Just To Keep You Going...

This is a great song:

Die Toten Hosen are actually one of my all-time top 10 favorite bands.
If you're down with the Deutsch, here are the lyrics (it's got a surprisingly positive message):

"Steh auf, wenn du am Boden bist" - Die Toten Hosen
("Get up if you're on the ground")

Wenn du mit dir am Ende bist
und du einfach nicht weiter willst,
weil du dich nur noch fragst
warum und wozu und was dein Leben noch bringen soll

Halt durch, auch wenn du allein bist!
Halt durch, schmei� jetzt nicht alles hin!
Halt durch, und irgendwann wirst du verstehen,
dass es jedem einmal so geht.

Und wenn ein Sturm dich in die Knie zwingt,
halt dein Gesicht einfach gegen den Wind.
Egal, wie dunkel die Wolken �ber dir sind,
sie werden irgendwann vor�berziehn.

Steh auf, wenn du am Boden bist!
Steh auf, auch wenn du unten liegst!
Steh auf, es wird schon irgendwie weitergehn!

Es ist schwer, seinen Weg nicht zu verliern,
und bei den Regeln und Gesetzen hier
ohne Verrat ein Leben zu f�hrn,
das man selber noch respektiert

Auch wenn die Zeichen gerade alle gegen dich stehn
und niemand auf dich wetten will,
du brauchst hier keinem irgendeinen Beweis zu bringen,
es sei denn es ist f�r dich selbst!

Steh auf, wenn du am Boden bist!
Steh auf, auch wenn du unten liegst!
Steh auf, es wird schon irgendwie weitergehn!

Nur keine Panik, so schlimm wird es nicht!
Mehr als deinen Kopf rei�t man dir nicht weg!
Komm und sieh nach vorn!

Versailles -Panoramic View

It is strange: why did I not visit France else? No, not France. I was in France in 1992 and 93, I think. There were border and customs between Italy and France in that period else, even if they were not very difficult to pass: I had not France visa and could not visit it but I did cheeky face, my friends "wanted to show" their passes to the border guards and they never controlled us. We visited Cote d'Azur, Monaco and Nice every day that year. But I never was in Paris.

I would like to see Versailles and Louvre, the castels of Loire... Well, maybe one day. Waiting for it we can enjoy a virtual visit. The link is in the bottom of this post.


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http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen7/f30-versailles.html

I would be very happy if you visit my blog "Marvelous World of Travel" and write me a comment there.
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This is the best period to book your cruise. There are terrific cruise discounts actually.And if you have doubts about the destination etc, we can discuss them. Write to me: liudmila-@hotmail.it

Glorious Guingamp

We had a most enjoyable walk in Guingamp on Tuesday, with glorious weather and lots of interesting sights. Those who hadn't been before were impressed by the town centre with its medieval and Renaissance houses and grand church in various architectural styles. This really is a good place for a day's visit, with a stroll along the river Trieux and lunch at one of the many good eateries. Thanks to all participants for making the walk so pleasant, and especially to Dave the photographer.

A New Trend?

I just got to Guanacaste for my Wednesday class. Have a look at these alarming statistics from the drive in:

Sad Jesus Head Decals: 21
NON-SAD(!!) Jesus Head Decals: 3!

These "non-sad" decals can be best described as "Stoic Jesus Head," and it would seem they are new to the Jesus Head Decal scene, since I don't recall seeing them before. I would have taken a picture, but I was driving and everything.

In any case, fully 1 out of 7 Jesus Head Decals that I saw today didn't depict crying, bleeding, or a crown of thorns. Does that mean that people have stopped thinking, "Hmm, maybe there's something morbid about depicting my savior suffering the throes of his crucifixion and pasting it to the back of my big-rig truck"? It probably doesn't mean that, but it's an interesting trend that I'll be following in the weeks to come. As loyal readers of Sitzblog, you'll be the first to get the scoop!

Crown Princess Visits New London

The 947 foot Crown Princess returned to New London this past Saturday for a seven hour visit. Entering the harbor before dawn, she was greeted by the tugboat Patricia Ann which escorted the cruise ship to her berth at the State Pier. Despite the early arrival time, a good number of people turned out to witness this. Viewers lined the waterfront at City Pier and Fort Trumbull as the large ship made a 180-degree turn to prepare for dockage.

Although the Crown Princess had previously visited in September, her return was still a noteworthy event.   For a moment, it seemed as if everyone in town stopped what they were doing and looked towards the harbor. Shopkeepers stood in their doorways and taxi drivers got out of their cabs as the ship passed by. Volunteers were on hand to assist the visitors, and music from the Nutmeg Fife & Drum filled the air.   New London is a busy port, with ferries, submarines, tallships, and Coast Guard vessels all plying the waters regularly. It is not everyday however, that a 947 foot cruise ship comes to town.

Departing Brooklyn, the 3,000 passenger ship is touring New England and the Canadian Maritimes, with stops that will include  Newport, Boston, Portland, St John, and Halifax. 

Princess Cruises: Destinations

New London Day: A Princess Stops By

Soundbounder: Arrival Of The Crown Princess

I Don't Remember My Mom Saying Anything Like This...

"Mama said, 'The pistol is the devil's right hand.'"
- Steve Earle, "Devil's Right Hand"

"'Come on,' Mama said, 'There'll be days like this, there'll be days like this,' my mama said."
- Dusty Springfield, "Mama Said"

"My mama said, 'Pa and me, we give you room and bread.'"
- ABBA, "My Mama Said"

"The brightest flame burns quickest."
- Metallica, "Mama Said"

"And my mama said, 'Don't ride that crazy horse.'"
- Lenny Kravitz, "Always on the Run"

"Knock you out."
- LL Cool J, "Mama Said Knock You Out"

Calzones and Brownies

It was a big day for me, in terms of baking. First, I made some calzones. I got the recipe from The Simple Dollar, and they turned out to be very tasty:

I filled them with cheese, mushrooms, and green olives. For me, though, the highlight was the sauce that I made. It was really basic --just mashed garlic, about 9 chopped-up tomatoes, some herbs, and some tomato paste-- but it turned out to be really delicious!

I also tried to make some layered brownies that my mom and/or sister usually make around Christmas time:

In this picture, though, they look a bit toxic. This is the second layer, which is a sort of minty cream layer between the bottom brownie layer and a chocolate glaze on top. It does look really green in this picture, but that's partially because of the light. I don't have any pictures of the finished product yet, but they did turn out to be very tasty, although the top layer just "wasn't like mom used to make." I think that's 'cause I didn't have sweet baking chocolate, and instead had to melt some milk chocolate, which gave it a different flavor and tone. But still good!

So, thanks for reading, and remember to keep checking back daily for new Blogtoberfest entries!