Paris - trip 1 of 3

Busy time for Paris trips - this was the first of three - and had to fly out on Sunday evening as workshop was Monday morning. Topic was APT Seminar - location near Les Halles.

Stayed in new hotel - Novotel Vaugirard - very nice, although slightly out of the way.

Arrived late Sunday evening so didn't have much choice for dinner - ended up in L'Atlantique bar near Montparnasse station.

Monday was the APT seminar for the morning and then meetings in Arcueil in the afternoon. Managed to get to G. Detou (commercial food suppliers) to get a big bag (3KG) of Valrhona chocolate - yum :-). In the envening went to see Avatar 3D - thought it was brilliant. George saw it the following week and didn't think much of it.

Tuesday was further meetings in Arcueil and then home on the evening Easyjet flight.

London and Agile tool demos

Went to London on Tuesday for some meetings. Met Pascal from France. Happens I used to work with his wife on a previous project. The office was very busy and I spent most of the time working in the restaurant. The central coffee area/atrium does have a buzz.

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday were Agile backlog management tool demos - VersionOne, RallyDev & Mingle.

Friday night the three of us went to the Grappa Bar for pizza's. Not too bad at all and very reasonably priced- £36 for all of us including drinks.

Jobs around the house weekend

So, so weather - at least it wasn't raining. Cut up remaining wood on Saturday and got it all stacked up. Went to hardware store in the afternoon.

Jayne & I went to dinner with Tin & Sheena at One Beaufort - just down the road. It was a belated Christmas meal.

Took George rowing Sunday morning and then got some roof insulation from Homebase in Chippenham. Very cheap - £4.50 a roll. Went back in the afternoon and it had all gone.

Pork chops for dinner. Made a batch of French Onion soup.

Margaret & Derek dinner

Went up to Reading to see Margaret & Derek. Had dinner at Rowbarge, Woolhampton. Very cold and icy.