Restless Prairie Girl

Six years ago in mid-December I was navigating my way around Iceland's quirky capital.  Reykjavik was my first stop on a six-month trip (or relocation as I like to call it) that still stands as the best trip I have ever taken. This was my second trip to Iceland but not the last - I stopped there in June on my way back to Canada. I was booked in at the Snorri Inn for three nights.  Yeah, that was the name. I'm sure I did them proud during my four nights there.   I seem to have the unique talent of visiting a place during their snowfall of the season and Reykjavik did not let me down.  While the sidewalks near my guest house were icy and treacherous the sidewalks in the city centre were clear due to pipes carrying boiling geothermal water underneath the streets and sidewalks.  This volcanic island certainly makes use of its natural resources!!   So let's go for a walk and see all the Christmasy/wintery sights in one of my favourite cities.  This is the view from the front of

So here we are in Paris. I have been there four times now and three of them have been during the Holiday season. The City of Light knows how to put on a good show!  Paris and I have not always gotten along.  I first visited Paris at the end of an "if it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" sort of tour back in the fall of 1976.  I opted to skip the visit to Notre Dame ("another cathedral?  I don't think so"!) and didn't go up the Eiffel Tower.. to this date I haven't gone up the Eiffel Tower...(hint:  go to the Tour Montparnasse where the lines are barely there, it's cheaper and you get to see a view of the Eiffel Tower and the rest of Paris.  Magnificent!). My whole attitude towards Paris back in 1976 was "meh..." and I swore never to go back. Of course I was tired after two hectic weeks and was more interested in finding a cafe with the friends I had made on the tour.  However never say never...oh boy have I learned that!  I always give ever