Paris was the second stop on our European honeymoon andthe top pick on my wife's list of cities to visit. She was very excited and so was I. I couldn't wait to see the churches, museums and eat in the different cafes. She couldn't wait to see the Eiffel Tower. After London, we were ready to take on the most romantic city.

Cell Phones

We narrowed the list of cell service providers to SFR and Orange.  After reading many reviews and talking to a few locals. SFR and Orange were the best providers. We went with Orange since it was the closest store to our apartment. We payed €40 each. It was more expensive than a London SIM but it was slightly cheaper than a pocket WiFi. The service was great and we didn't lose signal while in Paris. We made use of the data and talk time by calling each other when we ventured off on our own. I would recommend them if you need cell service in Paris.

Transportation

We arrived at Gare du Nord and was planning on calling an Uber for transport to the apartment. I wasn't able to get service so we decided to find a taxi service. Here, is where I screwed up. You should always go with an official taxi to avoid getting ripped off. We went with an unmarked cab and it costed us €75! The fare should have been about half that. It was an expensive lesson but I'll be more cautious next time.

While in the city we purchased five day passes for public transportation. The total cost for zones 1-3 was about €40. This was a great deal since we spent a lot more than that in London. It came with unlimited use of both bus and metro.  We also used Uber for a few late night commutes, which were great. We also used Uber to get to the Orly airport which was about $40.

Accommodations

We used Air BnB and stayed in the 4th arrondissement. It was a small apartment but it had everything we needed. It was close to a lot of different attractions.  The Lourve, Notre Dame, Musee d'Orsay and Sainte Chapelle were about one to two stop on the metro or bus.

The Fun Stuff

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame is one of the churches that I have always wanted to visit. It's pictured in many movies especially in the Disney classic, The Hunchback of Notre Dam. After visiting churches in London I was eager to see the churches in Paris. We were able to attend Sunday mass at this cathedral and it was beautiful. The choir was amazing and even though we didn't understand French we felt the presence of God.

Sainte-Chapelle



Not far from the Notre Dame Cathedral is the Sainte-Chapelle chapel. It is a small one room chapel but it has beautiful stained glass windows. Information detailing the restoration of the chapel is also on display

The Louvre 







Eiffel Tower

I attempted 385 lb. but I was not successful. I had a controlled decent but I stayed in the bottom position for a second too long and was not able to get back up. I dumped the bar and called it a day.

WOD

Partner WOD - Bear Complex, 20 Minute AMRAP

 This workout was an alternating bear complex. The goal was to keep a steady pace and not rush the reps. I started at 95 lb. but my coach kept adding weight and I ended it up at 125 lb. At 95 lb. the reps were not too bad. I was able to keep moving at a smooth pace which is probably why my coach increased the weight. We finished with a combined total of 57 reps. This was a great workout because I was able to do it with my wife. We pushed each other and were able to keep a great pace. My wife and I are becoming better athletes together.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Back Squat - 4x2 at 90% (345 lb.)

I haven't lifted this much weight since the last back squat cycle. It was a 4x2 but I was only able to complete two sets at 345 lb. The squats felt great, and I would have been able to finish if I had enough time. I feel very confident in my squat and hopefully I can set a new PR next week.

WOD

Fight Gone Bad - 3 Rounds, 1 Minute Per Station

Wall Ball (20 lb.)
Sumo Deadlift High Pull (75 lb.)
Box Jump (20 in.)
Push Press (75 lb.)
Row (cals.)
Rest 1 min

It's been over a year since doing this workout but I was determined to set a new PR. My plan for the workout was to at least complete 20 reps for each movement, it was a lofty goal. The first round started well but I wasn't close to my 20 reps. I was able to at least get at least 15 reps on all the movements including the row. I finished the round with 81 reps total. The next two rounds were not easy. I was able to keep up with the 15 reps on each movement but failed to get more than 10 or 11 reps on the row. I was exhausted by the end of the workout but I was at least able to set a new PR. I set a new total at 225 reps which is an increase of 15 reps. It's not a large number but hopefully I will be able set a new PR next time I attempt this workout.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Power Clean

I set a new power clean PR with at 105 kg lift and surpassed my clean PR of 102 kg. I felt that I could have went a bit heavier, maybe a kilo or two. I was surprised that it was a large jump from my previous power clean pr at 98 kg. I hope I can get to 125 kg before the year is over. 

Power Snatch

I also set a new power snatch PR with a 78 kg lift. My heaviest snatch was at 75 kg and any increase in my snatch weight is great. My wrist and forearms have been hurting lately and I haven't been working on my snatches since it becomes painful when the weight gets too heavy. I hope it clears up and I finally hit 91 kg. 

CrossFit Games Open: 15.4

I was excited and a bit scared when I saw this workout on the board. I have been working on oly lifts and neglecting conditioning. With the open coming up in a few weeks, this workout would be a good gauge of my fitness. My previous PR was 51 reps but I was able to I finish this workout with 57 reps! It's a small increase but hopefully I'll do better next time.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Blog Goals

I want to write more posts and stay consistent. With the holidays finishing up I will be back to writing more stuff about CrossFit and gaming. I just picked up the new Inov-8 235v2 and will be writing about it soon.

CrossFit Goals

I will write about a few PRs from the holidays but I have a few goals in mind for 2017.

• 400 lb. back squat
• 200 lb. snatch
• 275 lb. clean and jerk
• Under 5 minute Fran

Gaming Goals

I used to paint my models in pieces but I found that not all models need to be painted this way. I want to play more Warmachine lists but my lack of assembled models is hampering me. My resolution for 2017 is to assemble my easy to paint models and play them while I get them painted. Also, to actually paint more models in 2017! I also want to work on streaming more games I'm playing like Hearthstone and other games on the PS4. 

Thanks for reading and be sure to look for more posts in the new year!

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Taken from the Loot Crate site, "Each month, Loot Crate™ ships a themed mystery box of the best geek, gaming, and pop culture gear to a subscriber base of over 100,000 Looters. We emphasize phenomenal support and content, and include gear from some of the most respected entertainment and consumer product companies in the world." Loot Crate sells for $15.99 a month plus $6.00 shipping and handling. You can save on the costs by subscribing for longer periods as well. If you like this theme check out the link at the bottom to subscribe.

The t-shirt this month is from Mr. Robot. Mr. Robot is one of my favorite shows and season two did not disappoint. 

The exclusive Pop is from Assassin's Creed. Aguilar is portrayed by Michael Fassbender in the new Assassin's Creed movie. 

The hardcover book in the box is by Daniel Picard. It's an interesting book with some cool pictures. 

The Firefly item is a replica patch from the show. 

The pin for this month is also from Assassin's Creed. The code gives you access to a digital excerpt from an upcoming Assassin's Creed novel.

I actually liked most of the items in this box. The Firefly patch was a bit of a letdown but the other items were great. The photo book, shirt and Funko Pop figure were awesome. I hope next month is just as good.