Live from Paris its EXLRRP!!

[exlrrp]

Originally posted by BLUEHAWK lrrp -
Pretty much agree in whole and in part with your sense of D'Orsay & Picasso, on two opposite hands... the latter's earliest things are pretty darn good though, don't know if you will see any at his museum though (never been there)... people in my industry tend to conceal the fact that he ever did anything of that sort.

Didn't know you took up a brush!

Nice report...

Oh yes; although ive just been starting painting over the last year--before that I did most of my art through sculpture. Some of the people here know my work

There was a good representation of Picasso through all his periods although missing some of the better ones (like Guernica)
Gues I like him because he really did his own thing no matter what other people did or said--thats how schools of art get founded-- and he absolutely changed the whole direction of art in the 20th century, as the Impressionists did in the 19th.
I like someone who maintains his indivduality whatever else may hapen--maybe thats why I only made it to E4 in three years in the Army (but I made it twice!! Does that count as E-8?? maybe E4.5??)
Im starving, its off to the Brasserie for some foie gras
James

[MontanaKid]

"I was a free man in Paris. I felt unfettered and alive. No one calling me up for favors. No one's future to decide."

by that great Canadian poet, Joni Mitchell

[exlrrp]

(its in Italy Ron lol)
So me and sue got here after a beutiful train ride through the southern alps. We're here for 3 days and then its off to Venice. We both like Italy much better than Paris, the I talians go much farther in making it user friendly. It rained today but that means it cleans the dogsht off the streets.
theres some just gorgeous stuff here to look at, home of Michelangelo and Leonardo da vinci not to mention a few more. Hoping to rent a motorscooter and cruise around--Psycovets Ride Italy.
Its great to have sue here, she is real handy to have around and i don't mean just for the purposes you dirty minded people are thinking.for one thing she's real handy--one of the few women Ive been with that knows which end of the screwdrivr to hold--she is the one who always figures out the remotes for instance and she's a real whiz on the internet
we spent 3 days in Paris together then came here. We both like Italians better (I was married to one long ago)
gotta run more later

James

[39mto39g]

I resemble that...
Italy, by all the pictures ive seen, is beutiful, Try not to make a mess while your there,, Grott-zee.

Ron

[exlrrp]

Weel here I am in Venice--went to cross the street and almost drowned when I stepped off the curb. You folks may think you have soggy basements in Nawlins but you don't know nothing about it.
Firenze was just gorgeous as it always is. Sue and I rented bicycles and cruised around in it first, then did the museum thing.
man, when these I talians go to throw up a religious building they do not fck around, no they make it a lifes work--words won't describe it and the pictures I'll post when I get back won't do it justice either.
Plus they have all these streets named after Michelangelo, Raffaello, Donatello, Leonardo--didn't know the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles were that well known(lol). Being in the presnce of such great art leaves even me speechless. It was just....well, it was nice is all I can say. You all must come and see it, you especially Ron (not to worry, I got you a nice souvenir, not a refrig magnet) Wounds my heart with a monotonous langour.
But that wasnt NOTHING compared to Venice!!! I mean its AWESOME. the buildings, the canals, the music--and esp?ecially the blown art glass. You don't often see the ol lrrpster pulling out the plastic and plunking down some Gs for art glass--as a matter of fact, nobody's EVER seen it-- but thats what you would have seen if you were in Venice today--and its not even for me, its for my moms 80th birthday. Nobody deserves it better.
I'm glad I came, I needed it
God Bless
James

(Been There, Done That, Got the Refirgerator Magnet)

[39mto39g]

Happy birthday to your mom. Jimmy get in hear and clean your room.

Ron

[exlrrp]

Sue and I have been staying here inLido and it is REALLY nice. Lido is the southernmost island of the Venetian Islands, the only one with a decent beach and its a nice long beach, people come from all over the world to se it. Its kind of likePalm Beach FL, a long thin island with tons of rich peoples homes on it and some major hotels.
its a short ferry ride to Venice proper, which is all on islands.
This is thefirst time here for me and Sue and although Ive read a lot about Venice, its much much more than any book or picture could say.
We strolled all around and got lost, of course. The buildings are real high and the streets real narrow and I mean 6' wide or less in places this makes it hard to se landmarks and because they curve and jog and change names bout every block its real easy to get lost. but thats OK, one thing about being on an island you can only go so dar before yoiu hit water.
venice is actually many many islands, some linked by bridges, some by ferries.
Tis is the place to buy souvenirs it youre in Italy and no trip to Italy coulld be considered complete without seeing Venice--Venizia as its called here (They got a different word for everything here, even the dogs speak Italian)
Being fluent in spanish has made it easier to get along here, I can read most of the writing and understand a lot of the words. The accent is different but much of the words are the same. I even directed a lost Italian couple to th train station--yes Italians get lost here too.
I was braggging a little when I said I laid down some Gs for my moms present, it was only a G and some Cs but stil, bigger than I ever did before. Its hard not to in the presence of such beauty. I mean you walk down the streets looking in the windows going: wow...Wow...WOW!!!! the Italians themselves aint hard top look at either and they are some definite styling people, all the women would LOVE to look at this stuff. Its still easy to get around in jeans though, most people do.
Sue and I are going back to Paris on the night train, than she leaves on the 30th. then your boy is going to Normandy to cruise the D Day sites, sommat else I always wanted to do

Ciao for now

James

[exlrrp]

Actually the line is "Thats right Shweetheart, We'll always have Paris"

Self an The Woman came up on the night train last night from Venice, actually Milano where you transfer from a local to Tren Notte.
Some of you know that one of the many types of nuthood that I lay claim to is being a train nut--I love riding trains both the passenger type and the more informal "Side door Pullman"
type. Some of the more exotic rides: Donner Pass in a boxcar, Soldier Pass in a gondola, From the Pacific Ocean (almost) to the atlantic in a boxcar across Panama (38 miles)
And now the sleeper from Milano to Paris. This is way cool not least in that it saves you a night in a hotel which about cuts the tariff in half.
We rode 2d class which means 6 people to a compartment, done in triple bunkbed style. Naturally the other 4 beds were occupied by teenage girls (doesnt anybody go to school anymore??) which meant gibble gabble untill all hours when grumpy ol Grandpa Lrrpie finally rmembered how to say SHUT THE (heck) UP in French (Ferme la BOUCHE!!) which quieted it down to a few surreptitious giggles; Sue of course, went right to sleep; So did I except they woke us up going into Franc e to inspect our passports.
So we got in at 0841 (all Europe runs on the 24 hour clock) and dragged our Rolly bags up to the Place Du Clichy where the ol lrrpster has his favorite hotel, the Hotel Darcet (On a quiet street, with elevator and internet, room has a balcony and private bath, includes breakfast,all for 55Euros- this is a STEAL!!)
Sue goes home tommorrow (oh DARN it!) while yr humble correspondent stays here untill Nov 5th, then finally home.
This has been all part of the International Vietnam Victory Tour 2003 which, as intended, has done SO much to improve international understanding and cooperation. This has been such an international success I may listen to the pleadings of the masses and do this again next year. Future plans: Costa Rica, Vietnam again (3d tour, still trying to draw even with my friend Tom) Europe again and the American South, adding Tenn, NC and possibly others to the usual Louisiana. Sue wants to go to Africa and I may say yes, in my continuous desire to have relations on every continent. I been thinking that what I need to make CA better is to stay the hell out of it but as soon as I leave they booted out an honorably discharged Vietnam Veteran as Governor , who had never been accused of ANY crime or malfeasance, and put in a SEXUAL PREDATOR and AUSTRIAN ARMY DESERTER, brain completely whacked from all the steroids he took, who couldn't even bring himself to vote in most elections so I can see this may not have worked. Why do they think this is gonna be good I do not know--my God, the state IS full of fuits and nuts. Well, sht happens, the Raiders and Niners don"t look good either. This will change CA politics trmendously; a new recall for Arnold is already being planned and your boy definitely wants to be the first to sign it
Any how; day after tommorrow I'm cruising out to Normandy to tour the D Day sites. I have always wanted to do this, especially the Airborne parts. Unfortunately its raining but it should be clearing by 2 days. Hope it clears up, I may rent a motorcycle--sure had fun on one in Vietnam
Bye for now, more later

James

[revwardoc]

One of my cousins and a friend of his went on a Euopean trip using a Eurail Pass. It was the first time he had ever been on a train, never mind a European one. So, he's in Paris and had just boarded a train and had to drop a stool. While he squattin' on the throne, he reads a sign in several languages informing him not to flush while in the station, but it doesn't explain why. So what does he do? He flushes! Only there's no water, just a trap door that opens allowing the undigested parts of the previous day's meals to sit between the rails. The "Ugly American" strikes again!