from France to Spain

It has been a busy couple of months!

During May, June, and July I managed a six-week project in Paris. The project itself took place in Nanterre, to the northwest of central Paris, but while in Paris I stayed in a hotel at La Défense. It was a challenging project, but both our internal team and the client team worked very hard, and in the end the project was a success. I was very happy to meet and work with many new and interesting people, and I had a lot of fun in the process.

As I was in Paris for six weeks I managed to tour around quite a bit, for the most part with a friend and co-worker who was working on the project with me. I had a Navigo pass – a no-holds-barred Métro pass that certainly came in handy. During the evenings I, or I and my friend, would explore a different quarter in Paris – Montmartre, Saint-Paul, le Madeleine, la Place de la Concorde – and perhaps find a restaurant to eat at while we were there. What I really like about Paris is all of the interesting spots that you can discover… Paris is rich with culture and history, and it is always a joy to stumble upon someplace new and interesting.

Grande Arche de La Défense
The Grande Arche de La Défense. During the day, people often come to sit on the steps and have a snack
Montmartre
Sitting on the steps at Montmartre
Frogburger
My friend and I found a restaurant called Frogburger near Place de la Bastille. What the heck? Don’t worry, we didn’t end up eating there!
Jazz festival electro set
An electro music set at the Paris Jazz Festival, that took place at La Défense
Where is Brian?
Every French person who has ever learned English knows the phrase “Where is Brian? Brian is in the kitchen!” – trust me, I heard this phrase nearly every time someone learned my name…

After my stay in Paris, I stayed for a couple of days in Reading, England, with time spent working in Basingstoke to wrap up the project and come up with time and cost estimates for future phases. While I was there I stayed with a friend (rather than in a hotel), so I got to tour around a little bit. It was a short stay, but it was nice to see a bit of England again.

Reading, England
On a walk in Reading

In the meantime, my family picked up and headed to the south coast of Spain, where we’ll be staying until November or so. I am currently sitting in a shady spot overlooking the small town of Isla Plana, near Puerto de Mazarrón, and the Mediterranean Sea beyond. It was definitely a huge switch to move from Normandy in northwestern France – a beautiful spot, but rather chilly and rainy – to southern Spain, where it hasn’t rained since I got here, and most of the terrain is rocky and very dry. We’re a short walk from the Isla Plana beach, so we’ve spent quite a bit of time on the beach, and have visited the pool at our complex at Isla Plana every day – sometimes more than once! But don’t worry – we’re slathering ourselves with sunscreen, and have for the most part been sticking to hanging around outside in the mornings or evenings; the mid-afternoon is siesta time!

A beach cove in Bolnuevo
A beach cove in Bolnuevo in southern Spain
Rocky coast of Spain
The rocky coast of southern Spain, near Bolnuevo
Along the coast of Bolnuevo
Along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea near Bolnuevo
On the rocks at Bolnuevo
On the rocks at Bolnuevo
Spanish ham
In France, I marveled at the huge cheese selection they had in the grocery stores… in Spain, they have huge selections of Spanish ham, or “jamón”
Amelia being fabulous
Amelia being fabulous in her sunglasses
Kids and cacti
The kids and some cacti – of course we had to check out what they had at the local garden store in Puerto de Mazarrón

2 thoughts on “from France to Spain

  • August 1, 2013 at 6:05 am
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    Looks awesome Brian! Living and working in Europe is such a great experience

    Reply
    • August 3, 2013 at 7:58 am
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      Thanks John! I appreciate it. I hope all is going well for you and yours in Germany!

      Reply

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