11. A British celebrity. Or an American one if you can manage it.

I have to say. I did think this is the ONE I wouldn't get. However, it's looking like that will be a member of the aristocracy now :)

I don't know if this counts as celebrities to Lucy, but for good measure I got four and An American.

For those who don't know, this is Mumford and Sons. Love of my music life.

 

 Sample of their music:

And the American (A Singer by the name of Ingrid Michaelson)

 More good music

So they're not exactly "A-listers," but I'm pretty darn proud.

(Also, just for good measure, I own no rights to these videos :))

38. A french person (probably looking uncomfortable and attempting to descipher scottish accents while smoking a cigarette and wearing a beret)

Now, I cheated on this one and actually got this shot in France. I realized I do actually know someone who fits this description, but I'd actually call her an acquaintance so it seems slightly rude to ask to take a picture of her for my blog.

This lovely woman was in front of us in the queue at Musee D'Orsay. In her attempts to read the signs in English, we often lost the queue. But then it was that gratifying run to your place in line, so not all was lost. (Though the British people behind us asked us if she had cut the queue -- I don't think she followed British queue etiquette very well.)

37. Wellingtons

If you're just now seeing this for any reason, my numbered posts are from a  'scavenger hunt' my sister sent me on when I first came to Scotland in 2010. I was unable to complete it the first time around, so, of course, with a whole year ahead of me, I'm on it.

(If you want the original list it's under "I Will Finish This (I love closure)" under the September 2012 tab.)

Number 37 is Wellingtons. For those unaware, these are the rubber boot that has become fashionable here in Scotland out of absolute necessity.

Just to show how much these have infused culture (Or perhaps, how much culture has infused these):

(As you can see, A vital thing here).

My own:

I'm quite proud of them. They're a bit better for the wear these days. But, I am in Scotland.

Bienvenue A Paris

I don't even know where to start this one.

So, I went to Paris.

I met a friend who is studying in Oxford (Jane) and a friend who is an au pair in France - on the Swiss border - (Emily). We rented a small apartment on a street called Rue Saint-Maur. From here we went ALL OVER Paris.

We bought 3 day metro (subway) passes and saw paris.

On the first morning, Jane and I sat in a cafe on a small street and multiple Parisians passed us with baguettes in there hands - some stereotypes aren't so far off. We also saw Notre Dame and an area called Pont Neuf.

Our humble abode

Rue Saint Maur

Rue Saint Maur

Jane on Pont Neuf

Le Seine

Paris

Charlemagne - in front of Notre Dame

Notre Dame (My camera died after this)

With Emily safely with us,

We were on to Le Louvre, the Eiffel Tower

Musee D'Orsay, Sacre Coure,

No cameras were allowed in Musee D'Orsay

And Le Arc De Triomphe, Champs Elysees, and The Eiffel Tower at Night

Thankfully Jane and Emily speak French pretty well. I got by with 'Merci,' 'Au Revoir,' 'Je voudre,' and, of course, 'Bonjour.' I did come into some trouble when I would speak first and find myself saying 'Merci' to a teller before we had spoken at all. Problems with a memorized vocabulary.

Going into this I was 'so-so' on seeing Paris. It seemed too cliche. But it won me over - completely. The Parisians did have their stand-offish ways, but the city was absolutely amazing.

I am so thankful and so incredibly blessed for this opportunity to go to Paris and to spend time with such good friends that I made at Rhodes - another blessing that I take for granted all too often. I missed celebrating Thanksgiving in the States, but I think it struck me here more than ever how wonderful a holiday of thanks is and how very much we all have for which to be thankful.

Love to all.

NOTES FROM ABOVE GROUND: Why I travel.

This is not my work. I so wish I could say it was. But the work of my wonderful friend, Elizabeth. It was so wonderfully written and expressed, I wanted to share.

NOTES FROM ABOVE GROUND: Why I travel.: Sometimes there are days when all I can think about is home, the little things that are comfortable and familiar and sweet:   My ...

So I'm Going to Paris Tomorrow...

This can only end in embarrassment and French people cursing at me.

Stay tuned.