Lire la traduction française
I hear a gentle knock on the door…I whisper a soft “yes?” and I see blond curls poking out. With shy smiles and eyes slightly looking away, Charlie and Lizzie make their entrance in the toy room where we occupy the whole floor with our big grown-up bodies. I think I hear them mutter a lovely “happy birthday” and my suspicions are confirmed when they hand me two hand-made birthday cards. Lizzie filled hers with fairy stickers and Charlie drew me with my four weird prominent dreadlocks. He also proudly presents the drawing he made of his house, skilfully designed as a big boot with windows. I am so charmed. I never thought I would have such a touching birthday morning in a country so foreign. They hand me a bag in which I find the softest pair of slippers and as my face is twisted with the greatest expressions of surprise, Mom and Dad come in to encourage me to dig deeper in the bag. I can’t believe all these proofs of affection from a family I just met! My digging is well rewarded when I stumble upon a piece of paper. So far nothing special. Then I read what the colorful ink proudly states: a dinner for two at Blue Train Café, value of 100$. What? Are you kidding? That`s a bit too much…Then they assure me they only paid 40$ for it. Still…woooooow! How can you pay 40$ for a 100$ dinner?
After many “thank you”, they leave for work and I am left with Marc and my astonishment. I always say I could not justify paying 100$ for food at a restaurant…but this situation is slightly different, and I realize I am very excited for my birthday dinner! It is really shocking to see how little you actually get for 100$...and this café was far from being an expensive one! What jumped the bill were the two drinks, which cost as much as a main dish does…So we really enjoyed them: a good old “Mojito” and a very chocolaty “Toblerone”. I can assure you we looked like two bozos when we took photos of the bill!!!
The deal was found on a web site called “Scoopon”. Every day, it presents a deal like that, which can’t be missed. Out of curiosity, we went to have a look. Next thing I knew, I was quite excited because in a few hours I was about to visit a world I couldn’t have explored without the help of Scoopon…
I got to Exclusive Photography with my old colourful, patched travelling clothes. I was offered champagne in the shadows of huge painting-like portraits ornamenting the walls. Someone was there to do my hair and make-up, and then the real thing began. Damien, professional photographer, skilfully staged a sort of dance for me to perform while he was moving his equipment around. It was very funny to do the classical star look under the lights…soon enough Damien realized that I was not the glamorous type and started to take funky crazy photos. After 2.5 hours of fun, an elegant lady invited us in a lounge where we had a look at the photos on a giant screen. Fabulous work! Paying 29$ for a makeover photo shoot of 354$ value is quite a deal. So you know that the company expects you to buy many photos, if not all of them. They are all so beautiful, how can you resist?? I was already prepared not to buy any, but I just inquired about the price to please her… 1100$, just for the 18 pictures CD, and 200$ for each 8x10 print. Well, you can guess that she was disappointed with me! Thanks to Scoopon I paid 29$ for 3 hours of magic and a 5x7 professional photo! Hihihi! Anyway, I travel with the best photographer…
P.S. Thanks so much again for my birthday presents!
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Sunday, May 23, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
A True Hippy Barbie for once?*
Lire l’original en français
It’s dreary. As it’s been for many of the last days. But this morning, I will get through this dreariness by listening to your hearts, for they will be metronomes to my writing.
I began to see the sunshine while practising my Yoga salute and reading a book on fairies, for which I couldn’t resist during the first week of our trip. I rush to read it because I believe I found a good home for it. A comforting nest where princesses and kind monsters, genies and white sorceresses live, and where the vaporous pictures and magic recipes of the book will be appreciated.
We didn’t travel much since April 20, but we visited the passions and history of the Deakin family and we have been so blessed by their good nature. Our universe was filled with conversations on LEGO’s novelties, organic markets, permaculture, board games, fairies, laser swords and Barbie movies.
Since I’m old enough to compare myself to others and find my own imperfections, I blamed much of my lack of self-esteem on Barbie and her unhealthy social models. The apotheosis of my frustration came when I learned her mensurations would never allow her to stay upright if she were to become human. So you’ll understand why I didn’t really want to watch a movie starring miss everything-in-pink, last Friday. I was afraid my organic boulghour would get stuck in my throat. But life played a trick on me by teaching me that beauty is everywhere and often in the last place you’d think it would be. However, don’t think Barbie had love handles and hair "stuck slump"… I would have been too pleased…
Barbie, still a child, was stranded on a deserted island where she was raised by animals. She can talk to them, take care of them and sing (every 5 minutes) the beauty of the world and the importance of taking care of Mother Earth. An adventurer prince finds her and brings her back to his castle where she suffers, of course, having no manners and preferring from far climbing trees with monkeys. Well well, for sure he falls in love but still, in order to marry Barbie, must refuse to marry a true blood princess who happens to like playing the harp and doesn’t ride horses. What a scandal at the court! Notwithstanding the extreme kitsch, my boulghour easily slid down my throat and Barbie surprised me. And instead of going shopping, she recycled nature elements to sew a dress. My friends, there’s hope!
I had a birthday party on the night of April 24th.You have to admit it’s incredible, to be able to organize a party with good friends only one month after arriving in Melbourne! Once again, our Nihon friends adorned the party with their cameras and their screams of excitement … This time, because they had never seen microwave popcorn!
On the 25 th, we attended a fund raising festival dedicated to save Australian and Filipino forests. It was delightful to be among friends, even if they were strangers! As in a dream, every beloved look-alike seemed to be assembled to dance in front of the Barons of Tang, which brings back Grim Skunk and Gogol Bordello, Combat Wombat and Loco Locass from the area. Free Narguileh salon, pirate vegetarian cuisine, grunge haircuts for a volunteer contribution and even real tattoos on the spot… Something to stay inspired for a long time and lots of money to regenerate the forest!!!
*Dedicated to the beautiful Sophie Laplante
See HIS view
See His and Hers Videos
See His and Hers Photos
It’s dreary. As it’s been for many of the last days. But this morning, I will get through this dreariness by listening to your hearts, for they will be metronomes to my writing.
I began to see the sunshine while practising my Yoga salute and reading a book on fairies, for which I couldn’t resist during the first week of our trip. I rush to read it because I believe I found a good home for it. A comforting nest where princesses and kind monsters, genies and white sorceresses live, and where the vaporous pictures and magic recipes of the book will be appreciated.
We didn’t travel much since April 20, but we visited the passions and history of the Deakin family and we have been so blessed by their good nature. Our universe was filled with conversations on LEGO’s novelties, organic markets, permaculture, board games, fairies, laser swords and Barbie movies.
Since I’m old enough to compare myself to others and find my own imperfections, I blamed much of my lack of self-esteem on Barbie and her unhealthy social models. The apotheosis of my frustration came when I learned her mensurations would never allow her to stay upright if she were to become human. So you’ll understand why I didn’t really want to watch a movie starring miss everything-in-pink, last Friday. I was afraid my organic boulghour would get stuck in my throat. But life played a trick on me by teaching me that beauty is everywhere and often in the last place you’d think it would be. However, don’t think Barbie had love handles and hair "stuck slump"… I would have been too pleased…
Barbie, still a child, was stranded on a deserted island where she was raised by animals. She can talk to them, take care of them and sing (every 5 minutes) the beauty of the world and the importance of taking care of Mother Earth. An adventurer prince finds her and brings her back to his castle where she suffers, of course, having no manners and preferring from far climbing trees with monkeys. Well well, for sure he falls in love but still, in order to marry Barbie, must refuse to marry a true blood princess who happens to like playing the harp and doesn’t ride horses. What a scandal at the court! Notwithstanding the extreme kitsch, my boulghour easily slid down my throat and Barbie surprised me. And instead of going shopping, she recycled nature elements to sew a dress. My friends, there’s hope!
I had a birthday party on the night of April 24th.You have to admit it’s incredible, to be able to organize a party with good friends only one month after arriving in Melbourne! Once again, our Nihon friends adorned the party with their cameras and their screams of excitement … This time, because they had never seen microwave popcorn!
On the 25 th, we attended a fund raising festival dedicated to save Australian and Filipino forests. It was delightful to be among friends, even if they were strangers! As in a dream, every beloved look-alike seemed to be assembled to dance in front of the Barons of Tang, which brings back Grim Skunk and Gogol Bordello, Combat Wombat and Loco Locass from the area. Free Narguileh salon, pirate vegetarian cuisine, grunge haircuts for a volunteer contribution and even real tattoos on the spot… Something to stay inspired for a long time and lots of money to regenerate the forest!!!
*Dedicated to the beautiful Sophie Laplante
See HIS view
See His and Hers Videos
See His and Hers Photos
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