As you know (or maybe not), I'm planning a trip to the States in May (because Brayde, one of my bestest friends is getting married!). I haven't booked the tickets though--partly because I need so many of them, and partly because I'm always kind of anxious buying plane tickets. In any case, I will be going to California and Washington and Georgia and South Carolina (COME VISIT ME). Two of these places I have never been, which justifies the trip entirely, however I will also get to visit my family in Georgia and South Carolina which is also cool with me.
Naturally, this has got me thinking about my former country of residence...and in particular, the things that I miss the most about it (read: what things lindsay will be buying to bring back with her). Of course I miss all my friends and family-- we all know that--so let's get down to the nitty gritty, the superficial materialistic America that we (I mean I) love so dear:
1. I miss specialty running stores.
2. I miss amber ale.
3. I miss real Targets (the ones here are basically just clothes stores).
4. I miss cheap books.
5. I miss normal sized coffee.
6. I miss Express.
7. I miss 24 hour convenient stores.
8. I miss cheese and egg bagels from Dunkin' Donuts.
9. I miss three ring hole-punchers...
10. I miss three ring binders, for that matter.
11. I miss unlimited downloading.
12. And perhaps most of all-- I miss those awesomely delicious Morningstar sausage patties.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list-- I couldn't be bothered to sit here any longer on the matter. However, you get the point. So, wahoo, Lindsay is coming to America (if they let me in that is). I can't wait to stock up on all my favorite things.... and visit y'all (of course)!
February 1, 2009
January 27, 2009
Les plus belles plages du monde
Une plage est une "accumulation sur le bord de mer de matériaux d'une taille allant des sables fins aux blocs" (Wikipédia)
Par définition, Bondi Beach et Manly Beach sont des plages, tout comme les fameuses plages de Floride ou de Bretagnes ! Cependant, qu’est ce qui permet de dire que telle ou telle plage est la plus belle plage du monde ? La plus belle plage du monde a évidemment du sable et la mer. Mais quels sont les autres critères qui font que certaines plages font parties des plus belles plages du monde ?
Selon moi, l’un des critères les plus importants est la ville dans laquelle se trouve la plage. Si la plage appartient à une grosse métropole, alors cette plage a le potentiel pour faire partie des plus belles plages du monde. Par exemple, les plages de Rio, de Barcelone ou encore de Sydney ont le potentiel. Au contraire, les (deux) plages de Binic (Bretagne) n’ont pas ce potentiel. De plus, l’accès à la plage doit être facilement accessible pour les habitants comme pour les touristes. C’est pourquoi certaines plages sont plus connues que d’autres dans une même ville.
Le second critère, tout aussi critique, est la température. Une plage qui fait rêver doit avoir une température élevée, que ce soit à l’extérieur ou dans l’eau. Avec ce nouveau critère, les plages de Rio, Barcelone et Sydney ont encore le potentiel pour faire partie des plus belles plages du monde.
Un autre critère correspond à la plage et ces alentours. En effet, une plage entourée de bitumes et d’immenses tours perd de son charme. En revanche, si les arbres et les falaises entourent la plage, son charme reste entier. Aussi, le nombre et la variété des boutiques en bord de plage est important. Les boutiques attirent les clients, et rendent les plages plus attractives.
Par définition, Bondi Beach et Manly Beach sont des plages, tout comme les fameuses plages de Floride ou de Bretagnes ! Cependant, qu’est ce qui permet de dire que telle ou telle plage est la plus belle plage du monde ? La plus belle plage du monde a évidemment du sable et la mer. Mais quels sont les autres critères qui font que certaines plages font parties des plus belles plages du monde ?
Selon moi, l’un des critères les plus importants est la ville dans laquelle se trouve la plage. Si la plage appartient à une grosse métropole, alors cette plage a le potentiel pour faire partie des plus belles plages du monde. Par exemple, les plages de Rio, de Barcelone ou encore de Sydney ont le potentiel. Au contraire, les (deux) plages de Binic (Bretagne) n’ont pas ce potentiel. De plus, l’accès à la plage doit être facilement accessible pour les habitants comme pour les touristes. C’est pourquoi certaines plages sont plus connues que d’autres dans une même ville.
Le second critère, tout aussi critique, est la température. Une plage qui fait rêver doit avoir une température élevée, que ce soit à l’extérieur ou dans l’eau. Avec ce nouveau critère, les plages de Rio, Barcelone et Sydney ont encore le potentiel pour faire partie des plus belles plages du monde.
Un autre critère correspond à la plage et ces alentours. En effet, une plage entourée de bitumes et d’immenses tours perd de son charme. En revanche, si les arbres et les falaises entourent la plage, son charme reste entier. Aussi, le nombre et la variété des boutiques en bord de plage est important. Les boutiques attirent les clients, et rendent les plages plus attractives.
Le dernier critère est important pour les surfeurs. Les vagues d’une plage sont un élément critique qui captive toujours les baigneurs, et surtout les surfeurs.
Nous avons quatre critères qui permettent de définir le potentiel d’une plage. Plus une plage a de points pour chaque critère, plus la plage est réputée.
Une plage réputée devient elle nécessairement une des plus belles plages du monde ? Si la réputation d’une plage peut se faire par des critères spécifiques et clairs, je ne pense pas que ce soit le cas pour définir les plus belles plages. Dire que telle plage est la plus belle plage du monde est relatif. Certaines personnes préfèrent les plages vides de monde que celles qui sont extrêmement bondées. Certaines personnes préfèrent les plages naturelles avec des arbres autours, et aucune boutique. Ainsi, une plage réputée ne fait pas forcément partie des plus belles plages du monde. Dire que telle plage est la plus belle plage du monde reste un point de vue très personnel !
January 15, 2009
thursday, january 15, 2009
Facts of today:
1. It took me 62 minutes to get to uni today. It took 30 to get home. Both were on un-air conditioned buses (b/c my luck runs like that).
2.
For the Americans among you, that's a low of 72 and a high of 100...which apparenty is "mostly fine" according to the Sydney Herald Tribune
3. I came within one foot of a lorikeet today eating a flower off a tree.
4. I discovered Coke Zero.
5. I did not get a hold of a copy of Microsoft Office or reimbursed for a conference...
6. But I did seem to get a raise.
7. I am about to drink a lot of beer...
...and maybe read about the generative view of clause structure.
Hm.
1. It took me 62 minutes to get to uni today. It took 30 to get home. Both were on un-air conditioned buses (b/c my luck runs like that).
2.
For the Americans among you, that's a low of 72 and a high of 100...which apparenty is "mostly fine" according to the Sydney Herald Tribune3. I came within one foot of a lorikeet today eating a flower off a tree.
4. I discovered Coke Zero.
5. I did not get a hold of a copy of Microsoft Office or reimbursed for a conference...
6. But I did seem to get a raise.
7. I am about to drink a lot of beer...
...and maybe read about the generative view of clause structure.
Hm.
January 3, 2009
blue mountains, you can take your great staircase and ....
It started innocently enough. We'd walk down to the valley floor then walk back out. You know, to see the prehistoric rainforest...some waterfalls....hopefully a marsupial and a black cockatoo. Two hours tops, and then we'd make our way (ON A BUS) to Echo Point so we could walk to the first of the Three Sisters. Well, as usual, Lindsay's plans do not pan out as they do in her cracked out mental spaces. So, after only a bit of the way down we come across ANOTHER map*, and we (fatefully) decided to follow its advice down the Furber Stairs and back up the Great Staircase....except we under-calculated the math presented in the text, and missed the part that it was a hike TO Echo Point. Eh. (This is the part where it becomes "not innocent enough").
Now the Furber steps-- no big deal. I think this was because we were going down them. There were pretty ferns and a lovely cascade with no water. We were having a lovely hike on a sunny, but not too hot day.
It was the freaking "Great Staircase" that did us in with the help of some maps placed along the route to psych us all out. Every one said we still had two more hours to go. I hate math. Luckily, I kind of like hiking. And we didn't see any snakes, which is always a blessing. So we persevered. And we started the ascent up the Great Staircase, which basically, let's be honest, is a staircase that scales a vertical cliff face. There were not many other people on the way (probably because they started with the Great Staircase (instead of the Furber Stairs) which conveniently had a warning to the wary that the journey is not for the faint at heart).
To make a four hour story short, we hiked 70 miles and walked up/ down 10,000 stairs. If you don't mind me saying: We absolutely freaking rock. We also got to Echo Point without any vehicle assistance. Booyah.
Afterwards, we went to Leura where we bought take out and beer and had a nice picnic on a bench.
Then after a lovely day we headed back to the city and made our way to see the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks.
The moral of the story is that the Blue Mountains are pretty. You should come see them. Just beware of the Great Staircase.
* a bit of advice: never switch maps after a journey has started
Now the Furber steps-- no big deal. I think this was because we were going down them. There were pretty ferns and a lovely cascade with no water. We were having a lovely hike on a sunny, but not too hot day.
It was the freaking "Great Staircase" that did us in with the help of some maps placed along the route to psych us all out. Every one said we still had two more hours to go. I hate math. Luckily, I kind of like hiking. And we didn't see any snakes, which is always a blessing. So we persevered. And we started the ascent up the Great Staircase, which basically, let's be honest, is a staircase that scales a vertical cliff face. There were not many other people on the way (probably because they started with the Great Staircase (instead of the Furber Stairs) which conveniently had a warning to the wary that the journey is not for the faint at heart).
To make a four hour story short, we hiked 70 miles and walked up/ down 10,000 stairs. If you don't mind me saying: We absolutely freaking rock. We also got to Echo Point without any vehicle assistance. Booyah.
Afterwards, we went to Leura where we bought take out and beer and had a nice picnic on a bench.
Then after a lovely day we headed back to the city and made our way to see the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks.
The moral of the story is that the Blue Mountains are pretty. You should come see them. Just beware of the Great Staircase.
* a bit of advice: never switch maps after a journey has started
January 1, 2009
2009 here, still 2008 there
If most of you are still living in 2008, I am in 2009. 2009 started with nice fireworks on the Sydney Harbor bridge, a clear sky and a hot 23°C. I hope this year brings us some good things.
Karen, Lindsay, Kyle and I decided to spend our last day of 2008 at Katoomba to see the blue mountains. Even though the two hours ride to get there was rather long, we had a wonderful day hiking in the famous blue mountains. Ok, the mountains are not blue, but this is a big hiking place where many trails exist to allow people hike all over them. One well know rock is called the three sisters. The three sisters are big rocks located next to each other.
We will spend our first day of 2009 at Bondi beach, one of the most famous beach in Australia.
Happy new year 2009, I wish you the best !
Karen, Lindsay, Kyle and I decided to spend our last day of 2008 at Katoomba to see the blue mountains. Even though the two hours ride to get there was rather long, we had a wonderful day hiking in the famous blue mountains. Ok, the mountains are not blue, but this is a big hiking place where many trails exist to allow people hike all over them. One well know rock is called the three sisters. The three sisters are big rocks located next to each other.
We will spend our first day of 2009 at Bondi beach, one of the most famous beach in Australia.
Happy new year 2009, I wish you the best !
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