I have recently discovered that there is nothing worse then packing up and moving.

Unless you're doing it with someone else's family.

I am writing this post from Brussels, where we finally arrived last Friday night (March 27th) to spend a week or so before we move on to London, but it took a lot to get here.  

I don't want to get too ahead though, since I still haven't talked about my amazing last weekend in the south of France!  So quickly, lets do that.

It seems as though we probably picked one out of like 3 weekends that the south of france gets rain.  So, weather wise, it was a little disappointing.  I definitely looked, and sort of felt, pretty stupid walking around in sandals half the weekend.  I had high hopes.

We (Lauren, Michelene, and I) left bright and early Saturday morning and were in the mediterranean coastal town of Cassis by lunch time!  It was an amazing little port city right on the water, about 20 minutes south of Marseille, which was our ultimate destination.  But Cassis was better.  We had an amazing seafood lunch, walked along the beach, and strolled the cobblestone streets.  Then we took an amazing scenic drive from Cassis to Marseille, with some of the most unreal views I have ever seen. 

After Cassis we drove to Marseille, and fought traffic and an incompetent GPS for a good hour before finally deciding to call it quits and just find our air bnb.  We should have expected that, knowing that Marseille is the second biggest city in France, and all cities come with traffic and headaches, but some of these streets we accidentally took barely even fit Michelene's Twingo, maybe the smallest car that Europe produces.  We finally checked into our air bnb (a tiny but tidy apartment), made some dinner, got ourselves cleaned up, and headed out to find two Irish pubs that were recommended to us.  Can't go wrong with a decent irish pub. 

(I left France 5 days ago and I already miss these girls!  Thank God they are coming to Brussels this weekend!!!)

The next morning we attempted to try and sight see around Marseille, but again got frustrated and ending up just heading to our third and final destination, Aix-en-Provence.  About 30 minutes north of Marseille, a smaller, more manageable, picturesque city.  The weather still kind of sucked, but we had the best time just wandering all around, trying pastries and coffees and ice cream all day long.  Aix is also known as the city of fountains, claiming to have about 100 different ones throughout the whole city.  Here's the most impressive one I saw:

I wish it had been better weather, and already spring, because I can just tell how wonderful this place would be in warmer weather.  Lots of trees and cobblestone streets and an overall easy going vibe.  Next time!

Now in Brussels, everything is well.  The boys and I are staying with my host dads parents, who are so pleasant and wonderful to me.  I had been carrying around a bag of dunkin' donuts coffee with me (Thanks Ms. Faith!) since I arrived, but have been using a keurig like machine for coffee since I've been here.  This morning I finally had the chance to brew everyone some American coffee and they loved it!  The boys have been mostly good, they love being in Brussels with all their family and love the idea of London because that's where Peter Pan and Harry Potter live, of course.  We're all pretty excited about London in fact, and it looks like we will finally be there this coming Monday (April 6th)!

Packing up the house was nothing short of a nightmare, but thankfully a nightmare that is now behind us.  The movers were there for two straight days, two solo guys packing up this entire house.  They were frustrated because they wished there were more of them, we were frustrated because we wished there were more of them, and the boys were running wild among all of this.  Talk about a headache.  

Pictured here: my last night in France, complete with boxes, a taped up couch, and wine out of a plastic cup.  Going out in style.  

Next stop: Becoming best friends with the royal family!

TGIF

Thank God It's Friday.

amiright?

Some weeks fly by; this week was not one of them.  And maybe that's a good thing because it was my second to last week here in France and I am trying to soak everything in, but I have been wanting the weekend since about Tuesday.

Probably mostly due to the fact that Lauren, Michelene and I are heading down south tomorrow!  I wanted to see one more region of France that I hadn't seen yet, so Saturday night we are staying in Marseille, the second largest city in France (after Paris), located right on the Mediterranean Sea.  A couple days back I booked us an Air Bnb (a similar, but better, version of a bed and breakfast, for those that haven't heard of it) right in the vieux port (old port) region, Michelene's Twingo is ready to drive us the 4 hours down there, and between the 3 of us I am anticipating a lot of laughs, snacks, and selfies to be coming our way this weekend.  Can't wait!  We're hoping to explore Marseille, a nearby medieval port town, Cassis, and Aix-en-Provence, to the north of Marseille.  Lots happening for my last weekend in France!

Yup.  Last weekend in France.  This is it!  A week from today, we leave.  It's hard to process and believe that my time here is just about over.  I'm experiencing almost every emotion on the spectrum.  Even though I will still have just over a month to be spent in Brussels and London, my time in France is nearly complete.  I've learned (but not perfected by any means) the language, ate the food (the cheese and wine being the two things I will miss most), and tried my best to blend in with the culture.  But all adventures must come to an end. 

As to be expected, we've been working a little bit every day to pack up the house.  Professional movers are coming next Thursday, but I've been helping Sophie and Andrea to organize toys and games, get rid of old things, donate clothes, all things involved with a move.  I've been trying to purge myself as well, remembering that all my things still have to make it into two suitcases and a carry on not too long from now.

Keeping it short and sweet today, another longer post coming next week after the trip!

Bon week-end!

Margie's visit to France!

So as mentioned in my last post, this past week (Monday to Monday) I had the pleasure of hosting my first visitor to France!  After an exciting (and not in the best way) flight to Geneva, and a half hour at Baggage Tracing (with a woman who was perfectly pleasant but less than helpful about the whereabouts of her missing luggage), Margie was finally in France.  

I tried to be as best a host as possible and fit in all the most exciting things to do and see in this area in the short week that we had, between my normal daily responsibilities with the boys.  We were fortunate to have mostly sunny days, and warm(er) weather.  Monday she settled in and met the boys and Sophie, and Tuesday we hit the ground running.  

We first went to Annecy, and had the best lunch outside after we walked around the outdoor market and sampled cheeses for an hour.  Perfectly sunny, perfect food and wine, ice cream around the lake afterward, couldn't ask for much more.

Pictured above: Tartiflette.  Basically a mini casserole of potatoes, cheese, bacon, onions, and cream.  A specialty of this region, and almost everyone's favorite winter dish here.

Wednesday, I showed her the Pont de la Caille, a medieval bridge about 25 minutes away from where I live.  Colder and gloomier this day; we didn't stay too long on the bridge.  But it's still a very cool thing to see.  

THEN.  We stumbled upon this: a home winery!  I'd been curious about a road sign that I had seen a few times that suggested a winery a couple miles away.  We followed road signs until we came upon a small building that simply said ouvert (open) on the outside.  A guy about our age or a little older met us out front, and I asked him if he sold wine here.  We walked in to find 6 different types of wine that had been made right on their property!  Margie bought 3 bottles, all 5 euros each.  Later that week we tried the Chardonnay, and it was fantastic.  I will definitely be going back before I leave France. 

Thursday, we dropped the boys off at school, and headed straight for Geneva.  Although directionally challenged at the beginning, we quickly found our way to the Old Town, which was one of the parts of Geneva that I had not yet seen, but that Sophie told me I must.  We saw Saint Pierre's Cathedral, which was nothing short of incredible.  It was built in the 12th century and took 80 years to complete.  I know a lot of people feel as though once you've seen one massive European church you've seen them all, but I don't.  I think they're all impressive, and I'm blown away all over again once I see another one.  I mean, this one was built 300 years or so before Columbus even discovered America...and it's still standing and being used to this day!  That's awesome.   

Afterwards, on a quest to find something small to eat mid morning, we wandered around the city in hopes of finding a cafe, but came across a Starbucks instead...and couldn't resist.  We paid way too much for coffee, and then made our way to Lake Geneva.  It was incredibly windy, but still beautiful.  

Then we went to Yvoire!  I went to Yvoire with my friends in November, this cute medieval city only about 30 minutes from Geneva.  We went back to this wonderful, locally owned crepe restaurant for lunch that I really enjoyed last time and just walked and shopped around after.  Yvoire is located on the northern part of Lake Geneva, but back in France.  Still windy, but still beautiful.

We had to bust our asses to get back home in time to pick up the boys, but it was worth it.

Friday, we just had the morning to ourselves before we had to pick the boys up from school at 11:30.  So we went to St. Julien (a town 15 minutes away) to check out their farmers market that occurs every Friday.  Among your anticipated cheeses, breads, and meats, were shoes for 20 euros, shirts and dresses for 10, and raclette burgers hot off the grill.  We unfortunately passed on the burger, but each scored a new shirt.  No worries though; we had raclette back home for dinner that night.  (That's the dish where you melt cheese and scrape it over your potatoes, meat, and bread, remember?)  It's become a favorite meal of mine here, and I'm pretty sure I speak correctly when I say Margie enjoyed it, too.  I think I even want to buy a raclette machine when I get home!  I did some research, and you can buy it, with the cheese, on amazon.  Or, from a cheese distributer in Wisconsin.  Either way, I am bringing raclette back to the states, so I hope I can convince some of you to have a cheese party with me this fall/winter!  I imagine that won't be too difficult.  

Saturday, we went to this restaurant in Annecy for breakfast that I had been meaning to go to for awhile.  TripAdvisor claimed that this spot had the best pain au chocolats, and they were 100% right.  I'm not sure what exactly it was, but this particular chocolate croissant was the best out of any I have gotten here (and believe me when I say, I have tried quite a few.)  Its definitely a must-go-back-go place over the next 2 weeks before I leave.  Had to document the experience.  (And no, that wasn't a type.  I really do leave France 2 weeks from tomorrow.)

We wandered around Annecy for a bit after breakfast, and despite my usual ease with navigating and directions, I led us into a section I had never been to before.  And I'm so glad I did.  Because just a couple minutes after I realized I had never been down this particular street before, we saw the most wonderful place.  Dream Coffee.  It was just that...a dream.  Finally, a shop in France that sold large, to-go coffee's.  Day. Made.  And as if our morning couldn't get any better, we passed a shop that sold breads and pastries in giant sizes.  So all in one morning, I had found the best pain au choc and then the biggest.  The excitement could not be contained. 

Later that afternoon, we went to a place in Aix-les-Bains, France, where you can relax in heated outdoor and indoor pools, steam rooms and saunas all day.  So relaxing.  We then made our way to Chambery, France, another (adorable) city we had never been to before, for cheese and wine.  We ended the day back at our favorite bar in Annecy, Finn Kelly's.  Wonderful, wonderful, day.  Maybe one of the best I have had here in France.  

Actually, I correct myself.  I should have said wonderful weekend.  I haven't even talked about our day skiing yet!  So, Sunday, 5 of us headed to a nearby ski resort for the day, La Clusaz.  Once again, I was blown away by the vastness of the mountains, and just the whole realization that I was skiing in the Alps.  I might never have the opportunity to say that again, so I really tried to soak it all in.  It was a warm day, plenty of sun, lots of people, lots of laughs, and a bar of crazy people half way down the mountain to hang out at once the day was finished.  

What a whirlwind of a week!  So glad you came to visit Marge, and that I could share some of my favorite parts of my European journey with you. :)

Updates and friends and mexican food

Happy March!

It seems like time is suddenly flying.  As of this past Friday, I only have 4 more weeks left in France!  Andrea starts his new job in London tomorrow, while Sophie and the boys and I hang back for another month.  Then, on March 27th, the four of us will head to Brussels to stay with the grandparents during the transition from France to London.  After a 2-3 week stay in Brussels, we will go on to London around April 15th.  And then after a short couple weeks in London, my mom arrives!  After a week with her in and around London, we head back home together.  And speaking of, I booked my flight home this morning; May 8th I will be back on US soil!

That gives me roughly two more months to make the most out of my time in Europe.  I know I have seen and done so much but I still feel like there is so much I haven't done.  From Brussels, I am hoping to do a couple more day trips (Antwerp and Amsterdam are both calling my name), and I know London will be a whirlwind of new and exciting things as well.  (P.S. If you've been to London before, please give me suggestions on what to see and do!)

ALSO!  As I'm typing this, my friend Margie is on her way to see me!  (Margie is a good ASP friend of mine.  We worked together in Johnson City a couple years back.  She had the time and money, we threw a plan together, and before I knew it she was on her way across the ocean!)  I'm super excited because 1) I have a friend coming, and 2) because I finally have someone to show around to all my favorite french spots!  I feel like sometimes I get caught up in the monotony of day to day life that I forget that I live in France.  Okay, I never really forget that, but you know what I mean.  There are so many things here that I have gotten used to at this point that are actually really cool.

Like medieval castles.

These amazing views. 

Or this adorable city. 

And all the cheese. (Well, my expanding cheeks are helping to remind me of this one.)

She is staying a week, Monday to Monday, and I have a whole week of fun things planned for us to do.  ASP friends in France!  Who woulda thought?  I hope she falls in love with pain au chocolats just as much as I have. 

In other news, the girls and I got Mexican food last night! I had been craving it for awhile; sometimes you just need a change!  We eat so much bread and pasta, which don't get me wrong, I love, but we were just itching for something different.  Thank goodness for living so close to Geneva!  The restaurant we found, Le Chat Rouge, did not disappoint. 

Side note: You do not get unlimited chips and salsa like at an American Mexican restaurant.  A little disappointing, but also helps with the whole not feeling like you totally hate yourself and want to throw up which normally ensues after a visit for Mexican food.  The guacamole was also a little off.  That doesn't mean I didn't eat it. 

And today, although it was raining and kind of cold, we went to check out the Venetian Carnival that was going on in Annecy.  That basically just meant that these interesting characters were walking around the city:

We tried a new restaurant, ate some sandwiches with melted raclette cheese, and went to the top of le Chateau d'Annecy and saw some cool views I hadn't seen before.  All around great weekend!