Saturday, May 17, 2008

Back home!


Everything comes to an end, especially vacation! Well mine is no exception and if the plane did not crash I should be home today. I like to post an Eiffel Tower to celebrate my return to civilization, so here it is. I included a couple of French flags too, to make it even more French LOL! Happy to be back home and to with you again ;)

74 comments:

  1. I like the flags and the tower! Nice combination! :)

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  2. Welcome home -- and what a wonderful home you get to come back to. Aaaah, Paris. Hope you had a great time. Love this photo.

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  3. EIFFEL TOWER!!!

    (Go ahead, Suzie, you can copy/paste ;)

    Welcome home, Eric. Wow, that was a quick vacation! :)

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  4. Welcome home Eric!! Happy to see you again soon! FYI, the weather is no more great, here. So take advantage to a last sunbath if you can this saturday...
    The flags are amazing. Where were they displayed? Difficult to see on the photo.
    NB : the eighth floor is still the same ;)

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  5. Welcome home, Eric - I hope you had a blast. What a beautiful and different shot of La Tour Eiffel - I love the flags flapping in the wind!

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  6. The picture opened on my screen and I said, "OH!"

    What a beauty. Was it a special celebration day? I love it.

    Welcome home, Eric. I hope you had a great vacation. Turkey's high on the list of places I long to visit. I'm glad you get to go there.

    Alexa, I love your profile shot!

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  7. Your photo would be perfect for Sky Watch Friday!

    We are all happy you are back!

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  8. It's great fun to travel, but it's also great to be back home. There's no doubt you're back Eric with such an amazingly French photo! The flags really do add the perfect touch, and once again you were able to get them to stand at attention for you. Get some rest and know that we're all happy you're back in Paris!!

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  9. EIFFEL TOWER!
    EIFFEL TOWER!!
    EIFFEL TOWER!!!

    *throws confetti*

    See, I knew Eric loved me the most.

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  10. Very nice composition. Love the jolt of red and how the blue and white of the flag is reflected in the sky and clouds and the tree limbs mimic the lace work of the Tower. This is a view to come home to. Welcome back.

    Monica: I got the postcard. Thank you!!!

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  11. Welcome back!

    Did you see any singers or musicians on the train back from CDG? Oh, what am I thinking? You were probably listening to arias sung by the chauffeur of your limousine. Or is that next year?

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  12. 5-4, not bad! Canada were the better team by far, and we had mostly players from our national hockey league and not NHL. Bronze medal game tomorrow against Finland! (We're going to get them!) ;) Now bed. (Yes, this was off-topic, I freely admit that. :))

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  13. Günaydın, Eric. Are there any Turkish eateries in Paris?

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  14. Eric, if you know the classic American children's board game called "Clue," and are familiar with the famous tradmark logo of a very popular prepared mustard sold here, then you might understand why I thought when I saw your lovely homecoming photo: "Ah ha! It was in the Parc du Champ de Mars, with the Tower, by Mr. Mustard!"
    Welcome ba-ack!
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  15. Oh, I just realized... that's a lot of French flags!!!

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  16. I was wondering if it was a souvenir stand.

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  17. 'Love the photo, Eric! Welcome home! I hope you enjoyed a marvelous vacation.

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  18. Just got back to Canada from my vacation in Denmark and France two days ago, and already I miss Paris. Such a beautiful and interesting city with much more for me to discover and rediscover when next we meet. Glad that I found your lovely site Eric, it's added to my favorites.

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  19. Already missing it...sigh. I need a hug.

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  20. Hugs for Jeff and welcome back Eric. I think you were missed, somewhat!:)

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  21. J'aime la tour Eiffel!

    Hello, Eric!
    Je m'appelle Julie et je suis une philippine. J'adore tout les photos dans ton blog, mais, "the iron lady" is the best! I hope I can go back to Paris within the next two years. I just LOVE the city.

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  22. Eric, once again welcome back!!!! We missed you!

    Jeff, I'm sending you a virtual hug!!!

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  23. A virtual bises for Mme.Benaut too! What a delight to see your lovely face here!

    Oh yes, and thank you Rose for checking on Lynn.

    I think now her son Charlie will have to stop by here on a regular basis, don't you agree folks?!

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  24. From Cali, yay!!!! I'm glad you got it! hope you enjoyed it!!! Will email you...


    Oh my, what do we do when we realize we just can't live without the PDP people anymore???

    I just have to say it out loud: I LOVE YOU all folks!!!!!

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  25. Jeff, I've been thinking of you. I remember the feeling. A big hug is here for you, and maybe a tear. Oh wait--the tear's for me.

    You'll go back. I will, too.

    Monica, you addict! (I should speak for myself.) I love you, too!

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  26. It's always such a pleasure to read the comments and interactions on PDP. Reassuring, too, that so many good people are out there.
    Hope you had a good vacation, Eric!

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  27. The Eiffel Tower and billowing French flags...Why, M. Tenin must be returning to Paris and his wonderful blog!!

    What a beautiful shot of a lovely Parisian day! Merci, Eric and Welcome Home!!

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  28. Welcome back Eric...
    The place hasn't not been the same without you and Lynn...
    Now all we need is to get Lynn back here with her witty remarks et voila!

    Jeff and Simon
    The other day when I left the picnic, as I was lying in my bed in the hotel room, reflecting about meeting you all, I felt a twinge of sadness. At the time, the thought that came to my mind was "I miss Paris already"...
    I know how you feel...:(

    Bonjour Julie
    Nice touch having half of your comment in French and the other half in English.

    Monica and Petrea...
    I can't understand these people with blog addiction; hanging aroung in blogs; commenting almost everyday - some even several comments in the same post. Imagine that some blogs people even compete to be the first one to comment!
    How silly is that? ;)

    I would never do that, unless the people around the blog were ultra interesting with wonderful minds and souls and very fun to be with.

    Tall Gary
    I think you are right...
    Is there anything else other than souvenir stands around the Eiffel Tower?

    uselaine
    There are quite a few Turkish restaurants in Paris and as usual, they serve wonderful food. There are a few inexpensive serving very good food in Rue Fbg St. Denis. My favourite is one called Derya.

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  29. Welcome back home, Eric. I hope you refilled your stock of sun and heat, coz' it's not that here right now ;-(

    Petrea,
    I think these flags are on the roof of one of these "souvenirs shops" which you can find all around the tower, and where you can buy all sorts of T-shirts, sparkling Eiffel towers, flags, ...

    Alexandra,
    you seem to be addicted to hockey... I have extremely good memories of evenings at the Hockey stadium (not sure it's the right word), in Gap (south-east of France), in the old times when Gap was France N°1 team! (25 years ago, sigh..) Much more fun than football or whatever... I love this game!
    All the best for tomorrow's game :-))

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  30. Monica, you are funny! And lovely, of course! ;)

    No, I'm not at all addicted to ice hockey, Thib, just a bit. ;) Well, let me put it this way: as soon as big games like the World Championship or Olympic Games come up, I usually follow them ... (Did you know that team Sweden became the first team in history last year [I think was last year] to become both Olympic and World Champions the same year? I thought that was pretty impressive ...) And thank you, hopefully we'll beat Finland today; we should have a pretty good chance! :)
    Oh, and I think the word is arena, or ice rink, as people sometimes say. But again, I'm no expert. :)

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  31. Thanks for the hugs, ladies. I feel much better now.

    Alexandra: the Stanley Cup hockey playoffs are going on now in U.S. (and Canada, except the Canadian teams have been eliminated). Some very high quality play occurs at this level, though the games sometimes get very fierce as well.

    Bienvenue Eric. I trust your travel was safe and comfortable. When I returned home from Paris, my luggage was delayed by thirty minutes and highway construction interfered with the taxi ride home at midnight. The gods did not want me to leave Paris and they were punishing me. I am assuming it was Aphrodite who was angry ;)

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  32. Quick hello: I'm still in Istanbul waiting for my flight to Paris Grrrrrr ;( Fortunately I managed to hijack an Internet connection!)

    Next time I check, I'll hopefully be in Paris (and if I understand well, I'm going to lose this wonderful tanning of mine within the blink of an eye!!)

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  33. I'm going to guess that this photo was taken from near the Pont d'Iena (not the Champ de Mars), either Avenue de New York or Quai Branly. Isn't that the affreuse, horrible, view-ruining, what-WERE-they thinking Tour Montparnasse in the background?
    Petrea -- thanks (though seeing it every day since becoming addicted to PDP does make me positively yearn even more to be at that exact spot).
    Rose -- compete to be first? Pas moi! (and I almost made it this time.)
    Get home safely, Eric.

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  34. je n'ai presque jamais écrit de commentaires sur PDP qui est pourtant mon blog favori. Je le regarde tous les jours, d'ailleurs mon ordi s'ouvre sur lui.
    j'ai du annuler ma participation au picnic à la dernière minute pour raisons familiales avec beaucoup de regrets. Je viens de réouvrir mon PC depuis 10 jours et j'ai passé presque 2 heures géniales à lire tous les commentaires et là je me lance !
    Je voulais vous dire que vous êtes tous ( et toutes) des personnes fantastiques, avec un coeur gros comme ça, d'une culture impressionnante (au sens propre !). Avant PDP, je ne croyais pas qu'une amitié virtuelle pouvait exister et surtout perdurer.
    Merci de m'avoir prouvé le contraire.
    I write for the first time although I've been reading PDP for a while. I am very impressed by all of you, who share so much on this blog, but I really wanted to tell you that you are all great persons, with such a huge heart, and you make everyone who sees this blog and your comments a lot more optimistic on the power of virtual friendship and human nature. I stop here because it took me at least 15 minutes to figure out how to tranlate those lines in English.
    Marylène

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  35. mes meilleurs souhait de bon rétablissement à Lynn. Je visite son blog aussi.
    Best wishes of better health to Lynn.
    Marylène

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  36. Eric you had better speak good Turkish, else you may end up in the land down-under.
    They can't even spell Taksi in Istanbul !!
    What chance do you have to arrive in France ??

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  37. Considering your present location and proclivity toward asthenic melanin perhaps we will hear a bit too soon. "Eric is tan? Bull!"

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  38. Maryléne, that's kind of you. Hope you enjoy commenting at PDP as much as you enjoy reading it!!!

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  39. Marylène, merci. C'est gentil de ta part, et c'est vrai!

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  40. Maryléne, I'm sorry you could not be at the picnic. I hope all is well. Maybe we will see you next time, along with Monica!
    (using an online translator (please forgive me, it does not seem quite right...)
    Maryléne, je suis désolé que vous ne puissiez pas être a la pique-nique. J'espère que tout est bien. Peut-être nous vous verrons la fois suivante, avec Monica!

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  41. Cali, I answered you about Hollywood Forever in yesterday's comments.

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  42. I just love pictures of groups of flags. I have one from a stand selling items for the 4th of July. There must be 20 or 30 flags on one little stand. A filmmaker from Paris took the photo. It's a masterpiece. It took the eye of a foreigner to appreciate it's beauty. I never really saw the beauty until he pointed it out. I told him that he had a fresh eye, and sadly, I take things for granted since I am a native citizen. I love the Paris sky. Oh, and those trees look like lace. And the Iron Lady as stately and elegant as ever. Like a pyramid. I love Paris.

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  43. Rose, That was so cool that you could call up Lynn.

    Charlie, Thank you for keeping us posted on your mum's health. We are very concerned and love her sweet charming wit.

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  44. Jeff, keep counting me in next year's picnic. If the mind id there then the body must follow!

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  45. I wonder if Eric is going to edit the title to "(Almost) Back home!"

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  46. Jeff, that looks to me like a good translator. Of course, I'm the one who takes 15 minutes to write a three-word sentence in French.

    Charlie posted on the Leon Gaumont thread that Lynn is "still recovering, but home from hospital now. I'm sure she'll be with you guys soon :-)"

    Good news, eh?

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  47. Jeff, Monica and Petrea, thank you for your nice comment and welcome.

    So I wanted to share with you something you may not know : in France, tomorrow Sunday May 18 th is Saint Eric !
    Should be a very special day for PDP, shouldn't it ?

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  48. Eric, hope you are back in Paris by the time you read this. I'm sure the Iron Lady is missing her esteemed personal photographer as much as we are. Also, welcome Marylene to PDP. It really is an amazing group.

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  49. Bonne remarque Marylène!
    And many, many thanks for the reminder: one of my 3 brothers is named Eric! I'll give him a call tomorrow!

    Tall Gary : "Eric is tan? Bull" Great "jeu de mots" I LOVE it !
    And BTW, "Bull": Do you know that the Red Bull drink is allowed in France since today!

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  50. Is it a coincidence that it coincides with the end of the 35-hour week?

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  51. Back in the late eighties we used to watch street pushers sell speed on the street corner below my job in Tokyo near a major train/subway station. About the time we noticed the street pushers gone the economy collapsed. Also coincidence?

    By the way, Alexa is right on about the location of the photo, I feel. Maybe the park-like area below and to the left a little of Palais de Chaillot. The flags are definitely something touristy but now I'm not sure what it is.

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  52. "Eric is tan? Bull" It took me a little time to understand but I did!!! Funny, Tall Gary, I agree with Thib! But that is no more true now ;)) >> See Eric's status now on Facebook!

    Hi Marylène, nice to hear from you: I remember you told us, you would enjoy coming to the picnic and finally could not make it. Sure you will next time!

    And so glad to know that Lynn is at home.

    Just like you are too, Eric : hope it is not too hard, after the sunny and great week I am sure you had? Lucky man you were... :) See U soon.

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  53. Elaine (did I spell it right?): Thanks for the laugh! That was hilarious!

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  54. "V" for victory on that one uselaine! I surrendered to gales of laughter.

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  55. Welcome home Eric! This photo is gorgeous. :) Love the play between the Eiffel Tower and bare tree, the flags dancing in the wind and the clear blue, painted white of the sky and clouds...a pas de deux between the human and nature.

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  56. I've been waiting up for the new picture, but I think I must go to bed now as I must get up in six hours to leave for my flight home from Paris... I know it will be beautiful and wonderful as always and it will give me something to look forward to when I get home, and most likely I will have two to look forward to as I will have to travel five hours from the airport...

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  57. Patriotic as ever, Eric! Great photo. Hope you enjoyed your hols.

    Thanks all for your wishes. My hospital gown, all endearingly open at the back and revealing paper knickers - didn't exist! I was able to wear my own stuff. So naturally i lay in bed in little black number and heels. What else?

    The flowers are amazing - i couldn't have been more surprised. Thank you! Great welcome home, pushed into second place only by seeing Charlie again and how he's looking after me so marvellously at the moment. I'll soon be blogging again - some hospital humour to come - at this rate and endeavouring to beat you all into first comment on here. Back soon x

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  58. I've read and replied to yesterday's comments but can't wait to catch up properly.

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  59. Hey Lynn
    Good to hear you are out of hospital...
    I'm glad the flowers cheered you up :)
    Now be a good girl and tuck in bed with a good book and rest! We need you fully recovered because this place is just not the same without you!

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  60. Oh so nice to see this photo and Lynn's lovely face again. I feel better now.

    I love the "Eric is tan? Bull!" comment Tall Gary. Very clever. And USelaine, your link is excellent!

    Welcome Marylène! Sorry we couldn't meet at the picnic. Maybe next time...

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  61. SAINT Eric? Beudeu geu deu!

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  62. USElaine, hahahaha, that's just perfect!!! :)

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  63. Cocorico! I don't care what anybody says, I never get tired of it.

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  64. Welcome home, Eric!! (and Lynn) Glad to hear everyone is home and hopefully will be rested up soon from their trips. (I know I hope to be in a few days!)

    Such a beautiful shot of the lovely Eiffel Tower.

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  65. Thank you so much Eric for all the fantastic photos. I found this blog on February, around the same time as I got my summer job near Paris. It's been really helpful watching these photos and I can't wait for a week to pass so that I'll finally come to France! :)

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  66. Yay!!!! Lynn is back!!!!!!!

    So glad to see you again Lynn. We're wishing you a full and fast recovery!

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  67. Rose what a great photo that is of you, you look so glam there and i WANT THAT HAT!

    Michael, my lovely face?.........mmm i've gone all gooey now.... you know just what to say.....sigh.....just what i need. lol.

    Monica what a lovely greeting! I feel so welcomed. Thanks. It's great to be back if only in short bursts!

    Thanks Christie!

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  68. I love Tower shots and this is no exception- the flags, clouds, sky-- so perfect!

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