Post by Jo Anne on May 7, 2007 6:06:01 GMT 1
Paris Chronicles: Day 3, Part 1
When we get back to our hotel, we call Claudia right away. I say, “Hi it’s Esme, how did it go? We made arrangement’s with Jai-” At this point, Claudia interrupts “ Yes, I already talked to Jaime and he said the plan is to meet at 9:00 a.m. in front of the hotel.” I reply, laughing, “If that’s OK, we know how to get to your hotel better than to our own.” We say goodnight, agreeing to meet the next morning.
Again we have to get up early for Jaime, just so we can surprise him with the helmet. I am not about to take it back with me in my luggage, it was quite enough getting it in there in the first place. We talk about all the stuff that’s gone on these last few days, I vaguely remember making a remark about what Jaime’s face was going to look like when he saw his Moctezuma helmet.
Next morning, we arrive to meet Jaime in front of his hotel. All spruced up and ready for the day. We get there at 8:59 a.m., beating our old record. We are definitely on Swiss, not Spanish time! Fatima gets ready to call Claudia to say we are waiting in the park across the street, when we see Jaime coming toward us.
It must be something he eats; here he is at 9:00 a.m. all smiles. I sure don’t look like that this early in the morning! After good morning hugs and kisses all around, Jaime says, “How did you sleep?” I find it hard to believe he misses the helmet I’m hiding behind my back, I answer, “Very well, and you?” I signal Fatima and we all decide to give him his gift.
I say, “The time has come; it’s time to give you your cap.” Jaime says anxiously, “Yes, I want it now.” Before I show him I say, “Let’s take a minute, inhale, exhale, inhale.” Jaime is smiling. When I show him what I have behind my back, Jaime looks at the package, seeing the brand it is, realizes what it is, he looks at me, looks at the package, looks back at me and is speechless. Jaime says, “How did you do this?”
He looks just like a five year old when he gets the new bicycle he asked for on his birthday. I quickly clarify, “Don’t worry! It just so happens my Father works for the company that imports this brand to all of Spain. We got it wholesale, but if you don’t want it.”
Coming out of his stupor, he grabs the helmet out of my hands as if he was Gollum in “Lord of the Rings.” He hands me the packaging and all the instructions, he just stares and stares at his new helmet. I explain how we saw the link on his Web Site, and just knew it was the perfect gift for him. I start telling him about all the features it has, even a hookup for Bluetooth.
Jaime says, “You know, I dreamed about getting this helmet. I even looked at it several times, but I never bought it. On top of everything else, it’s my color, matte black. There is no other.”
We go with Barbie and Blanquita, from production, on the Metro to Montmatre. The Abbesses station, I comment to the girls, “We’re going to have to walk a lot, because Sacred Heart is on a hill, and it’s all uphill from here.” We’re already tired, but as soon as we leave the Metro station, we perk up. Seeing all the people strolling through the stands, selling souvenirs and the painters’ booths is all the energy boost we need.
Before we start the climb, we stop at a store for something to eat. The shopkeeper was amused at my interpreting for five other people, putting in each order, helping them figure out what they wanted and how to pay for it. When I finally make my own order she says, laughing, “I didn’t think you were going to get anything to eat.”
Off we go cokes in hand, munching on pizza and flavored breads. We didn’t need to worry about all that fat; we were already in negative burn. “Get slim with Jaime,” is our motto.
Half way up, we finally found an open cyber café; contact with the outside world is finally possible. We took advantage of this opportunity to write the first short report and check some emails. When I opened my mail I had more than a 100 messages, the world had definitely gone mad.
We get to Sacred Heart somewhat revived, on to the foot of the monument. We arrive, winded and wheezing, but we get there. I’m thinking about the movie “Amelie” - I can even hear the accordion playing.
We wait for there for a while, but no one else comes. Someone in production calls to find out where they are. Seems they beat us, they’re already at the top. So after climbing up more stairs, we arrive, as always.
At the top of the stairs we find Jaime waiting for them to set up the scene, he says, “You’re finally here. How are you?” I reply, “Here we are, alive, but just barely. Do you know how hard it is to climb this thing?” Jaime looks at us and laughs, “We could be straight out of Rocky!” Our labored breathing is a good indication of how we feel.
Jaime and Fatima talk while we take pictures, for ourselves and the production team. They film the scene. Sebastian finds a drawing on the stairs of Sacred Heart. Alexa made the drawing, but Sebastian doesn’t know that. They miss each other, again.
In between takes, we talk with Gaby Vergara and give her the picture we took at the Arc de Triomphe. Jaime comes over to join our conversation. He just might be a little jealous that we’re not paying attention to him. Now we go on to the Champs de Elysee for the next scene. It’s right next to the restaurant where they ate the day before. That’s great, now we know where it is; the Franklin D. Roosevelt stop.
Written by :Esme
Translation by:Jo Anne
When we get back to our hotel, we call Claudia right away. I say, “Hi it’s Esme, how did it go? We made arrangement’s with Jai-” At this point, Claudia interrupts “ Yes, I already talked to Jaime and he said the plan is to meet at 9:00 a.m. in front of the hotel.” I reply, laughing, “If that’s OK, we know how to get to your hotel better than to our own.” We say goodnight, agreeing to meet the next morning.
Again we have to get up early for Jaime, just so we can surprise him with the helmet. I am not about to take it back with me in my luggage, it was quite enough getting it in there in the first place. We talk about all the stuff that’s gone on these last few days, I vaguely remember making a remark about what Jaime’s face was going to look like when he saw his Moctezuma helmet.
Next morning, we arrive to meet Jaime in front of his hotel. All spruced up and ready for the day. We get there at 8:59 a.m., beating our old record. We are definitely on Swiss, not Spanish time! Fatima gets ready to call Claudia to say we are waiting in the park across the street, when we see Jaime coming toward us.
It must be something he eats; here he is at 9:00 a.m. all smiles. I sure don’t look like that this early in the morning! After good morning hugs and kisses all around, Jaime says, “How did you sleep?” I find it hard to believe he misses the helmet I’m hiding behind my back, I answer, “Very well, and you?” I signal Fatima and we all decide to give him his gift.
I say, “The time has come; it’s time to give you your cap.” Jaime says anxiously, “Yes, I want it now.” Before I show him I say, “Let’s take a minute, inhale, exhale, inhale.” Jaime is smiling. When I show him what I have behind my back, Jaime looks at the package, seeing the brand it is, realizes what it is, he looks at me, looks at the package, looks back at me and is speechless. Jaime says, “How did you do this?”
He looks just like a five year old when he gets the new bicycle he asked for on his birthday. I quickly clarify, “Don’t worry! It just so happens my Father works for the company that imports this brand to all of Spain. We got it wholesale, but if you don’t want it.”
Coming out of his stupor, he grabs the helmet out of my hands as if he was Gollum in “Lord of the Rings.” He hands me the packaging and all the instructions, he just stares and stares at his new helmet. I explain how we saw the link on his Web Site, and just knew it was the perfect gift for him. I start telling him about all the features it has, even a hookup for Bluetooth.
Jaime says, “You know, I dreamed about getting this helmet. I even looked at it several times, but I never bought it. On top of everything else, it’s my color, matte black. There is no other.”
We go with Barbie and Blanquita, from production, on the Metro to Montmatre. The Abbesses station, I comment to the girls, “We’re going to have to walk a lot, because Sacred Heart is on a hill, and it’s all uphill from here.” We’re already tired, but as soon as we leave the Metro station, we perk up. Seeing all the people strolling through the stands, selling souvenirs and the painters’ booths is all the energy boost we need.
Before we start the climb, we stop at a store for something to eat. The shopkeeper was amused at my interpreting for five other people, putting in each order, helping them figure out what they wanted and how to pay for it. When I finally make my own order she says, laughing, “I didn’t think you were going to get anything to eat.”
Off we go cokes in hand, munching on pizza and flavored breads. We didn’t need to worry about all that fat; we were already in negative burn. “Get slim with Jaime,” is our motto.
Half way up, we finally found an open cyber café; contact with the outside world is finally possible. We took advantage of this opportunity to write the first short report and check some emails. When I opened my mail I had more than a 100 messages, the world had definitely gone mad.
We get to Sacred Heart somewhat revived, on to the foot of the monument. We arrive, winded and wheezing, but we get there. I’m thinking about the movie “Amelie” - I can even hear the accordion playing.
We wait for there for a while, but no one else comes. Someone in production calls to find out where they are. Seems they beat us, they’re already at the top. So after climbing up more stairs, we arrive, as always.
At the top of the stairs we find Jaime waiting for them to set up the scene, he says, “You’re finally here. How are you?” I reply, “Here we are, alive, but just barely. Do you know how hard it is to climb this thing?” Jaime looks at us and laughs, “We could be straight out of Rocky!” Our labored breathing is a good indication of how we feel.
Jaime and Fatima talk while we take pictures, for ourselves and the production team. They film the scene. Sebastian finds a drawing on the stairs of Sacred Heart. Alexa made the drawing, but Sebastian doesn’t know that. They miss each other, again.
In between takes, we talk with Gaby Vergara and give her the picture we took at the Arc de Triomphe. Jaime comes over to join our conversation. He just might be a little jealous that we’re not paying attention to him. Now we go on to the Champs de Elysee for the next scene. It’s right next to the restaurant where they ate the day before. That’s great, now we know where it is; the Franklin D. Roosevelt stop.
Written by :Esme
Translation by:Jo Anne