York

Now in York, home of Granny and various other people. Been having a great time wandering around the old city walls and listening to Blur, Mansun, Suede, and any other 90's Brit act I could find on the gigathingy. I had my first ever round of Venison, spent some time in the Condemned Cell at York Castle Museum feeling pensive, and laughing at my granny while she tried to convince me that I am from a long line of Bolshies. Incidentally found some Bolshies doing stalls at the York festival of Food and Drink, and am now armed with political material and a serious date with the 8th October BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW! There is so much going on here, even when there isn't. Thinking very seriously about insisting that Louisa come with me to Brighton to a HOT CHIP Greco Roman wrestling themed DJ show, but hey, I can't wait to see her anyway so I am prone to suggestion.

Demo in London. http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=13113
Great.

Bye Paris

Let no one say that I have not tried to be a good tourist. Louisa will understand just how bad I can be. But oh no, through a mixture of knowing a tiny bit more of the political history of the area than usual, moral pressure, social arkwardness and the fact that Paris is actually spectacular I have battled from one site to the next over the last few days. I can happily say that I have ticked off all of the unmissables and some of the could be missed but oh no not me I didn't miss them-ables.
The Eiffel Tower- There was a giant inflatable rugby ball levitating in the middle of the Tower when Jules and I had the pleasure. It made me feel almost entirely ovarian, but only for a little while.
Sorbonne- I must stop slagging off Melbourne Uni if I am going to be totally bowled over by the real thing. The Latin Quarter was exactly what I wanted it to be, so much so that I even stopped chewing my nails and feeling stupid in favour of the superior feeling of awe.
Pantheon- Me, sunshine, a baguette, the weary looking copy of Germinal and Zola's body lying in state. What a team.
Bastille- Apparently the most famous tourist attraction for something that no longer exists. It was almost exciting as my first coffee in Paris, which I had in view of the golden angel man.
Catacombs- Humbling.
Cimitiere du Pere Lachaise- Also humbling. A central theme for me in Paris
Pompidou Centre- What do I love more? 90's artwork or pop music? They seem so similar I can't even tell. An Art Brut moment, and I don't have many of them.
Pletzl- The Jewish and or gay and lesbian quarter of Paris in Marias. Here I found a moment of what my travel guide described as “bourgeious and bohemian tranquility” and the most stunning waiter in history. I have never seen denim or grey hair worn so well, or at least so well together.
Montparnasse Tower- The highest point from which to see Paris. I remember thinking “Paris is stressful” and not a lot else. Maybe too much to take in at once.
Hotel des Invalides- The place where the people got the guns to storm the Bastille.
Basilique du Sacre Coeur-
La Cigale- I missed THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS by three days. Which is two too many to get really upset about.
Butte Montmarte- pretty. A better view than from Kings Park in Perth even. Seriously.
Pigalle- Sex for sale is not interesting, not even in Paris
Arc de Tiomphe- big
Champ Elysees- My view of the ultimate Bourke Street was slightly obscured by an extremely serious Celtic festival. I think Perfume and Bagpipes are going to go hand in hand for a long time for me.
Left Bank- is now more than a name to me
Bercy Gardens – Pretty.
National Biblioteque- the epitome of stubborn bad design.
Louvre- Here John introduced me to the beauty of French gardens. It was strangely reminiscent of a Brazilian wax and left me a little edgy.
Notre Dame- I really do think that circles are the best shape.

So it was spectacular, and at times spectacularly stressful. But then thats just me. Paris is great. Everything they said was true. But I am sure no one needs me to tell them that.

Parisnormale

So I have been in Paris for two days now. Paris alone has definitely been worth the painful 20 hour flight to get here from Sydney, which was made more comfortable by sleeping pills and a stout copy of Zola's Germinal. You just don't feel like complaining about leg room or the limp frightening thing marked 'sausage' so much when Jeanlin has just been made lame by a mine disaster and still doesn't get anything to eat for dinner. Still I will say that listening to Australian men on their way to Bangkok talk about what a good country Australia, especially for those who are really prepared to accept good old 'aussie values' before they come is still an unpleasant way to spend a day, with or without leg room.

My urge to not have to deal with being ever being alone and having to sort out things for myself have been helped along by bumping into Jules, a friend from La Trobe Uni at the reception desk of the D'Artgnan where I am hanging my hat for the next couple of days. We've made a good team, and agree that stopping every three hours to stuff outselves with cheese and beer is absolutely the right way to approach Paris. Our map reading has been less than good, but it hasn't mattered much because there is a metro everywhere you look, and its a hell of a lot easier to navigate below ground where everything is colour coded than above ground. There have been some precious moments, sitting at the Basilique San Croucer at sunset in Montmarte. I think Jules and I both felt that the sudden outburst of the local Parisian cover bands rendition of Alanis Morrissette's 'Ironic' was a particularly nice touch, sitting in one of the most romantic places on earth talking stoically like a meeting of the first wives club and sipping duty free vodka in pineapple juice. Oh memories.

Apart from that the imposingly urine coloured National Library has been a standout for me, as were the Catacombes and the partyboat moored to the Seine which doubles as one of Paris's greatest indie venues.

http://www.guinguettepirate.com/locprivee/location_privee.php

And for anyone who thinks that this is all sounding like a fairly lowbrow approach to Paris, I say spot on. The only real lowlights so far have been the generalized feeling of stupidity and worthlessness that comes with not knowing the local language, particularly when there is a lumpen man starring at you on the metro possibly fondling himself and definitely singing obscence songs to you and urging on some serious eye contact. Oh well, I've had worse in Melbourne, and didn't someone say that ignorance is bliss? The nightlife has made up for it anyway, last night we went to see CLARE & THE REASONS at La Fleche D'or which is an amazing alternative club set up at an old railway station.

http://www.flechedor.fr/

this is as close a brush with romance I have had so far in this so called city of lovers:

With my six French words down and a look of shock and awe we managed to successfully order two glasses of water, which I gratefully drank as all the fluid was running out of my face due to a serious case of smokey eye and made some friends, at least of the fleeting kind. Unfortunately
they were not French at all but British, and eventually racist. Still though, as we'd put our chances of talking to anyone at this trendy club at about 0%, finding British racists to talk to do did seem like an improvement on our prior standing. I only hope that we can one up ourselves today. Over and out.

Breaking News

Corporate culture has finally given me the welcome I deserve. The McAustralien is the burger of the week here in France courtesy of the Rugby world cup. I have never seen a more frightening lid on a burger.

Okay so it was a lukewarm start to the overseas entries but I'm tired okay.

Tone

So I am trying to make a leaving australia mix cd. I've already decided to not go too far down the road of Perth indie in-jokes so I have restrained myself from on putting on the whole of The Scientists 'Pissed on Another Planet' and most importantly, Jebediah's 'Leaving Home'. Austen Tayshus's 'Australiana' has also been omitted.
It hasn't been easy being this earnest.
I'm trying to strike this tone with the mix. I don't think I am there yet.

The Triffids - Wide Open Road
The Triffids - Estuary Bed
The Church - Under the Milky Way Tonight
The Go-Betweens - Streets of Your Town
Silver Jews- Random Rules
Split Enz - I hope I never
Weddings Parties Anything- Away Away
You Am I - Purple Sneakers
The Shins- Australia
Hunters and Collectors - Throw Your Arms Around Me
Youth Group - Forever Young
Camera Obscura - Lets Get Out of This Country
The Besnard Lakes - Disaster
The Hidden Cameras - Missisauga Goddamn
The Scientists - Frantic Romantic
The Magnetic Fields - Sunset City