Walking down to Avenue des Champs Elysees/Carlos Pueblo

Walking down to Avenue des Champs Elysees/Carlos Pueblo

I have had a warm feeling when I review the photos of Paris. I took No 7

subway line to Chatelet station on the west bank of the Seine, Musee du

Louvre was right in front of the station. I was so excited that finally I had

reached such a famous palace in the world. Suddenly, the famous movie,

Les Trois Mousquetaires by Alexandre Dumas, came back into my mind.

The Musketeers inspection ground by Louis XIII is still there and the Palace

Has been converted to a museum ever since a King moved to the Versailles

Chateau. The crystal pyramid is one addition and most of all still maintains

in excellent condition. A large garden is adjacent to the palace with pretty

flowers in my favorite and the immediate neighbor is the Concord Square.

The Avenue  des Champs Elysees is on between two Arcs, Arc de Triomphe

Carousel and Arc de Triomphe del’Etoile current day renamed to de Gaulle

Etolle.

I walked entire 1.18 miles, 70 meters width Avenue on both sides. First, I was

enjoy the luxury garden dwelling on the west side north bound, I wonder who

are those residents, later generation of previous royalty , government executives

, or rich business family. They are very gracefully built, managed, and blossom

In the spring of Paris. I could only name two kinds of flowers, roses and turnips,

and the rest colorful were beautiful yet unknown or could not be named by me.

It is very considerate of Paris to provide benches in front of the dwelling gardens

for visitors to sit.

In order to keep my good memory, I walked around the Arc and took pictures of

every corner. There were many visitors from all over the world especially those

nations with some kinds relationship with France. I walked back toward the Louvre

on the east side toward south. There are more commercial building on this side and

I could see the Eiffel Tower clearly which would be my next visit target place.

Both Arc architectures were Napoleon’s idea. Under his tenure of French empire,

France expended and he liked to make his future generation aware of it. I think that

I have learned some more French history by this visit of Paris and a better picture of

the European past and now. France and the Europe have been in peace for more than

70 years.

巴黎逛街/莊峻華

巴黎逛街/莊峻華

 剛剛溫習旅行巴黎相片，一陣溫馨，我從旅店搭地下鐵到查特烈站，

這是塞納河東岸，然後就開始巴黎逛街。羅浮宮就在眼前，過去是皇

宮，現在是馳名遠近之博物館。從大仲馬之三劍客開始，路易十三就

在羅浮宮廣場校閱火槍隊，廣場隨著歷史年代，增加許多建築，水晶

三角塔，眼見雄偉建築，雕欄玉砌，但見法蘭西帝國風貌，有一花園

緊接，水池天鵝，許多顏色樹花，不知其大名，再來就是協和廣場，兩

座大小皇宮，我注意到者，為廣場上許多金屬雕像，金色加強珍貴，然

後就是香榭麗色大道，走到凱旋門，約是1.18 哩，寬70米，兩旁有樹

叢大樓和花園豪宅，我選擇花園豪宅步行，拍攝到許多花朵，玫瑰花，

鬱金香等，都是盛開。

我在接近凱旋門附近，一家麥當勞店，使用網路，體會巴黎國際知名度，

整個香榭麗舍大道，擠滿行人，興高采烈之各國旅客，許多人像是巴黎

朝聖者一般，親自體會法蘭西文明。一直到剛才，始發現兩座凱旋門之

關係，分別在香榭大道之兩端，都是拿破崙之想法，都在1806年設計動

工，小座卡多謝爾，在1808年竣工，上面幾匹駿馬，來自威尼斯王國，

蕾拖以列凱旋門，今曰戴高樂凱旋門，有小凱旋門一倍大，一直到1836年

始完工，說是為紀念法國大革命，和拿破崙諸戰役，我在兩座凱旋門，都

繞一圈，拍攝許多相片留念。

香榭大道西側北向，有一排豪華花園住宅，我不清楚住家何許人也？都有

美麗花園，春天更加漂亮，形容巴黎為花都，真不為過，玫瑰花和鬱金香

，只不過是其二，我所能命名者，有很多家庭花園，甚至有長凳座位，提

供休息，西歐春寒，否則我將在鐵石凳上嗑睡。

我從大道回走，東側南向，這是大商區，可以看到艾飛爾鐵塔，巴黎鬧區

，都在附近，都是步行可及，如在夜晚，更是熱鬧。

Visiting Reims, France/ Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Reims, France/ Carlos Pueblo

Paris Megabus station is inside of a park of the north bank of Bercy of the River of

Seine. I took the early bus to Reims east and north east of Paris. It is said Reims-

Champampagne which was attracted to me for the drink. Yesterday, I checked the

city on Google and found that Reims is inside the region of Alsace-Champagne-

Ardene-Lorrine. Alsace-Lorraine is famous for la demiere classe, the last class, by

Alphonse Daudet that I was taught in my junior high school in Taiwan. The story

was about the last French class of an elementary school after the 1870 Franco-

Prussia War, of course I was not aware of the relationship when I visited the

city neither of the war, Bismarck, Napoleon III, French Revolution, and of course

the German surrender of WW II at Reims, France.

The bus driver let us off at the high speed rail station, Garf de Champagne Ardene

TGF, it is about 3 miles from the city center. My strategy was taking the light rail to

enter the city to the final stop and walked back to the city center which worked well

for me. The train works as a street car and be on and off at each stop of your desire.

I remembered the key points on the route of this classical city of more than 2,000

years.  Residential and commercial areas are on each side of the street with the rail

tract. I was very impressed for its cleans and beauty. Most of the small shops were

run by immigrants who spoke English well and I had no problem to deal with them.

There was a kind of cherry blossom which we called it wild cherry in Texas and red

bud in Washington, D.C. area. Wild cherry is not a kind of cherry and that is why I

actually do not like it. I call it Confucius hate because he hates the violet color steal

the glory of the red color while the song of Cheng violate the harmony of music.

The wild cherry flower has a slightly pink violet as I think of.

I passed by and identified later the big church of Façade de Bacilica of St. Remi, one

Of the famous churches of Reims, yet not many visitor on that day of my visit. I was

Wondering if I should take the tram again and attempted to find a toilet continue on

 my way. I saw dahlia flowers in a flowers shop. I came to the rail road station of Reims,

a major hub of French railroad system. I stopped by a restaurant on the city center

square for my lunch and it was near by a golden statue of victories. Restaurants were

full and the city was very busy. I circles the huge cathedral, Notre-Dame de Reims, took

pictures on every corner for my future enjoyment and entered the church. Joan de Arc

is inside the church and outside on the ground, she is on the horse with fighting uniform.

The cathedral had been very important for the old French Kingdom for the coronation,

the prerogative of the consecration, were held here by archbishops and military strong

man and woman. 

萊姆行/莊峻華

萊姆行/莊峻華

麥加巴士站，在塞納河北岸柏西站一處公園內，我順利搭上巴士，前往巴黎

東東北近郊之萊姆市，說明目的地是萊姆香檳，香檳引人注目，昨日查字典，

始知此為阿爾薩斯香檳阿爾典洛林區，是古戰場，初一國文課本白話文，最

後一課故事法生處，都德描寫普魯士佔領阿爾薩斯洛林兩省，規定禁止法語

教學之故事，拜訪萊姆前後，不悉此典故，也不知普法戰爭，卑斯麥，拿破

崙三世，和法國大革命，當然二次大戰，德軍在萊姆投降。

 巴士將我們在香檳阿爾典高鐵站放下，車站離萊姆市區約三哩路，有一輕軌

火車進出市區，我之策略是搭車全程，然後步行回來。輕軌車穿過美麗市區，

於是我記下遊覽重典，萊姆市有兩千年以上之歷史，仍舊像是世外桃源。我

在終站下車，姑忘其站名，然後沿輕軌鐵道回走，這是住宅區，也有一些辦

公室商家，參雜其間，整潔美觀，雜貨店主人，好奇我之來自於，這些店家

主人，泰半是移民，英語無礙。沿途許多野櫻花怒放，我是賞櫻花專門興趣

，但對野櫻花有歧視，何以故？野櫻花是我們德州俚語，其實在華府稱呼紅

蕾，我們祖嘉兄，想在庭院種植，我說何不多類正統櫻花？野櫻花艷麗，但

我受儒家思想毒害已深矣，子曰恨紫之奪朱，恨鄭聲之亂雅樂也，野櫻花有

些紅紫色，完全是我之偏見。

經過一雄偉大教堂，今日查相片，對出是景觀點之一，聖萊米大教堂，戰爭

時有破壞，如今均已恢復，參觀者渺，我正在想是否需搭車？結果在尋找廁

所時，已經萊姆火車站，此為一繁忙交通中心，我在市中心廣場午餐，此市

中心就是一金色豎像，上有金鷹，也是萊姆景觀之一，此市中心，非常熱鬧

，餐廳座滿人潮。市中心街道繁榮，最著名之萊姆大主教堂在此，我環繞大

教堂一圈，拍攝相片無數，然後入內參觀，有大主教主持彌撒，許可拍攝，

教堂內外，都有聖女貞德雕像，堂外戎裝，我懷疑貞德是否為當地人？萊姆

大教堂，在法蘭西王國，很有地位，是法王登基嘉冕教堂，就像倫敦泰姆士

河畔之三一大教堂一般地位。

我步行一天，休息無數次，仍舊疲倦不堪，真是歲月不饒人，提早回高鐵站，

等待巴士回巴黎，有趣者車站內外走廊，有一鋼琴，讓候候車旅客彈奏，我

聽完幾曲，彈奏者上車離去。

My first arriving to Paris, France/Carlos Pueblo

My first arriving to Paris, France/Carlos Pueblo

From Dublin to London Heathrow and transfer to Paris Orly Airport,

it was my first arriving to Paris in my life. It was because of my mileage

arrangement that I had to go through London and suffered some custom

delay in yet not out from the city. I did not dare to be exciting when I arrived

due to the difficult task to locate the hostel in an unfamiliar city especially

in a raining night. It is very convenient to take the mass transportation in

Paris which helped me to get to Place d’italie and then transferred to a

subway line to where I stayed, Pierre et Marie Curie, a rusty suburban. Again,

it was not that easy in a raining night when I made a wrong exit on a wrong

street with a heavy luggage. The hostel is a youth backpack inn for the youth

however, there are frugal senior selecting it. The owner is a young man who

is also on duty at night shift and some employees are also guests of the inn.

I started checking the laundry machine and ran into a Taiwanese lady. She

was with a group of four on their Germany-France tour and Paris was the

final leg, soon after that, the leader of the group came out of the room and

chatted with me. She is a pretty girl called, Lucy Lin, has been studying in Europe

for years; therefore, she is very confident to bring her mother and friends for

the trip. I asked her advice of Germany and she flipped her smart phone and helped

me to book my 10 days stay after Paris. She also gave me 4 bus tickets to Reims-

Champagne area on the next morning because her mother was fatigue for the

intensity of traveling. I feel that I have been far behind current day traveler for

the computer technology for instance, I rely on map and asking for direction which

involving different languages and I have no way to accomplish it. Later, the group

recommended Versailles and Fontainebleau were two of the high light of my 12

days visit of Paris.

Paris is the most charming city in the world. I thought of places the night before

and asked people about them, planned the direction and took off early next morning.

I kept on searching the old ruin of Bastille Jail where the revolution occurred and finally

after three attempt I located a small remain on the side wall of a subway line. I would

believe that I spent a whole afternoon to locate the famous Sorbonne University. I had

had the Vietnamese beef pho noodle dinner every night. 

初抵巴黎/莊峻華

初抵巴黎/莊峻華

從都柏林經倫敦希斯洛機場，再轉機抵達巴黎歐莉機場，因為搭乘英航，

有哩數優待，所以需要在倫敦停留，也因此出入境，浪費多時。初抵巴黎

，不敢興奮，因為需要摸路到旅館，所以緊張不已，尤其是夜晚毛毛雨。

巴黎公共運輸方便，而且繁忙，有位法國女士協助我上歐莉巴士，到義大

利處站，然後要我在比爾和瑪莉居禮站下車，不是很順利，因為抬笨重行

李，下上月台，出居禮車站，又走錯方向，行李外衣均淋濕矣。旅店是一

典型青年旅館，店主人年輕人也，晚上幫忙值班，夜宿空牀位，店內職員

，多是年輕學生，有些是打工換房租，也有長期租戶。

我開始巡視旅店洗衣機設備，遇見一位台灣中年女士，我們開始台灣話介

紹自己，原來她們四位，已經旅畢南德國，也是初抵巴黎，我正在稱讚女

士能幹，寢室內走出一位美麗小姐曰，我攏聽到矣，原來這位露西小姐，

和一位女同事，攜帶新莊市之母親和女鄰居來歐洲旅行，而且行程滿滿。

原來林小姐是留學波蘭學生，歐洲甚熟，不但美麗又能幹，言談兩三句，

就指導我，訂下10夜德國法蘭克福旅店，而且贈送我翌晨赴萊姆車票，因

為母親太累，臨時取消行程，年輕人熟識手機電腦，一切方便迅速，比起

我之傳統問路，高明甚多，後來我先後請教她們，幾處遊覽，像凡爾賽宮

和楓丹白露宮，甚至九月旅行德國，參觀要領。

巴黎真好玩，每晚我就想好一處，翌日拜訪處，問妥交通路線，清晨出發，

然後就是走路行軍，為巡找巴士底監獄，我先後專程拜訪該市區三次，還

有索本巴黎第三大學，找了一整下午，每日越南牛肉河粉晚餐，麥當勞網路

連線，學搭地下鐵火車，到處參觀這美麗壯觀大城。

Spring comes to Dublin, Ireland/Carlos Pueblo

Spring comes to Dublin, Ireland/Carlos Pueblo

There are many foreigners working in Dublin, Ireland. The population inside

The city limit is 530,000 and the metropolitan area is more than 800,000.

You can hear foreign sounds while walking downtown Dublin. I run into many

Orientals who are students or workers where the city provides much opportunity.

Ireland is a member of European Union; therefore, many Eastern European are

Coming here for work. Because of my laundry need, I walked along Lower Gardener

Street toward Parnell Street and found an oriental section on Parnell extended to

The O’Connell Street, the main avenue of downtown. There are grocery stores,

restaurants, computer parts store and services, and many other business like a

small Chinatown in the big city of U.S. Across the O’Connell, the streets are still

crowded with vehicles and pedestrians, I come to the Moore Street. It is a small

business street with an open air market of fresh produce mainly vegetables and

fresh flowers. The flowers shop owners are busy early in the morning sorting all

kinds of flowers and the customers have already dropped by picking up flowers.

Dublin is a high income city and it is reasonably to believe that there is a market

for such demand. One after I did find passion fruits from Spain at a fruits stand.

Henry Street shopping area is nearby. There is a red line light rail on Abbey Street

passing through many parts of the city. I walked toward Four Courts, the executors

od Irish rule and law, the old Jameson Distillery, an luxury restaurant and whisky

shop, and on the side, there is an old chimney viewing tower where you can have a

better view of the city. Then I kept following the map to the National Museum and I

missed the army barracks. I wonder if the Queen’s Irish battalion is from this barracks.

Walking across the River Liffey to the south quay, pier in common English. There are

many quays on both sides of the river that I can imagine the old day full of boats on

the river. Civic office is there and adjacent of the Viking/Medieval Area with Dublin

Castle, Old City Wall, Cathedral etc. There are about 1,000 years old and still in good

condition. I was busy to inspect every cherry blossom on the area. Trinity College,

National Library, and St. Stephen Green Garden are all adjacent to the old city area.

There is a pretty sail ship on the river without sails that day. On the north quay, there

Is a narrow park with the famous Irish starvation statues. Custom House is there. This

Is a very unique architecture which is as big as Taiwanese Presidential Palace in Taipei,

Taiwan. I chatted with the staff inside the Custom House about how the Brittan knew

the income value of the custom during the Nanking Treaty with Manchu Dynasty after

the opium war. I am so happy to come to Dublin in spring and witness the prosperity

of the city.