cinq mille choses

Okay, I realize that me not posting for over two weeks was a super fail, but I've been extremely busy.

My dad came to visit me! He arrived on Saturday the 1st and the first thing he did in the city of lights, the center of Europe, the most beautiful place in the world...was to fall asleep on my bed for a good two hours while I ate poulet roti in the other room. Yup. Once the jet-lag wore off (although I guess it probably didn't, because I think I might still have it and I've been here for a good two months) we walked around my neighborhood despite the fact that it was pouring. Sunday we spent the entire day walking around, to Notre Dame and the Ile Saint-Louis by way of the monument on the Ile de la Cite for the deportees of WWII, which is the creepiest thing I have ever seen (but rightfully so), and then back and over the Pont Neuf (which means 'NEW bridge' not 'bridge nine') along the right bank of the Seine, through the courtyard(s) of the Louvre, through the Tuileries, down the Champs Elysees where I picked up some (okay, lots of) macaroons at LaDuree, all the way to the Arc de Triomphe where I proceeded to get sand in BOTH my eyes because apparently I took my binoculars to the beach at some point and never cleaned them out afterwards. Either that or god hates me, whichever.

Monday we left at freaking-early o'clock for Strasbourg by way of the TGV (Train de Grande Vitesse, or high-speed trains). I had a few second-thoughts about going to Strasbourg beforehand--why Strasbourg, a town which I know relatively nothing about except for the fact that it's been part of Germany as much as it's been part of France over the past howevermany years? Why not another country? Was it going to be a waste of my time and my (well, dad's) money? And let me tell you, it was DEFINITELY worth it.

I always thought that everyone in Paris was beautiful, well-dressed, and nicely made-up with good hair and pretty babies. That is, until I got to Strasbourg. Everyone, and I mean everyone down to the homeless people, was dressed better than your average american. I hate to say it, but it's true. It's probably because Strasbourg is the seat of the Council of Europe, as well as the Court of the European Union, (that amongst other big, impressive, European things) or that it's just perfectly situated in the center of Europe, but for whatever reason, Strasbourg is full of rich people. Or at least, people who are really good at looking rich. Also, prettiest little kids I have ever seen. None of them were screaming or snotting on themselves (or anyone else, for that matter), and they all had clear skin, big eyes, and, of course, fabulous clothes. And not a single person was rude, except for the guy who told dad he wasn't allowed to take pictures of his table of socks at the market. But he's just the sock man, so he doesn't count.

Strasbourg is surrounded (several times, in fact) by a few different rivers which are incredibly picturesque, especially since they're full of swans. Swans who will chase you down if they think you have food. Which is not quite as picturesque, but whatever. We took a boat tour all around the city which was very well done, with headphones and different channels to choose from depending on what language you wanted to hear the tour in, etc. I thought it was better than the Bateaux Mouches in Paris simply because there was more information, plus you can see a lot more from the river there than you can from the Seine.

The oldest part of the city of Strasbourg, Petite France, is tiny and adorable with cobblestones, old bridges, buildings coming straight out of the river, and a lot of architecture reminiscent of Germany, Switzerland or Austria. It looked like that to me anyway, but I've never seen any of those places, so I could be wrong. At any rate, it looked to me like everyone there should've been wearing wooden clogs and herding ducks with a tree branch etc. There's also a very famous cathedral, which is apparently the highest medieval structure in all of Europe. There's also a really amazing gyro restaurant, but I don't think it dates back quite that far.

We stayed in Strasbourg until Thursday, when we headed back to Paris and had dinner with Valerie, Edouard and Maria (Valerie's best friend). Friday we spent walking around some more, around Saint Michel and Saint Germaine, and I bought some pretty shoes (which I thought were comfortable until I took them off today and realized I had a huge blister on the ball of my left foot. But I didn't actually notice the blister while I was walking, so I don't care). Friday night dad made burritos for Valerie, Sophie and Jean-Michel (Valerie's sister and brother-in-law). Doing the shopping for pork butt burritos in Paris was interesting, but they turned out really well. Saturday involved some more walking and a tour on the Bateaux Mouches which was good, but FREEZING COLD. That night we had dinner chez Maria with some other French people and the biggest cat I have ever seen in my life. His name was Patapouf, and he was a beast. Even beastlier than my old cat, Sylvester, which I didn't think was possible. Anyway, that was entertaining. Sunday we visited Reid Hall and, had good pizza, and walked around on rue de Rennes for a while, and later on had dinner in the Marais where we saw some guy dressed as a clown. Don't really know what that was about, but I had a delicious steak, so it was good.

Monday involved way too much walking--from the Galleries Lafayette (which has by far the weirdest window displays I have EVER seen--babies on mushrooms with an octopus, a ballerina, and mechanical bunnies in vests opening a door for no reason?), past the Moulin Rouge and up to Sacre Coeur (SANS funicular, I'll have you know) and around the little streets there. We took the metro back to rue de Rennes to go to FNAC and then had dinner at an Italian place near my house because we were so tired. We came home afterwards (at around 8:00) only to find Valerie, Maria, and Maria's friend Filippe preparing dinner for dad's last night here. So, even though we were already full, we hung out with them and managed not to explode from too much pasta. Alex, Valerie's american friend (who also speaks French, Italian and Spanish) was there too.

Dad left on Tuesday morning, and I proceeded to sleep a whole lot that day and night because I was so worn out from all the walking. My classes started again yesterday with theatre, which was horrendously boring. Today was more entertaining--aside from classes, we discovered the most delicous paninis ever, decided that we need to go to Strasbourg for the Marche de Noel (Christmas market, which is apparently very famous and amazing), and saw a huge manifestation with fire, smoke, a cannon and a whole lot of drunk people in broad daylight. Then Kristin and I went over to the rue Mouffetard so I could buy some gloves.

This weekend the group is going to Provence for Saturday and Sunday, coming back on Sunday evening. Specifically, Sunday evening at 8:15. Which is funny, because my theatre class (which comprises maybe 11 our of our group of 33 students) needs to be at the Comedie Francaise by 8:30 to see Le Mariage de Figaro. Which is a three hour play.

I might die from exhaustion, but at least I will die content.