short stay in paris

one of the few french meals i had the pleasure of having on this trip

the duck confit makes for a nice homestyle lunch

mussel and clams is something of a specialty in this restaurant where nine-of-ten customer order this one dish 

the veal was good

from the grande arche de la defense looking down the avenue to the arc de triomphe 

wait staff setting up early in the morning

la grande arche de la defense

aboard a romantic dinner cruise along the seine

bridges and water along the seine river

such an iconic structure 

just happened to drive by a fashion week event in the heart of the city 

one of the most recognizable structures in the world and this city 

sudden impromptu vacation in dalian and penang

FYI - all pictures on this post taken with a note 3 cellphone camera - forgot to bring a camera with me but then again, i found it liberating to travel without anything in either hand 

 building and fountain town square show remnants of soviet influences in the planning of this city

 a police officer confronts the driver of an illegally parked three-wheeled vehicle in this downtown walking street

at the largest square in the world

 skateboarding perhaps the largest ramp in the world

 the safety standards are somewhat lax in this part of the world - i would guess that at least one kid must get seriously injured here everyday

 a proud monument to an impressive nation

 got caught in a sudden downpour during a stopover in Guangzhou - the effect of a weather pattern that delayed my connection by over two hours

 the bar alley is emptying out in the early morning hours

 the architecture and construction is notably dated in this south asian island destination

 old buildings rapidly get overtaken by nature and effects of the tropical weather

 a random mural on a wall along a row of low-income houses

 clouds form over this small hill on the mainland every day of the year

 a very tasty beef rendang is served with papadam and tangy pickles

 a quiet beach makes a serene setting for a relaxing lunch

 miles of empty beach - not sure why there are not more tourists here during this time of year

 a romantic dinner for one atop a revolving restaurant with city and ocean views

 a wooden jetty stretches out into the quiet sea

 rows and rows of houses on wooden stilts built out into the sea

 some have now been converted into tourist shop alleys but the vast majority of them still house families - often belonging to certain clans

 another building in disrepair - reverting back to nature

 and another one

 a ridiculous gathering of pigeons atop this snack store along a beach in dalian

hmmmmm beer

a quick stopover in geneva

 business trip to geneva for a day - white capped mountains, swiss watch companies, white and blue yachts

 cute little streets, town squares and cafes

 et aussi

 knowing the swiss, these may never have been fired

 a drinking fountain perhaps  

 swans lazily sauntering on the side of a lake

 a supposedly defining picture for this town - a jet of water stands several hundred feet into the air

 veal meatloaf in a pepper gravy

 a lemon flavored pie of some sort

signs are difficult to interpret in some of the smaller towns around here  (oh my cod ? what the ... ?)

not much going on other than at work

 ladies strolling along an alley lined with shoes in a shopping area somewhere downtown

 parking can be rather tight in some parts of town

 peeking into a nail salon

 ordered a beer sampler at a brewery/pub

 an elderly woman takes a moment to take in the view at a lounge in a museum

 one of the royal palaces in the center of town

 yet another museum - this one documenting the recent war history of this nation

 the police are out in force on the weekends - jaywalking is no light matter in these here parts

a joyful pair performs on the sidewalks in a busy older part of town

 octopus is served live in some of the restaurants

 some dramatic lighting on a clay sculpture in a national history museum

 a typical scene at after work dinners here - emptied bottles of soju and beer are commonly left on the table - perhaps so that everyone can keep an accurate tally

actually went to a k-pop performance primarily for tourists

 thoroughly entertaining of course

various dancing forms on display - some a fusion of urban and traditional styles