Au Revoir, France: Until we meet again

Bonjour tout le monde. As I write this, I have two extremely stuffed suitcases (one of whom I had to sit on to close) sitting on my floor. I am not super excited about getting them down all those stairs. Now has come the time to say goodbye, and to thank everyone who made this semester so wonderful.

My exams went pretty well, I think; and I actually enjoyed hearing all of the other language student's final presentations. I was pretty proud of mine as well. We had a lovely little farewell dinner thing with adorable delicious sandwiches and fancy desserts together; and it was great to be able to be all together here for a final time! I know I'll see everyone again, back in Boston and such, but still, its hard for such a defining experience to come to an end.

My host family had a little special dinner last night with me; I finally tasted foie gras (its good, though I'm not sure I got quite what all the fuss is about). Funnily enough, the girls got really excited about that! Imagine American kids getting thrilled about the prospect of foie gras. I can't. My host mom also made a chocolate cake, since she knows I love chocolate, and we chatted about my favorite things in France. I think she was kind of surprised when I explained that one unexpected thing I love here is taking the train! I enjoy the quiet rides and the scenery, and of course to me its much more of a novelty. The US needs to get on that. I said goodbye to everyone and did la bise and thats that.

I'm really happy with the way this semester turned out. There were certainly rough patches, and being totally ill at the beginning didn't help matters, but I have learned so much about myself. And I have traveled quite a bit as well! 2 continents, 5 countries, and 14 cities, to be precise. And those suitcases are quite a bit fuller than when I left. Can't think why (may have also bought a new pair of sandals just yesterday).

I'm also, I think, ready to leave. I will miss France so much, but I also miss BU and all of my friends there. I am ready to speak English again and be in a world where things are familiar and normal--I don't think I ever quite got to a level where things were totally normal here. But of course that's me talking now--in a week I may be sobbing to go back!

So thank you also to all of my travelling companions this semester. Thank you to the other language students, and to the engineers. Thank you to our program organizers. Thank you to my host family. Thank you to my family family, who was there through all the crises. And thanks to you for reading this blog! I hope you enjoyed reading about my exploits!

Adieu,
Miriam

Last few weeks in France

My time in France is almost up! I'm leaving this Friday, taking a plan to Frankfort and then from there flying to NYC, where my lovely parents await me with baited breath. Or something. I'm sure they'll muster up a little enthusiasm for the occasion.

Recently, things have been very nice and relaxed here. After coming back from my grand adventures I only had one week of classes, of which one of the days (May 1) was a public holiday. May 1 is quite a big one as its the worker's holiday so absolutely everything is closed, even the trams. I was a little suffocated, but it was okay. May 8 and 9 were also public holidays, but some things at least were open and also the spring sales have started! So I may have to do some shopping before I leave. Assuming I have any money left.

My 21st birthday was May 7, which was lovely, as my friend Lindsay organized a little get together complete with mac and cheese, that much craved American dish, and wine and a strawberry cake. It was so great to hang out with everyone, especially knowing our time here is limited. I loved the card they got me, too, a cute little kitty card that everyone signed! Twas a fantastic birthday, even more so because the next day I went to the new bubble tea place downtown and had my fave drink for the first time in months. Lovely!

Last night my host family and I were finally all home to eat togethter at the same time, so they purchased some delicious mini pastries and put 21 candles in and sang Happy Birthday in English! It was really nice and sweet and the pastries were great. They also got me a little makeup bag as a gift, very cute and practical so I'll remember them by it.

Mostly things have been quiet because its now the exam period, which while still much less intense than at home, is nonetheless irritating and cranky, so as a treat Lindsay and I took a day trip yesterday to a small city about an hour train ride from here, Chambery. Chambery is very cute but small, and has a lovely little old city with fun little shops. We got fondue for lunch, since we were in the Haute Savoie region, and had a lovely Savoie white wine with it. The next time I go to France I definitely want to do a vineyard tour! A highlight was a visit to the chateau complex, which is very old and has been added to over the centuries. We took a tour with a hilarious and friendly guide, and among our group were some adorable little French children. I like baby French--one little boy kept saying "par que" for "parce que". She asked where everyone was from, so of course when we said we were American the French people did the sort of head tilt big smile "Ahhh" they always do when we say where we come from, as if they are 1) surprised we speak French and 2)confused as to what we are doing there and not Paris.

I have recently been taking note of language things in French, as I get more advanced. One saying I quite like in French is "j'ai le droit de" which literally translates  to "I have the right to", but is used frequently as a kind of I can. It is such a very French thing to say, for everything from I have a right to watch TV without you yelling, Tess, to I have a right to an extra blanket at the hospital. Another favorite saying is the word "vachement" which is used quite frequently as an intensifier, but literally means "cow-ly". I also like what the kids like my 11 year old host sister say, which is "grave" whenevery they think something is cool or they really agree with it. It is sort of like saying something is "sick" in English.

That's all for now!
Love,
Miriam

Le Maroc et L'Italie

So as I've been rather lazy  and slow updating this, I shall combine what I planned to be two parts into one, to insure that I can write it all! Plus things have been happening here in France too over the past week; but I'll get to that.

So where I left off, we had just arrived in Rabat. This actually led to rather an adventure and a possible scam; I had booked the AirBnb, an apartment, for the trip, and showed the address to the cab driver (all in French, bien sur). He confused us quite a lot, in saying something about it not being a proper address, and then the phone numbers we were given not being Moroccan, and we were getting more and more confused. Finally we got out of him that apparently the neighborhood it was in was very bad and not safe and that he would take us there but advised us against it. Naturally, we were pretty freaked, and then he said he could take us to a tres bon hotel near the medina in a safe neighborhood, and so we agreed as it would cost us each basically just another 60 euros for both nights and we were scared. Looking back, we may have been scammed;  but its hard to be sure, as the neighborhood was pretty far out. .. Anyways, it worked out fine with the hotel and we got a nice dinner with Lindsay's friend Mimi that night.

The next day we got up, got breakfast in the hotel (still with fresh squeezed orange juice, those Moroccans love their juice), and went out to explore the medina. It was very different than the Fes medina, partly because it was newer and wider, so there were places where you did actually have to look out for cars. We picked up a new suitcase for me, since Ryanair broke my old one, and walked around, buying gifts and enjoying the sights. I did kind of miss the Fes donkeys, though. We wandered upon a beautiful sea view at one point, then headed over to the kasbah, or fort, to get some henna done.As soon as we got in a lady jumped at us to do our hands, and it was nice but not my favorite henna I have gotten--it was pretty watered down tourist stuff. But the kasbah was beautiful with a lovely courtyard garden and I quite enjoyed myself.

After that we met Mimi at the beach and enjoyed the sand and surf for an hour or so. There really weren't any women in bathing suits, so I didn't feel comfortable even going out in my one-piece, but I did go wading and the water was great! We got lunch, and then Lindsay and I went to this monument called Tour Hassan, which is the remains of an unfinished mosque next to the mausoleum of the last king of Morocco. It was very pictaresque, but I particularly admired the mounted guards in flashy uniforms. That evening we went to dinner on a boat, which was a fancy French place, much to Lindsay and my amusement. It is an interesting fact that in Morocco, alcohol is legal to non-Muslims over the age of 18, but technically illegal for Muslims (not sure how much that rule is actually followed).

The next day Lindsay and I again had a bit of an adventure, going over to the train station to get our tickets out of Rabat to Casablanca, where we were flying out the next day. We went up to a couple of nice looking girls our own age, and asked them how to get to the station, and one of them told us she was going that way too and would walk with us! She was a really lovely girl, and tried to speak mostly English with us even though I'm sure our French is better. She told us about how she wishes she had our freedom to travel where we wanted, as she has to always be with a brother or father. She's studying graphic design, but worried about getting a job; there aren't nearly enough jobs in Morocco, especially for the growing educated class. We met a lot of people like here in Morocco, who were open and friendly and always wanting to share and chat; we actually met one just a few hours after!

We had planned to go to these beautiful ruins called Chellah, so we went to find a taxi at the train station that afternoon. We had trouble with a guy trying to scam us; so a train station official started to lead us in the direction, then came across a guy he apparently knew and left us in his care. This guy turned out to be the most awesome hippie man ever.
Highlights:
"I was a non believer, than I was agnostic, now I am Muslim, but bit of an anarchist!"
"I met my wife in 1975 in a bus in Bourgogne. We were smoking a lot of cannabis."
"I write poetry and sometimes give it as gifts."
"I like those American musicians--Neil Young, Joni Mitchell. . ."
And then he quoted Pink Floyd.

We met some interesting people in Morocco, I suppose.

Chellah was absolutely beautiful, all ruiny but with lots of garden and plants and a sort of natural peaceful feeling, which was lovely after being in some crazy cities. Unfortunately, it was about midday and had gotten really rather hot, so both of us felt it was necessary to find some lunch. We wandered around for a bit and then took the train right to Casablanca!

Do not go to Casablanca. It is sketchy and a little scary and that's all I have to say about that. We flew out the next morning, and then I was in Florence (after a flight, a shuttle, and a bit of a walk to the hostel). I met up with Julia Lopez, a friend from high school who also happened to be traveling in Florence at the same time,and her friend Caroline, and we had a lovely dinner by the Duomo, where I had my first real Italian pasta, which was even better than I imagined. The next day, my traveling buddy Alex was coming in in the evening, so I took the day to explore. I went across the river to the Palazzo Pitti, an old palace that is now a museum, and saw their stunning costume collection and some of their artwork and porcelain. I saw the Santa Maria de Novella church that we were staying near, and got a Firenze Card for 50 euro, a wonderful little three day thing that lets you get in all these places for free.

Alex came that evening and we had a great time wandering around the city and found delicious pizza for dinner and gelato for dessert. I had a LOT of gelato in Florence. The next day, Saturday, found us up bright and early to explore the Palazzo Vecchio, an old Medici palace, the PonteVecchio, which was cool but had mostly jewelry stores atop, and the Galleria Uffizi, which I enjoyed but at that point I was exhausted and had rather sore feet and was feeling a bit ill due to a cold, so unfortunately I didn't enjoy as much as I might have, even though I loved the Botticelli rooms. We also did lots of window shopping, which was really rather impressive for a city I don't normally associate with being a fashion capital in Italy. Lots of leather goods like gloves and shoes, but also hats and beautiful dresses and jackets and top fashion designers like Gucci and such. It was really rather stunning.

Sunday we went to see the David at the Galleria Accademia which was really kind of astounding. Definitely worth seeing in person, no matter how many pictures you have seen. Photographs aren't allowed in there, which is an annoying difference between Morocco and Italy! Then, whilst wandering over to the Museo Ebraica, we stumbled upon a lovely little old botanical garden, which claims to be the oldest in the world. I particularly admired the roses and the lovely greenery. We definitely were traveling at the right time of year! The Museo Ebraica was really stunning, a beautiful old Sephardi style synagogue, though I was saddened that you have to go through pretty much airport level security to get in--you can't even take in a purse!

That afternoon Alex and I went to the Casa Dante, which was kind of a disappointment as it was more about the complicated political history of Florence than about the Divine Poet. We also went over to this fortress near our hotel that happened to our surprise to be hosting an artisans fair! We particularly enjoyed the free samples of cheese in the food section. Alex then was off, so I dined with Julia and Caroline again and prepared to go home.

The next day, after a train, a bus, a plane, another bus, and two trams, I was back in France! And I'll tell you about things here soon, but this was such a long post I don't know if anyone even made it to the end. . .

Love,
Miriam

Spring Break, Part 1: Fes, Meknes, Volubilis

Bonjour tout le monde! I returned Monday night from my fabulous adventure in Morocco and Italy. It was truly a wonderful trip--so good I think I'll break it into three blog posts. This first one will focus on the first three or so days, which we spent in what is now one of my favorite cities, Fez, as well as a day trip to nearby tourist sites.

After many crazy travel mishaps on a day that seemed to prove Murphy's Law, Ryanair didn't even deliver my suitcase, which was as you can imagine very stressful. I didn't even know if it would ever come--I was rather freaked out. Still, very excited to arrive! And our airbnb, which was a wonderful riad, or old traditional style house, was absolutely beautiful. It had a lovely courtyard and beautiful stucco and mosaics, but most marvelously a gorgeous terrace where Lindsay and I shared a lovely first meal  that evening. We could see the city of Fes, with its myriad of low roofs (and lots of satellite dishes, Moroccans love their TV!). We planned to do a guided tour of the medina, or old city where we stayed, the next day,as it is impossible for a tourist to find oneself there--there are more than 9000 alleyways! It is about a thousand years old and is truly like stepping back in time.

So the tour was actually really wonderful. Our tour guide's name was Khalid, and interspersed history and architectural and cultural tidbits with personal anecdotes in a cheerful accent, peppering his words with frequent "ok yes sir"s. He also seemed to know everyone! The medina was busy, as it was a Saturday, a major shopping day. He took us in to many stores and sites. I bought some fabric, a few gifts, and some beautiful leather shoes. One particular thing I was quite impressed by was a house with a plaque where Maimonides had lived--very cool! I suppose I'm also living in the country of Rashi, so there we have two great Jewish sages in one semester. I was overwhelmed by the sites, but also a little nervous about taking pictures, as I didn't want to be super obtrusive or offend any religious people, as photography is technically forbidden in Islam.

We did see a fair number of tour groups, but still itseems to be a place mostly untouched by tacky touristness; although we did get warned about Marrakech, as all told us that was the tourist city, overpriced and not as "real" as Fes! Speaking of Fes, the name has nothing to do with the hat, which comes from Turkey and is spelled with a Z. Just to clear that up. We also saw about a million stray cats; no dogs, since Islam prohibits them as pets, but so many cats!

Also saw a beautiful madrasa, or traditional school, a holy mausoleum,  and a number of mosques, which we as non-Muslims could not enter. We also had a delicious lunch of tajine (which just refers to a cone shaped dish which steams the food inside) and the ubiquitous mint tea, without sugar as the Moroccans like theirs with fistfuls of it and we do not.

That night luckily Ryanair had located my suitcase in Marseille and was sending it on to Fes, so I went to the airport and picked it up while Lindsay and her friend Mimi, who is studying in Rabat, enjoyed camel burgers and almond milkshakes. Still enjoyed a nice chat with the cab driver who ended up also driving us the next day! A very nice man who, like many of the Moroccans we met, told me basically his life story and ambitions and was only to happy to be helpful and friendly. He hoped to someday open his own restaurant; he had worked on his father's farm until his father had to sell it due to money troubles and from then on he had worked as a driver for the tourism company.

The next day we had a day trip to Volubilis, an ancient Roman site, and Meknes, which was the home to a massive royal palace and now is a beautiful little city. The drive itself was incredibly lovely, as we drove through hills of orchards and farmland, much  of it belonging to the king. Volubilis I really enjoyed, as it is sort of overgrown with wildflowers and plants, and our guide delighted in showing us all of the different flower types. Plus, I saw my first stork!

After a lunch, where I tried pastilla, pastry enveloping chicken and almonds sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, which was delicious, we saw the massive granaries and stables that the king of morocco, a contemporary of Louis XIV, had constructed. We also saw his mausoleum. I was rather excited about it as I had been reading a book about him and the piracy and slavery during his reign, which united Morocco albeit only until his death. He was kind of crazy, but still rather revered by Moroccans as his was a time of relative peace. The book is called White Gold, if anyone is interested.

That late afternoon/evening Mimi and I went to visit her host family from when she had spent a few weeks in Fes; Lindsay had contracted a rather nasty cold so was lying down for a bit. It was cool to see how a real Moroccan family lives, and we did get fed some VERY  sweet tea. They spoke French, but like most of the people there it is most definitely a second language and it was strange to me, after living in France with its emphasis on correct grammar, to hear their many casual "mistakes". Most of the time in Morocco we spoke a Franglish, with the occasional "Shokran" or "Salaam". Afterwards we wandered about the medina a bit and got kind of lost, though a random kid on the street helped us find our way back! On our own, we got quite a few cat calls, especially Mimi who is a stunning Nigerian girl and got some interesting calls: "sister of Obama" and "Mama Africa" mostly. The calls on the street don't feel as creepy and predatory as in Europe or the states, but more humorous or more trying to sell something.

The next morning we haggled for some saffron to bring back to our families, then caught a taxi to the train station and were off to Rabat and thenext blog post!

Springtime in the Alps

First let me say, I feel so much for all of my Boston friends, and the news is even well known here in France, as I've had several people ask me about it, and have watched the news about the attacks here on the French news. Boston is a wonderful, special city, with the Marathon being the signal of spring arriving and the city celebrating, and I know that tradition will still continue. I miss you all! So onwards:

About a week ago, spring FINALLY arrived. After dozens of false alarms, we seem to be solidly in good weather and leaves are actually coming out on trees. Flowers are everywhere, especially on campus which seems to be defying the ugly sixties buildings by covering them with greenery. Say what you will about the campus, it is full of "verdure". Plus, there are some cherry blossoms so I feel at home.

Last weekend was quite a busy one, as the lovely parents were here. We went to about 500 museums and walked our feet off and ate many enormous meals and met with the host family for dinner one night. It was somewhat exhausting but really lovely to see them and show off my mastery of the confusing Grenoble geography. Those medieval streets! Also had a fun day in Lyon, which is much nicer when it is warm and sunny and green than when it is chilly.

Classes are starting to wrap up; I have technically ended two of my classes (though some assignments remain). It really is gorgeously warm and lovely out--even had a field trip with my French class to this really cool place, the Cryptes de Saint Laurent, which is a place the Grenoblois have been burying their dead for nearly 2000 years. Its pretty incredible to see the layers of construction and bones and coffins that have been unearthed and displayed.

So tomorrow starts les vacances, so thrilling. My most wonderful of schedules:
Tomorrow: train to Marseille, flight from Marseille to Fez. Stay in Fez for three nights!
Monday: train to Rabat, stay there for two nights
Wednesday afternoon: To Casablanca, where the next day we will fly out. I am going from there. . .
Thursday: To Florence! Where I am meeting my dear friend Alex from school the next day, as well as staying in the same hostel as high school friend Julia!
Monday: Back to Grenoble.

Pretty much the best 11 days ever. Like, ever.
I am so stoked. I shall have many many stories to tell upon my return!
GROS bisous,
Miriam

Voyage au sud!

Bonjour tout le monde! Sorry that its been a while since writing anything, but it has been quiet. This past weekend marked our last program sponsored trip, and it was a wonderful one. We went to the sunny(ish) South of France and explored multiple stops along the way.

We started out early on Saturday, as its about three hours on the bus to Montpellier where we were staying, and we were stopping multiple times along the way to see some sights. We weren't really told what exactly we would be seeing, so it was all kind of a surprise. Unfortunately, it was a rare rainy day which put a bit of a damper on things but nonetheless I think we all enjoyed ourselves. The first stop was at the Pont du Gard, a Roman aquaduct made to transport water to Nimes and which is the highest Roman aquaduct made, as well as still being in great shape. We actually got to cross over through the aquaduct and even in the rain it was very impressionant.
Some photos:

Rather scenic! I thought it was especially cool that we got to walk through the aquaduct--it was amazing to think it was 2,000 years old and that we could still use it today as a bridge!

For lunch we stopped at a restaurant to try bull, a local specialty as they still have bull fights in the region. I thought it was okay, though I wasn't blown away. Bull is, of course, much like beef, but I think it may have been the preparation that threw me off rather than the meat, as I got a mouthful of pure fat! Yuck.

Afterwards, we were told they were taking us to a surprise. Here's a hint:

  

Yup! The Haribo factory! SO COOL. So much candy. Being a Hershey Park veteran, I'm pretty cool with my candy museums but this was lots of fun, to go through and see all the scienc-y things that go into making the candy. I think the engineers had an especially great time as they got to see both an aquaduct and a factory in one day!  I also enjoyed the store which had a massive selection of candies and it turns out the French love their gummies as I saw several of them with shopping-cart quantities of candy to buy. I personally only got a few gifts for certain gummy lovers I know. 

That evening we arrived in Montpellier, and unfortunately it was raining. I had planned to meet Julia Lopez, a friend from high school who is studying there, and so my friend Lindsay from the program and I headed over to see her. Unfortunately, it was rather rainy still which is uncharacteristic for the area but nonetheless we could tell it was a lovely little city. We wandered around a bit, sheltered by umbrellas, before we stopped at a restaurant to get something we don't tend to have in mountainous inland Grenoble...moules frites! (mussels for the non-French speakers out there). Delicious! It was wonderful to catch up with Julia and I think we all had a great dinner together. 

The next morning we woke up, got a delicious breakfast buffet, and headed off to the Mediterranean! We stopped at a town called Sete, which was founded in the 17th century and was home to several famous poets, one of whom I'd actually heard of! It has a beautiful oldish cemetary overlooking the water. Lindsay and I wandered around in search of lunch, to eat as a picnic on the cliffs, got a little lost along the way, but finally found a little grocery shop and a boulangerie. We had a lovely picnic of fresh strawberries, baguette, chevre (goat cheese) and potato chips seasoned with herbes de Provence. It was pretty ideal, even when a couple of seagulls I named One-Eyed Bob and Steven decided to join us. The sun was gorgeous and the food delicious!

Steven and One-Eyed Bob face off in front of our picnic.

The above picture was taken after lunch, when we drove up to a view point over looking the town and the sea. It was about what you imagine a French seaside town should be, no?

Our final stop was unfortunately brief since we got a bit stuck in traffic, but it was a stop at a proper beach, where I did manage to get a little sunburnt (of course) in only about half an hour. The water was way too cold even for wading, since it wasn't super warm out, but there was sun and sea and sand and shells, and it was lovely. I built a sandcastle and wandered around a bit!

Finally we headed back, which took quite awhile especially since there was more traffic. We took a half hour break at a rest stop, which was surprisingly like an American rest stop, complete with a McDonald's. It turns out it is a French law that drivers have to take a break every two hours. Finally, we got back around 830 last night and said goodbye. It's sad to think we probably all won't be all together again!

In other news, I have pretty much finalized my plans for the upcoming break! I'll be spending three days each in Fez and Rabat, and then a few days in Florence. Such excitement!

Bisous,
Miriam
PS: bonus points to any who comment; I can see lots of you are reading but I'd love to know what you think or if you have any questions/recommendations/requests for a blog post!

Les Paques juives

Bonjour a tous! I hope that all the Jews are enjoying their seders and all the non-Jews are enjoying eating leavened foods.

I had a VERY interesting and lovely experience last night; I went to a communal seder for the
Communauté Juive Libérale Grenoble-Dauphiné (if curious, here is their site: http://www.cjl-grenoble.fr/page/synagogue). I found the synagogue by happy chance when googling, and sent a curious email and before I knew it I was signed up--and waived the fee for attending the seder! They are pretty much the only "liberal" synagogue in Grenoble, and were basically equivalent to Reform back home. They are also, surprisingly, mostly Ashkenazi, whereas the other area synagogues are apparently more Sephardi.

The seder was mostly attended by older people, with a few families, and only one other person my age; I was told to sit at a table where "l'autre jeune" would be. And from the beginning, I felt very much at home, despite the language difference. It turns out Jews are pretty much the same in France; one of the conversations went like this:
"Did you hear, a new kosher restaurant opened up in Lyon!"
"No, no the one on Boulevard XXX? That's not kosher, its vegetarian."
"Isn't the owner Jewish?"
"Yes, he's the cousin of so-and-so, but the restaurant is open on Saturdays."
"Well, vegetarian is still something."
It felt like everything I was used to was there, just translated into French. And this also made me realize how good my French has gotten lately. First of all, I could really understand everything anyone said. Secondly, the BEST compliment ever was paid to me by a very nice lady who was kind of listening to a conversation; when I said something about bettering my French she interrupted with "Wait, you aren't French? But  I didn't hear an accent. . . " Then when I talked a little more she said she heard it--BUT STILL! I am not obviously American any more!

The service was very well led; they brought in a cantor to do it and he did some lovely things. It was mostly in French, and the songs they sang I knew, even down to the same tunes. We even sang the order the same way we do back home, although at the end I did miss "Chad gadya", but one can't have everything. He also shared some interesting insights into the holiday. It was one of the first times this semester I felt like I wasn't totally in a foreign place, and I was very happy to be there, from the moment I walked in and smelt that first scent of haroset and maror.

The one damper on the lovely evening was the food. Naturally, when I think of Pesach I think of a big traditional meal that one can hardly move after, starting with hard boiled egg and followed with matzah ball soup, some sort of meat and about half a dozen sides. (Plus, chocolate covered matzah for dessert!) This meal was nice, but hardly Passover-worthy. We had a salad followed by fish and potatoes and green beans, with ice cream for dessert. The French all seemed to like it, but I really just wanted a hot bowl of soup. Ah, well. I know what request I will make when I get home this summer. Maman, take note.

The other nice thing was  that at the beginning the president of the synagogue, with whom I had been corresponding, was welcoming the outsiders in to the community, saying how it was part of the mitzvah of Passover, and he welcomed me! At first I was a little embarassed to have everyone looking at me, but I think they were genuinely interested in hearing about why on earth an American Jew would be having a seder in Grenoble. Plus, two people came up to greet me; one was an expatriate American, and one was a Grenobloise who has lived for a long time in Norfolk, VA, and she also ended up giving me a ride home.

Naturally, there were also many French cultural elements that enter in to the event. I did la bise (kiss on both cheeks) so many times; I think I finally am becoming not awkward at it. I also learned a little bit of what it is like to be a Jew in France today; they talked about putting mezuzot on the inside of their front doors, and the importance of being "discreet". I wonder what they would think of my synagogue back home, with its large pro-Israel sign, or of the large kosher sections in ordinary supermarkets. We see ourselves as a minority in the US, but in France, especially outside of Paris, its even more so, and the importance of discretion is really underlined.

Anyways, I'm going to go try to go one "Chabbat" and see how it goes!

Love,
Miriam

La vie quotidienne

Bonjour tout le monde!
Well, I can't promise to match the excitement or photographic content of the last couple of posts, but I'll share with you a couple of my fun French experiences and some notes on the culture I'm living in right now.

One of the subtle differences in France is the way one conducts oneself with salespeople. It is very rude to enter/exit a store without saying "bonjour" and "au revoir" and/or "bon journee". Not only that, but in many stores the salespeople are on the whole much more helpful and chatty. At home, generally my experience has been that a salesperson will have to be sought out for help, but here they are often happy for some conversation, giving advice, and helping you find what you need. Not only that, but the French are habitual people, going often to the same cafes and boulangeries, and the workers there tend to be full time so that you get to know them all a bit. There are one or two places here in Grenoble I frequent--a boulangerie/cafe, and a little pasta place, as well as a burger place--and there I always receive acknowledgement and chat a little with the salespeople/cashiers. Quite different from in the US, where one doesn't generally get to know the people at the local places, and we try to be as distant as possible from eachother.

Living with a French family, I get to see lots of little things that differentiate the way they function from the way I've grown up--there are plenty of similarities, too. Apparently in England there's a big hit book about how the French raise perfect children. This is not true. They raise normal children. They have the same punishments--no TV, bed early, no computer--and their kids, like anywhere else, are sometimes lovely and sometimes frustrating. They do have, however the benefit of no school on Wednesdays, which I wish I had in elementary school! And they still come home for lunch. Plus, this being Grenoble, the older girl has ski with her school on Fridays! Skiing! I never even had swim!

One thing that I do very much prefer back home is how university functions. BU is far more specific, organized, transparent, and challenging than anything at Stendhal. My professors are both very good, but are not teaching the most coherent courses, and don't even have syllabi. The classes are interesting, but disorganized, and I miss in class discussions and actual specific reading assignments--here students are just expected to read the material on their own time, and I'm never sure where I"m supposed to be in a book. Plus, I miss extracurriculars and student life! There are some clubs at the university but they are few and far between and poorly advertised. This is all, of course, probably also part of the fact that we pay 50,000 a year for BU and French students go for free.

Despite all that, I do enjoy my classes, and I am learning. My French has definitely improved, and I understand much more easily what is going on around me, and can speak more fluently.

Oh, and I have news for you all! Our spring break is coming up at the end of April---and I'll be going to Fez and Rabat, Morocco! So excited!

Bisous,
Miriam

Les Vacances II: London!

Bonjour tout le monde!
So after leaving Paris and taking the train to Angleterre/Londres we arrived. Sam showed me around Spitalfield Market, which is right by where she lives. Its a very cool market, very nicely priced and if I lived there/had had more suitcase space I would surely shop there often. Some very cute dresses and t-shirts and things.
That night they took me to this pub nearby where I had steak and ale pie for the first time. It was delicious, and very different from the French food I'd been eating! Also came with some delicious "chips".

MMM so yummy.
The next day, which was Tuesday, I went (by myself!) to the Victoria and Albert Museum. This was one I had particularly been looking forward to as it houses one of the most famous costume collections in the world. I took the Tube by myself and didn't get lost, thanks to some very intensive Google Maps-ing. It was a beautiful museum, and I really did enjoy it as much as I'd thought. The costume collection on display was stunning, and I also enjoyed their equally impressive jewelry collection, which had example from all eras and was overwhelming opulent. I found a theatre exhibit as well, with examples of costumes, posters and such from different British theatres over the years, which naturally I quite enjoyed. Some highlights:

Beautiful example of a Regency gown!

1950s glamour.

Early G&S poster!

As you can see, this museum basically was catering to me and Things I Like. To add to that atmosphere, I next went to the British Museum, where I saw my second First Folio of the day, along with lots of old manuscripts and illuminated texts. It was really a perfect day. Plus the bookshop/giftshop there was wonderful--was sorely tempted by a "Cat that Walks by Himself" t-shirt.

The next day, Wednesday, Sam didn't have any classes so she took me round to some markets--first Petticoat Lane Market, which was mostly used/consignment type clothes, then over to Convent Garden, which I was a big fan of. Lot of adorable shops and booths with artsy things, plus I got to go in a very cute store I'd only before been able to eye online. After that we went to High Tea, where we had a reservation and met two of Sam's friends there. It was extremely delicious and elegant and fancy, so naturally I wore my new dress I'd gotten in Paris.
When at High Tea one has, of course, the Tea Tray and the Tea Cup:

 Plus and assortment of butters and jams:

I tried to comport myself well. It was difficult.

That night we went to Pizza Express, which is pretty much everywhere in England. Its always nice to enjoy foreign chains. Plus the pizza was pretty good.

Thursday I met Susan (one of my mother's many cousins) at the Royal Academy for a Manet exhibit, which was good but arranged rather confusingly and VERY crowded. One thing I have found in Europe: the museums are generally rather packed. Perhaps they are more cultured than we are? After lunch we parted ways and I went over to Fortnum and Mason's to find a gift for the host parents. The host mom loves tea so I got her an assortment, but mostly oohed and aahed at the fanciness. That is the Style to Which I Wish to Become Accustomed.

I then went to the British Museum, which I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly the various hordes and such. Hordes are fun--I wish we had them in the US.  I focused on old Britain, then met my great-aunt for tea, after which we worked our way over to get dinner with my great-uncle--we ended up eating at a French place! I was amused. But it was very good and I got duck so I was quite happy.

Friday I left for Manchester, where I had a beautiful visit with some family who I hadn't seen in a long time. I also got fish and chips then, and was fed some very nice home cooked meals.
Sunday I had to go back. I flew direct from Manchester to Grenoble and was absolutely, as they say here, crevee!

Bisous,
Miriam

Les Vacances, Part I: Two Americans in Paris!

Bonjour tout le monde!
My, it's been a little while! And very eventful too, so much so that I'll have to break it into bits to get it all out there. This post will focus on the first weekend of my trip, when I went to Paris.

I have of course already been to Paris, but it was when I was thirteen and so I was eager to go back. I was going with my friend Sam, who is studying abroad in London for the semester. Sam understands French pretty well, but is less comfortable speaking, so I was the main translator. It was a beautiful and delicious weekend! We stayed at this nice little hostel in Montmartre, close to a Metro stop and not far from Sacre Coeur. The hostel had breakfast included and a very international group staying there--though we mostly chatted with Americans. It was also very colorful. Our room alone had four different wall patterns going on.

The first night we went for some traditional French cuisine next door, complete with wine. I had this lovely special:

And the above was dessert. The next day we headed out, ready for our adventure! We started out with a visit to the Arc de Triomphe. It was beautiful but very cold and windy, especially up the windy stairs to the top. Here's a picture of one of the views, with this little tower that keeps showing up:

 

After that we walked down the Champs-Elysees to enjoy the classy shopping. We started out at the Mont Blanc store, oohing at the fancy pens that cost more than what some people make in a year. I naturally wanted the Grace Kelly pen, but one cannot have everything. The shops there are really quite fun to wander through and unlike when I was thirteen I now actually enjoy shopping. But for sure one of the highlights was going to Laduree for macarons. When I spotted it across the street, I knew we just had to! And it was an experience. Beautiful creations and the inside was decorated in lavish 19th century style. Some photos:

 If I could, I would have ordered one of everything but our six macarons cost about ten euros alone so I could not.

After that we wandered over the the Latin Quarter on the Left Bank. We wanted to find Shakespeare and Co but got a bit lost; nonetheless we had a good time going into shops and enjoying the little streets and atmosphere. We also got some cidre in bowls which I haven't had since coming to France, as its not as common in my region, and we both really enjoyed that! The snack was especially necessary as it was snowing and flurrying all day, which we are told is unusual but of course happened when we came. Ah, well.

The Little Dog Watching Contingent in Paris spotted this Little Dog wearing a coat (and his brother, hiding) in the Left Bank

The next day we headed over the the Louvre, and ended up spending most of the day there. It was incredible. We spent quite a bit of time in the Objets d'Art, with some beautiful old French things and I particularly enjoyed the Napoleon III apartments, as I do enjoy my emperors. We attempted to bypass the Mona Lisa as to avoid the tourists, and managed to do that pretty well. Again, we got lost a bit, but that's not so bad in a place where every room is crammed full of incredibly beautiful works of art.

I hang out with Empress Josephine

As an Empress, I too would decorate in red.

We finished the day with an incredible meal. I had duck breast with honey sauce, and I have discovered that duck breast is one of my favorite things. The place we ate was very cute, very Montmartre, and there was lots of red in the decor so naturally I approved. I also had a very perfect creme brulee with a nice solid crack-able top, so I felt a bit like Amelie, especially given the setting.

The next morning we woke early because our train to London was going to be mid day and we wanted to see Sacre Coeur before we left. It was snowing, and this time actuallly sticking, which was annoying for walking but beautiful for scenery. I enjoyed the church as its really different than most others I've visited here and the views of Paris are stunning.

Then it was off to continue the whirlwind in London!
NEXT: the V&A; two First Folios in one day; High Tea; British hoards

Bisous!
Miriam

Le Lion Lyonnais

Bonjour tout le monde!
Sorry this is a few days late. I seem to be getting lazier as the semester passes.
Last weekend, BU took us on a trip to Lyon. Lyon is famous for one particular thing: it is the capital of gastronomie. In a country known for food, going to the city known for being the best at food is rather thrilling and, as it turned out, delicious.

We left at around 9 Saturday morning, and it only took about an hour to get to Lyon from Grenoble. Lyon is rivals with Marseille for who holds the title of second city in France (no question about what the number one city is). It certainly felt big after cozy Grenoble, and it is definitely more elegant--those shop windows! I swoon and cannot afford. We dropped our bags off and headed off to a guided tour by our very own Patrice. First stop we took a tram type thing up this steep mountain to this very cool church, called Notre Dame de Fourviere. It was built in the late 19th century, after the Franco-Prussian war, as a thank to God for the Germans not invading the city. Obvs not thanking God for France's embarrassing loss--this was not mentioned at all. The church is striking even from afar as it is built in the Byzantine style:

 

These are the doors to the church. Note the lion--Lyon's symbol (It took me a good while to realize the connection between the name of the city and its symbol. Embarrassing)  We unfortunately couldn't go inside the actual church because they were doing construction, which was frustrating, but we did get to go inside the crypt bottom part. 

As you can see, its pretty elaborate and not at all like the normal church you encounter in any twon in France. I apologize for the poor quality, but there is only so much one can do without flash. 

I also particularly was fascinated by the walls of dedications of soldiers who returned from the front thanking Mary for their survival. The wars feel so much closer to the people here, especially here in eastern France where a lot of WW1 took place. 

 After wandering around the church we went to the ruins of an old Roman amphitheatre. I don't think I've ever been in one before, and it was rather incredible to see, especially after studying it multiple times in different theatre courses. I could really see how the audience would feel, crammed in to steep stone benches, staring down at the actors in the sunshine. The atmosphere changes things--I felt like reenacting last year's Medea there for sure!

After that, we re-descended and then were free to eat lunch and wander. For lunch I went with a group of other students to a traditional lyonnais bouchon, a term that only refers to these little restaurants in Lyon that serve delicious food. Everything was absolutely divine, especially with the nice Beaujolais. In Lyon they say that there are three rivers: the Saone, the Rhone, and Beaujolais. I am a fan. 

After that and wandering around the cute area (and encountering a manifestation, bien sur: this is France), I went to the textile museum. Lyon was for a long time a capital of silk manufacturing, and the beautiful museum has textiles dating back over a thousand years. Unfortunately, I couldn't take any pictures as they are all too delicate but if you are curious here is the website: http://www.musee-des-tissus.com/ I loved this museum of course, being the sewing/costumes fan I am. There are also examples of full costumes from about the 16th century onwards. There was so much elaborate embroidery and beautiful weaving from all over the world; I was in awe! Definitely worth a visit.

For dinner the program took us to the restaurant of one of the most renowned chefs in France: Paul Bocuse. We had a lovely white wine and of course, more Beaujolais. The appetizer was a bread with sausage thing that was super yummy, and for the main course:

MMMM juicy chicken with some sort of yummy gravy type sauce and pomme de terres a la lyonnais. For dessert:

 

I could get used to this. 

The next day we started off on a bit of a walking tour around Lyon, going through different neighborhoods. One of my favorite things was this building that is decorated with trompe l'oeil of famous people from Lyon. 

 NONE OF THAT IS REAL including those little stores at the bottom. SO very cool. Also:

Saint-Exupery was from Lyon too! (the Little Prince is, of course, from his planet, but he is honorary Lyonnais because of his friendship with Saint-Ex). Again, NONE OF THIS IS REAL including the moldings and the windows.

After this we had a quick lunch in a pub and then went to wander around a bit. We discovered this book market thing that had millions of old French books and I may have bought a present for a certain sister there but I'll never tell. I like old book markets, so this made me happy.

We got on the bus and headed off to the museum of the Freres Lumieres, the inventors of cinema. It was a a very nice museum, and a decent tour (in French, with Marie-Eve, our program director, translating) but I was so tired from everything I was not always paying full attention. The house was beautiful in full Art Nouveau style and the old film fragments were absolutely fascinating. I particularly liked the films taken around the turn of the century all over the world--fascinating to see people moving about ordinarily so long ago, when usually you just see the stiff, still portraiture.

After that, bus home! And exhaustion!

This Friday I'm leaving for my week long break where I will be going to Paris, London, and Manchester. I may blog if I find the opportunity, but if not I will speak to you in a bit! A bientot!

Bisous,
Miriam

Geneve et Fondue

Bonjour! I let myself get a little lazy with this one; talking about last weekend's trip whilst prepping to go away for this weekend! But anyways:

Last weekend I went to visit my lovely friend Val, who is studying with BU in Geneva. Grenoble and Geneva are only about two hours apart by train, and it was only about 20 euro each way. It's incredible how easily one can switch countries here! I took a train early Saturday morning and was there by 10. After purchasing some very necessary Swiss chocolate and having a nice lunch of grilled cheese (made with Gruyere, bien sur) we decided to wander up to the Carouge neighborhood, a nice artsy little place with lots of cute shops (none of which I could afford, naturally, this being Switzerland and thus the most expensive country ever).
 
After wandering around a bit, we made our way over to the old part of the city, which is elevated. It is all in a light tan stone, and there's a big cathedral there. The cathedral is actually where Calvin taught when he was in charge in Geneva and definitely feels different than the big Catholic cathedrals I've been in--much plainer, for one! But it is still very beautiful and lots of stained glass and such. The old quarter is nice, and very scenic, but Grenoble's is much more lively, with more old shops and such. Of course, I'm a little biased since I am living here!

 After all that we were very tired, but within a few hours were ready to head out again for fondue! The first place, which Val had already been to, was absolutely full, but luckily it is not hard to find fondue in Geneva and we quickly found a little restaurant and ordered fondue and wine and had a really lovely dinner.I have had real Swiss fondue  before, when the fam all went to Switzerland when I was a senior in high school, but it was even more delicious than I remembered, and it's fun to be able to order wine in a restaurant and no one even checks cards here! I guess I look like an adult or something? Or probably they just don't care.

The next morning we went for a walk around the lake, or as they call it in French, Lac Leman. I enjoyed all of the swans and the beautiful scenery, with the distant mountains (much more loom-y in Grenoble) and the beautiful buildings. Some photos:

Some lady decided to feed the swans and ducks, and this was the result.

After that, it was back to Grenoble!

Geneva is a beautiful city, but expensive! For example, here I pay 90 centimes for a pain au chocolat. There, in an ordinary bakery, one pays 2.50 francs! The only thing that I could get cheap was the chocolate, and even so if I'd wanted I could have spent 50 francs on a box easily. I would love to explore some of the museums some time as well--but save something for next time I suppose.

This weekend BU is taking us to Lyon, the capital of French gastronomy. I expect it will be fun.

Love,

Miriam

La Vie Quotidienne

So I have been here for about a month now, and thought I might share with you a bit of what it is like living in this country of bread, cheese, and wine. Thus, a record of an ordinary day in the life complete with commentary on the French and their bizarro world.

So one wakes up in the morning, showers, dresses, and for breakfast I am given baguette, jam, butter, and maybe some tea (or coffee, if I drank it). I leave for the tram, which is a lovely system here in Grenoble. I'm only about six stops from the University. The tram system here is that you swipe your card outside but there is really no way to prevent anyone from just hopping on for free. This is probably often taken advantage of.

My morning classes are always French, taught by my lovely Bretonne prof and the class is half Americans, about half Koreans who sporadically show up, one Australian, one Chinese girl, and one Saudi Arabian guy. We are currently learning about FRENCH FOOD and hopefully this will lead to eating said food. I mentioned to my prof I had been to Bretagne and tasted Kouign Amann and dreamt about it ever since and she said she might bring some back if she goes home for Easter so CROSS FINGERS everybody. The level I am in is B2.5. To give you an idea, C1 is considered bilingual, A1 is just beginning, and C2 is when it is your native language. Hopefully by the end of the semester I will be really "bilingue".

For lunch I usually get a sandwich and fruit or yogurt which is all in all about 3 euros at this little sandwicherie. There are multiple cafeteria type things, but nothing like what we have at BU, mainly because the students aren't residents. One can also get a full meal for about 4 euros but then one has to wait and also the food isn't that great.

My afternoon classes on Thursdays are classes with normal French students. First, I would like to say if French students behaved like they do here back at BU they would get kicked out of class. About half are paying very intense attention and the other half literally just talk the entire class. The prof will occasionally snap his fingers or shush them, and they will be quiet for about two seconds before starting up again. I was told this would happen but I still find it really jarring. Additionally, lit classes are just lectures--no discussion. I do miss that about American university. Plus it is harder to stay awake when the prof is just going on in a foreign language about a text that most of the class probably hasn't even read. Perhaps the students feel that they can just do whatever because they are not paying for this the way we do--they don't value the education the same way. Probably each hour I spend in class at BU is a couple hundred dollars, so if I were to really blow it off it would mean something. For these students, university is almost free.

I did actually have a mini conversation with one student though! Its a girl who is in both my university classes and seems very studious and attentive. She told me she liked my Alice in Wonderland bag and I told her about Etsy. Very exciting. Hopefully I can get to know at least one or two students a little bit, but its a bit intimidating.

In the evenings I either eat  with my host family or out with friends, sometimes just something casual or we go to a restaurant (the other night I had a delicious onion soup!). When I eat at home there is usually salad (in France this means just lettuce) and a main dish. The family often has things with potatos, as this seems to be a staple in this region. One popular dish is gratin dauphinois, which is basically potatoes baked with cream and cheese. For dessert I usually have some fruit and cheese--recently I tried and very much enjoyed fromage de brebis--ewe's cheese! I think my family are surprised I like such strong cheese, as many foreigners don't, but I could probably make a meal of chevre and bread. Mmmm.

My family watches this series every night called "Plus belle la vie". It takes place in Marseilles and is basically a very popular and ridiculous French soap opera. There are at least 20 characters and they all have weird storylines and someone got shot but also this guy is trying to steal the cafe and I'm not always sure what is going on because TV French is harder than French people actually talking. Then we watch Le Grand Journal which is when stars of sports, TV, movies, music, whatever come on this talk show and do ridic things and chat. Bradley Cooper was on it once and he speaks French so I am now a big fan.

My French is getting better, or at least my comprehension has improved, I think. I can understand most anything people say to me, and I can express myself pretty well. The only time people try to speak English to me is when I am in a group and we are all speaking English to one another so that bodes fairly well, I think.

This weekend I am off to Geneve to stay with my friend Val, who is studying with BU there. I will be back and recount to you my tales of fondue and milk chocolate!

Bisous,
Miriam

Raquiflette and Vin Chaud (again!)

Bonjour tout le monde!
So as you may or may not have heard, I had a bit of an eventful week where I spent the night in hospital due to an allergic reaction to my antibiotics. I am fine now and no harm done so no worries! No details here as I am sick of talking about being sick! And anyway, no fun to read such things.

Instead I shall tell you about the lovely weekend I had here, my last weekend here for a couple weeks as next weekend I'll be in Geneva, then the program is taking us to  Lyon, and then it is our February break (more on that to come). Saturday I ended up meeting some other students down town and we checked out this museum, the Musee de l'ancien Eveche, which is in the old bishop's house and is mainly an archaeology museum.There was however an exhibit on this photographer who took lots of photographs of the area from the 30s to the 80s. Lots of Alps and skiiers and such, very lovely. Also in the basement you can explore some of the Roman foundations and see the remains of a really early church, ,which I enjoyed. We all went to a little bar for some drinks before dinner and I had a nice glass of (legal! hasn't gotten old yet) wine, then got Italian for dinner.

Sunday was a much anticipated day as it was our first trip with the program! We went snowshoing up to a chalet for dinner then sledded back down in the dark. The snowshoing was fun, but a bit tiring especially going up hill. When you snowshoe you have these clunky extra weights on your feet plus you have to lift your leg up extra to take a step. it was quite cold as well, high up as we were, but very beautiful and white--huge expanses of snow lined with trees and distant lights of the village.

As you can see, very snowy! There was probably two feet of snow, though of course we were walking on top of it. It started getting dark as we approached the chalet. Once there, they fed us DELICIOUS vin chaud, probably the best I've had so far. The lady told us it had cinammon and orange and "other spices". For dinner there was this traditional dish of tartiflette which has potato and cream and cheese and lardons, which are kind of like bacon, and for dessert this DELICIOUS red berry crumble with ice cream. We were VERY full. We got to sled part of the way back, alternating between snowshoing and sledding down. It was very beautiful and dark, lit with our cute little head lamps, and very quiet and isolated feeling. By the end we were all exhausted and sore and cold but it was well worth it--lots of fun! Definitely a unique experience.

Til next time!

Love,
Miriam

Mountains! and Classes

So because I said I would, and also because it is relevant and potentially a little bit interesting, my schedule of classes.

Monday: I have no classes! I'm going to get spoiled with this three day weekend stuff.
Tuesday: I have FOUR HOURS of French class from 8h30 to 12h30, first "techniques" and then "travaux". Travaux we have three times a week and the prof is lovely and the work is relevant and interesting. The Techniques I don't find very interesting or particularly useful so it's rather dull. Then in the afternoon I have translation, which is supposed to be just for English speakers but also randomly has a bunch of Chinese kids who I think think they speak better English than they do. Personally I would not want to translate from one foreign language to another but to each his own.
Wednesday: Travaux Pratiques again in the morning and then in the afternoon 20th Century history of France with a professor who also happens to be our WONDERFUL academic advisor!
Thursday: This is my day for real university classes. I have a class that's in comparative literature with a really lovely prof. We are starting out with the Inferno and ending with War and Peace but other than those two works I haven't read anything else. The prof was very happy and pleased to see an international student and so hopefully that will be good. The other course I'm taking with some other BU students; the topic is 20th century lit and the focus for now at least seems to be this poet Appolinaire. French students are very judgemental and unfriendly when you are a few minutes late to class and that is all I shall say about that class for now.
Friday: Just Travaux Pratiques in the morning! French Universities usually don't have class the afternoon so people here tend to go skiing and such. Quite luxurious.

Thus, my semester!

This weekend was actually very lovely. On Saturday we had originally kind of planned to go to the Musee de Grenoble but then the weather was so lovely we decided to take the boules (like a gondola thing) up the Bastille! Above see them--so cute!

The Bastille is this fort that was originally constructed in the 17th century but then redone in the 19th, so most of the construction is more recent. There are these cool caves dug into the mountain and all kind of mazelike things so there are beautiful views and crazy places to explore. One imagines it could host a really nuts game of Capture the Flag. 

The views were pretty spectacular too!

The Alps are a pretty cool place, all in all.
After hiking and exploring we stopped for some vin chaud (bien sur!) and then hiked the way down, which was really quite pleasant though occasionally a little steep. That night for dinner we got some kebabs and then felt the need for dessert and so wandered into a cafe that we were maybe a little to riffraffy American for but nonetheless I enjoyed a quite excellent creme brulee.

Missing you all here!
Love,
Miriam