Ages ago, Marc used to travel so much, he racked up miles with United Airlines like crazy. In one year for instance, he flew over 100,000 miles for his work. Thanks to the miles he earned, we actually traveled for free and on Business Class at that for years.

When I was younger, I used to love flying. I really looked forward to the plane taking off. Now that I have gotten older, I have gotten blasé about it all. I don't really care much for the flights anymore. All that matters for me now is that I get to my destination and home safe and sound.

I must say, I too was happy to be back in Paris after so many years. Actually, my very first trip to France took place last December 1988. I was a student in Madrid at that time and a few of my friends and I decided to travel to Paris from Madrid by bus for the New Year.

I never heard of this new arch up until Marc booked a room at the Renaissance La Defense next to this monument. We liked the area a lot. It was in the city's modern financial district. It was in an area where the locals really lived and worked. There were condo and office buildings all around the monument.

As soon as we checked in, we went sightseeing right away.

I was thrilled to see some of the sights I had seen and which I took pictures of years before.

It sure was nice to be back here. I stood at the same spot before but in winter and I remember it being freezing cold.

I had my picture taken in this same spot as well back in 1988. Memories, memories.

Ever since I began traveling, I have developed the habit of buying postcards for better pictures of the places we visited. I figured, not every picture we take on our travels will capture the best possible images which postcards normally provide. Other times too, we don't really get to take pictures of some places like exhibits inside museums or some monuments. Hence the need for postcards, at least as far as I am concerned. Here I am at a souvenir stand in front of the Grand Arch de la Defense shortly after our arrival in Paris.