then down stairs to the pop classics room. I always liked that place. The songs are fun as long as you don´t take yourself too seriously. A lot of the people there do. I just enjoy the crazy dancing. Us girls moved off at 12 or 1 and got on the bus to the East End. I got off at Karen´s and left the others continue on their way.

Thursday 23-10 - Home

I woke up really early. I jumped down to the next door bakery and bought an enormous bag of mini macarons. Some for Janelle and Yoann to say thanks, some for the people back home and a few for me. Then set out with a big bag of things towards the train station.



It was nice to be going home. I really had a good time in Paris. But I was starting to miss everyone,especially little cousin Aiden. I got off the train and made my way to the flat. No one was there, so I waited a little and then went acrossd the street to a sammich bar. I sat and had lunch there while I waited for Karen to get back.



Karen and I set out for the British museum to have coffee. We escaped the cold of London autumn. We met up with Dani, who was there with her class sketching.

In the afternoon Dani came over with Laura from Perth. The plan was to go to a public screening of this silent film. But it was cold and wet, plus dark so early. We were defeated by winter. Instead we got thick soup and crusty bread. We drank wine and ate chocolate.

Wednesday 22-10 - Catacombs

I got up earlier than usual. With Janelle I set off for the catacombs. We got there at the agreed time and waited for Caryn (and Jullian) to appear. They were taking there time, so we got brekkie at a bakery. I am the kind of person who wants to keep giving everyone a little more time. Luckily Janelle was there to convince we that we should just go. So an hour after we got there, I made good on my promise to go with out the others.

Down into the combs we went. Down the spiral stairs to the tunnels. It was warmer than the air above, even if somewhat more damp. There was no wind, only a slight white noise that seemed to come from the deepest hidden cavern.





We walked through endless tunnels to the first rooms. They were houses for stone castles,like the most wonderful sand castles to be found at the beach. They had wonderful turrets and ornaments, but seemed out of place in a treasury of the dead.





A few more tunnels brought us to the Ossuary. Millions and millions of bodies rested here. They were all dug up when Paris´s cemeteries were shut down due to disease. All the bones were moved here. So here they lay, making up the walls of endless dark paths.



The walls were lined with femurs and decorated with skulls. Occasionally there were other parts showing, I gathered that for the most part, the other bones were dumped in a tangled mess behind the femurs. The skulls were made into macabre centre pieces, such as skull and cross ones and even a love heart. There were crosses and tombs scattered throughout.





Some people were shocked, but I have seen many many skulls before. I mean, yes, the shear mass of human bones was creepy. But I thought to myself, most of these people died of natural causes years before they were brought here. After Poland and the holocaust memorial, these bones didn´t seem quite as loaded with emotion. It was sad, but not chilling. Mostly just interesting.



We finished the walk and left, I still hadn´t heard from Caryn. So we walked around the shops a bit before heading back to Janelle´s house. We tried to get a hold of the others but to no avail. In the late afternoon we finally made contact.



We went to Montmarte to meet with Caryn, Jullian and Nick from Perth. It turns out we made the right choice in going to the catacombs without them. They didn´t turn up at all. Everyone went to a pizza place where we caught up with each other´s lives.

Tuesday 21-10 - The waiting game

We had planned to see the catacombs but Janelle wasn´t feeling well. So Caryn and I decided to meet at the Musee D´Orsay. It was a cold and rainy day I got there first at 11, the meeting time. The queue was huge, even longer for the umbrellas. I joined whiled I was waiting.



The rain fell in the cold and half an hour passed. No word. Stilling waiting in the long and winding line.



An hour passed. I was now at the front of the line, but no Caryn. I let the rest of the line pass in front of me. She finally appeared after an hour an forty five minutes. She had brought with her a Frenchmen by the name of Jullian, that she met at the party the previous night. They explained that the tardiness was his fault for sleeping in. We all made piece and I finally got out of the cold wet air.

I love the D´Orsay. I could go back there again and again. Caryn had never seen it before. It was fun to see the happiness on a face as they discover each room and each new famous piece. I loved it, but was also looking at my watch. I hadn´t grabbed any breakfast before queuing and was now starving. So as much as I wanted to stay and see the art, my eye was on the clock.



We saw the important pieces and walked down the streets to find food. Jullian took us to his favourite patisserie where we got rolls,followed by chocolate pastries. We walked further and sat at a cafe for coffee. We sat outside to watch the rain fall.





We walked down the road. I enjoyed the streets just after the rain. They shimmered. The roads formed great lakes that mirrored the endless neon above.





Caryn and I parted ways from the boy.At the shopping district Caryn found a hair straightener and I found a blue top with pandas on the back. We walked down streets until we found the pompidou. Then Caryn found shoes.



We met up with Jullian and his friends at a local bar. It was a really authentic place. No English speakers except for us. The walls were covered in brown and an ocean of passport photos. There were also old lack and white pics stuck up everywhere.



We got a cheese plate to tide us over until dinner. Then an accordion player came along to perform her songs for us all. She sang only is Hungarian, Polish and Yiddish.





We moved on to the Jewish area, where we got crispy chicken kebabs. I don´t know what the spices were, but they tasted good.

Our final stop was at a grungy bar with lots of character. I think this is the type of place I would hang out at if I lived in Paris. The walls were red with street signs and gig posters. The chairs and stools were all mismatched and second hand. It had charm. Down a small staircase was a tiny gig room where a French act sung Blister in the sun. Only Caryn and I seemed to actually know the words. We sung along.





The others walked me back to the station. The next day we would do the catacombs. I jokingly warned them if they were late I would go without them. We parted ways.

Monday 20-10 - Free tour

Today Caryn had to move into her new hostel. I waited for her at St-Michel fountain. From there we joined the free 4 hour walking tour.



The guide this time was Australian but with a strange outfit. He took us to bridges with Napoleon´s symbol and told stories about Napoleon. Some of them didn´t sound quite true, but they were fun to listen to none the less.



Then to the Louvre where we found out why Voltaire´s statue has a net over it.





The tour walked through the Touleries. I spotted some great contemporary art pieces that had recently been set up. There were tree houses in the trees.



He told more stories about oranges here:



And stories about con-men here:



The tour finished at the grand palias. Caryn and I weren´t sure what to do next, but decided eventually to walk the Champs-Elise to Arc D´Triumph. Under the arc there were olf and young soldiers with flags. There were also smartly dressed kids and teary women. One man told us it was a war memorial ceremony.



Back at Caryn´s hostel we met her room mate; an English translator named Polly. The three of us went out for dinner and ended up at a Chinese place. Good foods.



The other two left for a party of French guys, I caught the last train home.

Saturday 18-10 - Bass baby

After the Friday night everyone slept in. The house woke up at midday. I went out to get some croissants from the corner bakery. Our lunch was cereal, followed by croissant and melted cheese, followed by apples and peaches.



Yoann wanted to buy a bass guitar. The best place to get a stringed instrument was in Pigalle, home of the Moulan Rouge. By the time we got out the door it was already 4 O´clock. He was right though about the place. There were streets dedicated to guitar stores. There were stores and stores that sold only Basses. I was in awe. It was almost as good as the street that sold only comics. Almost.

We looked around the large bass stored until he found an instrument he coudn´t resist. A fender jazz bass. It really was a thing of beauty. He was stilling making up his mind, so we all kept walking up the street. Everyone was peckish. So we stopped for some greasy snacks to tide us over until dinner. Samosas and dumpings.

Janelle and I walked up the street to find a scarf shop she had seen, while Yoann went to buy the bass. The streets were packed as we shoved our way past the stagnant crowd. Everywhere people were standing looking at maps or taking photos or just standing. I got annoyed at them. We couldn´t find the shop in the end. We met around the metro station.

Poor Yoann carried the guitar and bass amp all the way home. Back at the house Janelle and Yoann excitedly tore open the packaging like a birthday present.



Dinner was awesome Japanese. I thought back to Itsu. There was sushi, sushimi and meat on sticks. They were all good except for the final stick, beef and cheese. It tasted like an entire block of cheese that half melted and wrapped in a slice of beef. Interesting. The rest was great though.

By the time dinner was done it was half 11. Apparently the metro finishes just after midnight. That didn´t leave much time to get to the far out places we had planned to visit, and even less time to get back. Yoann told us the night buses were no good for getting back. So we decided to try our luck at drinking the next night.

Sunday 19-10 - Rabbit

The next morning I was excited. My school friend Caryn was set to arrive that afternoon. I hadn´t seen her for a while and was looking forward to catching up with her. She had booked a place to stay from Monday, but had no place for the first night. On quick glance at the net, it looked like there might be some beds free at St Chris Inn, where I stayed on my last visit.

I had heard about a market in the North of Paris worth checking out. Marche Aux Puces is one of the biggest antique and flea markets. It was a trek to get all the way up North. Getting there from the station took a bit of time as well.

But wow!

I started at Paul Bert market for vintage furniture. Every style, every era, it was all there. 1960s spheroid lime green chairs and 1920s art deco wardrobes in perfect condition. Searchlights that would put Hollywood to shame. I´m not usually a furniture person, but walking through the maze of stalls I couldn´t stop smiling. I felt like I was in a wonderland.

There was a dark stall of scientific curiosities. Lots of taxidermied monkeys and bird skeletons. He also had monkey skulls, anatomical engravings a full human skeleton. It was a place to just stare at everything in wonder.

Another store had a full grown, stuffed zebra and half of a giraffe.

The next market of antique furniture was more upscale. I walked through to the exit to find myself back in London, at Camden. A massive modern market attached itself to the flea market, filling in street left unattended. I walked briefly down the street and got a crepe to snack on.

Back into the old stuff I dove. This market was full of smaller its, but no less interesting. A store of fountain pens first caught my eye. I bought some old French pins.

It was time to meet Caryn at the station. We hugged hello at the Eurostar exit then hit the metro. We had a lot to catch up on, we were talking through the entire trip. I took her to St Christophers Inn and hoped there would be a free bed for the night. To our luck, there was.



We dumped her things then set out to meet Janelle and Yoann. We walked along the Saine, the same route my siblings and I took when we first arrived. It was great to see someone so excited about the city. As this was my second time, I had been less than touristy, but was inspired by Caryn´s enthusiasm. She made me feel like I had never been to Paris before.

We met up with the couple and found an authentic French place. It was crowded with people so we had drinks by the bar until our table was ready. It was quite a posh little place, with hand written menus. I started with a veggie soup and then rabbit with veggies. It was really good though.







The four of us chatted away through out dinner, catching up on all the Perth gossip. It had been a long while since I had been with so many Perth people. It felt good.