Before leaving Paris, I watched an Explosions in the Sky concert, a Texas-based instrumental band that comes up with the most affecting melodies you’ll ever hear in your entire life (and no, I’m not exaggerating.) The concert was sold out by the time I found out they would pass by Paris, so you can imagine…
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When the plane landed in Detroit, the Americans started clapping, perhaps overjoyed at the sight of snow outside the windows. The French woman across the aisle nudged me, showing me the card we needed to fill for customs. “Do you think we need to declare cheese or saucisson here?” I remembered I had two packs…
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Chicago is frickin’ cold! So far we’ve been to the Bean, the Field Museum, and I’ve eaten the pizza. Also, I’ve finally met my first and only niece (she’s brand new!) and she’s a cutie. Currently listening to:BattlesMirrored
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Last week it rained for almost a week here in Qatar. Drivers, confused, got into accidents. (”Why is water falling from the sky? How strange. I shall drive faster than usual!”) Endless Doha construction didn’t help either (”I am a pothole and covered in water, therefore I am invisible to man and their cars, cars…
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For several days now I’ve had the same headache; a terrible pounding behind my eyes. I always wake up with it, and though I want to start the day right — breakfast, work, shower, Jeopardy on tv — I find myself staying much longer in bed than usual, holding my head and willing the pain to stop.…
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In Japan, the first conversation we had was in French. We were in the train coming from Narita Airport, warily checking our guidebook to see which station we were supposed to get off, when a Japanese man in his late twenties approached us and asked us if we needed any help. Naturally he asked us…
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Public transportation in Qatar is nonexistent. I exaggerate. Come to think of it… no, I don’t. There are taxis, those once-in-a-blue-moon Karwa taxis, and Mowasalat buses; but they are like apparitions, or desert mirages – gone before you realise they’re there. Poof! Before the Karwa taxis, the National taxis, or “orange” taxis, ruled the streets…
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Julien is in the garden. He has a huge machine for cutting grass strapped across his chest, probably called A Grass Cutter (?) He is sporting gloves and protective goggles and is moving this ghastly machine in a rhythmic sideways motion. Grass is flying about. Beside him is father, who is brandishing a rake and…
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