Nice and Villefranche (Riviera), and final night in Dublin

The French Riviera was an incredible climax to my trip. It was a tropical paradise with beautiful beaches, and a vibrant night life. Most of the nights I spent on the beach singing and playing guitar until around four in the morning when I'd go speeding around in a tiny car with Eduardo or Manu. They're two street artists I met early on in Nice. Manu plays jazz manouche guitar and Eduardo does glass paintings. They're really talented guys with a great attitude. I also had great fun with Joanne, Karim, Sharon, Beryl and Sira taking day trips to Cannes for the military parade. Many of the best moments were too good to ruin by taking out my camera so you'll just have to ask me for stories.
It was great closure to end in the same city I started in. Back in Dublin with Garbhan for heritage week. What an amazing adventure this month has been. I wish I had more time, but there is never enough time for Europe!

Dijon and Beaune (The Borgogne Region of France)

This was one of my favorite towns in France. I took a train to Dijon on a whim and I'm very glad I did. It was an amazing little town where I was really able to cultivate my French. The food was the best yet, especially the Beef Borgognon and escargot. Dijon's symbol is the owl (or chouette) because of a carving on the side of a church that is said to bring good luck. So to tour the town on foot you just follow the petite chouette! This is also the birthplace of Dijon mustard and pain d'epice (spice bread). I also took a day trip to the medieval town of Beaune which is a wine town of Burgundy. I'm sure I'll return to Dijon plus tard, or should I say I'll return to Dijon moutarde!! French puns.

Amsterdam and Brussels

I spent the weekend in Amsterdam and an afternoon in Brussels on the way back to Paris. Amsterdam was a crazy town, I enjoyed the Anne Frank House, the Red Light District, and the canals. Brussels was a beautiful, quirky town with cartoon murals, a small old town center with great food, and one of the most impressive town squares ever. The waffles, mussels, beer, fries, and chocolate definitely satisfied my hunger for fine European cuisine! A weekend to remember.

Paris Part Trois

Sadly my final days in Paris...

Paris Part Deux 2009

Some more footage of me in Paris!!

Paris part un 2009

I have been so enamored with this city the past few days, and one side effect of walking around with my jaw hanging open and hearts coming out of my head is that I forget to photograph it all. So most of my days have been spent enjoying la flaneurie. We dont really have an English equivalent for this word, but basically it means wandering around with no other purpose than to enjoy the surroundings. Everything here seems like a fairy tale from the architecture to the food and these magic beans I bought in Monmartre for only 10 euros! Enjoy this ever so brief clip and keep in mind that you must come to Paris to truly comprehend th... well keep in mind that you must come to Paris!

London's Brilliant Parade

Headed straight to covent garden for a cornish pasty and muffinsky's fro yo. Went to Ben and Bethany's flat near old street for a quick nap, then got pub faire for supper with Ben and Bethany. That night we and the flatmates, Justine, Dani, and friend Genevieve, hung out on the balcony with amazing cheese, cheap wine, and a guitar sing-a-long.
Next day had lunch on brick lane with Genevieve and went to visit Patrick at Pickwick. We had tea and chatted for a bit before I headed to the British Museum to visit the rosetta stone and the 5000 year old man (told him you say hi). That night after some cards we had an impromptu sweating to the eighties party after which we all went out into the streets of London belting Disney songs (Alex Curtis makes a great Simba, and even better Jasmine). So now I'm taking a stroll around Charing Cross, probably my favorite street in the world besides Main Street WHB. Cheerio mates!!