Bryson Gets a Bath in the Sink

After dinner tonight (Saturday) I was doing dishes and Jane walked over with Bryson and he REALLY was interested in what was going on there, so we gave him a first-hand experience with a bath in the sink. He loved all the gadgets, especially the water running out of the faucet. I think he'll be a big fan of drinking fountains.

Last Night in Paris

My last night in Paris we had a "social event" at the conference that was held at a carnival museum with all kinds of antique carnival attractions that we could play with. After the event a Microsoft friend and I walked around until midnight taking night shots of Paris along the Champs-Elysees. Unfortunately my camera battery died (defective; I need a warranty replacement), but my friend loaned me his pocket camera so I got some pictures; but not as good as my camera would take.

This is the front desk of my hotel. I had to turn in the key whenever I left the building, and they would give it back when I came back. These are the cubby-holes where they keep the keys.



This video is of the cool Christmas lights along the Champs-Elysees. I really like the long streaking lights in the trees.


One of the cool concept cars in the dealerships along the Champs-Elysees

A couple of the Renault concept cars

Medieval-looking BBQ from the carnival museam dinner.

The world's biggest jar of Nutella

Outside courtyard at the carnival museum

I know some of us have been talking about the skittles game we used to have. At the carnival museum they had these turn-of-the-century games that used a brass top. Can you believe they let us play with these antiques? If you ring the bell you get to make a wish and it will come true. I rang the bell on the first spin! (I wished for a new skittles game).

Brass skittle top ready to go

This is one of the bikes on a bicycle carousel from the late 1800's

Lorne Olfman was one of my dissertation advisors. Here he is ready to give the bike carousel a try

This car was at the Peugeot Dealship

You have to see the car from all angle to appreciate it

Another Peugeot

This is a Citroen.

Random building with cool fog effect and French flag

Ferris Wheel and oblisk at the end of Champs-Elysees

Interesting poster warning tourists to be careful

Eiffle Tower, Etc.

I had another long day standing on my feet, and so I apologize for not having much to show. After the conference expo ended for the day we walked about 20 minutes to a nice restaurant that was built in Alfred Nobel's Paris home. Our invitation had the times mixed up, so we arrived early. Since we were pretty close to where we could get a good view of the Eiffle Tower, we went and took a couple of pictures. I'm hoping to get some daylight pictures tomorrow, but we'll see. You'll note that the top of the tower, which is more than 1000 high, is lost in the clouds.

Some of my Microsoft colleagues. Pictured left to right: me, Brad Jensen (cover's Texas) his daughter Amanda, and Jane Thomsen (first name pronounced "Yaineh") from Denmark.

Inside of Alfred Nobel's house

Me and Alfred's fireplace

More Arche de Triumphe

I went out this morning to see what I could see, and got some close-up pictures. What is weird is that because of no daylight savings and funny time zones, its this dark at 8:00am, although these were taken at 7am. I thought the lighting made these really interesting.

This was taken about 15 minutes from my hotel. I turned a corner and saw this really surreal view. The arch in the background is really inconguous with the street in the foreground

Same angle but from the head of the street

Front view from the Champs-Elysees. Right underneath is France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Closer view of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

First Night in Paris

I am in Paris from Dec 13-17 working at a conference for Information Systems professors. My flight to Paris went well. I sat in Economy for the first leg to Washington Dulles; boy I've forgotten how crowded it is back there! The flight from Washington DC to Paris was only half full, so I had no one next to me which made it nice. I read a Dan Brown book the entire 7 hours and didn't notice the time at all.

When I arrived, I was picked up by one of our local Microsoft academic reps, who took me to my hotel. Unfortunately it was too early to check in, so I left my luggage with the concierge, and then walked about a 1/2 mile to a local university where some of the conference meetings were going on. After lunch I walked back to the hotel and was able ot check in, so I took a nap and then went out to dinner with a bunch of people from the conference.

After dinner I grabbed my camera for a couple of nice shots near the conference center and my hotel.

The entrance to my hotel

This is my hotel from across the street

The street where my hotel is. My hotel is on the right down a couple of buildings. Christmas is definitely in the air.

A couple of streets away is a main boulevard, and from there you can see the Arch de Triumphe.

This the conference center where I'll be working for the next few days

Head Start on Ski Season

We heard that Copper Mountain had gotten 22 inches of snow over the last week so this past Saturday Seth, Jarom and I went and checked it out. They still only have about 20% of the runs open, but it wasn't crowded and we had a great day out. The nice thing about season passes is that you don't feel like to have to stay the entire day to get your money's worth. So we arrived about 10am and left at 2pm before we got too tired. Thought we'd share some cell phone pics just to get you in the holiday mood.

Seth getting on his gear in the parking lot.

Jarom LOVES his new boots

Lunch break means shoes off

Nothing beats an egg salad sandwich on a ski day