Camera bag, that is. I'd been looking for one before leaving on our honeymoon because the one I had at that time could not hold a guide book in addition to my Nikon D40. As I hunted around, I realized I also really wanted it to be big enough to fit my flash, Gorillapod, a ball head for the Gorillapod, and a bottle of water, yet still be small and light.
After a few false starts, I finally discovered the Tamrac Messenger 4, which met all my criterias. After traveling with it for the past two months, I've been more than happy with the way it's performed. It's even survived a soaking when I got caught outdoors in a flash thunderstorm.
We're finally back home after our month-long honeymoon, and I have to say it feels good to sleep in our own bed again. Not that I would have said no to traveling for another month or two, mind you, but it's good to be home.
The biggest surprise for me was how comfortable I felt in France. I've always known that I liked France after my last trip there in 2001, but after having traveled so much, to Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Greece recently, I've come to realize just how "right" France (and Paris in particular) feels to me.
The wife had planned our time in France, and she'd originally thought to spend the whole week in Paris, but changed things around when I said that was just too much time since we'd both been in Paris before. I was wrong. Nevertheless, I couldn't have been happier with her final itinerary, since that would mean we would never have gone to Troisgois.
After 2 days of gray, overcast skies, the clouds have finally parted and allowed the sun to come out and play, and it's been glorious.
We drove down from Paris to Roanne, and we're staying at Troisgros tonight; a boutique hotel and restaurant with a Michelin three star rating. As you would expect, dinner was amazing, and the main course, a beef dish, was nothing short of mind-blowing. Normally, I'd reserve that for meat that's so tender that it just melts in your mouth like butter. And while this dish had a little of that, what made it so amazing was the texture and how it was just a joy to chew. It had the perfect resistance for chewing, and every bite just delicious. I don't know how else to describe it.
I'd mention how well appointed the room is, but I'm honestly just too satiated to write any more.
Just finished Judas Unchained, the sequel (and finale) to Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton, and I can't recommend them highly enough. It's space opera at its best. The first book starts with dozens of major characters, each with their own thread that slowly but surely links up with one another until they all meet in book two in a tremendous climax that doesn't disappoint.
