In the 1st line of the tourist trap - visit Paris

Isn't it funny - the Frenchies successfully defied the Americans to take over their "culture". But they didn't fight off the Brits. Now the Brits managed to take over where the Americans (and the Germans, of course) failed, and they are more then present in any angle you might view in the middle of the 1st Arrondissement of Paris. And they conquered really the heart of it, it was so much fun to go shopping in the Virgin megastore in the basement of Le Louvre. Ha! ;-)

So, we basically stayed in the 1st arrondissement anyway - or, as it's called in the Time Out Guide (another very friendly take-over by the Brits): The Louvre & Les Halles. Our hotel was the Hotel Saint James & Albany - which is charging a ridiculous amound of money for using their "business center" called internet room. Don't miss the flagstores of all the famous labels in the Rue St. Honore if you're already close to this area. At least it was an experience that the staff of the store said they're sorry that I didn't fit into one single piece of their expensive fashion. Wow. Never experienced that before, others would blame it on the customer to be too fat. But next time I'm gonna get me this little helper before I try to fit into some Gucci: Where to wear should be showing some shops for taller women as well, I've been told.

I thought I already suffered enough of bad jazz bands when I was in St. Petersburg/Russia, but Ed proved me wrong and guided me to Le Duc des Lombards. Ok., it was interesting to learn to know about the wild and exciting history of Jazz of the city, but those guys were far from that. Maybe we'll first check out what's the program and who's playing in before here or at CitizenJazz.com.

On our way back from this rather "interesting" than good gig we went into the opposite world of experience. If you - as a metal head like we both are - ever want to experience the narrow minds of the scene go to a metal club in a different town in cloth which would fit to some different occasions like your hotel or an expensive dinner and which don't show that you're metal as well on the first glance. It took me some 10 minutes to get some expensive beer, and Ed in his very new Gucci shirts was not better off. Haha. What a pathetic attitude. I was even dressed in Scandinavian leather, but obviously that wasn't rough enough for the strict dresscode of the rather gothic style waiters and their friends. Haha!

Finally, to give an end to a legend: I was disappointed a bit when travelling with the TGV - I was always told that the TGV is so much more comfortable than the ICE. That's simply not true. Taller people like me have much more space in the ICE. So much for the 3-day-plan!