Where In The World Did The Time Go?

Oops..

I haven't been blogging because I have fallen into the routine of things. I think I am finally, after months and months, feeling at home in Bordeaux. My classes and my home life are now pretty stabilized. I have finally started to realize who my real friends are and who were never really friends to begin with.  I forget that there are still things to discuss! So without further ado...

Classes

Remember the wonderful professor I told you about in my last blog? In my next assignment my thesis was on sex, and big surprise, I got a good grade. I think that alone says enough about his character. I stopped attending to class since our only two papers have been graded. Life is good.

My other classes: Art History, Linguistics, and Affaires are going well. No sex obsessed professors. I am currently taking a break from studying for my Linguistics exam.

Jardin Public

We have been picnicking, studying, relaxing at my favorite place in Bordeaux since the weather has been in the 70's. It's been supreme. Sometimes I end up at the Jardin several times a day because I go jogging in the morning, then sometimes I'll meet friends there, and at the end of the day in the city I will cut through the jardin on the way home. It's bliss.

Beach Day

About a dozen friends and I took at train to Arcachon to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather. We packed food, drinks, towels, and beach activities and boarded the hour train. It was the best way to spend a Friday.

Random Thoughts

• Coming home is around the corner!
• Dear Black Beans and Refried Beans, We will be having a sweet reunion when I come home.
• I don't know why you can only buy loratadine in 7 day packs here... like allergies only last a week.
• Warm weather makes me want to chop off my hair.

Bye Bye !

Snowing in Bordeaux

I woke up this morning to Ynel's (my little host brother) screaming. Okay, maybe not screaming, but talking a wired, giddy voice. I checked my watch and it was 9 a.m. I lay in bed wondering what possessed a 12-year-old to wake up so early on a Sunday with such energy. I finally rolled out of bed and opened my shutters. I stood in shock at the sight. Our garden was completely covered in snow.

Joana and Ynel convinced me to head over to see the Jardin Public. I threw on some clothes and my warm coat and opened the front door. I don't know what I was expecting to see, but obviously I am not accustomed to snow because I was surprised, yet again, at the sight of our street in a blanket of snow.

I was selective about photos since my fingers had limited functioning time in the cold. I snapped some shots of my walk to the Jardin. The Palais Gallien was absolutely astonishing.

I turned the corner into the Jardin Public which was filled with laughter, kids running around, dogs pouncing in the snow piles, grown adults throwing snow balls. I honestly never knew French people had this kind of fun in them. I joke -- kinda.

On my walk home I was wondering what humans find so magical about snow. But actually, it is one element that we just cannot duplicate quite like nature. We are masters of fire, experts at extracting and filtering water, we turn rocks into sparkling jewelry, and we can even purify air, however when it comes to snow, we are absolutely baffled. 

Even our greatest attempt at duplicating nature is futile. We take so much electricity and insulation to create a small arctic-like space. In this freezer, we are capable of making small, uniform chunks of ice. I think snow shows us that nature is so much bigger and better than us. 

Happy February :)

Check out more pics here

London

Thursday - Birthday 

I seriously had an amazing birthday. Here are the pictures to prove it.

Friday

I woke up Friday morning, packed my stuff and headed to the bus stop. We arrived at the Bordeaux airport for the first time and it was small but nice. There was a little "vineyard" lining the entrance. We switched our money to pounds and felt so cultured carrying 3 types of money.

Opening my birthday gift from Lauren (a wrap watch from texto that I've been eyeing for the longest time)

While walking to our terminal, which was more like a hangar, we ran into this bizarre guy. He was wearing a leather tasseled jacket, no shirt, spandex leggings with a neon green stripe, 70s running shoes, a side pony tail AND a fanny pack. And you would never guess his nationality: American. Yeah our country produces some winners. I couldn't even hear what Todd and him were talking about because I was laughing so hard.

And I sort of insisted on snapping a quick photo. Maybe we should start a new website like thepeopleofairports .com ... think about it

Our plane ride was about an hour. We took the bus into the city and I thought we were going to die. Our bus driver was insane, not to mention I kept thinking he needed to get on the other side of the road. We stopped to get some dinner; Marina, bryan and I had hamburgers while Todd and Lauren had fish and chips for dinner.

We walked the 30 minutes to our hostel that no English person said was walkable. Our hostel was really sweet and our room was for 6 so we had a German roommate. He came to London just to go shopping! He said they make the best leather shoes.

 Little quotes around our hostel.

Bunk beds and Entrance.

We dropped our bags and left for the biggest gay club in London fittingly named G-A-Y. It took us a good hour and a half to walk there, but we couldn't really afford the underground. On the way we stopped at Harrod's which was closed but there christmas lights and displays were up. It was beautiful. Everything was covered in Swarovski crystals. We walked to each display and reenacted some of them.

 Acting out the displays - yeah, we're some classy-ass Americans.

 Piccadilly Square at Night.

 The London Eye and Thames River at night.

Half way there, I sat on a bench and declared we should give up and just go to a pub. In the end I made it. We walked a bridge and took pictures of the city before heading back to the street of the gay bar. We were able to get in free with vouchers we found online before we left France. There were several dance floors and bars. It was a blast. We finally got back to the hostel after walking, dancing and walking again for hours. When my alarm went off at 730 to get up, we had a difficult time.

Saturday

We were staying in a neighborhood à la classe by Hyde Park, the biggest royal park in London. We strolled the park in the morning then headed to piccadilly circus. On the way we had an English breakfast. Mine was a slightly altered vegetarian breakfast including: eggs, hash browns, fried tomato, mushroom, beans, breakfast sausage and toast with butter and jam. I cleaned my plate, and it was the subject of conversation all day.

Piccadilly, The London version of times square, was bustling with people and filled with all kinds of languages. We hopped a double decker bus that let us tour the city. We saw so much stuff including: Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, the Tower of London, and the Tower Bridge.

Then was stopped to get a drink at one of the oldest pubs in London called Albert. It was cozy but at the same time kinda fancy.

We walked back to Harrod's and got food to go there. Everyone's food was amazing. We finished the night window shopping and enjoying some Starbucks, a rarity in France as none exist in Bordeaux.

On the way home we were admiring all these Ferraris, Bentleys and Rolls. After taking some pictures we were walking home and while crossing the street, I was nearly hit by a Rolls Royce. This city was just too classy for us peasants - American peasants at that, the lowest of the 1st world peasant hierarchy.

Sunday

Was woke up before the crack of dawn and walked to the bus stop. We were all talking about how amazing McDonalds would be while walking to our bus at 6 this morning. Miraculously there was a Mickey D's across the street. We spoiled ourselves with breakfast sandwiches and hash browns. Once again: it's the little things people.

We hopped the bus to the airport. I wasn't in the slightest bit ready to leave London, although I can't believe I'm saying this, but I couldn't wait to get back to the euro. The British pound was killing me.

Random questions:

Why is McDonald's nicer in every country other than it's own?

Why would someone pay 9,000 pounds per night at a hotel? Other than the standard Bentley and chauffeur, does it come with a selection of high class prostitutes?

Why don't we have beans at breakfast in the US?

Back to the daily grind.