Friends in Epinal

The second stop on our tour, after Nancy, was Epinal. Epinal is a really cute city just about an hour south of Nancy. The hour flew by, it seemed so short compared to the painful trip to Nancy. Next time we might have to just find a place just outside of Paris to regroup. Although I really did like Nancy once we got there.

But I digress, back to Epinal. Cyr's best friend lives here with his wife and new baby. You can see here Martin with his little girl, Julietta, swaddled to his chest. Can you see? I looks like he has a big growth, but it's just little Julietta snuggly tied onto her Papa so she keeps warm and feels secure!
I can't believe I didn't get more pictures of the baby...but she will show up in later posts once I get Cyr to send me a better picture of her. In the above photo we were walking (hiking in the US) up a big hill to get to an old fortress that is still standing. While walking along I saw a sign that said "Parc des animaux" and I thought, "oh, they must have little statues or something." Well. They actually had animaux!
I really thought some kid was going to get his/her fingers eaten off by these pigs. They were pretty agile even with all that fat on them!
I think these were Alpacas. I was told they were not Llamas and that's all I can think of.
And Bambi of course!
Then we walked around and saw what I am sure is where women who wear short skirts or Daisy Dukes buy their bread.

Get it? Hoochie?!
And here is where women used to wash clothes for the men-folk. We actually saw TWO of these! I don't know if it was a very clean town or if people still use them, but this one was covered so I think I would go to this one. Yes. I would go to this one and supervise while some man did my wash for me. It would have to be a very small man that I could bully into it, but I might be able to find one...

If you notice there is a little Virgin Mary at the back. I think it's there so that the woman could immediately ask for forgiveness when they were cursing the fact that they were born women or that their men were so dirty.

I also thought it was quite interesting how the city was built. Here we have a very old church and right up next to it is a shopping area. Check out how they are almost fused together. Now the church is older than the shopping area, and there is a tunnel on the left side of the photo so you can walk through (the church wall, not the photo) to get to the other side of the church or the shopping area. My only guess is that there was a building there before that was replaced. Odd though eh? I mean...where does the property line end and why did they put the windows behind the church wall?!

To end this post I'll show you are friends walking ahead of us down from the main fortress area. The large columns used to support a bridge that went across the gap there. I have to say, I thought it was a really cute little town. I also really like Martin and his wife. They live so simply. They eat healthy foods they buy almost daily, they don't own a car and walk everywhere (we did have to help them buy and bring home a fridge, but once that is over they are set), they live in a really cute apartment where they can walk into town. Makes me want to simplify.

A last visit...

Well, I have finished my classes at all my schools now! It's so strange, I even finished tutoring at my Big School for the faculty. I really liked doing that, the person I worked with was so nice and so much fun to talk to. It wasn't much like work at all. I do have one more thing to do though! I received an email yesterday from the Small School asking if I would please participate in interviewing potential students for their Fall Term. Ha...interesting. I said I would and it's on a day I am free so why not? Plus it's paid...

Tomorrow I am going to Paris to pick up my last visitor of this stay in France. My friend Shari is coming for a week long visit and we have a full schedule! Paris, Brugges, and even a VIP tour in Reims at some winery! She is in the know of the cool peeps one should know. I'm an acquaintance but am more than happy to come along for the ride. I will take photos and let you know what that is like. That is planned for the first part of next week. I have never been to Champagne so I am eager to see what it looks like. According to mapquest and GPS it's just under 2 hours from here.

There is also a big party of some sorts here in Lille on Saturday that we are going to go to. There are some CRAZY statues on the streets I will make sure to photograph and post. Just to give you an idea, they look like black lacquer babies with dragon tails. And they are wearing diapers. Some have wings like bats. They are about two stories tall. I'm intrigued.

So everyone have a great weekend and I will post on Monday!

Wedding Success (Part 1)!!

WOOHOO!!! It's over!!

Well folks...the weekend was a great success. Even the weather cooperated! It was a beautiful sunny day and crisp, clear evening. I could not have imagined it going any better. Well, maybe a little, the only snaffu was that the bus that was supposed to pick the guests up from the church was 15 minutes late, and then it had a problem getting out of the neighborhood because the streets are so narrow. I was worried it was going to get stuck, but after what seemed like a very long time, many horn honks and frustrated French people later, they were off to Belgium!! Where, by the way, the Champagne was excellent, the food amazing and the Chateau a perfect romantic setting for our little party. (Pictures to come later as our photographer left on a two week vacation yesterday...damn it...)

I only have the pictures from my camera, and as I was the bride, I don't actually have any of myself to post yet, but those will come soon!! So here is a photo parade of the beginning of my week last week. It started in Paris, where I met my friends Lori B., Tracy and Melinda. After heaving our luggage up 5 flights of stairs we went out an enjoyed the town.

My family came in the next day (Monday) and we went on a fantastic tour that included dinner at the Eiffel Tower, a river cruise on the Seine and a show at the Moulin Rouge with Champagne.

Above you can see my friends and family that came in to help us celebrate. From left to right we have Cousin Sally, Mom, Aunt Helen, Joyce and Kathy. The Eiffel Tower is gorgeous right now with the blue lights and the stars representing the European Union. During dinner the lights went off and twinkled brightly as if to sign out "Welcome Everyone! Congratulations Susan and Cyriaque!" It was really the highlight of my trip to Paris. Although the after affects of the Champagne the next day were pretty rough. I have realized that it's not a good idea to drink Champagne in the dark. You don't count your glasses and then before you know it, it's too late...I tried to hang in the next day but I was feeling about a 3 on a scale of 1 to 10.

I also had a great treat in getting to meet Leesa the Cupcake Princess!! If you don't know Leesa, go check out her blog. She is an American who has been in Paris for quite a while and has really been a source of moral support for me in my effort to try to fit in this strange land they call France. Here is Leesa and I right before breakfast.


We had a girls night out the Friday before the wedding in Lille as well. But this time I paid attention, I was not about to have a bad day on my Big Day. Her is the crew from Houston that came to see me (missing is Ann, not sure where she sneaked off to, she will show up in later pictures though!)

There is Lori, Lori, Tracy and Melinda. They all brought awful things they make me wear...someone better put an APB out on Big Bird...I think he is missing...

That is me with Alina, she is married to Cyr's best friend and lives in Romania. She is the bride we went to see in Munich a few weeks ago. After this we all went out salsa dancing and had a great time. More photos to come!!

PS - Thank you so much for all the kind emails and posts!!

Off To Paris!!

Well...my train takes out from Lille in about 8 hours and I am headed to Paris to pick up my friends at CDG. I am so excited to see them! Then my family (Mom, Aunt, Cousin, and two friends that are like family) comes in Monday. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and trying to show them just a little of why I love France so much.

I often worry that if I try to show people around I will forget something big, or waste a day by getting lost and not seeing the real sites. But the thing about Paris is that even just getting lost is an adventure. You see beautiful things everywhere, not just the well known spots. I also really want them to see Lille. I know the north doesn't get that good of a wrap here, but I really like it. I'm also a bit nervous because the weather has been really great here for quite a while and this can't hold out much longer! I was actually hoping it would rain all last week so that maybe the week I had visitors it would be nice. Seems like every time someone comes to see me we have freakishly bad weather. Maybe it's a ploy...every time visitors come to Lille it rains, that way no one will actually know how great it is here. Man...Mama Nature...that's mean lady.

I won't be blogging until about Thursday, but I have scheduled a few things to pop up over the next day or two. Very techie of me eh? I got the idea from Susan and thought I would try it out. Of course I have had weeks to get ready and I am scurrying around right now looking for battery chargers and hair things.

Wish me luck on being a good tour guide and I hope to meet up with Leesa and Ksam too! I have yet to ever try a rhumrhum, and I think it's time I do...

A weekend trip!!

I received a really nice surprise when I read my emails yesterday. You might recall that I went to my first cocktail party in France about a week ago (sorry...not sure how to link to that dur...) and made some new friends. Well...one of the girls invited me to spend the weekend in Rozoy with a few of the other girls! "H" has a Great Aunt in Rozoy and every year she makes a trip with friends to the property to help clear the garden of weeds. Either that or she inherited the land from the Great Aunt and wants to clear it for herself. Or I could be on my way to being sold into the sex trade. Only time will tell, check in Monday I guess.

The good news is that I know the other girls that are going and I really like them all. As I type this I have my camera battery charging and am thinking of what to pack. I was told to bring sheets and boots. No problem!! I have both of those! Not sure the "boots" are what she meant though, my work boots are brown cowboy boots. I'm sure they look just like hers, or her Great Aunt's. Oh well, as a continuation of the previous post I guess I am just determined to bring my own style to France. "Tex goes a-gardening" might be the next post you read.

I think it's about 2.5 hours away from Lille. I am going to dinner with one of the girls tonight and staying at her place. Tomorrow the group will pick us up at 9am and we will head off to have a quick weekend in the countryside. I'm looking forward to this for a few reasons; 1) I get to see a new part of France, 2) I get to spend time outdoors AND getting exercise, 3) new friends, yeah! Of course I could end up feeling completely awkward, be allergic to everything, have an asthma attack, get eaten by strange French bugs, get a horribly ugly sunburn/tan line and look like a freak at my wedding and generally have a completely awful time while feeling like an outcast. But let's not think of that. Let's focus on those first 3 good things.

Hurricane Ike

As most of you have read, I am a Houstonian transplant here in Lille, France. Most of my family in friends live in Houston and are now either weathering the aftermath of Ike without electricity or have scampered off to other cities to avoid the hassle.

From the looks of the pictures I have seen in the news and the internet, Galveston was just devastated. It sounds like my family is alright though. My Mom went to San Antonio and is staying with friends. I hope she stays there for the rest of the week at least. Word is my little pink house has survived without any obvious damage. Everything I read says that roads are blocked with trees, electricity is out in most of the city, gas is scarce, ice is rare and some fo the stores are price gouging and selling bags of potato chips for $10. Bastards...

Dad, Sandy and my half brother Ralph weathered the storm at their house that is about 30 minutes north of Houston. They lost electricity on Saturday and have been told it could be 3 or 4 weeks before it is turned on. Everyone clap your hands for propane grills and my step-mothers propensity to pack her freezer for a two month shut in! Sandy's son is coming down all the way from Minnesota with a generator that they can use to power the garage apartment. And yes, they are smart enough to ventilate it so they don't all die from carbon monoxide poisoning. So far one child has died because his parents put the generator in the garage.

I hope everyone I know and love is safe. So far everyone I have emailed with or spoken too has just missed the worst. Two houses on my Dad's street were badly damaged with trees coming through the roves. I'm so glad his house is ok, with his healing broken arm and other things I don't know how he could have handled it! Thank goodness Ralph is there to help out. He is such a great guy. I have tons of photos and plan to blog everyday this week to tell you all about the fun things I did last week, but I don't feel right boasting about my good times today when so many are having to worry about their lives right now back home in Texas.

My prayers are with you all in the affected areas. I especially hope the Torres family in Groves (Port Neches) is ok, I think you guys were in a pretty hard hit area.

Hugs from Lille...

My First Cocktail Party in France

I think I forgot to mention, but Cyr and I went to a cocktail party last Saturday. After spending time over my morning coffee thinking about which black dress to wear I decided to ask Cyr what the invite said the dress-code was. I figured it would be a bit dressy (as France is a dressy country to me), basically what in the US we call "After Five" dress.

"It's black tie." He says. Completely serious.
Huh?
Wha...really?
"Are people wearing tuxedos and formals?!" I ask.
"No" says Cyr; "I am wearing a suit. The girls just wear nice dresses."

Well what do you know, it's like a 1970's adult dress up party!! I felt the urge to go look for some AquaNet and a Jackie O type dress. I settled on a black satiny number and added pearls as an homage to Jackie. My mother would have been so proud! The translation of "black tie" wasn't what it is back home (thank goodness). No one wore a tux, just a sort of dressy after 5 really. Cyr has all the pictures and is in Scotland until Friday morning, but I will post a few if I remember.

The party was actually pretty fun. The people were very nice. We arrived and found our way through a maze of hallways with the aid of a friend who had to come down to get us. Once there, it turned out to be a small apartment with Champagne and Mojitos flowing. The later in the evening it got, the more they flowed. The funny thing was that when the only bottle of rum left was Bacardi, everyone agreed that there would be no more Mojitos, "Because all we have is Bacardi." They say matter-of-factly. Then everyone sighs and nods their heads in agreement. Apparently everyone is aware that Bacardi white label is crap. Well it ain't no Caribbean rum that's for sure. But people...you are mixing it with mint, sugar and lemon-lime! How much can you really taste I think to myself. Maybe it's how much you feel the next morning, not how much you taste the night of. Ahh..me thinks I understand now.

I love that there were people from all over the world there. I talked with people from Estonia, Hungary, Benin, Italy, Sweden, different areas of France and a Brit! Cyr met a group of them on the train he takes to work in the morning. They all speak English too which is nice. I did practice my French though. There was probably about 15 or so people there throughout the evening. At one point there was dancing in a little space by the stereo. If you know me you will know that I did in fact participate in this cultural ritual where the women all dance together. At times this primitive behavior bothers me, but after an aperitif of Champagne and a Mojito (with good rum I might add) I had a hard time finding fault with it. I mean hey, I wanted to dance.

I ended up making some new friends and am going to have dinner with one this week while Cyr is out of town. The best thing was that on Sunday I wasn't too bad off. But I tell you, one more Mojito with the white label Bacardi and it would have been a pretty uncomfortable Sunday I bet. Cheers to limiting the Mojitos!! Or is that Mojitoes?

I have a date!

With the cutest little French lady you have ever seen. I met Lillian today as I was walking out of our apartment to buy some fruit. We started chatting and it turned out she was going to the same market. We walked together and discovered that she and her husband were from the same town as Cyr, they retired here to Lille and that she liked to walk. The conversation went like this:

"Do you like to marche (walk)?"
"Oh, oui! J'aime bien marcher." (Oh yes, I like to walk) I say.
She then tells me "There are lots of places to walk to in Lille."
"Really?" I say.
"Ba oui!" she says. (I love "Ba oui", it's like saying "heck yeah". Or at least that is how I like to translate it.)

So now I have a walking date with my new friend for Monday!

When we came back with our fruit she invited me up to see her place. Quite lovely! She's has the same apartment on the same floor as we do just one building over. It has a little different makeup but the floor plan is the same. She also showed me pictures of her kids and grandchildren. I would have invited her over to see ours but I was doing laundry which means I have things hanging all over the house. Guess I will be cleaning up this weekend for my new friend Lillian's visit Monday morning. We agreed that she would ring me Monday and we would go for a walk and I can practice my French. I hope she isn't an early bird. What if she rings at like 8:30?! She is quite progressive though, she gave me her email address! She probably has a Facebook account too.

Well wouldn't you know it; I was a little grumpy this morning, now I'm all chipper again and looking forward to Monday. Just to be safe I think I will send her an email suggesting 10am. That sounds like a good walk time. Tonight Cyr and I are going to take our bikes and meet some people he knows for a picnic and a movie. We are bringing the fruit I just purchased. I think I might have to declare this "Susan-meets-new-friends Day" because I have not met any of the folks we are going out with tonight either. I hope I like them as much as I like Lillian!