April | 2015 | The Perpetual Passenger

Why Number 14 Needs a Post of Its Own

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

On my relatively ambitious list of things to accomplish in 2013, number 14 was added after realization that I was living in Europe, home of some of the world’s craziest football (soccer) fans, and I had yet to see a game live. Though I indicated that I wanted to see a “live sports event,” I was definitely aiming for a football match. And I got my wish.

On May 18 2013, I had the privilege of not only attending the match in which Paris celebrated their victory in the French league, but was also David Beckham’s last professional game. Needless to say, European football matches, or at least this one, lived up to the hype. I saw flags and colored scarves being waived vigorously, watched fans who were so devoted to the sport that they could, and did, name every player (on both teams), and heard songs and chants from the crowd that didn’t dull for a minute, even when the action on field did.

The energy in the stadium was electric. Paris brought home the championship after being without one for 18 years. The pictures and video below (taken by me) won’t do justice to how intense the fans were, but hopefully you’ll take my word for it. Check these out:

In sum, List # 14 was epic… but I didn’t finish there. Later that year, I sat center-court at the French Open. Just wanted to make sure I really crossed this one off. 😉

The French Open, or Roland Garros as it’s called here

Dos and Don’ts for Expat Family & Friends

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

Chances are, you might know someone who has uprooted themselves and relocated to a foreign country. Depending on the strength of your connection to that person, your reaction may vary from vaguely annoyed/impressed, to overly thrilled/depressed at the prospect of their new life. Perhaps they’re moving somewhere exotic for an amazing job and you couldn’t be happier, or maybe they didn’t have the choice and you’re saddened by the sudden distance this move will create. Regardless of where your emotions lie on the spectrum, I’ve created a list of Dos and Don’ts for those who have expats orbiting their universe. Read More →

The Land of Wine and Mustard

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

Here’s a funny story:

The first time I ever met my friend Jess was on New Year’s Eve, when our mutual (and awesome) friend Ashley invited her to my place for some festivities. She showed up with a bottle of wine… coming from Burgundy (huh?). Up until the last few times I saw Jess before heading across the pond, she still insisted on drinking Burgundy if it was a wine night (which it usually was). We didn’t know much about the wine, except that it was French. And it was kind of awful.

A few years ago, Frog Prince and I decided to take a mini-vacation. We first wanted to see Rome, but the tickets were too expensive. After scouring flight search engines for days, we opted to stay in France, and he planned a 5-day trip to the region of Bourgogne (pronounced Boor-GON-Yuh). Known for its great wine, stunning castles, and beautiful countryside, I was looking forward to seeing (and tasting) what Bourgogne had to offer.

It wasn’t until we arrived and were looking at postcards that it hit me: Bourgogne = Burgundy! The whole time we were planning this trip, I never put two and two together. But once there I did drink a lot of Burgundy wine. And none of it was awful.

So, dear Jessica, this one’s for you. Some wine cellars, some castles, and even something from Dijon, the home of spicy mustard. 🙂

: Les Hospices de Beaune (where the pretty roofing coloration that is often seen on Burgundy wine labels come from)

: The beds at the hospice, where they treated patients with wine. No, seriously.

: Baby grapes!

: Where the wine is at!

: Best year ever? Yes.

: Wine cave (no tripod)

: I know that ghost in the back!

: Sorry, got a soft spot for cathedral architecture.

: Monastery

: Awesome water wheel!

: Castle!

: Romantically deserted cafe

: Just a cute street

I have to say, the food in Bourgogne was just as good as the wine, and I definitely learned a lot about wine (though it was really just a drop in the bucket, considering all there is to know!). And you know what that means… #16 is officially crossed off the list!

And since I don’t like to underperform, I went ahead and crossed off #18, too. There were plenty of castles, and I explored the heck out of ’em. 🙂

A Real Life Castle in the Clouds

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

There’s actually a place called Castle in the Clouds back in New Hampshire, not too far from where I grew up. I’ve never been, but friends have said it’s a beautiful spot, and many a wedding has been held there.

But the French version of Castle in the Clouds is a whole different creation. I apply this nickname to Mont Saint-Michel not because of its placement on a mountain or its height, but because of its proximity to the famously capricious weather that surrounds this island of a castle off the coast of Normandy. Read More →

Prepare for a Perpetual Passenger Onslaught

April 25, 2015 · by Nikki

I have work to do this weekend.

Real work. The this-is-a-deadline-I-simply-cannot-miss kind of work. Why? Because in T-minus five days I leave for a three-week trip through Vietnam and Singapore, and there is much to be done, including client work, before leaving.

So what does that mean? That I’m hopelessly distracted, of course.

After not having touched this thing for nearly two years, I decided to open it back up… like a dusty old box hidden away in the bottom of a closet. So I’m taking a deep breath and blowing the layers of crud off of this thing. The result will be a handful of stuff that I had sitting in draft form being blasted at you, one right after the other.

Enjoy!

Oh yeah, and although most of whomever might be reading this already knows this, a tiny update: Still in Paris, now working for myself, check out my biz website at http://www.mindsparklab.com, and still, you know… traveling and stuff.

Bring on the dated posts and pics!

Image credit: 68leadergroup.com