Winter Vacation '08 - Paris - New Year's Eve in Montmartre

Celebrating New Year's Eve up in Montmartre at Sacre Coeur was one of the main things we were looking forward to on this vacation. We had kind of stumbled into it in 2006. But this time it was a focal point of the trip. I did not pull it off as smoothly as I would have hoped, but it was a good time nonetheless. As I write this now I am inclined to swear off cold destinations for any future winter vacations, so I don't expect to be back for another NYE in Paris. But I will leave some thoughts and tips for anyone who finds this post while planning their own trip.

Be smarter about your dinner plans that I was
Almost every restaurant in Paris apparently puts together a fancier, multi-course set menu kind of event on NYE. I had read about this in the guide books and should have known better than to do what we did. But we also got lucky in 2006 when we just found a nice neighborhood place that was offering its regular menu, so I guess I was hoping to just pull the same kind of thing off this time. We expected that Corso, a place we had tried earlier in the week, was offering its regular menu. But we didn't call and check and didn't think to ask as we walked in. Found out about the set menu once we were seated and would have felt pretty dumb and impolite if we decided to leave at that point. So it was to be a fancy dinner for us -- both longer and pricier than I was looking for.

Get where you're trying to go earlier than we did
I don't know exactly how early you need to get up to Sacre Coeur to claim some of the spaces with a prime view, but I can tell you that 11:45pm isn't early enough.


Walking up the steps to Sacre Coeur

In '06 we were a bit lucky here, too, as we got to the top maybe 11:35 or 11:40 and were able to maneuver into a position that could at least glimpse the Eiffel Tower at 12. But that was standing on our toes and looking over and through rows of peoples' heads. Not ideal. This year was the same kind of thing. Due to the six course dinner we had we didn't leave the restaurant until 11:30, so we didn't get up to the top until maybe 11:50, by which time we were left to drift around in the areas with obstructed views. However, that wound up not being a huge deal this year because ...

Weather can make or break this experience
It was pretty gray for most of the week, but it was really misty and foggy on NYE. You just flat out could not see the tower except at extreme zoom levels on the camera.


This mist/fog prevented us from seeing the Eiffel Tower this time

That was kind of a buzz kill. Seeing the Eiffel Tower's lights at midnight is one of the 3 cool things about being up the hill in Montmartre on NYE. Given the weather, which wasn't a surprise, we could have gone down to the Champs-Élysées, which is supposed to be party central anyway, and been guaranteed to see it from a much closer perspective. But I'm not a fan of massive crowds and knew the schlep back to our apartment just wouldn't be fun from that part of the city. So, we missed the tower. Luckily, the other 2 cool things were still available to us.

Just about everyone has fireworks
Be alert. Every other person in the crowd seems to have bottle rockets, roman candles or some kind of novelty items that spin and sizzle around your feet.


Crowd & fireworks @ Sacre Coeur. The sequence at 1:31 - 1:38 is my favorite part.


More crowd & fireworks @ Sacre Coeur

It's definitely cool. But pay attention to your surroundings.

Public drinking is rampant
Not surprising, right? It's NYE after all. But this has something of a Bourbon Street to-go cups are okay kind of vibe that still tends to stun someone whose formative drinking years took place in the Boston area, where the authorities take a decidedly hostile stance against fun. (Some 16 years later I still recall with wonder the time I was intercepted by one of Boston's finest because I had taken literally two steps outside of a Brighton bar with a beer bottle in my hand ... good times.)


Walking along the side of Sacre Coeur, being greeted by some friendly fellow celebrants

If you're inclined to partake in the public drinking, consider the byob approach. While there is something to be said for camping out at a cafe and sitting in one of the sidewalk tables under the heat lamps just watching the parade of partiers pass you by, going byob allows you to meander freely about, following the pockets of ad hoc exuberance wherever they may lead.


Walking to Place du Tertre

Most of the action is concentrated in two areas. First is in front of Sacre Coeur, the second is in Place du Tertre. So after most of the DIY the fireworks had subsided, we made our way over to Place du Tertre.



Place du Tertre


Place du Tertre

And this is where we busted out our bottle of champagne, procured earlier that day from a Nicolas store on Rue des Abbesses.



This is also where we posed for the obligatory, I'm-drinking-champagne-in-public-on-NYE-in-Paris shots.



For entertainment, there are still some fireworks to be seen. I remember a bit more action in '06, though.


Fireworks in Place du Tertre

After enjoying some free, low scale pyrotechnics and a couple glasses of champagne, we went back over to the front of Sacre Coeur to see if anything was still going on. I don't think we did this loop back in '06 because we had gone the grab-a-table-on-the-sidelines route. I have to say the aftermath we saw diminished the magical vibe a bit. Most of the crowd had moved on and what was left was the debris of their drinking and a number of characters that seemed like wild cards.


NYE aftermath on the steps of Sacre Coeur

But we did catch one pretty cool thing before we made our way out of there and back to the apartment. These guys were putting together a home made, unmanned hot air balloon. Didn't see exactly how they were doing this, but have to admire the ingenuity. Though I do wonder what happens when it lands. Does it crash into someone's terrace, still aflame?


Revelers send a small fire up into the Parisien night. The exchange you hear between 1:28 and 2:00 or so is me deflecting some cat hopped up on Smirnoff Ice who thought Judy was unaccompanied. Wound up being pretty harmless.

Travelogue: Hotel Intercontinental, Managua, Nicaragua

Lobby of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua

We had some specific needs when we stayed in Managua, so we wanted to make sure we stayed at a place that could help us out and minimize any potential points of stress. On that score, Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua took good care of us. With the exception of one disappointing hiccup in our shuttle out to the airport as we were leaving, they were really terrific.


Lobby of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua

Our first request was that we could stash some of our luggage and souvenirs with them while we were in Havana. We started our vacation in Granada, bought a couple of hammock chairs as well as some ceramic pieces in Masaya and definitely did not want to schlep everything with us back and forth from Havana. The InterContinental agreed to hold our things for us. This was pretty impressive service. We would only be staying one night with them, but they allowed us to drop a significant pile of stuff off 4 days before check in and held them safely for us while we were in Cuba. Incredibly helpful.


Lobby of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua

When we did check in, on a Saturday afternoon, we had to make another special request. Our plan was to ship some things to the U.S. so we wouldn't need to bring them with us on the plane. However, we soon found out that one's UPS / Fed Ex options are limited in Managua on a Saturday afternoon. And our flight was very early the next morning, so we couldn't do anything ourselves on Sunday (and I imagine one's options are no better on a Sunday morning than they are on a Saturday afternoon). Thankfully, the concierge worked with us, lining up everything he would need to take care of it after we left. It wasn't necessarily easy and we wound up spending a decent amount of time and money coordinating the whole thing, but it was what we needed to do and again the InterContinental folks came through for us.


Restaurant of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua, with bird

Beyond the service, the property itself is solid. The decor and amenities are on par with anything you would expect from an upscale place in a warm U.S. climate like Arizona, California or Florida. This was nice because we were so tired that we didn't leave the grounds. Aside from shuttles to/from the airport, we spent 100% of our ~18 hours in Managua at the hotel.


Restaurant of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua, with bird

We had a nice lunch in the hotel restaurant with artistically sculpted flamingos keeping watch over us.


Restaurant of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua, with bird

And after zonking out for much of the afternoon, we hit the hotel restaurant again for dinner.


Restaurant patio of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua, looking inside


Restaurant patio of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua, Judy and I having some laffs

The restaurant staff for each meal was completely attentive and helpful. All in all it was a very mellow, but pleasant way to unwind with good food in a relatively quiet atmosphere, just lounging in the heat.


Short clip from the restaurant patio of Real InterContinental Metrocentro Managua

My main disappointment with the InterContinental was something that I suppose they cannot really control. Based on nothing but hope and my interpretation of the claim on their website that you are "in the heart of the entertainment and commercial district", I was expecting we would be able to walk around something that resembled an urban neighborhood. That definitely wasn't the case. What comes to mind is a suburban commercial intersection. Like Tysons Corner in Virginia, but on a much smaller scale. And hotter. With a chicken-based fast food restaurant as one of the key hubs of activity and life.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. The guidebooks give you not so subtle hints, with things like, "Managua's layout is perplexing to the first time visitor", and "this big sprawling city has no real downtown", and "Managua is not an ideal city for walking". I did read all that, so I wasn't clueless. And from the little glimpse of Managua that we got during our car ride from the airport to Granada (wish I had video of that -- truly eye-opening stuff we saw on the side streets), I saw nothing to suggest the guide books were wrong. Just had a different expectation of what "in the heart of the entertainment and commercial district" might mean.

If we ever find ourselves in Managua again, our expectations will be re-calibrated. And we'll consider getting a tour of some kind, because a few of the places recommended in the InterContinental's video tour look pretty interesting.

Travelogue: Casona de los Estrada - Granada, Nicaragua

Exterior shot of La Casona de Los Estrada.

When we were looking for a place to stay in Granada last year I started with the places mentioned in a couple of guide books -- Adventure Guide Nicaragua and Moon Handbooks Nicaragua.

The Adventure Guide listed a couple as "exceptional" -- like Casa San Francisco and Patio del Malinche, which do get quite solid reviews over on TripAdvisor.


Street scene in front of La Casona de Los Estrada.

But it was La Casona de Los Estrada, a place given a mere 'highly recommended' by the Adventure Guide, that stood out to me. I liked the fact that it was quite small, with only a few rooms. And if I could snag "Room 1", which got some good reviews on TripAdvisor, then that would close the deal for me.


Entry way of La Casona de Los Estrada.

After trading a couple emails with Carlos (who justifiably gets numerous shout outs over in the TripAdvisor reviews), we locked down "Room 1" and our lodging in Granada was booked.


Room 1 @ La Casona de Los Estrada.


Room 1 @ La Casona de Los Estrada.


View from room 1 @ La Casona de Los Estrada.

This place was a great value. At something like $85/night, our room was huge, with great a/c (which was critical, since it was in the mid 90s every day) and a massive, cool bathroom that I somehow failed to take pictures of.


Video of the walk from hotel's front desk to our room. I cut off the video in the middle of what was meant to be a humorous exhalation of wonder and refreshment, so the effect is just kind of creepy. I apologize for that..

The hotel is also in a terrific location. Just couldn't have been more convenient for what we were looking to do.



The service was mostly strong. The aforementioned Carlos was money. When he was around, you were in good hands. Whether you needed a recommendation for where to get some food or you needed him to grab a cold beer out of the fridge for you at 1:30am, he took care of you. The two girls we saw working a couple of front desk shifts over the course of our stay, however, weren't quite up to the bar that Carlos set.

However, we were taken good care of at breakfast.


Plate of fresh breakfast @ La Casona de los Estrada.

I believe we had 3 breakfasts here. Maybe four. Each day we were helped by the same woman. And what was brilliant was that she tried to tailor our plates each morning based upon what she noticed we did / didn't eat. For example, on the first day, I left all my bananas on my plate (at least the pieces that Judy didn't snag). On day 2, no bananas for me, more pineapple. Our tag team / food swap approach to eating threw her a couple of curve balls, and she never quite picked up the fact that Judy hates papaya. But just the fact that she was paying attention and trying to cater to our tastes was amazing, in my opinion.


Walk from room 1 to the breakfast area @ La Casona de los Estrada.


Sitting in the breakfast area @ La Casona de los Estrada.

Bottom line: if you're looking for a place to stay in Granada, you could do far worse than La Casona de los Estrada. And if life ever swings us back down that way, I don't think I'll bother looking for any other option than Room 1.

Assorted Observations from Quito & Otavalo

I've been sitting on these shots that don't roll up neatly into any single theme for far too long (trip was in August 2007), so how about a 'random slices of Ecuador' catch all post?


Snapped this from the back of a taxi in Quito, I believe. (See it larger)


I'm pretty sure this, too, is from the back of a taxi on the way to a shopping center in Quito. (See it larger)


Another shot from a taxi. If you look closely you will see a man in the back of that garbage truck. (See it larger)


I love the signs of fast food places lower on the totem pole than BK, McDs, Taco Bell, etc. Even more so outside the U.S. (See it larger)


Shoeshine boys in Quito. Quick tip: if you're thinking of getting a shoeshine in Quito, make sure you have change or small bills. I only had a $5 bill on me. I didn't mind giving the crew $5, but it was a little sad to see them fighting over it as I walked away. Would have been better off with five singles. (See it larger)


This guy with the bread was pretty cool. Saw him in Plaza de la Independencia in Quito. The little bread loaves cost something like $0.30 - $0.40, an we were able to pass one to a shoeshine boy we made quick friends with as we sat around in the plaza this morning. (See it larger)


(See it larger)


On Calle Venezuela in Quito. I'm a sucker for old / small car shots, and the way these colors all lined up struck me as a nice bonus visual effect. (See it larger)


A view of El Panecillo from Basilica del Voto. (See it larger)


One of the shots I took at the house of Oswaldo Guayasamin. Some other shots we took start here on Flickr. (See it larger)


It has been a while so I can't say this with certainty, but I think this was somewhere near Mercado de Pulgas Ipiales. Just liked the way the shot was naturally composed. (See it larger)


This was also near Mercado de Pulgas Ipiales. Was trying to get a shot with the Ecuadorian flag snapping straight out in the wind against the backdrop. Never quite got it timed right, so we took this and moved on. (See it larger)


Plaza de la Independencia / Plaza Grande, Quito. (See it larger)


Plaza de la Independencia / Plaza Grande, Quito. Specifically, Palacio de Gobierno. There was something going on this afternoon, with a lot of men in uniform, both the traditional army / police type and these more formal / ceremonial cats. (See it larger)


Plaza de la Independencia / Plaza Grande, Quito. Hombres Viejos. (See it larger)


Plaza de la Independencia / Plaza Grande, Quito. (See it larger)


Plaza de la Independencia / Plaza Grande, Quito. (See it larger)


I'm rifling through my guide books to try and find out what this pseudo ice cream / custard was called because I could swear it had a distinct name. But I'm coming up empty. Regardless, I liked this scene with the man in his uniform and the father / son combo stepping up to get some dessert on the street. (See it larger)


Street musicians and one of their fans, Quito. (See it larger)


Plaza Santo Domingo, Quito. These solid blue buses kept passing by the solid mustard building and there was something about the contrast that captivated me. Tried multiple times to get a shot I liked. This was the best one, but I still don't love it. (See it larger)


This was near Otavalo, taken from a car we hired to take us over to an area where some of the local weavers have shops. Was a little surprised to see a basketball court appear somewhat out of nowhere amidst the general surroundings. Seeing the girls playing hoops in traditional Otavaleno dress added another element to it all. (See it larger)

Winter Vacation '08 - Paris - Views Around the City

Similar to the Brugge post, I'm not going to try and tie these shots together with any kind of unifying narrative. Just off the cuff notes about some shots that I liked from our trip.


Even the ads on the Metro struck me as more sophisticated. To be fair, though, you do see plenty of ads asking if you speak Wall Street English, I just didn't take pictures of those.

UPDATE 2/21/09:
Got my videos together on YouTube and can now embed them in these posts. Found another cool thing about the Parisien Metro - great amateur performances. I haven't taken the L in over two years since I bought the Yaris, but I can tell you I saw nothing like this in my first 9 years of taking public transportation in Chicago. And I don't recall ever seeing anything like it in D.C. either, for that matter. Also, for the record, we did drop them a 5 before we split.




We always stop here. This is where we got engaged in 2002. Crazy nerve racking at the time, but in retrospect the play-it-by-ear approach worked perfectly. We randomly stopped here, Judy mentioned it was one of her favorite spots in the city, I pulled the trigger.



Holiday lights in the streets of Montmartre.





Street corner shots in Montmartre.



Another street corner shot in Montmartre.



A look toward the small streets that wind their way to Place du Tertre in Montmartre



We didn't go up the tower this time. Really weren't planning on it and when we saw the ridiculous lines, that confirmed any outside, long shot chance of going up was just not going to happen. But it's nonetheless pretty cool to be walking around the neighborhood and suddenly see it pop out from behind a building.









Had to get some crepes, at least once. Judy went with the Nutella and banane, I opted for jamon et fromage. Both were solid.




Didn't use any bikes from the Velib program, but thought this rack made for an interesting shot. The larger shot will hopefully look good on the wall someday.


These shots are from the Rue Montorgueil area. Would be pretty cool to be able to have this kind of market within walking distance for your daily bread / fruit / fish / olive oil / etc. needs.