Monday, September 10th.
Officially one week in Ireland, and official first day of true Irish weather! I went on a free walking tour at 11 am and what started as a light mist, toyed with scattered light rain for about an hour and finally became a solid heavy rainfall. The tour lasted until 2:30 pm and by the end we were all drenched (good way to test the new raincoat . . . conclusion = decent, but not as extraordinary as I'd hoped!).
The tour was absolutely fantastic! I ended up tipping the guide because he was THAT good; I definitely felt like his tour was worth money. He is getting his master's in history at Trinity College and gave us so much fascinating information about Dublin and the history of Ireland . . . I was in awe. I am incredibly envious of his retention rate and probably only remember about 20% of everything he told us in three and a half hours, but have a much a deeper understanding and appreciation of Ireland and its history. Thanks, Michael!
The other really fun part of the tour is that I met an Italian guy named Matteo at the very beginning, and we ended up spending the whole day together. He is getting his masters in agriculture, so we talked a lot about WWOOFing and his thesis and how he makes his homemade tomato sauce =) YUM!!
After the tour was over, a group of about 10 of us went to a pub for a hot lunch (my second Guiness & Beef Stew, but a completely different experience. Very fun, and both very delicious), and at 3:30 pm I decided to do the 4 pm Jameson Distillery Tour. At this point, all original plans for my day were askew anyways. I had packed a lunch to eat and planned on picnicking (definitely got too used to the nice weather) then doing the Guinness Tour, and finally hitting the Kilmainhem Jail. However, being wet and cold, the prospect of eating a packed lunch outside was unappealing, as was the jail visit, as their website warns that when the temps are low outside, they will be low inside and one should dress appropriately. SO! Nix the first plans and go drink some whiskey!!
Turns out the 4 pm tour was booked, but were able to sign up for the 4:40 pm tour and while waiting, went and played on this really weird but fun electronic game at an outdoor playground. I think it was called iplay and it tells you what action to execute (spin, stomp, push, etc. . . .) and you have to do so as quickly as possible. Very entertaining.
On the Jameson tour we learned all about the process that they use to make their whiskey. Super interesting! Did you know it is triple distilled?! And THAT is what gives it the smooth finish. =) I even got to be a taste tester and compare Jameson, Jack Daniels, and Scotch whiskey and it was a really cool experience. Still can't say I like whiskey, but I was actually able to tell the difference between the three, which is huge for me, as I usually classify all hard liquors into one similar category of "too strong."
After the tour, I hit Temple Bar and watched some live music while Matteo took care of some stuff at his hostel, and we met back up after I had my packed lunch as a dinner under an awning. I am cell phone-less while I am in Ireland and Scotland, and it makes meeting people quite challenging, but so far, so good. =) We hit a new pub for me and I had my first Guiness in Ireland, accompanied by more live Irish music. I absolutely love how easy it is to find live music in pubs here - it is EVERYWHERE!
I took the bus home around 9:30 pm and am feeling like such the Dublin bus pro! I don't even have to ask the bus driver to let me know when we get to the stop I need anymore. Watch out. I also bought a 'leap card' so I feel like a local. I am very excited by all of this. But maybe even more excited by my first ful day of work on the farm . . . .
Tuesday, September 11th.
We don't start until 9 am!!!!!! REALLY?! One perk to waking up at 4:30 am for years as a personal trainer is that anything after 6 am feels like sleeping in. =) I took advantage this morning and slept in until 8 am as I read until far too late last night.
My day started with 2 hours of picking raspberries. YES!! So fun! I love that picking raspberries is my work for right now. Good thing I had brushed my teeth right beforehand or I would have been much more tempted to eat some . . . they are so beautiful and plump and unaltered . . . they make me happy.
I was ready to go for the next task, when we stopped to take tea and visit with a house guest. It's so laid back here. It's incredible, and I love it; I find it to be a very good change of pace. After tea, I sowed seeds for lettuce, which was great fun! My first time sowing seeds!!! It was also extremely entertaining to watch the fickle Irish weather. I was in a polytunnel, so safe from the ever-changing times, but the weather kept undulating from spectacularly sunny to drizzle to downpour, within minutes at times. It was hilarious. I don't think I've ever seen the weather change so many times within a two hour period.
There was a scrumptious lunch break in the midst of the sowing of seeds, and after lunch I was joined by an extra set of hands. This extra set of hands belongs to a man who lives in Dublin and comes to help on the farm on Tuesday afternoons. It is so incredibly cool to meet other people involved in the WWOOFing community. We sowed hundreds of lettuce seeds of various types and I'm very much looking forward to watching them sprout and perhaps even getting to plant them . . . I didn't ask how long it will take before they are ready to plant; a question for tomorrow.
The rest of the work day was fulfilled by picking purple beans and transferring cabbage plants from their little pots into the ground - my first planting experience! So many firsts, and I'm anxious for many more. It's such satisfying and exciting work, knowing that what I'm doing is going to feed us and many other people. I'm a big fan of participating in the production of organic, quality vegetables.
Quite appropriately, we just started watching a British documentary called Food Unwrapped and it is incredibly disturbing, fascinating, and educational. The episode we watched was on canned grapefruit and probiotics. I highly recommend it.
I am absolutely loving my time on this farm. We've had some spectacular meals and very interesting and fun conversations. Frank and Azu are incredibly welcoming and warm hosts (although Frank 'locked' me in the walk-in fridge today because he thought he was playing the joke on Azu. Quite hilarious really: I was looking for chard for dinner tonight and all of a sudden the door closes and the light goes off and my immediate first thought is that he didn't realize somebody was in the fridge, and 'oh my god, am I going to be locked in the fridge all night???!!!' but no reason for panic as you can open the door from inside as well - phew! When he realized it was me and not Azu we both enjoyed a healthy little laugh fest).
I do have pictures I want to post that capture some of the adventures and experiences from the last few days, but for now I am off to bed. My goal is set for tomorrow!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
DRAW Match in the Hurling National Championship!!
WOW! What a fantastic way to experience my first hurling match. . . . but let's start from the beginning of today, because it is noteworthy too. =)
First of all, since getting here on Monday, September 3rd, I have had NO RAIN!! Instead, we've had glorious blue skies and sun! Ridiculously unexpected and equally welcome. This spectacular weather allowed me to do a little TRX workout outside this morning, in the light of a brilliantly glowing orange ball of rising sun. Magical.
It was wonderful to be outside this morning, and to be able to do some (very low key) TRX again. My back is feeling better, but I'm a bit wary as I felt almost back to 100% before my trip, then after two days of carrying my bags, it was feeling off again. Boooooooooooo. I held off on running (originally planned to start up again my first day in Ireland . . . what better way to celebrate?) but since it still wasn't feeling good, I held off until yesterday. Saturday, September 8th was my first day 'running' since August 19th (10 x 1 minute - eeeeesh, frustratingly limited, but gloriously pain free!!) Oh, so sad! I have missed running so much, and every time I see people running, it gives me this acute and powerful desire to be running also. I am excited about the 10 x 1 minute bouts of pain free running, but simultaneously aggravated by not being able to run more. I know it will come with time, but I want to go on long, exploratory runs now!!! I am learning patience.
But I digress! On to the exploratory (non-running) parts of the day. Explored the area north of the Liffey, and actually ran into the tour bus driver from my Thursday tour! Small world! (Dublin is quite small actually, and the locals consider it impossible to go someplace without running into someone you know).
Took a guided tour of Trinity College and learned fascinating details about the school history (founded in 1592!! And used to be an old monastic site, from which 3 components remain, including a bell they use to this day to toll lunchtimes, etc . . . )
After the tour, we got to see the Book of Kells and learn in depth details of how it and other books were made (these books dated from the 6th to 9th century. It is amazing!) AND I got to see the long library. It is phenomenal and I wish I could show you pictures, but I could not take any as pictures were strictly forbidden. It is enormous (almost 65 meters long with 2 stories for bookshelves where books are organized by - are you ready for this?? - the size of the book. Yep, if you want to find a book, you have to know its dimensions. Interesting, and really cool looking! True that it helps to be most efficient with vertical space, but definitely a pain in the butt!).
Next stop = a Fusion Festival Market. Held every second Sunday of the month, it is a blend of various cultures with a mix of all sorts of items for sale, from food to art to massage. Azu and Frank sell their produce and some food they cook at the market, so I stopped by to check it out and even met a French lady selling her art work.
It was hilarious actually, when I walked by her table, she said "Bonjour" and I was surprised because I don't think I look all THAT French. But it turns out she was joking because she had been hearing a lot of other people speak French and was equally surprised when she learned that I actually was French. We bonded over this and chatted for a while.
It's funny how long it's taking my brain to get out of French mode here; I didn't think my brain was that immersed in it, but I keep saying "pardon" automatically instead of "excuse me." I'm sure it will wear off soon. I'm actually starting to get in the habit of looking right before I cross streets here. I'm becoming more and more intrigued by the idea of attempting to drive here (especially shifting on the other side) and am considering renting a car during my 9 days off between farms. We shall see!
And now the big moment! The National Hurling Championship Game! I went to Ireland's oldest pub (established in 1198) called the Brazen Head to watch the match and it was incredible! Drank some Bulmer's pear cider, met a very nice couple from Galway (match was Kilkenny vs Galway) and a very helpful gentleman from London. They were all really patient in explaining lots of various details to me, and we all cheered together as I witnessed my first hurling match AND one of the closest games I've ever seen. With about 40 seconds to go, Galway scored one final point to bring the match to a tie (called a draw here, apparently) so they have to play another match on September 30th. So exciting! The whole game was really close, and I now understand the basics of hurling! Priceless Irish experience: Watching a draw match for a National Championship of Hurling at Ireland's oldest pub. I left feeling very content.
The next few hours I just strolled along the Liffey, heading west to Phoenix Park, and explored the park. Coming back I crossed the Millenium Bridge and the Ha' Penny Bridge (so named because people used to have to pay half a penny to cross the bridge). At this point on my wanderings, I heard live music coming out of a restaurant, but wasn't hungry, so I just listened outside, standing by the river, looking at the sparkling night lights reflected in the water. It was wonderful.
Caught a bus back to the farm (only a 20 minutes bus ride from city center, so convenient!) and had dinner with the family. It was awesome - they had brought back a bunch of ethnic food from the market, as all the merchants traded their goods at the end of the day. How cool is that?! I love trade systems!!
Tomorrow I will attempt to do a nutshell update on the other days I've spent in Ireland so far, and get some pictures up!
First of all, since getting here on Monday, September 3rd, I have had NO RAIN!! Instead, we've had glorious blue skies and sun! Ridiculously unexpected and equally welcome. This spectacular weather allowed me to do a little TRX workout outside this morning, in the light of a brilliantly glowing orange ball of rising sun. Magical.
It was wonderful to be outside this morning, and to be able to do some (very low key) TRX again. My back is feeling better, but I'm a bit wary as I felt almost back to 100% before my trip, then after two days of carrying my bags, it was feeling off again. Boooooooooooo. I held off on running (originally planned to start up again my first day in Ireland . . . what better way to celebrate?) but since it still wasn't feeling good, I held off until yesterday. Saturday, September 8th was my first day 'running' since August 19th (10 x 1 minute - eeeeesh, frustratingly limited, but gloriously pain free!!) Oh, so sad! I have missed running so much, and every time I see people running, it gives me this acute and powerful desire to be running also. I am excited about the 10 x 1 minute bouts of pain free running, but simultaneously aggravated by not being able to run more. I know it will come with time, but I want to go on long, exploratory runs now!!! I am learning patience.
But I digress! On to the exploratory (non-running) parts of the day. Explored the area north of the Liffey, and actually ran into the tour bus driver from my Thursday tour! Small world! (Dublin is quite small actually, and the locals consider it impossible to go someplace without running into someone you know).
Took a guided tour of Trinity College and learned fascinating details about the school history (founded in 1592!! And used to be an old monastic site, from which 3 components remain, including a bell they use to this day to toll lunchtimes, etc . . . )
After the tour, we got to see the Book of Kells and learn in depth details of how it and other books were made (these books dated from the 6th to 9th century. It is amazing!) AND I got to see the long library. It is phenomenal and I wish I could show you pictures, but I could not take any as pictures were strictly forbidden. It is enormous (almost 65 meters long with 2 stories for bookshelves where books are organized by - are you ready for this?? - the size of the book. Yep, if you want to find a book, you have to know its dimensions. Interesting, and really cool looking! True that it helps to be most efficient with vertical space, but definitely a pain in the butt!).
Next stop = a Fusion Festival Market. Held every second Sunday of the month, it is a blend of various cultures with a mix of all sorts of items for sale, from food to art to massage. Azu and Frank sell their produce and some food they cook at the market, so I stopped by to check it out and even met a French lady selling her art work.
It was hilarious actually, when I walked by her table, she said "Bonjour" and I was surprised because I don't think I look all THAT French. But it turns out she was joking because she had been hearing a lot of other people speak French and was equally surprised when she learned that I actually was French. We bonded over this and chatted for a while.
It's funny how long it's taking my brain to get out of French mode here; I didn't think my brain was that immersed in it, but I keep saying "pardon" automatically instead of "excuse me." I'm sure it will wear off soon. I'm actually starting to get in the habit of looking right before I cross streets here. I'm becoming more and more intrigued by the idea of attempting to drive here (especially shifting on the other side) and am considering renting a car during my 9 days off between farms. We shall see!
And now the big moment! The National Hurling Championship Game! I went to Ireland's oldest pub (established in 1198) called the Brazen Head to watch the match and it was incredible! Drank some Bulmer's pear cider, met a very nice couple from Galway (match was Kilkenny vs Galway) and a very helpful gentleman from London. They were all really patient in explaining lots of various details to me, and we all cheered together as I witnessed my first hurling match AND one of the closest games I've ever seen. With about 40 seconds to go, Galway scored one final point to bring the match to a tie (called a draw here, apparently) so they have to play another match on September 30th. So exciting! The whole game was really close, and I now understand the basics of hurling! Priceless Irish experience: Watching a draw match for a National Championship of Hurling at Ireland's oldest pub. I left feeling very content.
The next few hours I just strolled along the Liffey, heading west to Phoenix Park, and explored the park. Coming back I crossed the Millenium Bridge and the Ha' Penny Bridge (so named because people used to have to pay half a penny to cross the bridge). At this point on my wanderings, I heard live music coming out of a restaurant, but wasn't hungry, so I just listened outside, standing by the river, looking at the sparkling night lights reflected in the water. It was wonderful.
Caught a bus back to the farm (only a 20 minutes bus ride from city center, so convenient!) and had dinner with the family. It was awesome - they had brought back a bunch of ethnic food from the market, as all the merchants traded their goods at the end of the day. How cool is that?! I love trade systems!!
Tomorrow I will attempt to do a nutshell update on the other days I've spent in Ireland so far, and get some pictures up!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Dismal of Dismays!!!
I can't run! I can barely move. Eeeeesh. My range of motion is super limited in my low back and I have no idea what I did to myself (but getting pounded into the sand didn't help the situation when I was playing in some ferocious waves on Wednesday...... seemed harmless at first, but in retrospect, not the most brilliant idea considering how strong the waves were. I was planning on simply frolicking in the waves - they didn't appear ferocious - but once I was thigh deep, I realized frolicking was not an option. Pulverization was my only option. I called it quits pretty quickly, but apparently not quickly enough).
I went to see a physical therapist yesterday (and am incredibly grateful to my cousin for taking me) and I'm desperately hoping that I start to feel better in the next few days. I'm getting quite worried about the WWOOF-ing situtation if my back doesn't improve. The whole point of WWOOF-ing is for me to HELP on the farm, physical labor in exchange for food and lodging. The concept is a marvelous one unless I can't move. Even filling up my water bottle bothers my back. Really?!! 1 liter of water ...... I can't handle 2.2 lbs of weight in front of me? This is no bueno. And I'm supposed to start on my first farm in Ireland in exactly 2 weeks (it's INSANE how quickly time is going).
So I'm behaving and not running, but it is incredibly depressing to not be able to run through vineyards in Bordeaux. This is one of my favorite places to run. And the thought of not being able to run in Ireland is dismal indeed. We shall see. I'm holding onto the hope of a quick recovery!
I went to see a physical therapist yesterday (and am incredibly grateful to my cousin for taking me) and I'm desperately hoping that I start to feel better in the next few days. I'm getting quite worried about the WWOOF-ing situtation if my back doesn't improve. The whole point of WWOOF-ing is for me to HELP on the farm, physical labor in exchange for food and lodging. The concept is a marvelous one unless I can't move. Even filling up my water bottle bothers my back. Really?!! 1 liter of water ...... I can't handle 2.2 lbs of weight in front of me? This is no bueno. And I'm supposed to start on my first farm in Ireland in exactly 2 weeks (it's INSANE how quickly time is going).
So I'm behaving and not running, but it is incredibly depressing to not be able to run through vineyards in Bordeaux. This is one of my favorite places to run. And the thought of not being able to run in Ireland is dismal indeed. We shall see. I'm holding onto the hope of a quick recovery!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Rennes
Also enjoyed a light display (a bit more mysterious and bizarre than either of us was expecting) on the facade of the Parliament building. Whoever created the show had mad skills. Here you see the building "on fire" from when the Parliament burned in 1720 and 1994.
More to come later. For now it is bed time!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Fun Friday
Today was spectacular.
- I got to start my day talking to one of my best friends in Seattle (90 minutes is so insufficient to cover 10 weeks!!)
- Quick little run to pick up bread at the boulangerie. Yum! The simple pleasure of fresh baked bread never ceases to amaze me and make me smile.
- 2.5 hour blackberry-picking excursion with my uncle. Which resulted in a new discovery for me: fresh blackberries with red wine and sugar. Scrumptious!!
- Lunch outside under a perfect summer sun
- Two games of Pétanque (lawn bowling) with my aunt and uncle. The first game was decent, at one point we all had 5 points, but the second game, I managed to get a "fani" (as 'funny' as it may sound, it's quite pathetic really, it's when you don't score a single point before the winner scores their 13. Yowzers!) However, this picture is not a set up! I really did make that happen (first game) =)
- I got to start my day talking to one of my best friends in Seattle (90 minutes is so insufficient to cover 10 weeks!!)
- Quick little run to pick up bread at the boulangerie. Yum! The simple pleasure of fresh baked bread never ceases to amaze me and make me smile.
- 2.5 hour blackberry-picking excursion with my uncle. Which resulted in a new discovery for me: fresh blackberries with red wine and sugar. Scrumptious!!
- Lunch outside under a perfect summer sun
- Two games of Pétanque (lawn bowling) with my aunt and uncle. The first game was decent, at one point we all had 5 points, but the second game, I managed to get a "fani" (as 'funny' as it may sound, it's quite pathetic really, it's when you don't score a single point before the winner scores their 13. Yowzers!) However, this picture is not a set up! I really did make that happen (first game) =)
- Solo super brief bike ride to see wind turbines (éoliennes). There are 4 set-up only 3.5 km from my uncle's house. So impressive! I tried to capture some of the Normandie countryside while at it!
This is me impressed. =)
DANG IT!! I had 6 more pictures I wanted to post and the computer is freezing up and won't let me. Well, I guess that will be for another night. (haha, upon looking back at the pictures, do you notice a theme with Elodie and her mouth open? =) But if you look closely, you can see that they are different expressions ranging from ravenous, to excited, to impressed).
- Before my final frustrating encounter with the computer tonight, we ended the evening with a game of cards, which has become our tradition the past 3 nights and which I truly love! It's not a complete visit with my French family if it doesn't involve card games. =) I will go to bed tonight partly satisfied with at least getting some pictures up.
Tomorrow, I take a train to Rennes to meet up with an old friend from 2008 who was also a teaching assistant in Saint Lo. We get to spend the weekend together, and I'm super excited to see her again and spend more time in one of my Top 3 favorite French towns!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Successful Castle Quest!
Hooooorrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy!!! Check and check on solo ride to the Balleroy Castle and another bike outing with my uncle. AND this time I have pictures. Today, I rode the whopping 9 km to Balleroy to do the guided tour. It was another lovely bike ride through Norman countryside and having a castle destination doesn't hurt either. (ARG!!!! But have run into unintended technical difficulties, and the extent of my technological skills are not sufficient for problem solving. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Keeping fingers crossed for a solution by tomorrow night).
I have, however, lost all motivation for blogging tonight, as I was super excited to post all kinds of pics. So for now, I'm going to bed and hopefully tomorrow this post will be populated by fantastically Norman pictures.
I have, however, lost all motivation for blogging tonight, as I was super excited to post all kinds of pics. So for now, I'm going to bed and hopefully tomorrow this post will be populated by fantastically Norman pictures.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Reunited with my bicycle!!
WOW!! I didn't realize how much I missed biking in Normandie until I finally got to ride here again after 4 years. Oh my. How to explain the pure bliss. It's so good for my soul. The countryside is inexplicably gorgeous with all of the greenery of fields and shrubs and hedges. I absolutely love the asymmetry of the fields with golden shades of wheat in stark contrast with the dark green shades of corn. The rolling hills are a decent challenge and then open the world on either side to these fabulous sights. I went out with my uncle for a 35 km ride on Tuesday and was soaking in every moment. It was extraordinary: blue sky, sunshine, little pockets of white clouds and me pedaling through the glory of Normandie on the bike I used to ride when I lived in Saint Lo in 2008. Faaaaaaaaaabulous!
And here's the grand reunion!!
For the pertinent updates:
1.) I had an absolutely FANTASTIC experience couch surfing in Lille with my friend Rose. It was my first time couch surfing and I am now a wholehearted CS supporter and surfer! Our hosts were amazing and made the experience so much more rich than if we hadn't had their interaction, advice, tips, and company.
2.) In stark contrast, the hostel I stayed at in Belgium was mediocre at best. Boo. I severely regretted not having done CS for Belgium, but I had not yet experienced the amazing-ness that is CS. Brussels was also disappointing; with lots of less-than-ideal interactions and a very mundane metropolis. It's a big city, and indeed, the capital of Europe, so I wasn't expecting a quaint little village, but I thought there would be more appealing architecture. The Grand Plaza is absolutely breath-takingly gorgeous and was hands-down my favorite place in Brussels, but the rest was sub-par and at times a little sketchy.
I followed a few suggested walking tours and found the parts of the city that I saw to be very unremarkable.....to the point where I was questioning why they were part of a walking tour. My favorite part of Brussels (after gawking at the Grand Plaza) was doing a little treasure hunt for the 3 pissing statues. I found them all (Manneken Pis, the original little boy, his sister, and now a dog) and I find them quite hilarious, especially that the little boy actually wears a costume and that the costume is changed multiple times/month. Really??!! Really!
I did get to visit three other towns in Belgium: Tournai, Ghent and Brugge, and the last two are by far my favorite Belgian towns. They also definitely make top 10 European towns for me. I got to visit Ghent during a music festival and it was quite fun; highlight of the day was meeting some very friendly and proud Belgians who bought me a Ghent Tripl (a beer that I actually discovered I really liked and is made specifically for the town of Ghent) COOL!!
3.) I got a sunburn playing in the pool that my cousin has in his backyard! I hadn't had that much sun in a while! (The summer here has been terrible with ridiculous amounts of rain and much colder temperatures than usual, and everyone's gardens now reflect the sub-par summer with various plant maladies and severely diminished harvests. Sad!) The pool was incredibly fun to frolic in though! It's above ground, but about 4 feet deep and 20 feet in diameter ...... sufficient for much fantastic fun. I was very thankful I didn't have to carry my bag for a few days though, because my shoulders were severely sensitive to the slightest pressure; 45 lbs on them would have been quite unpleasant.
4.) I got to swim in a pool with a retractable roof!!! SO COOL! Near my aunt's house she has a public pool with a roof that can be opened on days deemed worthy. I was lucky enough to catch one of those days! I swam 3 days while I was there, and only on 1 day did they open the roof. I thought the other days were nice enough for open sky swimming, but apparently they did not concur. It was a splendid experience!
5.) With a 90 minute wait for a train in Metz, I found a little park and did some yoga in the park, and decided to take some pictures of it too. It was hilarious! I had a grand old time and will show you some of the pictures (soon). KC - if you are reading this, I thought of you and the picture you suggested for the blog. I tried a variation. =)
6.) I said goodbye to my parents before they head back to the States, and it was much harder than I expected, considering we've grown quite accustomed to goodbyes between visits. Parting ways on August 3rd was quite emotional yet still surreal that that was our final French goodbye. They're still in France for a few more days, but they're visiting other family in Paris, and I came straight to Normandie. Getting to spend multiple weeks with them this summer made for many a wonderful memory.
7.) I got to spend a few days visiting a friend I'd met in 2008 who it turns out, now lives only about 10 km from my uncle! Who knew!! She's now married and has a 2 year old daughter who is absolutely precious!
During my stay, we visited another couple I'd met in 2008 who have bought an old stone house with tons of land, and are building an add-on to the house themselves and growing a huge garden. They are also going to start beekeeping which I find amazing on multiple levels, primarily because she'd been reading up on "how to" and was registered for a class, when suddenly, a group of bees (I don't know what the term is for a group of bees, but we're talking the whole party, appx 50,000 bees) flew into their yard and made a temporary home out of their apple tree. They called local beekeepers and got everything they needed to make a hive for them, and they now have a "group" of bees! Talk about meant to be!
They are very very environment-friendly-minded people, and it was incredibly refreshing to hear their story and see what they are accomplishing with their lives. Dinner was a chicken they had raised and potatoes from their garden with herbs they grow as well. Divine!!
The next day we went to the beach and timed a quick 10 minute dip in the English Channel perfectly before a storm hit and the downpour drenched the remaining, stubborn people on the beach. It was a COLD dip, and the worst part was not having sunshine to warm us up afterwards. Definitely did not feel like a summer day in August! But we went home and had hot tea and a chocolate lava cake that we'd made - exquisite!!
Her apartment happens to be a 2 minute walk from a castle! I LOVE IT! I'm still obsessed with castles. I got to go for a run around the castle grounds. It was fabulous!
She brought me to my uncle's house on Tuesday (about a 15 minute drive away) which made for one of the easiest house transitions I've had yet! I think it takes number 1. =) After lunch with my aunt and uncle; the glorious reunion of bike and rider took place, and now we're back where this story started, with the 35 km bike ride through the fantastic Normandy country-side. Tomorrow, a 50 km ride planned with my uncle (who is over 70 years old and floors me with his fitness!!) and perhaps a quick solo jaunt by bike over to a castle to satisfy my castle obsession.
And here's the grand reunion!!
For the pertinent updates:
1.) I had an absolutely FANTASTIC experience couch surfing in Lille with my friend Rose. It was my first time couch surfing and I am now a wholehearted CS supporter and surfer! Our hosts were amazing and made the experience so much more rich than if we hadn't had their interaction, advice, tips, and company.
2.) In stark contrast, the hostel I stayed at in Belgium was mediocre at best. Boo. I severely regretted not having done CS for Belgium, but I had not yet experienced the amazing-ness that is CS. Brussels was also disappointing; with lots of less-than-ideal interactions and a very mundane metropolis. It's a big city, and indeed, the capital of Europe, so I wasn't expecting a quaint little village, but I thought there would be more appealing architecture. The Grand Plaza is absolutely breath-takingly gorgeous and was hands-down my favorite place in Brussels, but the rest was sub-par and at times a little sketchy.
I followed a few suggested walking tours and found the parts of the city that I saw to be very unremarkable.....to the point where I was questioning why they were part of a walking tour. My favorite part of Brussels (after gawking at the Grand Plaza) was doing a little treasure hunt for the 3 pissing statues. I found them all (Manneken Pis, the original little boy, his sister, and now a dog) and I find them quite hilarious, especially that the little boy actually wears a costume and that the costume is changed multiple times/month. Really??!! Really!
I did get to visit three other towns in Belgium: Tournai, Ghent and Brugge, and the last two are by far my favorite Belgian towns. They also definitely make top 10 European towns for me. I got to visit Ghent during a music festival and it was quite fun; highlight of the day was meeting some very friendly and proud Belgians who bought me a Ghent Tripl (a beer that I actually discovered I really liked and is made specifically for the town of Ghent) COOL!!
3.) I got a sunburn playing in the pool that my cousin has in his backyard! I hadn't had that much sun in a while! (The summer here has been terrible with ridiculous amounts of rain and much colder temperatures than usual, and everyone's gardens now reflect the sub-par summer with various plant maladies and severely diminished harvests. Sad!) The pool was incredibly fun to frolic in though! It's above ground, but about 4 feet deep and 20 feet in diameter ...... sufficient for much fantastic fun. I was very thankful I didn't have to carry my bag for a few days though, because my shoulders were severely sensitive to the slightest pressure; 45 lbs on them would have been quite unpleasant.
4.) I got to swim in a pool with a retractable roof!!! SO COOL! Near my aunt's house she has a public pool with a roof that can be opened on days deemed worthy. I was lucky enough to catch one of those days! I swam 3 days while I was there, and only on 1 day did they open the roof. I thought the other days were nice enough for open sky swimming, but apparently they did not concur. It was a splendid experience!
5.) With a 90 minute wait for a train in Metz, I found a little park and did some yoga in the park, and decided to take some pictures of it too. It was hilarious! I had a grand old time and will show you some of the pictures (soon). KC - if you are reading this, I thought of you and the picture you suggested for the blog. I tried a variation. =)
6.) I said goodbye to my parents before they head back to the States, and it was much harder than I expected, considering we've grown quite accustomed to goodbyes between visits. Parting ways on August 3rd was quite emotional yet still surreal that that was our final French goodbye. They're still in France for a few more days, but they're visiting other family in Paris, and I came straight to Normandie. Getting to spend multiple weeks with them this summer made for many a wonderful memory.
7.) I got to spend a few days visiting a friend I'd met in 2008 who it turns out, now lives only about 10 km from my uncle! Who knew!! She's now married and has a 2 year old daughter who is absolutely precious!
During my stay, we visited another couple I'd met in 2008 who have bought an old stone house with tons of land, and are building an add-on to the house themselves and growing a huge garden. They are also going to start beekeeping which I find amazing on multiple levels, primarily because she'd been reading up on "how to" and was registered for a class, when suddenly, a group of bees (I don't know what the term is for a group of bees, but we're talking the whole party, appx 50,000 bees) flew into their yard and made a temporary home out of their apple tree. They called local beekeepers and got everything they needed to make a hive for them, and they now have a "group" of bees! Talk about meant to be!
They are very very environment-friendly-minded people, and it was incredibly refreshing to hear their story and see what they are accomplishing with their lives. Dinner was a chicken they had raised and potatoes from their garden with herbs they grow as well. Divine!!
The next day we went to the beach and timed a quick 10 minute dip in the English Channel perfectly before a storm hit and the downpour drenched the remaining, stubborn people on the beach. It was a COLD dip, and the worst part was not having sunshine to warm us up afterwards. Definitely did not feel like a summer day in August! But we went home and had hot tea and a chocolate lava cake that we'd made - exquisite!!
Her apartment happens to be a 2 minute walk from a castle! I LOVE IT! I'm still obsessed with castles. I got to go for a run around the castle grounds. It was fabulous!
She brought me to my uncle's house on Tuesday (about a 15 minute drive away) which made for one of the easiest house transitions I've had yet! I think it takes number 1. =) After lunch with my aunt and uncle; the glorious reunion of bike and rider took place, and now we're back where this story started, with the 35 km bike ride through the fantastic Normandy country-side. Tomorrow, a 50 km ride planned with my uncle (who is over 70 years old and floors me with his fitness!!) and perhaps a quick solo jaunt by bike over to a castle to satisfy my castle obsession.
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