I’m off relaxing in the Alps with family for one week and for once I get time to think and plan rather than rush as I’m used to do ever since I moved back to Paris and London. Taking photos (the  Alps are not bad), planning my next vacations (by end of May/ beg of June, there’s a couple of weeks off peak) and improving my blog look (which I’m struggling with for almost one year now as I’m no techie, just computing savvy) are the most cumbersome of my activities.

While touring the blogs, tourism office websites and travel guides, I bumped into those pictures of Sicily in my photos archives. It was in October 2010 one year ago, just at the end of the peak season. It was still warm and sunny while Paris was already drowning in the most freezing Autumn ever. I landed at Palermo and toured the island clockwise thru Castelbuono, Taormina, Modica, Agrigente and back at Palermo over a 10-day road trip. Unsurprisingly, I loved loved the countryside and small towns (relaxing, peaceful landscape, strong and diverse culinary traditions), and have been less than impressed with the ‘big’ cities of Palermo and Catane (too busy, too crowdy, too grey). Many places in Sicily are still peaceful and quiet. Those elderly relaxing on a bench, gazing at passers by looks the most enviable retirement to me.

My recommendation of B&B. All tidy, comfy with the most hospitable hosts:Antico Baglio at Castelbuono, Villa Sara at Taormina, L’orangerie at Modica, Agrigento’s Terrazza di Monteluza

I slept at city garden hotel last night in Zug, Switzerland. I usually hate traveling for work. Waking up at 6am, queuing at the airport, getting stripped at security gate, put out your coat, scarf, jacket, shoes, belt, pull out the laptop, the second personal one, the camera, get bipped, cross back the gate, strip further, pass the security once more, put everything back on and in, queuing at the gate, queuing to take your seat, have a Pitt look alike seating on this seat ” seats behind yours… For what? For work! … not even vacations! See what I mean?

But this time around I was pleasantly surprised that my client booked me a pleasant room. Comfy bed, big bathroom, pleasant staff.

You see the blue colors in the miror? it’s the bathroom color. I wouldn’t pick that color for my home, but it was pretty cool at the hotel. Glad I signed for one year with this client!

I spent my summer walking accross Hyde Park whenever I could.

When I moved in to London, my friends all told me how lucky I was to live nearby Hyde Park and how wonderful the park was in summer. But in January the naked trees looked just depressing. I was like what’s the fuss with Hyde Park, I want my Bois de Boulogne in London. Then spring blossomed and after summer heat up and sad grey turned to pale green to vivid green and pink, yellow, blue (sky) (like fashion actually!). It’s hard to believe that you actually walk in town as it’s big enough for you not to see one end from the other. The Bois de Boulogne is not in Paris indoor, it’s actually in a nearby town called Boulogne Billancourt.

Fall is now definitely on. For the first time in 6 months, I jogged with proper socks, long sleeved shirt and kept my dry fit running jacket on and zipped up. I guess those are my last pictures of summer in Hyde Park. I’m off tomorrow to Paris for 1 day and then home to the Caribbean for 17 days (not 2 weeks only, 2 weeks and 2 days!). When I’ll get back, trees will look again as I got to see them almost 1 year ago.

On my way out to Guiana last week, I stopped one day in Paris to have my hair cut and shop beauty products to refill my bathroom cabinet. I am loyal to my Sisley products, which are cheaper in France, and nothing is as good as the beauty products I’ve been purchasing in French pharmacies for years. Among my favorites, Klorane’s shower gels smell really good and are still gentle to my dehydrated skin.They are available in tens of fresh to floral fragrances. I stocked my Bioderma cleanser as well.  It’s a non rinse soothing lotion that’s liquid like a toner but that you can use alone, no prior milk needed. I wet a cotton pad and wipe my face. All dirt and make up are gone. It leaves my skin fresh, and doesn’t dry it. Dexeryl is a hydrating cream intended for really dry skin that I mix with Melvita 100% Organic Argan Oil to moisturize my thirsty body skin. Dexeryl costs close to nothing in France. It’s really thick, but it moisturizes really well.

Yeah I know what you’re thinking. My posts’ titles are repetitive. But it’s green. And yesterday was red.

Let me introduce you to Paddington basin at the back of Paddington train station going toward Edgware Road. There’s a kind of water pond it’s nice to stroll along rather than walking Praed Street.

It’s been some days the pond is covered with a green something, pollen I guess. It’s so neon as a green that it looks like some chemical contamination.

Introducing here a Londoner in her bikini sunbathing in Hyde Park. In town! I do not usually consider myself a conservative. But it looks like Londoners aren’t as well. Would you dare leafing your clothes out in town? I never dared to do it in Paris. I’d felt naked! Well! Is it time to change?

Nope, it’s not me. Just an unfortunate Jane’s Do in the lens of my camera. This picture makes me think about French movies I was watching when I was a youngster. The scenes are in the French countryside. There’s always a blond character. I’m so used to Paris that I have hard time to believe this is shot in town. The new Londoner I am is still in wonder!

I wanted hard to move forward out of Paris. And I still feel glad to live in London. I did a 2 days trip to Paris 1 month ago for some administrative duties (I’m still French, though European citizen). And yeah, it’s a magnificent city. I appreciate that Paris wows tourist as I feel proud to have lived it for 7 years.

This is metro Maubert Mutualité station (I guess. I hardly remember, but it should be this one). The underground is just a convenience for me. I don’t really like traveling that way. I take the bus whenever I can in London as well. But this roof is just stunning!