I am just too lazy to update this blog. I don't know why. Maybe I don't have much time. Yeah, that's right. During weekdays, I am just too busy - working, cooking, chatting with my wife. During weekend normally I will going out with my friends and buying some foodstuffs for the following week. Today, I just spend my time in the room. Unexpectedly, I have been married for 7 months by looking at the ticker counter above. Time has flown so fast huh. Hmm. Nothing much happens today, still feel tired after went to Music Festival in Paris yesterday. Actually, on June 21 (which is also the longest day of the year in the north hemisphere) everyone can play music in the street, in gardens, places or even at the churches' backyards.
Yesterday, I went out from the room around 9 am with my friend from Indonesia, Ricko. We decided to buy the foodstuffs first at the Les Quatre Temp. Actually, I don’t have any plan for the weekend but during Friday praying, Ricko did mention about the festival. Yeah, I know about it also from my team mate but I don’t have much interest at first and just want to spend my leisure time with my wife via Skype after dull week days of living in my room and lack of news from my wife during busy week days.
Then, on Friday night, I let my wife knew about the plan and after hours of chatting and sharing the updates and news, she just simply told me to go to the La fête de la musique in Paris with my friend. Actually, it is not the festival itself that I value most but the invitation from a good muslim friend that changed my plan for the weekend. Normally, we will go to the Friday praying together (3 km away from Technip office) by taking a bus at the La Defense bus station. We also shared some difficulty feelings as a muslim to survive here especially to perform our daily praying. Anyway, we were very lucky as there is a toilet dedicated for a disable person which equipped with a water supply in the office. I feel very lucky also since my project coordinator and lead engineer know about the Friday praying and being the latecomer in the evening every Friday is considerably accepted. Hehe.
OK, back to the festival. After we bought all the foodstuffs – halal’s chicken and meat, vegetables, fruits, drinks, etc, we walked back to the room and 5 minutes later we went out again for the festival celebration. The weather improves significantly within these days. It was very hot and dry which is not the same feeling like in Malaysia which has higher humidity level. Here is very dry. Huhu.
First, we decided to have our lunch at the Hard Rock Café. Reached there almost 12 pm. Just nice for the lunch. The only choice that we have for the meals was Grilled Salmon with cheesy potatoes and broccoli. I thought it was not so tasty by looking at the picture in the menu but my prediction was totally wrong. After try a bit, I would say this is the best meal that I have ever eat in France! Super delicious! The salmon portion is not so big but it really makes me full for the day! I am sure I will have it again next time. After lunch, we spent some time to look for souvenirs there. I bought 2 identical Hard Rock Café t-shirts sized L and M for me and my wife and a cap. Done with shopping, we snapped some pictures and went off to the La Fayette shopping mall. My friend was looking for perfume for his wife and we couldn’t managed to find it. I forgot the brand but the salesperson told us that the perfume was sold out in Paris! Huhu. Big frustration for my friend since her wife just want the perfume with that brand and I don’t know how many times he called her wife back in Indonesia to tell the situation but then he decided to look at Champs de Elysees. Again, we couldn’t find it. Finally, he bought Burberry perfumes. It is better than nothing, he said. Hehe.
Yesterday, I went out from the room around 9 am with my friend from Indonesia, Ricko. We decided to buy the foodstuffs first at the Les Quatre Temp. Actually, I don’t have any plan for the weekend but during Friday praying, Ricko did mention about the festival. Yeah, I know about it also from my team mate but I don’t have much interest at first and just want to spend my leisure time with my wife via Skype after dull week days of living in my room and lack of news from my wife during busy week days.
Then, on Friday night, I let my wife knew about the plan and after hours of chatting and sharing the updates and news, she just simply told me to go to the La fête de la musique in Paris with my friend. Actually, it is not the festival itself that I value most but the invitation from a good muslim friend that changed my plan for the weekend. Normally, we will go to the Friday praying together (3 km away from Technip office) by taking a bus at the La Defense bus station. We also shared some difficulty feelings as a muslim to survive here especially to perform our daily praying. Anyway, we were very lucky as there is a toilet dedicated for a disable person which equipped with a water supply in the office. I feel very lucky also since my project coordinator and lead engineer know about the Friday praying and being the latecomer in the evening every Friday is considerably accepted. Hehe.
OK, back to the festival. After we bought all the foodstuffs – halal’s chicken and meat, vegetables, fruits, drinks, etc, we walked back to the room and 5 minutes later we went out again for the festival celebration. The weather improves significantly within these days. It was very hot and dry which is not the same feeling like in Malaysia which has higher humidity level. Here is very dry. Huhu.
First, we decided to have our lunch at the Hard Rock Café. Reached there almost 12 pm. Just nice for the lunch. The only choice that we have for the meals was Grilled Salmon with cheesy potatoes and broccoli. I thought it was not so tasty by looking at the picture in the menu but my prediction was totally wrong. After try a bit, I would say this is the best meal that I have ever eat in France! Super delicious! The salmon portion is not so big but it really makes me full for the day! I am sure I will have it again next time. After lunch, we spent some time to look for souvenirs there. I bought 2 identical Hard Rock Café t-shirts sized L and M for me and my wife and a cap. Done with shopping, we snapped some pictures and went off to the La Fayette shopping mall. My friend was looking for perfume for his wife and we couldn’t managed to find it. I forgot the brand but the salesperson told us that the perfume was sold out in Paris! Huhu. Big frustration for my friend since her wife just want the perfume with that brand and I don’t know how many times he called her wife back in Indonesia to tell the situation but then he decided to look at Champs de Elysees. Again, we couldn’t find it. Finally, he bought Burberry perfumes. It is better than nothing, he said. Hehe.
Then, we went to Notre Dame and Latin Square to experience the festival. We could see groups of people playing their instruments freely expressed themselves about this celebration. The musics genre ranges from classical, jazz, blues, country and hip hop. It is all about music. There is no limit. After hours of walking, we decided to take a break at the Hagen Dazs. Two big scoop just good enough for me to cool me down from the hot and dry sunny day. Few minutes later, we decided to go back to perform our prayers and then went out again at 7.30 pm.
Refresh from cool shower and cold drink, I got the rhythm back. Seriously, we have walked a lot and I really tired but the festival was not over till midnight. 7.30 pm, the sky was still clear. We went out to the Hotel de Ville. One of the happening places for this festival. There were more than 20 groups of musicians or I would rather name it as a band playing their music all around the city. There were scattered from other groups so we really need to walk around the city to look for all the great performances.
As far as I remembered, there were groups of Red Indian performing their spiritual songs, Brazilian performing their capueira songs with martial art performances, Jazz, Blues and Raggae songs dominated by groups of black, Siamese and Philipino groups with their traditional musics, and many more. Seriously, there were many more. But one of my favorite bands was a group of 5 talented musicians performing many cover songs from Metallica, Iron Maiden and Rage Against The Machine. Seriously, they are really good. I love when they played “Killing In The Name” and “Master of Puppet”. The guitar solo and drum beats perfectly matched. 12 am, we decided to go back. Looking back, this festival was not only about the music but it is more on gathering all the music lovers around the city to share the great and good time together regardless the differences in colors, cultures, and beliefs. All is one.
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