Serious headache...

I had a headache and though I'm sure it wasn't because I had contracted swine flu, I really didn't like how it was seriously aching. I tried to finish my work as quickly as possible, and fortunately(?) there wasn't anything I had to write today. I finished work and returned to my home to take it easy and relax. It was getting better at night and I really hope it won't return tomorrow!

PS
Happy Birthday to my MOM!
I hope she'll stay healthy!
And I hope I can return to Japan to see her and Dad!

PPS
Hey...

oh you found the best place to take a nap!

and the garden's all yours!

Longest day of my life!?

Going to bed after 12:30AM we woke up before 2AM and was already on our way to the airport at 2:30AM. Our flight to Dubai was not on schedule as we had to wait in the plane for someone who had a baggage problem and one female passanger who didn't feel well. We finally took off an hour and a half later than schedule. We were concerned as we only had two hours for transferring to the next flight but the ground staff lead us to the gate in less than thrity minutes and there we encountered a pleasant surprise.

We were upgraded to business class! Our ticket issued at Tehran was a "standby" pass and it was another concern whether we would have the seats, but how awesome to be able to sit in the business seats for a 16 hours ride! I'm sure this flight is the longest direct flight I've ever ridden in my life and we were saying all the misfortune has paid up!


nice seat!

with... all I can drink!

and a steak already! oh, the rich always have this priviledge!?

Watching three films, The Soloist, Bride Wars, and the Confessions of a Shopaholic, the only other things than eating and driking that I'd done in the plane was... sleep!

We arrived in San Francisco International 15 minutes after two, only half an hour late than schedule and we headed straight to the wedding venue where my lovely sister and his superb new husband were rehearsing. There I met my family, mom and dad and my brother together for the first time in years. It was a great chance to reunite my family living in three different countries now. How glad I was to be able to be here!


welcomimg me... yes I'm happy to be here!

After rehearsal, we went to a wine shop where they offer a "cocktail hour" for the guests. It was a mistake I had three glasses of wine in the plane and I refrained of having too much here. Well, my brother had so many glasses he seemed to be happy than ever!


all the great Californian wine on the table!

It's an 11 hour and 30 minute time zone difference from Tehran, being almost on the other side of the globe, made today probably the longest day adding up to 35 hours and 30 minutes! But I'm sure it was spent the best way ever!


home sweet home!

PS
I made a shameful mistake by jamming my toe into the brick of the chimney of our home... It really hurts!!

Foot ache in Paris!

My feet were aching so badly as we were walking for hours in Paris!

Bonjour!

a nice French breakfast to start with!

We bought the 2 day museum pass, but since tomorrow was May Day when most of the museums were closed, we decided to leave the Tour D'Eiffel tomorrow and try to see many museums as possible today!

First, we went to the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame...

starting early in the morning!

a line of people waiting!


walking up the stairs...


bonjour!


nice view guys!


oh there's the tower!


closer up!


nice view to the other side!

We then moved on to La Sainte-Chapelle...

lots of beautiful stained glass!


très bien!

And the La Conciergerie...

dark room to be stuffed in...

oh there she is!

We took the subway and arrived at the Louvre just after midday...


The Louvre was huge and it could take days to really enjoy the works of art! I'm not really acquainted to paintings and sculptures anyway, so we just took a quick tour around to see the major displays including the Iranian art...


in the entrance... I saw this in Da Vinci Code!


too many sculptures here!


too many pictures here!

Can't miss the famous ones!

without the face...


without her arms!


oh... she's heavily guarded!
let's see how Lupin the 3rd will snatch this one!


hey! me too!


oh... I want to sleep too... but I think you should hide your...


don't wanna work like them!


time for lunch!


welcome to Egypt...


roar!

roar roar!

uhh... roar!?

mmm...

Iranian art...

Persepolis!?


how did they get this!?

I could understand how the Iranians will feel when they see the Persian masterpieces held in a museum so far away from home...

Our legs and feet were aching after hours of walk in the museum, but we went on to see two more museums...

leaving the Louvre...


The smaller Arc!


stopping for ice cream!

The Musee de l'Orangerie first...

screen of pictures!


beautiful... yes...


moving on... there's the next museum!


he has his own museum!


nice sketches!

And then to Musee d'Orsay!

roar!


time to think where to go next!


oh... I think I've seen this before...
not the real one of course!


oh... he must be...


finished! yes!

The day was over so quickly but my wife had one more ambition!

We went to a regular supermarket to buy things we wouldn't be able to near our residence! I didn't know we could use credit cards, but now I know you can buy anything with the carte de credit!


ordinary supermarket


where you can buy things you can't buy in Iran!

We spent our night with one of my colleagues working in Paris after meeting with his family and I was so sleepy at night... still there was work waiting and I had to finish it off before going to sleep...


a nice meal we had at night...