crepes and kirs

Mother, the next time you nag me to update my blog, I am not going to write for a month.

I have no idea why I am currently started an entry, seeing as I am in no mood to be writing right now. I am slightly cranky, which would mean 'extremely cranky' for most people. My levels of crankiness exceed those of the general public. I am unique.
Also, just so everyone knows, about 50% of the blogs I write never actually get to the publishing stage. I think I could safely say that about everything I write, except for my journals. I'll go back and reread certain things and absolutely despise them upon closer inspection.
This is why my living areas are always filled with crinkled up bits of paper with scribbles all over them. Kind of how insane people live, actually.
I also read something a few months ago about how writers are far more likely to be people who bite their nails. I was overjoyed to have a new excuse.
So I bite my nails and live in piles of paper because that's just what I'm passionate about. You are no longer allowed to harass me about it.

ANYWAY
Paris was, of course, mind-blowing. I didn't even realize it was humanly possible to do so much in 3 days, but I think that's partially because Lisa refused to let me sleep past 10. She would just say "I have coffee..."
I will now provide a whirlwind recap. I spent a few hours at Aspekt the other day, writing about 20 pages about all of this, inhaling latte macchiatos, and making my hand cramp.
Ok...

1er Jour
(Thursday night doesn't count because I basically got right into Lisa's apartment and fell asleep. The train ride was uneventful. I just drooled all over my backpack and listened to Disney songs on my Ipod. "Go the Distance" was playing when we rolled through the city of Nancy, which made me miss Mommy )
I woke up to a rainy day in Paris, which didn't even bother me because I was so elated to actually be there. We had toast and coffee for breakfast and I got to meet her host mom. A very attractive, older, very wealthy woman who also happened to have perfect German. The apartment is GLORIOUS and amazingly furnished. And there I was in front of her, sputtering out nothingness because the caffeine hadn't yet kicked in . I also think I had messy 8-year-old boy hair and very short shorts on. Great first impression.
Lisa's "shower" also isn't really a shower. It's a spray thingy in a bathtub. Since I am the most uncoordinated person on the planet AND I am made of about 90% legs, it was way more difficult than it should have been.
The first place we went was Musee d'Orsay, which is about two blocks from Lisa's apartment. This was really the only place I absolutely insisted on going to, so we got it right out of the way.
I was kind of in shock the entire time, considering how many amazing pieces of art I was seeing. Monet, Degas, Renoir, Manet, Seurat...oh it was overwhelming. I took Art History 271 last year, which was 19th Century French Art and was probably one of my favorite classes ever.
I think my favorites were the 2 Monets of the woman in the field with a parasol. I also liked the Degas with the blue tutus. We passed over "Olympia" and retraced our steps through the entire place just to check out a painting of a dirty prostitute. I have no regrets.
After that we lunched at an authentic little French place, where I got veal and Lisa got salmon. The waiters were all incredibly attractive thin Frenchmen who were running amok and yelling at each other. The entire scene was surreal to me. Our food was, of course, excellent.
After that, despite occasional sprinkles which forced us to huddle under Lisa's umbrella, we took a stroll down the Champs Elysees all the way to the Arc de Triomphe.
It was cool how the streets were all spaced out around it but the structure itself wasn't terribly impressive. Just some big military hunk of stone.
After that, we went to the Eiffel Tower and rode up to the second floor. I liked how I was standing on a structure that is known by everyone I know. I could have called anyone at that moment, said "I am on the Eiffel Tower" and they would have been able to pinpoint me in the world.
Thoughts like that make me feel that I am indeed making my way across this planet.
I took a bunch of pictures of Paris with wet streets and then we walked back to Lisa's apartment. On the way we got crepes, which were amazing. Thankfully, they are not here in Freiburg, or I would have them daily. We hung out for a bit back at her place until we went to meet her good friend Sammy at some cheap Italian place for dinner. Sammy is my kind of girl. Lisa says she reminds her of me because she's more about quality over quantity. Right-O. After that we went to their favorite Irish pub in the Latin District for some conversation and hard cider.
I watched some Star Academy, which is their version of American Idol but is even more popular, I guess. I was transfixed and horrified. The men were wearing more makeup than I do when I'm dressed up.
Eventually some other Americans came to meet up with us. Don't ask me how Sammy knew them. The connection was far too complicated. But I was next to a guy from Swarthmore who is in Madrid for the semester, and some girl from Amherst who's in the south of France.
I asked them all about their programs, where they've traveled, how they like it, etc. They were very nice, but seemed a bit put off by my being in Germany. I had forgotten how much I hate that. No Europeans I meet have any problem with me studying here, but I've forgotten how biased Americans are. One just has to really wonder, why are we the only ones?
They also went on and on about how a semester is long enough and they're ready to go home. Lisa and I kind of gave each other a look but didn't say anything. After we had left the bar and were on our way to get on the Metro, we both agreed that we have not accomplished half of the things we plan to here. I am extremely excited to go home for Christmas, but I could not imagine staying there. I need to come back here and do so much more.
A semester is perfect for a lot of people. It's just not right for me.

2eme Jour - Lisa's Birthday
The next morning I once again wrestled with the shower, but it was a bit better. I just have to sit on my legs, as if they're some animal to be tamed. I just made myself laugh out loud.
We went back to the Latin District to have lunch with Lisa's family friends. Lisa's mom is a French teacher in Cincinatti and has been friends with Mrs. Hervier since they were children. Mr. and Mrs. Hervier met when she was studying abroad in Paris for the year and now they've been married 30 years and living in France.
ahhhhHHHH. That thought scares me.
They have three children who are all in their 20's. Peter is semi-dating Sammy, whom he met through Lisa.
They were very nice and spoke in English for my sake, even though Mrs. Hervier asked me in French if I liked German food. I understood and responded with 'Oui!'. I ate some quiche, some tart, drank more coffee, and enjoyed the conversation. We talked a lot about French politics and anti-Semitism in Paris. Afterward Lisa made some comment about how she's glad I'm so versatile. Yes, I can go to a bar and enjoy myself, but I won't be bored to tears if I'm eating quiche and talking about the next French president.
Take THAT, Parents.
After lunch we wandered down to see the Opera house and the Galaries Lafayette, which is kind of like the Saks Fifth of Paris. It was sensory overload, which made me think that Laura would like it a lot. The building itself is stunning and has a ginormous Christmas tree going up the middle of it. There are also about a million lights and the main floor is the makeup-perfume floor. This was also a Saturday right before Christmas, so half the population of Paris was in there. So lights, noise, perfume, and my feet were hurting. I was about to seizure or cry.
After that we went to Sephora where I bought my first grown up lipstick and Lisa got Chanel mascara. I now just need more excuses to wear dark red.
We basically crawled to Notre Dame because we both wore heels for some stupid reason. I took blurry pictures and then we crawled back to her apartment. The 'Happy Feet' posters were mocking us at every bus stop.
That night we met up with Sammy and another girl, Sarah, to take Lisa out for her birthday. We went to get 'moules frites' which are mussels with fries which I guess Lisa loves. We all got huge orange pots of dead sea creatures. I was definitely NOT a fan but I ate the entire thing and didn't complain. Afterward Sarah and I split the creme brulee and the chocolate mousse, so all's well that ends well. It was worth it to see Lisa so overjoyed with the restaurant choice.
We spent the rest of the night at Sammy's drinking kirs royals (black currant liqueur + champagne) and having Michael Jackson dance offs. Lisa got drunk enough to be incredibly amusing, which we all took many, many pictures of. I had to pile her into a taxi and figure out my own way home, which I did successfully.

3eme Jour
My final day in Paris was gorgeous. The Herviers had actually told me that the weather was unusually warm for that time of year.
We wandered through a bit of the Jewish District and ate lunch in the Luxembourg Gardens, after wandering around trying to find someplace that was open. We got mini-pizzas and Coke and met up with Sammy who had gotten Mcdonalds. I got to see where the French senate meets, watch the little sailboats in the fountain, and write a few postcards.
I said goodbye to Sammy and went home to pack up my things. The goal WAS the 4:45 train, but when we finally got to the Paris Gare d'Est, located the International Ticket counter, and saw the line, I realized it wasn't happening. I am used to the German system of efficiency! Not the chaos of Paris!
So, we went up to the counter and asked for the next ticket to Freiburg.
Lisa turned to me, translated, and said it was at 8:30 the next morning and would be 92 Euro.
I, of course, immediately started panicking about never getting home, missing class, getting myself into a huge mess, etc. And when things start running through my head that quickly, they tend to leak out through my eyes. And, right there, in the train station, they did.
The ticket lady immediately took pity on me and started rapidly looking for an alternate route and any reduction she could find. Apparently it was some "special" day where my regular student discount didn't work.
Eventually she found me a train leaving Paris at 10:45 and getting into Freiburg at 7 AM for 79 Euro. I figured that was the best I was gonna get. Lisa kept telling me it was gonna be ok. I'm so thankful she was there.
So, instead of sitting in the train station for hours, Lisa took me back home with her. Her host mom was having her son and his girlfriend over for dinner, but I told Lisa I'd just sleep and not bother them. However, Lisa came in to tell me that a place had been set for me at the table and I should come out to enjoy some of her birthday champagne.
I love wealthy old French women.
The dinner ended up being absolutely fabulous. Amazing steak, potatoes, some cauliflower thing, chicken, wine, and cake to end it all. The son (I forget everyone's name) had brought over his black lab, which I very quickly became friends with. He kept crawling up on me at the dinner table, which I didn't mind one bit. It made me miss my pets.
For a second time I said goodbye to everyone and was off to the train station with plenty of time to spare. It was hard saying goodbye to Lisa and to such a beautiful city, but I was anxious to get back to Germany. I know this language. I know this culture.
I shared a compartment with a German percussionist named Julian who was 23 and spent a few hours flirting with me. We had a long, long talk, until I ended it to write in my journal. He curled up and fell asleep, and demanded that I wake him up at my stop so he could help me with my luggage.
I couldn't sleep well at all, so I spent a long time staring up at the French stars and thinking. It was nice, even though I was horribly exhausted.
At 5 AM we got into Karlsruhe, where I silently snuck out of our compartment. I appreciate chivalry, but I am fine on my own. Once off the train, I wandered for a bit in the cold and the dark, until a conductor asked me if I had a wrong time. I showed him my ticket and I think he could tell I was on the verge of tears. So he told me to get on his train, which was also going to Freiburg, but was moving slower. He said at least I'd be safer that way, and he could look out for me.
He did just that the whole way to Freiburg, which I was so thankful for. Traveling by yourself is scary enough, but when it's on no sleep and your French tickets are confusing, it's even worse.
I got back home around 7:15 and slept until my first class.
THE END

Holy long entry. I did my best to include detail, but that could not have been fun to read through.
Overall, Paris was spectacular, but at the same time it made me realize how accustomed to Germany I've become. German trains arrive to the second. Germans recycle. Germans are ridiculously clean. I never thought I'd miss those things, but I did.
I understood enough French to be aware of the conversations around me, but everytime I try to think in French, I immediately want to go back to German. It's my comfort zone.
Lisa was also an amazing hostess. It made me realize what a mature, considerate, amazing girl she is. I am so happy that we're living together next year.

Ok nonsensical tidbits later. I need some sleep. This weekend includes a Verdi opera, a Brahms piano recital, and a tentative trip to Stuttgart to see that Christmas market. The Freiburg one is up and it's absolutely adorable. The city is so festive.
I also have to clean my kitchen and my bathroom tomorrow. Oh help.
But, at least I have a reasonable shower...