Today was a very fun day in France. It was exactly as you've pictured and seen in movies, only better... because it was in 3-D! (And yes, it was even better than Avatar!)
When we first arrived, I could tell it was going to be a very scenic place, as there was plenty of green to go around, old buildings, cobblestones, and balconies. Interestingly enough, I don't think I've ever heard so many ambulance sirens go off in my life. There waterway was a very lovely color running through the city, with abnormally long tour boats running on the river.
Quick story on what I had for dinner after our concert last night though (and then I'll get back to France, I promise!) Last night, my host family served me a very interesting dinner. It looks like ravioli, but I think it's a bit tastier! It's not made in any sauce really, perhaps a butter sauce and can have onion bits sauteed with it. I have no idea what the name of it is, but my host mom told me that in English it translates to "mouth bags". It's pillow-shaped pasta with a spinach and meat filling. She told me the story of how this came to be, which all comes down to catholics not eating meat on Fridays. Apparently, the nuns and monks did not want to partake in giving up meat on Fridays, so instead they decided to make this food hiding the meat inside, thinking it would be okay to eat meat on that day as long as God would not see them actually eating meat. So in other words, the man upstairs thinks they would be eating pasta, and all is well!?! Tonight, my family gave me chocolate from Switzerland. But guess what? It was Lindor! Still, it was really delicious. I've also been drinking a heck a lot of apple juice this entire week. For lunch, they pack two HUGE bottles for me, one is usually water and the other apple juice. The Germans love their carbonated drinks (and without ice... or napkins. or tissues. It's quite a problem for me in this house) and the water, carbonated or not, is the weirdest thing I've ever tasted. However, the carbonated apple juice is really tasty and bubbly! But after being in my bag today, it became flat which converted it to regular apple juice.
Okay, so that wasn't too short... But back to France! Luckily, one of my friends took French, which was extremely convinient for us today since the French don't seem to know any english whatsoever. And the rest of us took Spanish... of course. In fact, we bought crouissants today, which were amazing! Much better than the ones in America of course. But while our somewhat large group was in the bakery, the employees apparently did not enjoy our company. They were saying something like, "I hate tourists" "It's so chaotic" yada yada yada. They were a very grumpy bunch.
I also went shopping and found an awesome store, with a treble clef sign as their symbol! HOORAY! =] I loved everything in that shop, including their music! Oddly enough, I've heard tons of songs on the radio and in stores here in Europe, that we have back at home. I'm hoping I can find this store online, one that is located somewhere in the U.S. and get some awesome clothes via online shopping. I have faith, because some of the shirts in there had english logos and such.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to visit the black forest. =[ That's something I was really looking forward to. I was thinking it was going to be something really dark and eerie, specifically picturing the forest from Beauty and the Beast. Speaking of Disney movies, everday I see tiny children with huge square backpacks running to get to class, and everday I'm expecting to see a little wooden boy running across the street and then be chased by a fox convincing him to become an actor. Yes, weird I know, but I think it's just the change in arcitecture and excitement in the air that makes me feel this way. XDThe top is Lisa and me in beautiful Strasbourg, the middle is the waterway, and the bottom speaks for itself! (I've progessed! I can now space out the photos! But I don't know how to move them from side-to-side =( Maybe next time!
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