Paris with Kim and Rintaro

Two days after Afghanistan and a day after Amsterdam, I found unbound energy in my bones to drive down to Paris to see Kim and Rintaro.  Guess what:
The tour de France is happening today downtown and the spectators are everywhere even without Lance Armstrong.  It's like being in Times Square for New Year's Eve -- Lucky, Lucky!

As wonderful and memorable as the trip was it didn't start out on track.

First the drive from Mons -- it took me forever to pack and check out of the hotel.

Second, I drove all around Paris looking for Kim and underestimated everything.

Kim sent me an email this morning and asked me to meet her and Rintaro at the Paris Marriott by 1:00 pm.

Well gues what, at 1:00 pm I had just driven into the city and was utterly driving in circles around this sacred city.

I stopped to call her cell phone but couldn't get through. Her cell phone was from HK -- Oh no, this wasn't good.  It was not like being lost in DC or in an American city where you knew people or you could call, text or email.  I had none of the above and didn't have an Iphone (since it was stolen from me a month ago).

No matter how many times I stopped to ask for directions, the nice people I met either couldn't or wouldn't speak any English.

Then I remembered that as a general rule, I should be prepared to speak just a little French when in Paris, but after being in Belgium yesterday, Amsterdam the day before, and Afghanistan just two days ago, it all started becoming a blur.

Finally, I was able to decipher some sketchy directions written on a napkin from some poor soul I nabbed at a restaurant and a las made it to the infamous Marriott but there was no Kim -- Well, what did you expect, I was over 2 hours late.

After calling and calling again, I finally reached her and we agreed to meet by the metro station near the museums at 4:30 pm.  I rushed to get there because I knew it would take every waking second.

When I finally got there by 4:15 pm, I tried calling again.  This time couldn't get through.  I called and called and even tried several different pay phones.

No luck, No joy, No Kim.

As luck would have it, as I was exiting my 6th and final phone booth, I heard a sound: "Chito". It was lil Rintaro running towards me, scolding me for being late. 

I've never been happier being scolded.

Needless, to say, we had a great time, visiting around the Eifel Tower, running around like we were in DC, and all throughout this wonderful city that has turned out to be my favorite so far in this European Excursion.


The trip itself was almost impossible to squeeze in, but in the end, it was worth the pain, the sacrifice, the mistakes.  It took some flexibility, even some fluidity, but seeing family is something we should appreciate and make the effort to do.

Unfortunately for me, I had to drive back at midnight.  I had a plane to catch from Brussels the next morning -- would have to pull an all nighter driving the freeway in France and Belgium -- but hey, it was all worth it and more.

As they say in France: "Laissez les bons temps roulez"-- let the good times roll!

Work, Run and a little town called OBERAMMERGAU

Greetings from Deutschland. Serving my country here during a crucial time in history and an eerie throwback to the Cold War.

Lots going on and the weather has been quite chilly with high in the 60s the last couple of days. Don't miss the DC humidity about now.

I finally got a day off yesterday after working 12 hr shifts and went on a trip to the Bavarian Alps to an medieval German village.

The roadway meanders through some of the most scenic parts of Germany, with many vineyards and farmland along the route along the Rhine River up to this Castle of the old Bavarian king. King Ludwig.

I have done some of the most amazing and scenic running of my lifetime
here. I have to say, its been quite thrilling and the air is so cool and refreshing that it feels good to just breathe it.

Just minutes away from where I'm staying, I ran out to the Black Forest where there is a historic Panzer Tank Trail where the German Army moved their tanks from one base to the other. Trail running is DC is great, but this the BOMB

The scenic town I visited yesterday is called Oberammergau--say that 10 times.

Every 10 years the entire town puts together a play called the Passion Play
based on the life of Christ, dates from the 17th Century.

It was first performed in 1634, following a vow taken by the people of
Oberammergau during an outbreak of bubonic plague, which killed 15,000
nearby Munich residents in 1634 – 1635 alone.

The frightened population of Oberammergau prayed to be spared, taking
a vow to be fulfilled not by a few but by the whole community. They
vowed to do something in which everyone, rich and poor alike, would
have a part: a Passion Play, the most sacred of all stories. They
would present the story of Christ to the world every 10 years forevermore if the Lord would remove the plague from their people. The town was spared, and a tradition was born.

The play is now performed at the start of each decade. Since 1860 the German text has remained virtually unchanged. The production is done in native German, but an English translation is available.

Though the cast is huge — 1,700 parts — performers must be Oberammergau natives, or have lived there for 10 years, or been married to a native and lived there for at least 10 years.

Performers consider it an honor to participate and leave their businesses to do so. The men even start growing full beards a year out to look authentic. The play is performed in the Passion Play Theatre on an open stage, which incorporates the natural setting into the
backdrop and seating for 4,780 spectators.

Wow, Almost want to move to Germany, well maybe not quite, but anyhow,
wonder what running in the dead of winter is like.... Well, better get back and serve my country and can't wait to wakeup for another run tomorrow.  SMILE...