Note to self: try and avoid reading such large chunks of The Zombie Survival Guide right before bed. By the way, awesome present, E. 
Things that hurt: watching Japan loose to Paraguay in penalty kicks. noooooooo! I feel like I have no one to cheer for in World Cup any more. 
lame-o
I woke up in the middle of the night with a wretched sore throat and cough to match. Boss A gave me some cold medicine in the morning and I bought some pretty strong throat lozenges as a pharmacy. I'm going to hang onto those, because these European ones REALLY work.
At any rate, I was determined not to let a minor cold slow me down. The walking tour continued.
Ducks in a row
turtles in a pond
Cafe break! Boss A tells me that these Speculoos cookies are always given with coffee in Belgium.
Then Boss A took me around on an educational tour to see all the EU buildings. I know pretty much nothing about Europe or the EU, so it was all educational to me.
She took my photo in front of a couple of key buildings of importance
(nice arrangement at the desk)
There was an EU info center she took me too as well. It sounds lame, but it was really cool. There was all these free things to take-- brochures, maps, posters, coloring books, etc. Each thing was published in every language spoken in the EU
I picked up this cool poster for my office. I actually got it home in one piece! Europe: My favorite Mix, people, places, cultures. Very nice. They were out of English posters, so I got one in French.
Then I saw my 2nd protest in Europe. There was another one in Paris. Europeans sure do like to color coordinate and march around with bullhorns.
I learned from my boss, that our so-called "French fries" did not actually originate in France. In fact, the Belgians came up with the idea. Wikipedia confirms. I will call them Belgium Fries from now on. Why didn't Americans fact check before someone came up with that ridiculous Freedom Fry idea? WHY!?
This stand was reputed to be the best in Brussels for fries. They were great, what can I say? This country was really starting to grow on me. They take their chocolate and beer to new levels of excellence and they invented the Belgian waffle and the Belgian Fries! I wish I could claim some sort of Belgian heritage because it sure felt like coming home!
Speaking of going home, I to make it back to Paris. I waited around in the train station for my train, feeling crappier and crappier all the the while. By the time I made it back to Paris, I was practically delirious. I almost got lost on the way to the apartment. I took some more medicine when I got back and started to feel a little better. I had to pack up and be ready to go back to Florida the next day, but there was still one last thing I had to do. I found a small lock in the train station. I carved T, A and my name into the front of the lock.
if you are ever on the Pont des Arts bridge, look for a bright green lock in the middle on the Eiffel Tower side. I have locked my friends and I together forever in Paris. 
What a great trip! I have really fallen in love with Paris and Brussels--Minus the whole getting really sick thing. My friend, A has some superior packing skills. I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't pretty much packed all my stuff for me. I was pretty dysfunctional with fever and delirium by nightfall. I got home OK and the rest is history.
...now if I can just survive my recovery and get work back on track, things will be great.
My boss was in Brussels teaching a study abroad program and invited me to visit her there. Bonding with the boss and seeing new countries are always good things, so I agreed and went by train. It only took an hour! Europe is amazing like that. It takes me longer to get to Orlando. The train was much the same as a Japanese shinkansen.
The metro system in Brussels was very easy to understand. I hopped on and went to Louiza where a taxi driver gave me directions to Petit Sablon.
I was proud of my minor travel success because I just saved myself some cab fare!
The plan was, that I go to my boss' husband's office (he is a higher-up in NATO, what!?!!?), receive a map and cell phone and amuse myself until my boss got out of class. SWEET!
right across the street was this fantastic looking gothic cathedral, so naturally I went to check that out first.
The gargoyles! I can never get enough.
Inside the cathedral, I learned that it is called 'Our Lady on the Sablon'
'Our Lady' was gorgeous and spacious, not much different than the cathedrals I've been wandering around in in Paris. What was really impressive, though, where the stain glass windows.
The coat of arms of all the royal families of Belgium.
beautiful like a kaleidoscope, this was graced one of the cathedral's postcards. I wish my church had postcards, ha ha ha ha. Its kind of funny to think of, right?
Across from the cathedral and the NATO building was the park for which the square was named; Petit Sablon.
I was thoroughly impressed by the sweeping lines of the shrubbery. I was sitting on a park bench, looking at a fountain when my boss called. Game time!
Boss A, her husband and I ate lunch and then she took me on a little bit of a walking tour. Old castle wall, above.
We turned the corner into a place called Grand Place. Grand it was.
If you are ever in Europe for Christmas,this square is the place to be. I imagine it would be striking with all the Christmas lights and decorations.
From here we snacked. Bought sweets here, had some coffee and visited an amazing chocolate store.
This ad was so bizarro-creepy that I had to take a picture.
Then we hit the stores. I found some clothes (shocker). I thought funny English signs were primarily in Japan, but here one is. Little did I know it at the time, but I was working on Pneumonia, Power Pneumonia myself.
A real Belgium waffle!!!!!!! DELICOUS!
I LOVE BELGIUM! Chocolate, waffles and..... and.... BEER!! I consider this country somewhat of a beer mecca, so I was all too happy to go out to the bar and try some of the local fare on tap. Above, a Stella Artois cafe! he he he he! Just thinking about this makes me so happy my toes are curling.
Different flavors of Hoegaarden? Who even knew this existed?
I drank some beer that night. Boss A's husband sings and plays in a band. He/they are actually really cool and good. So we went to a pub to watch them play.
(actually the next day at the train station, but its for the compilation)
Beer in Belgium. I learned from one of my boss' friends that there is actually a law in Belgium that beer has to be served in its own brand glass. Amazing. I checked with Wikipedia:
Virtually every Belgian beer has a branded glass. Beyond the basic shape of the glass (wide-mouth goblet, curvaceous tulip glass, tall pilsner, etc), each glass is imprinted with a logo or name. The brewery usually selects a glass form to accentuate certain qualities of their beer. A goblet, for example, lets the drinker's nose inhale the beer's aroma at the same time the mouth is drinking in the liquid. A tulip glass, for example, is very good for foam retention.
Here is to you, Belgium beer. How I love they. A few hours after this, I would wake up with one of the worse sicknesses of my life. boo!
Today was 'Bring Your Dog to Work Day' AND my boss' birthday. At her request, I actually did bring Mimi and Chitah to work after lunch. My hope is that it would assuage some of her hatred for me. Not a chance.
the bitches take over my chair
I spend time and money to visit her in Brussels, hoping to bond --> result: I give her pneumonia
I drag my dogs into work to brighten her birthday --> result: Mimi poops on her floor.
I cannot win. 
I started the day by heading right over to Versailles. I thought I would get a jump on the crowd of tourists by getting there early... NOT the case. The line to get in was huge and chaotic. My survivor skills sensed a small stampede threat. Once I was inside though, it was so big I didn't feel crowded again.
outside the gate
Right off, the amount of gold everywhere was startling
For some reason, I was determined to get the next great facebook and/or xanga profile picture this day... I'm not so sure this one will make the cut. Beware: lots of dorky photos of me
I love ceilings in this country! Not a square inch (or, centimeter) was left without art or some expensive flare. I took too many photos.
While walking through the many, many, many ornate rooms of Versailles, every once and a while the windows would look out on the garden. I couldn't wait to get there.
sweet doorknob
Marie Antionette's pillow and bedroom!!!! How exciting. I think we have similar tastes. I wish I could have a room full of flowers and peacock feathers too.
I LOVE flocked wallpaper! I must find a way to get some. Maybe I can get a square, frame it and hang in on my white apartment walls.
I really liked this room. One of the princes' bed chambers or something.... Anyway, green and red and lots of floral accents. Perhaps I should have been French royalty. Perhaps I was in my past life, which is why my taste is so questionable.... next!
The hall of mirrors! I felt like I was in some surreal cgi movie. Incredible.
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette!! Would I be such a fan if that movie starring Kirsten Dunst hadn't come out? It's hard to say. At any rate, I was tickled to see this. And look what he is wearing--animal print! Ok... this is getting freakishly similar to my tastes.
I loved the chairs!
The new profile pic? eh, keep trying
At last! The garden. I've always had a lust for shrubbery cut into shapes.
looking back at the palace
My new favorite Greek/Roman goddess: Artemis/Diana. Because she is the goddess of the hunt, she is often depicted with a hunting dog that just happens to look a little bit like my Chitah.
"What you lookin at, Swan!?" -Adam Sandler
oohh goodie, goodie! I took a long walk through a row of gracefully square trees and here I was at Marie Antionette's country house.
As you can see, it's very rural looking, ha ha.
I took the train back to Paris. I was tired from walking around, but it was the first Sunday of the month, which means that all the museums are free! Why not go to the Louvre for an hour?
I know, I know, most people would put visiting all the amazing museums in Paris on the top of their list and devote a few days to doing so, not a mere hour. If I were with someone that wanted to do so, I would have gone along, but I kinda like gardens more....
So I did a speed run of the Louvre. I went to the Italian painters section.
I was pleasantly surprised by the number of graphic Passion paintings. Again, I've already mentioned I have questionable taste, but I really like depictions of the crucifixion of Christ. Especially beautiful ones like this with all the bright red and green. I think that is supposed to be John the Baptist's head on the right.
One of my favorite, and the only one I thought to get a picture of the title.. doh!! It was so dark.
My girl, Diana!
Another favorite crucifixion painting. Again with the reds and greens.
I actually took more pictures of crucifixion paintings, but I will move on.
These two I loved because they were so ethereal and romantic. sigh
There she is! The Mona Lisa.
Another one that will not make the facebook cut.
What was more impressive than the Mona Lisa were the amount of people clamoring to see it. Craziness. With all the astounding beauty around me, I had to wonder why that one was so famous and important.
So much art and beauty all crammed into one day. That's just how it is in Paris.
I'm out!
Out of the hospital... not out of the woods yet. I was released yesterday, Wednesday afternoon. I was so tired when I got home that I just crashed. Later, Kyohei and I went to see Karate Kid. He has been itching to go since.... forever. I showed up to work today for about 2 hours. My boss is mad at me. It seems I gave her pneumonia when I was in Brussels. Not my fault. I told her not to share the fries with me. At least she didn't have to be admitted... just saying. Anyway, she said she was feeling more forgiving now that she had been on antibiotics for a few days. gee thanks. That would explain the lack of a get-well email.
I'm still coughing, but it seems to be clearing. Both of my arms hurt still from the IV and PICC line and I'm tired from getting no sleep in the hospital all week.
But alive. I just have to recover from my recovery and then, hopefully, get back to normal life.
... and then I'll get my medical bill. gulp
After all the eating the somewhat intense pace of sightseeing we had been up to, Saturday turned into a relaxing day. Some souvenirs were purchased and the final plans to visit my boss in Brussels were made. Sights of Paris:
ha ha ha, my attempt to take a "paris postcard" shot with one of my many little Eiffel towers at a cafe.
Jardin du Luxembourg, my favorite Parisian jog spot
The wild Sex and the City 2 promotion in St. Michel
St. Michel fountain. Very cool
a bakery with T
Another cafe. I thought this was so pretty with all the flowers.
There is a nice system of bike rentals all over the city. What a great green idea!
Crepes!!
Banana and Nutella for me!
The crepe shop. The cutest thing happened. In Paris, people actually do greet you all the time with bonjour! Its really nice and you are actually expected to say "bonjour!" when you visit a shop or else you will seem rude. I really liked this.
So this night, I just decide that I needed to go on a crepe run. I walked down this very narrow street in St. Germain toward a crepe stand. On the way, I passed a somewhat burly looking gentleman waiting at a door (maybe a guard or driver?) He greeted me with a pleasant "bonjour!" to which I replied, "bonjour!" On my way back, I was grinning ear to ear carrying my crepes back to the apartment. The man was still there and greeted me with, "bon appetite!" in this really sweat voice not befitting his rough-guy exterior. It was the cutest thing ever. I love Paris! The crepe was delicious too, by the way.
France!
European Diet Coke. Not as good as the USA version.
I loved all the street performers. I guess you'll have this in any city, but.... it was nice.
Back on the Ponte des artes bridge (the one with the locks by the Louvre). This is THE place to hang out and have a picnic with your friends. Saturday night was packed. I like the way these Parisians hang... the have proper picnic blankets and wine bottles. Very nice. Also, note how nice it is NOT to have an open container law. Just saying....
The sun setting on the Louvre
More people crowd onto the bridge as the sun sets
Paris looks so pretty at night
picnickers sit along the Seine
There's the Eiffel tower, all lit up in the background. What a great end to the day.
I watched Portugal slaughter the poor North Korean team this morning in World Cup. This resulted in a 7-0 win for Portugal and NorKor was eliminated from the game. I felt so sorry for them. I just kept thinking about how the poor goalie's family was probably being shipped off to some labor camp right then.... sigh.
Anyway, the thing is, I watched it from my hospital bed. I picked up a pretty nasty bug (in Europe?) that turned into this out-of-control respiratory infection. Now I'm hooked up to all sorts of crazy strong antibiotics. It looks like I'll be here for another day or so. Nothing to worry about, the docs say I'm fine now. Lungs are clear, I just have to finish the cycle of antibiotics. It will be good to go home and resume normal life though. The week after I got back from Paris, I was so sick I couldn't think. I just went to work, somehow got through that, and then home to sleep. It took me like 4 days to even unpack.
I wasn't getting any better, which was scary. Scarier still is being in the hospital. I sometimes think of myself as being stronger than I am (maybe?) Being in here as really knocked me on my ass physically and mentally. I need to try and stay healthier. Also, I never really understood the saying, "be your own health advocate" until now. I've had to fend for my right to life, liberty, and happiness everyday in the hospital. I was totally unprepared and unaware of the state of care in American hospitals (the hospital I was in in Japan seemed much different). This has added a whole new dimension to my survival goals;
Never give 100% of your trust to health care providers. Sure everyone is super friendly, but they will get your name wrong, get your food wrong, loose your medicine, forget your medicine, try to give your extra medicine.... the list goes on and on. It will hurt, there will be side-effects and you will get no sleep. You must know your shit yourself! The hospital now does seem like a place people go to die.
Also, I had a picc line put in. I don't even want to go into it, but I have never been more emotionally disturbed by any medical procedure. I know in my head that it is helping me, but somehow, I feel like I'm not human anymore... just inorganic and toxic.
The good thing is, Kyohei and friends have been super awesome! I'm grateful for your time and support... and the presents. 
On Friday (June 5th), one of A's cool French friends has agreed to teach her how to cook Boeuf Bourgignon (made famous by Julia Childs--A is a big fan). I was lucky enough to be around when this was all going down. The plan: Go to Aligre, the oldest market in Paris, buy all of our ingredients, prepare and meal and have a dinner party that night.
The whole market experience itself was really fun. A's friend knew many of the vendors, so it was a social call as much as a shopping trip. We got lots of free samples too.
planning the menu, going over the recipe and making a list of things to buy
plenty of fresh veggies and fruit!
herbs for the cooking!
Some wine for the meat marinade.... and for us!
It was pleasant to see that the wine just came in unmarked glass bottles, that you bring back for a refill. Also, it was unbeleivably good and cheap!
I can never resist the siren song of a flower shop.
more fun with red
The butcher was lots of fun. He even let us come into the shop and look in the cooler.
yikes!
back home to marinate the meat for 4 hours in the fridge
drained and ready to be battered
adding the wine from the marinade back in to cook
pork, mushrooms, onions, etc
radish pesto (made with radish leaves!)
final product (1/2 consumed). It's not much to look at, but it was so good. Even the gourmet French guests approved. A and I were pretty proud of our kitchen skills. To me, this was so good, I literally almost cried. I teared a bit for sure.
The dinner guests (minus me). It was a great night. Now the pressure is on to replicate this at home. Kyohei is waiting!
Day of walking around the city!
T&A and I started the day by going to see the Moulin Rouge and all the little racy shops in the area.
From there we walked up this big hill to Montmartre
endless stairs
It was such a cool and artsy area. All these people were out in the little market and painting...
Then we walk up to...
Sacre Coeur! This was so immediately impressive. I think it literally took my breath away.
I was happy to see some pretty cool gargoyles. I tried to be respectful and actually did not take pictures inside. Other people were and they were talking on the cell phones and laughing... but there was a Mass going on! Unbelievable. No wonder Parisians hate tourists. Sheesh!
This cool dude was posing outside as a human statute. He winked at me and gave me a kiss when I dropped a Euro into his bucket. People asking for hand-outs on the side of the road... I will sometimes give, but entertain me with a clever antic or music and my Euros are yours!
yep, the Arc de Triomphe
We did the walk down Champs Elysees and saw this cafe
How would you pronounce Cafe Fouqeut?
We were so hungry at that point that we were ready to say fouquet and eat there, but we eventually found a suitable cafe
I tried French beer..... eerrrhhh I think I stick to wine
Some skewers
and...
against the recommendation of the waiter, some fromage (cheese). It was not good. The waiter was hilarious though. He kept making fun of us for our love of ketchup. Hell yeah I love ketchup! Interestingly enough, I read today in Marie Claire that French fromage makers, in an effort to entice people to buy more cheese, have come up with From Girls Calendar. Sexy girls posed with cheese. You should check it out here
Next stop........
Like a big geeked-out tourist I took way too many pictures of the Eiffel tower, but... eh, I was also having fun playing wit the color saturation tools on my camera.
I fell in love with the mini Eiffel towers that street vendors were selling everywhere. I ended up buying like 6 or 7 of them to display on my desk. Which, I'm proud to say, is in effect.
T&A made me go on the carrousel (by myself) and proceeded to take photos of me... absolutely ridiculous, but fun. I really want to see those photos.
T&A, the hosts with the most
Then I took a bunch of street scene shots of Paris. I give you the black, white and red collection:
St. Germain
