THE SEYCHELLES - Four Seasons - The Voyage Part I

Day 1

PARIS - DUBAI - MAHE

The Republic of Seychelles is a country made up of 115 islands spanning an archipelago in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, near Madagascar. Meaning quite far away. Meaning restless eight year old boys are better off dressed in comfy sweatsuits so as to fall asleep easier on the plane flights to get there.

We flew Emirates, my all time favorite airline. Seriously.
The flight attendants speak like 12 different languages, economy class looks like business, and first class looks like Airforce One.

Our first flight was to Dubaï.

I couldn't stop caressing the window trim.

OK now what are the chances of this?!

Or this?!!! A metal knife served with dinner. It's been a long time since I've seen one of THESE on an airplane!!!

High over Dubaï, we circled around and around and around before landing.
And around. OMG.

We had a 2 hour layover...

...with nothing to do and a camera in a foreign country, so...

...I entertained myself by taking plenty of photos...

...before boarding the flight from Dubai to Mahe, where I was lulled to sleep by the mood lights. Emirates actually have those little lights that look like stars and change colors to calm you, like in a spa.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

THE SEYCHELLES - Four Seasons - Back in Paris

Come on Ye Higher Tourists and trip with us to The Seychelles!

City. Smog. Rain.Winter. Meh. Must. Get. Away.

Bags packed and very ready to go. 

Tonight's Ruinart Party in Paris

At Le Grand Palais in Paris...

...a cool undergroundy feeling...

...with champagne oriented art installations...

...and of course plenty of champagne (and Parisians)!


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Location:Paris, France

Hey Jason

I can now post on HT from my iPhone! Get ready for some bloggedy bloggings!


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Fake Johnny Depp

Is the guy in the hat Johnny Depp or Fake Johnny Depp?




We'll never know...

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Location:Paris, France

Paris Fashion Week

From the Dior show.









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Paris Fashion Week

That Russian designer whose name I can never remember.


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Location:Paris, France

Paris Fashion Week

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iPhone test

Testing with my iPhone


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Location:Paris

Paris demonstrations against same sex marriage

Of Mommy + Daddy and Mommy + Mommy and Daddy + Daddy and so on...

I'm not gay, nor have I ever experimented with homosexuality, but because I have a lot of gay friends who I love dearly, I felt personally affected by these protests and demonstrations against same sex marriage in France last Sunday.

Growing up in a very religious home, I was raised to view mariage as sacred and homosexuality as a perverted sin and an evil diversion from the way human beings were created and built to function sexually. From this point of view, I can see how many people feel that saying a same sex mariage is ok is saying homosexuality is ok, and then explaining this to our children is somehow all very wrong. But as I grew up, my parents divorced and had sex with other people outside of marriage (a HUGE sin for the deeply religious) and I myself had sex before marriage, and so I came to realize that life is not black and white, it's a whole rainbow of colors.

Working as an adult in the creative fields of cinema and art, I have made many homosexual friends. I spent all day Sunday thinking about many of these friends and I realized most of them have been living with their partners in a mutually loving and respectful relationship for many, many years. Aside from the issue of children, the main difference I have observed between my gay and my straight friends living together are that my gay friends tend to have better taste in fashion and spotless well lit home decor. My gay friends also tend to very much enjoy doing "homey" wholesome things such as cooking together and cuddling in front of a movie.

There was a time when interracial marriage was frowned upon, but we evolved and got over that. I have a good friend who made a baby in a test tube and lives with her child as a single mother. There are cultures and religions where a man lives with multiple wives. I could go on and on.

What it comes down to for me personally, I'm not the Pope so I will let the church decide about how they feel about homosexuals and the sacredness of a wedding under God.  But as far as a CIVIL same sex wedding, well I really don't see what the big problem is. I'm for keeping Church and State clearly separate. As for same sex couples having children, I say the same thing I say to my straight friends who are unable to procreate: ADOPT!! Adopt a child in need, it's one of the most beautiful things you can do in life. If more gay mariages lead to more children being adopted and hence less suffering in the world, then that's a really GOOD thing! And as for explaining to the children why they have two Mommies or two Daddies, I know some children already in this situation that seem quite happy qnd well adjusted. What matters most to children is a home where they feel loved and secure. If in addition to this their parents who cook well, keep the place clean and orderly, and dress their kid's with a certain fashion sense, well so much the better!!

I'm not one for talking politics, so I hope I've made sense.