Apologies for the lax communique, once again. It's been a bit of a whirlwind adventure in Paris. Yesterday, Mom and I managed to do a stunning number of things. We started the day with a glorious Parisian breakfast in the Hotel du Louvre (a hotel which, despite being excellently situated right across the street from the Louvre, is obviously making little effort in the room furnishings department), and then we headed over to Printemps for some good shopping in the most fashionable city on earth.
After that, we had lunch with Mom's colleagues at a little bistro. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger (because I've been living here for 2 months, have eaten things with legs, and you can't tell me what to do!!), but the bacon was gross and ham-like, so I picked it off. The burger was nearly raw, but I ate in anyway. It doesn't do to be picky whilst visiting another country. Following lunch, we headed over to the Louvre, where we feasted our eyes on Greek sculptures, French renaissance paintings, and utterly fabulous architecture. One day I want to decorate my bedroom to look like the gilded ceilings of the Louvre.
The Louvre closed early yesterday for whatever reason, so we seized the opportunity to head over to Angelina's for a cup of the best hot chocolate in the world. It did not disappoint. Mom ordered a vanilla eclair and I asked for four mini macrons. The flavors were coffee, chocolate, raspberry cinnamon, and pistachio. Each was a divine experience. After consuming what we dubbed our Thanksgiving feast, Mom and I agreed that we could probably be happy never eating sugar again and then made our way over to the Eiffel Tower.
Of course it was perfect. We went straight to the top and gazed down on glittering Paris, which stretches all the way to the horizon. Those of you who have never been to Paris might be tempted to think that if you've gone up in one tall building, you've gone up in all of them. Sears Tower is like one of the biggest buildings in the world, how could it get better? Indeed, the first time I came to Paris, I was tempted to skip it as well. Thank God I didn't, because it is truly, truly remarkable, and something you must not miss, should you ever decide to pay a visit to the city of love.
We were really flipping cold after the Eiffel Tower though, and while desperately searching for a metro station, we saw a sign for a "boat bus," which listed the Louvre as a point of interest on its map. "Maybe they dock at all the things on their list!" How naive we were. We boarded the boat bus, which thankfully had indoor seating, and enjoyed a lovely moonlight tour through Paris, seeing up close such sights as Notre Dame and the Conciergerie. After disembarking from the boat after the pleasant hour-long tour, the Eiffel Tower began to sparkle. It was truly magical.
And so concluded our marvelous Parisian adventure. This afternoon we shall board a train to Avignon, from which we will rent a car and travel the winding country roads to Les Baux de Provence, my favorite place in southern France. A bientot!
Friday, November 23, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Paris, Je t'aime
Sometimes I still look around and think, "I'm really in France right now. I'm really on the other side of the world, in a place that only existed in my imagination and on a map for so long." Only three years ago, Paris was a place to which I only endeavored to go. Today I entered it for the third time, after living in the French countryside for two months.
It's funny how dreams become achievements and then memories and then things in your past that once meant the world to you. I remember watching window shots in the movie Ratatouille, the ones that overlooked the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and thinking that I would do anything to go there. And I did go there.
It was magical then, of course, just like it's magical now. It's the city that sparkles, the romance capital of the world. It holds some of the most beautiful art and architecture in the world, and every man knows how to wear a scarf like a sexy beast. Multicolored pastel macrons and chocolate croissants line the glass-covered bakery shelves, and fashion trumps comfort always.
Like any city, it's not perfect. Scam artists run rampant, whether they're charging you five euros to put your bag in a taxi for you or using a laminated sign asking you, in broken English, to help them reach their son currently held hostage by the prince of Nigeria. There is an endless supply of embarrassing moments to experience, even when you've been learning the culture and language for two months. There may be urine on the subway steps.
But I love it still. Not only because of all those enchanting little things that make the French culture and Paris in particular so beautiful, but because this place is always going to be that faraway city that might as well have been Neverland to my 12 year old self. It's always going to be that dream that came true. When people say its name, my heart will jump like the name of someone I'm head over heels for has been mentioned. I think those things we love all come to belong to us in some way. Paris is home to many people who perhaps have spent only a week or two of their lives in it. Though I may hate the train station and the keychain salesmen and the euro exchange rate, coming to Paris will always feel like visiting a childhood home I haven't seen in years. It's that place where part of me grew up, if only in my head.
It's funny how dreams become achievements and then memories and then things in your past that once meant the world to you. I remember watching window shots in the movie Ratatouille, the ones that overlooked the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe and thinking that I would do anything to go there. And I did go there.
It was magical then, of course, just like it's magical now. It's the city that sparkles, the romance capital of the world. It holds some of the most beautiful art and architecture in the world, and every man knows how to wear a scarf like a sexy beast. Multicolored pastel macrons and chocolate croissants line the glass-covered bakery shelves, and fashion trumps comfort always.
Like any city, it's not perfect. Scam artists run rampant, whether they're charging you five euros to put your bag in a taxi for you or using a laminated sign asking you, in broken English, to help them reach their son currently held hostage by the prince of Nigeria. There is an endless supply of embarrassing moments to experience, even when you've been learning the culture and language for two months. There may be urine on the subway steps.
But I love it still. Not only because of all those enchanting little things that make the French culture and Paris in particular so beautiful, but because this place is always going to be that faraway city that might as well have been Neverland to my 12 year old self. It's always going to be that dream that came true. When people say its name, my heart will jump like the name of someone I'm head over heels for has been mentioned. I think those things we love all come to belong to us in some way. Paris is home to many people who perhaps have spent only a week or two of their lives in it. Though I may hate the train station and the keychain salesmen and the euro exchange rate, coming to Paris will always feel like visiting a childhood home I haven't seen in years. It's that place where part of me grew up, if only in my head.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
British Museum and Singing in the Rain
This morning, Mom and I headed over to the British Museum. We bought breakfast at a little bakery just down the block from the hotel, and we ate it in a leisurely fashion on the subway. I had a Spanish omelette.
The museum was just as cool as I remember it, though after a couple hours, even though there was still much to see, I was kind of done with it. They have so much of everything that it gets wearying. By the afternoon, I was thinking that there's not much difference between gold bracelets made in 300BC and gold bracelets made in 500BC, and there were still gold bracelets to be seen from basically every century ever. Of course it's cool that they have all that stuff, and of course there is way more to the museum than gold bracelets, but there was just so much of the same thing that I didn't feel guilty about not spending all day soaking it up.
My favorite thing, however, is a mesh tapestry in one of the first chambers. It has thousands and thousands of little pockets sewn into it, and in each pocket is a pill. The tapestry is supposed to represent the amount of medication a person is prescribed in his/her lifetime. It's amazing to see such a massive representation of the medicine we take. It's also very interesting for me to see the progression of a life in terms of the illnesses they needed to treat. Headaches, Flu, prenatal vitamins, chemo, etc... The first time I saw this tapestry, I accidentally viewed it backwards, and it was sad yet poetic to watch the clock be turned back for an ailing woman taking pills by the fistful every day, all the way until she was an infant and receiving vaccinations and vitamins.
But after the museum, we had gourmet Mexican food for lunch, which was pretty much the same as above average Mexican food everywhere. I love me some guacamole.
The real treat of the day, however, was the musical "Singing in the Rain." It was fantastically done, with real water pouring from the ceiling, tons of dancing with umbrellas, beautiful costumes, and killer special effects. The theatre itself was also a work of art. It seemed to still be stuck in the 1920's, and Mom and I admired the ornate carvings and velvet curtains and foggy windows whilst drinking champagne before the show started.
The tube was quite crowded on the way home, but once the journey was over, our good old faithful bakery was still open and we got a little dinner. I was rather surprised to find a place still open at 11pm. In France, there's not a damn thing open past 7:30 usually. It was a lovely day, and tomorrow we catch a train to Paris. Cheers!
The museum was just as cool as I remember it, though after a couple hours, even though there was still much to see, I was kind of done with it. They have so much of everything that it gets wearying. By the afternoon, I was thinking that there's not much difference between gold bracelets made in 300BC and gold bracelets made in 500BC, and there were still gold bracelets to be seen from basically every century ever. Of course it's cool that they have all that stuff, and of course there is way more to the museum than gold bracelets, but there was just so much of the same thing that I didn't feel guilty about not spending all day soaking it up.
My favorite thing, however, is a mesh tapestry in one of the first chambers. It has thousands and thousands of little pockets sewn into it, and in each pocket is a pill. The tapestry is supposed to represent the amount of medication a person is prescribed in his/her lifetime. It's amazing to see such a massive representation of the medicine we take. It's also very interesting for me to see the progression of a life in terms of the illnesses they needed to treat. Headaches, Flu, prenatal vitamins, chemo, etc... The first time I saw this tapestry, I accidentally viewed it backwards, and it was sad yet poetic to watch the clock be turned back for an ailing woman taking pills by the fistful every day, all the way until she was an infant and receiving vaccinations and vitamins.
But after the museum, we had gourmet Mexican food for lunch, which was pretty much the same as above average Mexican food everywhere. I love me some guacamole.
The real treat of the day, however, was the musical "Singing in the Rain." It was fantastically done, with real water pouring from the ceiling, tons of dancing with umbrellas, beautiful costumes, and killer special effects. The theatre itself was also a work of art. It seemed to still be stuck in the 1920's, and Mom and I admired the ornate carvings and velvet curtains and foggy windows whilst drinking champagne before the show started.
The tube was quite crowded on the way home, but once the journey was over, our good old faithful bakery was still open and we got a little dinner. I was rather surprised to find a place still open at 11pm. In France, there's not a damn thing open past 7:30 usually. It was a lovely day, and tomorrow we catch a train to Paris. Cheers!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Day 3 in London
I have become so unreliable with posting!
Today I finally got my Chipotle burrito. Seriously, I've been craving it almost since the day I first left for France. Can you believe it's already been more than two months since then? So hard to believe this adventure will be over almost before I can blink.
It's funny, when one thinks of going to London, the classy British accent is one of the first things you'd expect to encounter, isn't it? London is a soup of different accents, really. There is of course the beautiful and princely English accent that we know from movies, and then there's the broader Cockney lilt. Then you have your Irishmen and a few Scottish natives sprinkled here and there. It's also rather easy to find Americans here, as it is probably the least intimidating European travel destination for the likes of us. It's quite astounding, really, the sheer variety of accents which can be found here on even the shortest walk to the neighborhood bakery.
After eating Chipotle for breakfast, I wandered around and ended up making a stop at the Planetarium, which was cool. I'm always up for learning about stars and watching omnimax shows. Later, I headed over to Covent Garden and did a bit of shopping. It's really fun to see how popular fashion is different from country to country. I'm falling in love with leather pants. I think I'm going to have to invest in a good pair somewhere.
Mom and I had dinner at a pub afterward, and the food was comforting and delicious, as it always seems to be here. The English like their stews and sandwiches. They also love their tea, of course. I've been meaning to take a peek in a specialty British tea shop. We've also decided to go see a theatre production tomorrow. Phantom of the Opera was sold out (damn it), so we got tickets to Singing in the Rain. It should be a fun time.
I'll start being more reliable with my entries again! See you soon.
Today I finally got my Chipotle burrito. Seriously, I've been craving it almost since the day I first left for France. Can you believe it's already been more than two months since then? So hard to believe this adventure will be over almost before I can blink.
It's funny, when one thinks of going to London, the classy British accent is one of the first things you'd expect to encounter, isn't it? London is a soup of different accents, really. There is of course the beautiful and princely English accent that we know from movies, and then there's the broader Cockney lilt. Then you have your Irishmen and a few Scottish natives sprinkled here and there. It's also rather easy to find Americans here, as it is probably the least intimidating European travel destination for the likes of us. It's quite astounding, really, the sheer variety of accents which can be found here on even the shortest walk to the neighborhood bakery.
After eating Chipotle for breakfast, I wandered around and ended up making a stop at the Planetarium, which was cool. I'm always up for learning about stars and watching omnimax shows. Later, I headed over to Covent Garden and did a bit of shopping. It's really fun to see how popular fashion is different from country to country. I'm falling in love with leather pants. I think I'm going to have to invest in a good pair somewhere.
Mom and I had dinner at a pub afterward, and the food was comforting and delicious, as it always seems to be here. The English like their stews and sandwiches. They also love their tea, of course. I've been meaning to take a peek in a specialty British tea shop. We've also decided to go see a theatre production tomorrow. Phantom of the Opera was sold out (damn it), so we got tickets to Singing in the Rain. It should be a fun time.
I'll start being more reliable with my entries again! See you soon.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Be right back, France: Voyage to London
Hullo from London!
Mom has jetlag and I am just happy to have a fluffy, comfy bed instead of a futon with a bar right where the middle of my spine is, so we are already enjoying our matching twin beds. We have an early morning, but I've neglected this blog for days!
Today we went to a pony club for Lena's weekly pony lesson. It was pretty cute, and the ponies listen better than most dogs. Afterward, Lena's grandmother made steak for lunch, and it was basically raw with about fifteen seconds of cooking on both sides. I choked it down with ketchup.
Speaking of weird food items, yesterday we also had some sort of sea creature for dinner. I ripped the heads and legs off my food, and then I peeled its skin off and dunked the meat in a sauce made from it's own juices. Made me feel rather cruel. The taste wasn't bad, but I prefer my food not so freshly dismembered. First world problem, I know.
Anyway, I love the subway. I've decided that America should get it together in the subway department. It's seriously awesome that you can go just about anywhere in the city for a couple pounds.
Tomorrow will be a more interesting post. Now we must sleep! Bonne nuit!
Mom has jetlag and I am just happy to have a fluffy, comfy bed instead of a futon with a bar right where the middle of my spine is, so we are already enjoying our matching twin beds. We have an early morning, but I've neglected this blog for days!
Today we went to a pony club for Lena's weekly pony lesson. It was pretty cute, and the ponies listen better than most dogs. Afterward, Lena's grandmother made steak for lunch, and it was basically raw with about fifteen seconds of cooking on both sides. I choked it down with ketchup.
Speaking of weird food items, yesterday we also had some sort of sea creature for dinner. I ripped the heads and legs off my food, and then I peeled its skin off and dunked the meat in a sauce made from it's own juices. Made me feel rather cruel. The taste wasn't bad, but I prefer my food not so freshly dismembered. First world problem, I know.
Anyway, I love the subway. I've decided that America should get it together in the subway department. It's seriously awesome that you can go just about anywhere in the city for a couple pounds.
Tomorrow will be a more interesting post. Now we must sleep! Bonne nuit!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Cathedrals in Marseilles
Today a friend of the Repettos picked me up to go to mass in Marseilles. We had to leave far in advance of the service, because Marseille is a bit of a drive and seats fill up quickly, but it was worth it.
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Absolutely majestic. The ceiling was unbelievably high, and the stained glass was positively marvelous. The organ echoed off all the walls, creating music that was almost overpowering. It was probably the coolest mass I've ever been to.
After that, Emmeline asked if I wanted to go to the highest point in Marseille to survey the city. Of course I said yes.
Sea, mountains, and rolling hills of darling red-roofed houses. Can southern France get more iconic?
Yes. Look at the sailboats. Can you see the sailboats??? We were really far away, but my main goal with this picture was to capture Chateau d'If, made famous by the Count of Monte Cristo. It's that little island that is almost in the very middle of the photo. I want to go there so bad!! I'm mostly interested in the graffiti that is doubtless there. Prison graffiti is the best.
While we were up there I saw some dudes playing soccer. Hello little multicolored ants!
There's also another church on the top of this mountain. It's got an interesting, circus-y color scheme going on. I like the boats hanging from the ceiling. This church was said to protect the fishermen of Marseilles. It's a really sweet idea, I think, because when you're up on this mountain, you can see miles and miles of the Mediterranean, and all the little boats.
It was a truly lovely day.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
French Baguettes and Airplanes
Picture time!
Today is a super lazy day. After the night's festivities, we all slept in, and I spent this morning drinking tea and creating an English exercise for Alex. Today we will learn how to ask basic questions. Where is the library? What is it? Why are you a pineapple today?
It's gloomy and rainy today, which I happen to like, but I have a few pictures from the other day. On Thursday, Alex took me bike riding to a lake where there were tons of what I'm assuming are swans floating about. To my delight, Alex pulled out a couple of baguettes, and we fed the birds.
Today is a super lazy day. After the night's festivities, we all slept in, and I spent this morning drinking tea and creating an English exercise for Alex. Today we will learn how to ask basic questions. Where is the library? What is it? Why are you a pineapple today?
It's gloomy and rainy today, which I happen to like, but I have a few pictures from the other day. On Thursday, Alex took me bike riding to a lake where there were tons of what I'm assuming are swans floating about. To my delight, Alex pulled out a couple of baguettes, and we fed the birds.
Know what's great about baguettes in France? They're 80 cents, and they're flipping delicious. Not soggy like grocery store baguettes, not dense and difficult to tear like "gourmet" baguettes from Trader Joes. They are light, crusty, perfectly fluffy and just a little moist on the inside, and when you tear them they make the most intoxicating crackling noise. I'll be honest and tell you that the birds only got like 3/4 of the baguette.
But moving on, the other day we went for a walk around town and stopped to look at this vibrantly painted airplane on sticks.
Marignane is the town in which the Marseilles airport is actually located, so they're pretty big on airplanes here. Julien, my host dad, actually works building helicopters.
Also, the Repettos have a dog, and her name is Lady.
Here she is sort of cowering behind a rack of drying clothes during the storm yesterday. She's ridiculously sweet and thinks she's a lap dog. If you sit on the floor or on one of the low chairs, she climbs on your lap and sits there, blocking your view of the television or whatever have you, but it's hard to be irritated because she's just so cute.
In other news, yesterday was a record-breaking writing day. 3000 words! I'm overly proud of it, but considering that a great writing day for me is about 1000, a little victory dance was in order. Every writer has their own style, and in the past I've always written chronologically, from start to finish. Of course, I've read at least a dozen books that said, "You don't have to write this way!" and I always said in reply, "Stop your nonsense." But yesterday I decided to just write a scene I really loved from the middle of the story and wound up writing a ton. Muddling through the beginning is always slow and painful, and I use scenes I'm excited about later in the plot to motivate me to keep writing. What inevitably happens is I get stuck and never make it to those scenes I really love, often abandoning the story when too many problems arise early on. For now though, things are looking good for this story. Hopefully yesterday was just one of many successful days of writing.
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