Let's see...a week ago today I was in Paris with Marjerie, exploring the Marais quarter on the right bank. We tried to go to one of her favorite bakeries but there was such a long line, and it was starting to rain, hard. So instead we bought pastries from a small patisserie on the way to the metro and ate them in her apartment with free coffee before I left for the train station.
~~~
This week has been a blur of lots of different kinds of fun. And here I find myself on a Sunday, relaxing at home and thinking about it all. For starters, the Premiere Plans film festival (the first film festival of Europe!) has come once more to Angers. I went to three independent films with my friends but my favorite by far was "Bagdad Cafe", directed by Percy Adlon. It is such a funny and strange story; about a German woman who is ditched by her husband on the side of the road in the middle of an American desert. She finds a place for herself at a run-down gas station/motel run by a family that is badly in need of a little Bravarian "magic" and some lederhosen laughter. It was all the better to have our own Bravarian friend, Katrin, sitting right there to laugh along with us at the woman's strange customs and thick accent, mixed with perfect comic timing.
~~~
Thursday I was at the Angers castle for the inauguration of a new passerelle. This included not only a rather unexpected concert of medieval instruments and singing (inside the tapestry chamber) but also the appearance of two African camels that people could actually ride! No, I did not try. The last thing I wanted was for some man to give me detailed instructions on camel-mounting in French ("Whatever you do, don't squeeze the neck...") and for me to misunderstand ("Got it. Squeeze the neck...") and inadvertently kill myself. So I stayed on the firm ground and had the thrill of watching others ride; sipping at my flûte of Loire Valley champagne in celebration of a footbridge.
~~~
I stayed in Angers this weekend too - trying to save money for my big February vacation to Barcelona, Rome, and Paris. I ended up making dinner with some girls last night. We had a Galette des Rois for dessert and I found la fève in my piece (in the form of a green, porcelain penguin). As a reward, I got to wear the mushy paper crown, that came with the cake, and be king/queen for the night. The French eat these flakey, pastry cakes all month long in January, until the start of Lent after Mardi Gras. The tradition is very fun and most everyone keeps it. Last night was actually the 4th or 5th time I've eaten the galette this month! If you're interested (why not make your own and have a party?), here's some more info about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galette_des_Rois#French_King_Cake
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Chez Marj
My first day in Paris this weekend has been quite nice so far. I am staying with Marjerie this time but she has been at class all afternoon and then she has a dinner with her dad tonight so I will be alone for a little longer. But we will get started doing things (shopping, cafes, pains au chocolate, Monmartre, Cimetière du Père Lachaise (the one from Paris, Je t'aime!), etc.) tomorrow morning. Today I arrived a little before 11 am from Angers. I walked straight to chez Marj and was met with a box of chocolates! She bought me these fancy (and yummy) French chocolates as a Christmas gift because I made her peanut butter cookies and a card in December. But I only did that because she let me use her apartment the weekend before Christmas (if you recall) so now I need to think of something nice to do for her. Like invite her to stay at my (future) Seattle apartment this summer in July!
I went to the Montparnasse Cemetery today to see Sartre's grave. Then I took a little walk around the St. Germain neighborhood, north of the Luxembourg Garden. I read in my "Paris Adventure Walks" cards that there is a famous little bakery called La Poilâne that makes delicious grain breads nearby. "I need some bread tonight to eat with ny soup," I thought, so I searched for the little bakery and bought myself some famous bread. It is very good. Later, I went to Gilbert Jeune to look for a good guidebook on Rome; I ended up buying the latest Harry Potter book in French instead!
All in all, it was a very successful afternoon in Paris and I expect to have much more to tell you after the next two days.
I went to the Montparnasse Cemetery today to see Sartre's grave. Then I took a little walk around the St. Germain neighborhood, north of the Luxembourg Garden. I read in my "Paris Adventure Walks" cards that there is a famous little bakery called La Poilâne that makes delicious grain breads nearby. "I need some bread tonight to eat with ny soup," I thought, so I searched for the little bakery and bought myself some famous bread. It is very good. Later, I went to Gilbert Jeune to look for a good guidebook on Rome; I ended up buying the latest Harry Potter book in French instead!
All in all, it was a very successful afternoon in Paris and I expect to have much more to tell you after the next two days.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Bartering in Stickers
Well here I am, back in France. It was 50 degrees when I left two weeks ago, so I left my fleece coat at home. It has been below freezing, in the 20s since I got back though! I thought I left all this cold weather behind in Seattle. It even snowed on me when I made the 15 minute trek home from the train station on Monday night...dragging my 50 pound suitcase full of American snacks...after 22 hours of travelling...it was tough. And now, I repeat, here I am! The homesickness that floated with me all the way over the Atlantic is finally gone and I can start to have fun again.
Tonight I made brownies (one of those American snacks I hauled 6,000 miles) with Katrin and Vanessa, two other assistants. We ate our brownies fresh out of the oven, then hiked up Katrin's hill, in the snow again, to the public swimming pool for the evening free swim. Shoes are not allowed in the dressing room which I wholeheartedly support. (Why don't we do that??) And this is yet another European location that gives students (I still use my SPU card!) a discount - only 2 euro. Vanessa, of course, was scandalized by this because, as she tells it, everything in Canada is free! Pools, ice skating...even driver's ed. is cheap!
"But how does the city make any money?" I asked.
"Oh it's all free," she replied, "but they make us pay to park there!"
~~~
Once in the pool I think we swam a total of three laps in one hour, but we got in a lot of talking. We treaded water for a while and then I won the whocanswimthefarthestunderwaterwithout-takingabreath contest - quite an accomplishment I thought.
"I feel like Ryan Phelps!" I exclaimed. And then, "Wait, that's wrong isn't it? I'm such a bad American!"
Vanessa and Katrin laughed pretty hard, but that was nothing compared to when Katrin (from Bravaria) told us (mid-tread) that she had been in a "sticker community" at school. For some reason, this was the funniest thing I had heard all week! She meant that she had collected stickers in primary school and her class had traded them like baseball cards. But I just loved the way she put it! It sounds like she lived in a city of people who bartered in stickers or something.
~~~
Tomorrow we three go to our third concert together. This time Debussy and ... well, as a matter of fact I can't find my program. But the theme is: Impressionism!
Tonight I made brownies (one of those American snacks I hauled 6,000 miles) with Katrin and Vanessa, two other assistants. We ate our brownies fresh out of the oven, then hiked up Katrin's hill, in the snow again, to the public swimming pool for the evening free swim. Shoes are not allowed in the dressing room which I wholeheartedly support. (Why don't we do that??) And this is yet another European location that gives students (I still use my SPU card!) a discount - only 2 euro. Vanessa, of course, was scandalized by this because, as she tells it, everything in Canada is free! Pools, ice skating...even driver's ed. is cheap!
"But how does the city make any money?" I asked.
"Oh it's all free," she replied, "but they make us pay to park there!"
~~~
Once in the pool I think we swam a total of three laps in one hour, but we got in a lot of talking. We treaded water for a while and then I won the whocanswimthefarthestunderwaterwithout-takingabreath contest - quite an accomplishment I thought.
"I feel like Ryan Phelps!" I exclaimed. And then, "Wait, that's wrong isn't it? I'm such a bad American!"
Vanessa and Katrin laughed pretty hard, but that was nothing compared to when Katrin (from Bravaria) told us (mid-tread) that she had been in a "sticker community" at school. For some reason, this was the funniest thing I had heard all week! She meant that she had collected stickers in primary school and her class had traded them like baseball cards. But I just loved the way she put it! It sounds like she lived in a city of people who bartered in stickers or something.
~~~
Tomorrow we three go to our third concert together. This time Debussy and ... well, as a matter of fact I can't find my program. But the theme is: Impressionism!
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