Space Invader(s)

     Some things Dave enjoys about our neighborhood are the funky shops and the street art. They remind him of the East Village, where he lived after he first came to New York City. After a few weeks we noticed one artist's work throughout the area, at least a dozen (dozens?) of 8 bit video game graphics recreated in tile.  The one in the first photo (in Dave's book the best one) is attached to our building

     The artist goes by Space Invader, not the popular video game from the 80s, a French street artist who has put these up in major cities around the world.  The second photo is from Rome where Mary's friend, Amy recognized the style there from the movie 'Exit Through The Gift Shop' We'll have to watch that one.
      Dave thinks should pry them off the building for our art collection but Mary thinks we'd do better to go down to Home Depot and just make a new one!

Rome

Obligatory Coliseum picture

 We went to Rome this past weekend with two of Mary's friends. The weather was beautiful! After a gray January in Paris, Rome was a nice change. It was clear and Spring-like, high 50s and low 60s.  We walked, a lot. Saturday we visited Vatican city, its not the high season so we had St Peter's Square nearly to ourselves in the morning. We then went in to see the Sistine Chapel. I think, aside from the chapel, the Vatican's map room was the highlight of that visit ( We couldn't take pictures in the Sistine Chapel, so we posted pictures of the maps and ceiling there instead). We then walked halfway around the city, to the Baths. Utterly immense! In between we stopped by the botanical gardens, snuck a nap on their lawn and had a Gelati, certain members of our group maintained a 2 GPD average (that is 2 gelati-per-day)

 

 The next day we walked the city North to South, hitting the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, and Palantine Hill. Coming upon the Trevi Fountain was actually very neat as we approached it from the back. We knew we were close, but to turn an unassuming corner and realize that it was part of the fountain.  After wandering around the ruins on the Palantine we stopped for a coffee (or another gelati) and waited for the Coliseum to be lit up at night.
  Our final day was spent at the Pantheon, eating a leisurely breakfast on the square, shopping, exploring the little streets. Fun trip.

City of Love at Night(Valentine's Day)

For Valentine's Day we took a night time cruise on the Seine.
What better to do in the city of love on Valentine's Day!

Mary and Dave on Pont Neuf above the Vedettes

Notre Dame at night

Ile de la cite

Tour Effiel

Pont Neuf - 'The New Bridge'
Paris' oldest bridge

A shot when we went under a lit bridge

St Eustache - this is actually from our walk home
Sunday night

The inner courtyard of the Louvre Sunday night.
Very pretty!