Two Gimps in the City

We were off to an early start this morning - onto La Marché Des Puces! (for those bargain hunters out there, you'll know this is the flea market) So off we went, going further and further out of the city, we definitely hit the urban area, and I believe the area where the riots were last year. We found la marché without any issues (we are definitely getting better at that!). Oh the wonderful things we found! Bought little gifts, and a few items some people have requested (Kath I found your souvenirs at a really good price - D'Eyn, I still haven't found your requested item)... the best was... I found some.... *cough* personal items for myself at a really great price (things I definitely could not get at home at those prices!). ka also found some really good things as well... The best was that we got to haggle for the prices... I managed to talk almost every purchase down except for 2... they were just stubborn! And when they accepted too readily, I realized maybe I didn't go down far enough... oh well.. we really did some great shopping... The best part, I know understand how the French women can afford all those shoes... They buy them at the flea market for 10€!!! Pointy shoes, all the latest shoes, some rip offs of the designer shoes... you'd never know they weren't the real thing.

After the flea market, I had a little lunch... ka had a cappucino (we are definitely going to miss that when we get home!) then off to Le Cimetaire Pierre Lachaise. Ok, I knew the cemetary was big, but oh my goodness, this cemetary was HUGE! Every square inch is used. so ka bought a map, and off we were to find the graves of certain people. First stop, Collette - famous writer. Then off to Frederic Chopin, Molière, Jim Morrison, Modigliani, Bugatti, and of course, Oscar Wilde. The thing to note about Oscar Wilde is that his tomb is covered by lipstick kisses (you'll see in the photos). When in Paris, do as Parisiennes do.. so I puckered up and kissed the tomb.. unfortunately, neither ka nor I had any lipstick on us, so my lip prints are there, just not visible. But the most poignant memorials we saw, was the memorial tombstones to the Holocaust survivors. There were about 5 for the victims of the concentration camps, 2 memorials to the French resistance fighters, and others, telling the world never to let this hapen again, do not let their deaths be in vain. I was really overwhelmed at this point.. seeing the number of victims, of the monuments, saying herein lies the ashes of 7000 people, buried with the soil of Auschwitz, just moves one to tears. At this point, we had been at the cemetary for over 3.5 hours, and did I mention that the streets were cobblestoned? Poor ka's feet, and my ankle were throbbing by the time we left. But on the way out, there was more memorials to the fighters of World War I, so we stopped to pay our respects.

On the way out fo the cemetary, it was WAY passed time for un café. So off the nearest café, where we had une café, and well, an expresso too. Off we were onto the next item on our list, L'Arc du Triomphe. It had been spitting rain on and off all day, but by the time we got there, a couple cracks of lighting, and there was a downpour. We took a couple of photos outside of the arc, went in to buy tickets.. and by that point, with my ankle throbbing, and memories of slipping on wet floors, I asked ka if it was ok that we skip the top of the arc. I really wanted to see it, but it had been a long day, and I didn't want either one of us to have an accident.... ka was most gracious, and agreed to head in for the night. If there's time to come back to it, we will, but just to see the majestic arc wa enough...

It's a rainy Saturday night in Paris... but it was a good day...

Rumblies in the Tummy.....

After 5 days in Paris, it would appear that my system is in overload. ka's poor feet are still sore, and my stomach is protesting today (can't decided if it was the mayonnaise or the Diet Coke I consumed). We are not headed out today, although it's a shame, and i want to cry "Foul!!!!" as the weather appears to be beautiful....

The good news is that we still have 7 days left in the beautiful city of Paris....

So here's ther perfect opportunity to explain a few things about Paris. After 5 days of watching the people walk by, I am pretty good at picking out the locals, and who are the tourists... and well, the British as well..

Parisiennes... for the women, not a hair out of place, dressed from head to toe. Shoes will either match their purse, or their top. Accessories are a must, from necklaces to braceletes to rings. Shoes seem to be the most importnt part of the outit... can I say I wish I had the money to buy a few pair of shoes??? Boots also seem to be on the come back... lost of the boots we've seen are knee-highs... swater dresses also seem to be à la mode right now... not the cable knit kind of the 80's, but sweaters of softer fabrics.. The men, sports coat, shirts (mostly white, but have seen a few pink and yellow shirts), lean fit jeans (not skinny jeans, there's a bit of "room" in the jeans) and of course, the shoes - this is their apparel for both the office and going out at night time. Men's shoes seem to be long and pointed - same as the women's.

We can pick out the British men, and they are always in a 3 piece suit, and the hair is slightly dishelved... whereas the Parisienne men's hair - slighly long, but again, not a hair out of place. The men also seem to have matching shirts and sweaters, in which they will tie over their shoulders, à la Don Johnson style... but the sweater and shirts are mainly black and white. I have seen a few women do this as well. The women don't seem to wear scarves... maybe we are too early in the season for that... as every tacky tourist shop seems to have silk scarves, with pictures of the Eiffel Tour on them.

As for the tourists - running shoes. It appears that no Parisienne would be caught dead wearing running shoes. (you could pick me out in the crowd very easily....!)

I wonder how the Parisienne women stay so slim with all the bread, cheese and wine they consume... not to mention a Patisserie or Chocolatiere on it seems every corner.. guess they are better at fighting temptation than I... lol.. D'Eyn you would be in diabetic heaven with all the sweets and things they have here....

Jilly in the City
Today poor ka's feet were too sore to go onto the next section of Paris, so I compiled a list of 15 things that I wanted to see, that she didn't, and was suppose to go see those monuments. It was going to be a cheap day as all the things I wanted to see were fountains, monuments and churches and such that were free.... (the best laid plans.....) So I made sure ka was comfortable, and went on from there..

First stop, Rue d'Alger.. I took this one for you Kath! Second stop - Jeanne D'Arc monument - it looks like a gawdy gold statue in the middle of the street... ok, not off to a great start, but it was a start no less..... Off onto the métro I go!!! I should mention that the métro is very easy to get around the city of Paris - and very fast as well. If we had to drive to these locations, I'm sure it would take twice as long... The only scary thing is the warning signs about pickpockets. They have recorded announcements on the PA telling you to keep your things close to you to protect yourself against them. Again, the sites, smells and the pulse of the city are so different from one stop to another. First stop, the street of the headless woman. Legend has it that there was a woman that was beheaded, that took her head and walked down this street. Apparently, there was suppose to be a statue of this woman on the street corner were the street begins. So, reading my trusty map book, I get to the street corner, ( in 1 try no less!) and the statue has been taken down for restoration.... sigh... ok - all is not lost, I'm walking on the Left Bank of the Seine river, and it's a glorious sun shiny day in Paris, so how could it be bad that the statue was not there? I toured around Illes Des Cité for a little bit, watching all the touristes go by, sitting on a park bench, munching on my Anjou Pear, taking it all in. Watching the wokers on Notre-Dame cathredreal, watching all the people speaking different languages go by, watching the tour boats go by on the Seine... then I realized that I had other things to see and do, so I found my next métro stop on my trusty map, and headed to the Latin Quarter.

One thing to note about the métro, you can definitely tell what area of town you are headed to by the métro itself, and by the people on the train. When I got on the métro that was headed to the Latin Quarter, it was much like the train we got on to head to Montmatre - the trains were old, the stations were a little run down (re: dark and dingy), and some unsavoury characters hanging about. Once I got to the Latin Quarter, my destination was the Roman Baths. But first I was enamoured by a bird park, so I decided to stay there for a few minutes, and watch the birds. Off I headed to La Musée Des Moyens Ages to see the Roman Baths; only to discover, that ka and I had planned to see this musée at a later date (they have the unicorn tapestries there that d and I saw 1 of in Scotland). So I wandered around the grounds, only to discover, that the Roman Baths were currently under re-construction, and I could see them from the gate. Good, checked off my list... onto the next thing.

The thing about touring by yourself, is that you allow yourself to get distracted, and veer off from your intentions. I found a very elusive open Bureau du Poste (finally!) and bought stamps (check your mailboxes in a few days!). It seems that oveseas stamps are hard to come by - but they carry plenty of stamps for mailing within Europe and the UK. The guy at the Bureau to Poste looked at me funny look when I asked for 20 stamps - AND, he had to ask somebody where they were... Nevertheless, I puchased my stamps, and I was on my way to find a fountain... except....
So it was about 3pm at this point, and ka and I are used to, at this point, of stopping and having a café... so I find this little café called Café Nero... I stopped to have a café blanc (you have to order it with milk, otherwise it comes black, with no milk to put in it) I sat and wrote more postcards out, watch the students go by, some were protesting with signs "Cuba Libre" and handing out pamphlets, some were dressed in togas, I'm not sure what they wanted, as the café manager shooed them away when they came. Sitting in the sun, with my café, and writing postcards, ever watching people, I realized that I should not be rushing from place to place to see all of these things, but just enjoy the city, so that's what I did. After sitting for an hour in the café ( forgot to mention that the café came with a piece of dark chocolate to put in your café, which made it all the better) finished all my postcards (some were written the previous night), I decided to walk the main street of the Latin Quarter. I should have mentionned earlier that the Sorbonne is in the Latin Quarter, which is why there were a lot of students hanging around.
So I'm walking down the main boulevard of the Latin Quarter, just enjoying the different texture and pulse of this part of the city. Everything seems so vibrant, even the people. I'm just enjoying the walk, and lo and behold, I stumble onto to something that was on my list today. If was Foutine de St. Sulphice. There were 4 noted clergy men of their time, facing each direction with 2 lions at their feet. I sat in the square, just marvelling at the masonry work. The cathedreal St. Sulphice was closed at this point (and under repair), so I took a couple of photos of what I could of the medieval statues. It was then I decided to head back to the flat. It was a good day all in all.

However, the day does not end here....

After making to our métro stop - Les Tulleries - I decided to spend a little bit of time in the Gardens. Sitting on a park bench, watching the pigeons... one person threw 1 little bit of bread, and about a hundred pigeons were flocking to that one bench. It was a site to behold. Because I was 1 bench over from where the food was thrown, the pigeons thought that perhaps I had food too. Up hopped 1 brave little soul, right close to me to see if I had anything for him. I of course took a photo, as I could not believe the audacity of these birds. So they were flocking around me, and that's where I met my first street urchin. He "pretended" to find this ring on the ground, asked me if it was real, and having to way to tell, I said I wasn't sure. He tried it on, and gave it to me as a gift. I said thanks, and he started to walk away. He then came back, and asked if I had any money, as he was so very hungry. I did not bring very much money with me today, as I did not want to spend very much. I gave him my pocket change - it was all I had on me (except that bill I keep tucked in a separate place in case of an emergency), thinking that if I were in a similiar situation, I would someone at least to give me a couple of Euro so I could get some bread. Apparently, I'm to soft hearted - he then had the audacity to ask for more. I said that was all I had, and left. One thing to note, I thought I had put the ring in my jacket pocket, but it was gone by the time I got back to the flat - little bugger had picked my pocket as well. Nothing for him to find though - I had everything in my secret hiding place.
So, onto the patisserie, hoping that ka was feeling better, I bought a couple of tartes (and a baguette for tomorrow morning), and went back to the flat to find out what we wanted to make for supper (can't eat out every night - too expensive!). ka was happy with her tarte. Back to the grocery store around the corner, purchased veggies for a salad, and a lasagne for me. We had a great supper, and then it happened. Good thing we were wearing our St. Michael's pins that ODG so thoughtfully gave us.... I was re-heating coffee for ka in the microwave, when WHAM! the microwave door flew open, and coffee was in all directions. I got showered the most with coffee, but the strange thing was, it was not hot, and nobody got burned. Note to self: not using the microwave anymore! Strange thing as, the cup did not explode either... somebody, somewhere was looking out for us.....
So now, a little wine to calm our racing hearts... all in all, another good day.

Short note before we get started today....

It's official - we will not be posting photos until we get back. Sorry folks, but the computer that we have does not seem to like our cameras. Between the 2 of us, there will be over 2,000 photos to post when we get back.

Bohemian Rhaphsody

Today ka and I were off to Montmatre - the heart and soul of an artiste's paradise. First stop - Moulin Rouge. We didn't go inside, as neither one of us had any interest, but just stopped to take a picture. It looks much better in the movie Moulin Rouge. Anyway, at that point, we were off to La Musée de la Vie Romantique. We saw an incredible collection of art from Pierre Lotti. This museum also had works from George Sands. One point of interest for me was a porceline cast of Chopin's hands. All those hours of trying to play Chopin on the piano, picturing Chopin's hands as long tapered fingers, only in reality, his hands were not much bigger than mine! If anyone has ever attempted to play Chopin, you will note that his works contain a lot of movement, very quickly with complicated chording. How he did it, I'll never know. The museum also contained works and items by George Sands - the pioneering woman of the romantique era. The museum also contained a delightful Tea Garden, where ka and I had lunch. We both got big pots of tea, and the staff were wonderful.
After lunch, it was determined that the rather large lunch was needed, as we trucked up the hill (flashes of Halifax were going through my mind), only to veer off in different directions. ka went to the Salvatore Dahli musuem, and I went to the St. Pierre de Montmatre cathedreal. We had agreed ahead of time to meet at Basilique Sacré-Coeur. The cathredal to me was amazing. It was built in 1134 and remains standing as a working Catholic church. I lit a candle to St. Theresa for my mother. Ater it was determined that ka needed a little more time at the museum, I wandered through artisan's alley. There were many artiste's sketching portrait of the people that paid for their portrait, and several calls of "mademoiselle!" to me, I had the fortitude to start bartering prices of their artwork. After walking away several times, I went back to search for ka. As I was mounting the stairs, I happened to see her coming. We entered the Basilique Sacre Coeur together, and I must admit, I was overwhelmed. No words could describe the santitude of this church. Tall gothic colums surround the church, as well as little prayer rooms to the saint in which you wish to pray.

After it was determined that a little fortyfiny café was needed, we headed to an outdoor café. There is nothing like watching the people go by in Paris. After leaving the outdoor café, we went ack to artisan's alley to start batering for art work. I bought 2 original pieces of art, then felt guilty about talking the artist down, but then again, she would not have agreed had she not wanted to sell her artwork. ka also bought 1 amazing piece of artwork, and I helped her with the negotiations.

Since our feet dictate what we do next, it was determined the best course of action was to go back to the area of the flat and have supper, and retire for the night. But on the way back down the hill, it occured to me that many artistes must have made this trek up and down the hill after a night of debauchery. We stopped at a "Frommagerie" and bought cheese. ka bought very stinky cheese, and I bought some very soft brie and guyère (my stomach may not agree with all the different types of cheeses, but I'm enjoying them anyway!).

We are getting really good at using the metro stations - 3 short hops and we were back in our stomping ground. Went for a light supper at an outdoor café, bought a couple bottles of wine, and headed back to the flat (with the very stinky cheese!).

It was a good day.

Moderne D'Objets D'Art and the Eiffel Tower

We slept in a little today - got a bit of a late start - that's ok though - we needed the sleep. We bought metro passes for 5 days. Say what you ill about the French, they were nothing but kind of us today as I tried to fumble though some French. The gentlemen at the metro counter was very kind and took pity on me, and spoke very slowly so I could undersand what he was saying. All in all, I think we got the best deal. One thing to note, French in Paris is very different from the French we took in French immersion. What is nice about here is that they seem to appreciate your efforts in French, whereas in Québec, they immediately switch to English.

So, off on the metro we go! No issues getting on or off, and we found the right stop with little difficulty. It was once we got off the metro that we did a little touring, adventurous touring, that is. *cough cough* ka is never going to let me have the map again! (all joking aside, probably wouldn't be a bad idea) Once we get there, I'm good at getting back, as I can memorize the route... anyway, we finally found the Palais Tokyo - modern pieces of "art" on display. It was recommended that we go there by ODG - and ODG - you owe me 6 Euros!!!!! Suitcase on the floor does not constitute art! Neither does a wall of bottles! The tape room was interesting, however, I can set up 6 fans at home, and demolish a cassette tape, and watch it fly across the room..... well, ok, we can atleast say we went there, and it was interesting.... ODG, I suspect we are going to have a debate about this at some point.... and btw... you're buying ;-)

We then went to La Musée D'Art Moderne de la Vie Paris.... I will admit I am not a big fan of modern art - however, there were some Matisse and some Picasso's to look at... and 1 amazing photographer - Sabine West..everything else I will probably forget in the next minute or 2...

Forgot to mention - Mama G we stumbled upon the accident site of Princess Diana - it was a little overwhelming - there were a lot of people that signed the overpass where she died, with lots of heartfelt sentiment.

Onto the Tour D'Eiffel - what an amazing site. It was something I will never forget. We went at the best of times. In late afternoon for the day shots, and stayed until dark for the night time shots. Simply amazing to be there. Thank you to ka's uncle Allen for recommending that we go in late afternoon to see both. We were on the highest peak for sunset.... ( a little scary going up there... the féniculaire kept going up and up and up... I didn't think it was going to stop!) what a glorious site to behold - Paris at sunset. I have pictures, but am unable at this point to download them. Sorry folks! ka is going to try tonight, so you may want to go to her site to see them.

Since both of us had very tired feet at this point, we decided to call it a night - we were going to stop for an expresso, but the café where we had dinner last night was closed. Well, we still had the 2€ bottle of wine that we purchased yesterday, so that will have to suffice for tonight...

Tommorrow, onto Montmatre!

Footnote to yesterday....

ka and I went for a walk to keep ourselves awake, and to familiarize ourselves with the area that we are staying in. It's hard to describe the pulse and beat of this city. ka says the air is very soft, and I would have to agree with her.

We walked to the Jardins Toullieres, and it was interesting. You could very easily picture all the Victorian ladies and gentlemen walking around the gardens. And then, you see it - the L'Ouvre. It is bigger and more impressive then you can imagine. It was quite the sight to behold. Even just thinking about all the works of art on display, made us all giddy inside. We are going to be in front of them....!

We had supper at a little sidewalk café... the food was amazing... and we watched the world go by.. it was great, and I can't wait to do it again.

After supper, we went to the nearest patisserie, and got our dessert - there is nothing like French sweets - incredible!! And, of course, we got a baguette for breakfast the next morning.

By then, not even the expressos that we consumed could keep us awake, as we had been up for over 24 hours at this point.

Now, we woke up @ 4:30, and going to try to get a little more sleep before we start the day...

Hope to post pictures later today...

We have arrived!

So we have made it to our little apt in Paris! After a "little" wandering around the very busy streets of Paris, ka and I are in our flat.

The day started pretty mundane. Packed the last few items, went to the grocery store for last minute items, walked to Robert Q, and met up with ka. Got on the Robert Q bus, made the mistake of drinking too much water before the trip, and around Woodstock, I was feeling a little uncomfortable to say the least..... with no planned stops a long the way, let's just say it was a long ride to TO.

Got to the airport with no issues, except the counter was not open yet. So we wondered around for a little bit, grabbed a bite to eat, and got checked in. The girl at the counter was fantastic, as she gave us seats near the rear of the plane, away from screaming children. So off we went through security, and all the plates and screws in my ankle did not set off the security alarms..... guess the good dr's at Victoria hospital did not lie to me after all..... ;-) We went to the bar for a drink, and got on the plane. The plane ride was pretty uneventful (except for a little turbulence) and of course, 2 awful movies were played, but that's par for the course, I believe.

Got to PARIS, and zipped through customs with no problems. Took awhile to get our luggage, but eventually it appeared, and we both breathed a sigh of relief. After a little confusion, we were off on the bus that was to take us within a 5 minute walk to get to our flat. *cough cough* those that know me well, know that I'm a "little" directionally challenged.... so the 5 minute stroll took quite a bit longer, and we'll leave it at that.... but we are here now, and the place is fantastic! d you would appreciate this - lugging my suitcase up a very narrow flight of stairs after a long 24 hours...

ka is almost finished unpacking, so I'll leave off at this point - more to come with pictures (hopefully!)

Salut Bonjour!

This is it! Barring any delays at the airport, in less than 24 hours now, we will be in Paris! I have loaded up on cards, books and a few clothing items in the event of lost luggage. Murphy's law always seems to apply to me, but if I think of them or prepare for them first, then it doesn't happen. So pardon me for a little bit.... here's to no accidents, no slip and falls, no broken bones, no illnesses, no lost luggage, no muggings, enough money, clear directions, no drunk pilots, the bird does not think it's a duck over the water, no hassles at security, and no language barriers. Here's to a good time, a good friend, a great place to stay, and a beautiful city.

See you on the other side of the pond! Salut bonjour!

For a laugh....

I checked my horoscope today.... and this what is said...

Double- and triple-checking things wouldn't hurt. Neither would having a backup plan -- just in case. In all likelihood, this is all overkill, but it doesn't hurt to have a Plan B and C in your pocket just in case.

spooky.... now I'm more and more convinced I'm going to forget something! So yes, the suitcase is out, and items are going in!

I have also posted ka's web site, as she will also be documenting our adventures.

I MEANT to do it, really I did.....

ok - the plan was to come home early from work, do laundry, tidy up the last little bit in my apartment, and start the packing process. Well, that went out the window 1 hour after I got home. Went out for supper, played some cards with friends, and now, here it is, 01:30 in the morning, and I'm still not packed. I have almost everything ready to go - except my clothes.. and well, shoes too.....

ODB and ka seem to think that we'll only get rained on in Paris.... better pack that umbrella too.... sigh... less than 48 hours now! Sleep? who can sleep?

60 hours to go!

d brings up a good point - just to clarify - I have not been cleaning for days on end.... I have been avoiding that task (and laundry) like there's no tomorrow. But, alas, I can delay no longer.... when I get home from work today, it's first on my priority list - and well, I'll probably do laundry as well. Then the packing begins!

As the Doktor said so elequently....

I'm leaving on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again....

96 hours to go......

To Do List:

Clean Apartment
Laundry
Pack
Keep Tigger from going crazy (not much hope in that one!)

Why can't we go tomorrow? Oh yeah, 'cause I'm not ready yet!

I don't think I have posted the link to the apartment where we are staying - note the pink toilet paper - we will definitely be in France!

After some thought - I have removed the link from my blog - however, if you would like to see the flat, post on the blog and I will send you the link.

A little bump in the road.....

We are 6 days before we leave... things are starting to heat up... I got sick today (pesky inner ear infection again!) and had to leave work... ka has a leak in her basement - water pouring in due to all the rain. At least these things happened before we went away....

Here's hoping that tomorrow brings a better day......

T Minus...... 7 Days!!!!!!!!

1 Week from today - at this time next week, ka and I will probably be giggling at the gate, waiting to get on the plane.... and maybe ready to play a few rounds of Phase 10? or tic tac toe? or engrossed in the latest Pamela Anderson novel? (inside joke between ka and I - I'll let her tell it ... lol... hmmm... might have to purchase it for her as a going away present..... LOL... I'm going to get my butt kicked pretty soon.......)

Well, the to-do list before I leave is diminishing.. and that's a little scary, but exciting at the same time. I didn't do any grocery shopping this week, as I didn't need to - that was also strange. ka and I went shopping yesterday, bought a few new clothes to go away with - most of all - a fancy dancy new jacket - I think my sisters may even be impressed with it - it's not fleece! ;-)

Left to do - clean, clean clean - get EUROS, clean - and do laundry.....oh, and PACK!

Trip Photo link is now working - and I moved it up for convenience.

Just 8 more DAYS!

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?

I can't believe that it's almost here - and then again, it seems like it is taking forever to get here.... Just 7 more working days before we leave..... 11 more days, just 11 more days... or rather 10 days until Sunday, the day we we leave...... ARGH... I just want to get there... but have too much to do before I get there!

Patience is virtue - possess it if you can........

I'm running out of steam... .have to quit looking at that guide book - get too revved up, and can't sleep....... The thought of standing in front of the Mona Lisa, seeing the opera house (seeing an opera!), having a cafe on a side walk trattoria, just really really stuns me in that I'm actually going to be there....

And then again, in my capacity as a pofessional worry wort, my ankle has been acting up. I don't know if it's the weather or what... I'm hoping the weather.... and really should stop wearing heels! (but they look so nice!!!) No, nothing is going to stop me, nothing at all...

We heard from the landlord of our flat this week , and everything appears to be in order - he's left the keys in a lock box for us... I just hope we are coherent by the time we get there to comprehend all the instructions!

On must get before we leave - map of Paris - with all the streets listed! In the book that we have, there are streets listed, but I have a feeling they are only the major streets....

Enough ramgling, must get some sleep!

T-Minus....15 days

Ok - so say that I'm not excited would be a lie, but there's a lot to do before we get going. Today I was talking to a co-worker about Paris - she lived in Paris, and I brought my Paris guidebook to work. She knew exactly where we should be going - other than the usual tourist traps. Ok - I admit that on the bus I nearly missed my stop this morning, as I as reading the guide, and in the area where we are staying, there are a whole bunch of really cool things. I can't wait, I really can't... but must take care of the mundane things before we get there p- and most importantly - must not forget my passport!