A TotalTaiTaiTale: Beijing, Singapore & now Paris!

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Happy “Fete Nationale du 14 Juillet” (aka Bastille Day in English )

Because fighting for Liberté , Égalité et Fraternité is a constant combat.

At the center of the Place de la République is a 31 feet (9.4 m) bronze statue of Marianne, the personification of the French Republic, "holding aloft an olive branch in her right hand and resting her left on a tablet engraved with Droits de l'homme (the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen)."

The statue sits atop a monument, the Monument à la République, which is 75 feet (23 m) high.

Marianne is surrounded with three statues personifying liberty, equality, and fraternity, the values of the French Republic. These statues also evoke the three medieval theological virtues.

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Because there is no better duo than Fondue and Heatwave!!!

When your little sister suggests going to Refuge La Scia in Saint Pierre de Chartreuse on a Saturday night you say why not. When the only thing on the menu at the high altitude (1783m) is Fondue you also say yes.

NB: the access was epic. It’s technically the refuge at the top of ski lifts during the winter season.

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My first Music Festival

Musilac with little sister. Katy Perry was the international star of the first night.

Me and 20,000 of my closest friends…

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Between lake and mountain, the music festival Musilac at Aix les Bains draws between 80,000 and 100,000 people over 4 days along the Lac du Bourget shore.

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When you are bored in the TGV (High speed train)… you start to play with your camera and make abstract art.

Second time in a month taking the train to go to the summer house. First for a birthday party and now for a music festival.

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When you cannot fight them… join them

For days young Parisians have used the canal St Martin to cool off during one of the worse heatwave in history.

A few days ago some designated area were added with even lifeguards to make it safer for everyone.

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Another “Point Canicule” (heatwave update)

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Is it hot in Paris?

Well I’m glad you asked 🤪.

Let’s see what my collection of candles think. 🤔

Heatwave Europe edition.

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Not as drastic as it used to be but annual haircut has happened a bit ahead of schedule, usually before leaving the summer house to go back to our home in foreign land but now I’m not restrained by location so can go whenever I want!

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June 21st: the longest day of the year and apparently this year the hottest day so far with temperature over 40°C/110°F but like every year France transforms into a giant outdoor music/dance party.

Let’s go party. (I went late this year because it was too freaking hot!)

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And because I have all the time in the world and would love to spread the fun over several days we, of course, had a concert on the same day than C. graduation. 🤷‍♀️

3 hours of Foo Fighters at La Défense Arena. To be fair it was a great show but I’m too old to go to concert I don’t enjoy the music.

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Another graduation under our belt.

Her last one.

Graduation ceremony was a full year after she actually graduated with her double Master in Management from ESCP Paris & Universidad Carlos III Madrid.

Just documenting it here since this blog has been my substitute (non too personal) diary.

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After choosing "Birthday Vacation in Barcelona with Bestie" for another "Tag Along Business Trip with Hubby". I got “Birthday Week in Paris 10-year Reunion” while hubby was still on his business trip.

It all started with a 4-hour conversation over FaceTime. After catching up on life lately, we talked about how 10 years ago* we each traveled to Paris (her from Canada, me from Singapore) to celebrate our birthdays. (We are 3 days and a few years apart) and we should do it again. This time I would stay put and she’ll come… because well Paris is always a good idea baby.

*Turned out it was only 9 years ago but we had already sold the idea of a 10-year reunion to the hubby so we weren’t going to go back to a new business girls trip plan 🫣

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Barcelona trip completed.

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Everyone needs a friend who makes you cry… out loud laughing.

Also when your husband “abandons” your on your birthday week, she’s the one you want to spend time with.

She also came to see me in Paris when he “abandoned” me for his first audit mission. (I know I’m dramatic 🤷‍♀️)

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The pictures of our back are a nod to our silk road trip in China back in 2019, also for my birthday.