TUESDAY: Today was my day with two of my IES girlfriends who were in London. We met up at the London Eye, which was quite an experience on its own. I thought it would be easy, we were going to meet in front of the “pick up prepaid ticket counter” and I have a bright pink coat right. WELL, it took us 45 minutes to find each other, and I didn’t think that it was ever going to happen. But it did, and I am SO glad because we had such a lovely London day. We rode the eye and took really amazing pictures of LONDON! Then, we walked to the Imperial War Museum were I seriously thought (as a history major who took TWO classes on the world wars last semester) that I had died and gone to heaven. There is a whole floor dedicated to the world wars, an interactive blitz and trench experience, and a whole floor dedicated to the Holocaust. Two hours was not anywhere near enough time, but it is reason to come back. Then, we walked from there to Picadilly Circus which was gorgeous. It was about 6pm so we were able to see Big Ben, Parliament and the Eye all lit up against the Thames River. Light and water at night make the most magical photos and it was breathtaking. Then, we made it to our destination restaurant that I researched as a trendy, yet reasonable place to eat in Soho: Randall and Aubin. It was really good and is known for their seafood so I had a prawn Caesar salad which was incredible. We then enjoyed walking around the rush and lights of Picadilly at night before landing at a little Italian restaurant for the BEST dessert called “The Godfather”: chocolate walnut brownie, chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and chocolate covered something with a wafer cookie. Yes, and I am lactose intolerant, and yes, it was SO worth it. I returned home to my wonderful apartment with the Sheehans and again slept like a princess.
WEDNESDAY: After an early morning run through Hyde Park, Marianna and I set off for Notthing Hill and the streets of Portabello Market. We found the travel bookstore where Julia Roberts worked in the film, Notting Hill-it is really quite fabulous. Across the street there is this amazing COOKBOOK store called Books for Cooks and we spent some good quality time in that store as well. Then, I left Marianna for my Beatles Magical Mystery walking tour. But first, I searched out this organic muffin shop called Muffinski that is near Covent Gardens. It is a long story, but when my friend Heidi and I were in London this past summer we spent three hours searching for this muffin shop that had been recommended to us only to find out that we were on the wrong King Street. So, it was my mission to find it this time. And I did. And it was good, but not worth planning a return visit to London for! Then, I met up with two different girls from IES for the walking tour. It was about 3 hours and we saw everything related to the Beatles in London-all their recording and performance and hangout venues…and of course ABBEY ROAD! Then, Wednesday night we had the most scrumptious dinner prepared by Marianna: killer butternut squash soup with Thai chili curry, lemon sauce fish, and asparagus! We finished off the evening with a trip to a famous pub. It is so fun to be with Marianna and Pat, all the time we just have a good time. They are fabulous hosts, and substitute parents.
THURSDAY: This was the morning I had been waiting for since I left London in July. A return trip to Borough Market, this fabulous market that sells the best food in London. We had many a taste of delicious foods and even saw ostrich burgers. Then, Pat met us for lunch there. I bought lots of yogurt covered bananas and nuts (and sampled enough to make me feel sick and never want to eat the ones I bought again…)!!! Then, Marianna and I tubed up to Kensington High Street-a rather swanky part of London and poked in the shops. She took me to this bookstore that is just like a Dickens bookstore, so full of books, bookshelves deep and just stuffed to the brim! It was delightful. We returned home, another amazing dinner of muscles in white wine sauce and that damn delicious soup. THEN, Marianna caught the bus directly to Victoria Theatre where we enjoyed 3rd row seats of the smash hit Billy Elliot. It was so fun and the dancing just takes your breath away.
FRIDAY: I was not ready to leave London, and despite for the loveliness of Lea and Nantes, I would still like to be there right now. The week was perfect and I just had the BEST time with Marianna and Pat and their generosity and coziness and being taken care of by real parents! It was perfect. And London, how could you NOT love it??? I guess that I will just have to return real soon…Another morning run in Hyde Park, a lovely breakfast with Marianna, and then I had to start my adventure back to Nantes. The flight is only one hour, but all the traveling TO the airport (two hours: one by tube, one by train), getting to the airport 2 hours early, the hour time change…Basically, I didn’t get back to Nantes until 5pm. BUT, guess what? The BEST surprise in the whole world awaited me. I have never been met at the airport by anyone other than my parents (which, if you are reading this, I don’t take for granted when it happens!), but LEA was there waiting for me. She rode the bus and tram for 45 minutes just to meet me there. What a WONDERFUL friend. And then rode it back with me, and then because I was tired, spent the whole evening with me and my house. I cooked the chili for Saturday night’s dinner (I made an American meal Saturday night for her family), made banana bread, and we looked at each other’s photos. She is quite fascinated by prom, all the photos, and all the hoopla because nothing like that exists in France. Also, she can’t understand that France is the only place in the world that has boulangeries on every corner. I think she is going to be for a surprise come August in Seattle and life without boulangeries and walking down the street for a butcher or a petit café!
SATURDAY: I went to the market and got my fresh fruit for the week. Then, all Saturday afternoon I had the great fortune of being a MODEL! For reals. Ok, so this lady who has a hat/jewelry store in Nantes hired Lea and her photography studio to take photos of the stuff, but they needed a model…Lea asked me and I was ALL about it. It was SO fun. For over 3 hours I got to pose and Lea took over 550 photos. The lady is coming in on Monday to view the photos and select which ones she is going to use for her flyers, pamphlets, and magazines for her merchandise. How cool is that?!?! And I get a disk of all the photos-Lea is an AWESOME photographer, let me tell (and show) you. It was so fun. Then, I had made the chili, and a salad, orange slices (serving fruit like that is VERY American I learned) bread from the local boulangerie (also heating your bread in the over is VERY American, they had never heard of hot bread, but now they are convinced of its greatness) as well as hot homemade applesauce served over vanilla ice cream for dessert. That was the American meal that I made for Lea’s family tonight, and they enjoyed it (as did I!!!). We had a wonderful leisurely meal. Then, we all snuggled on the couch together with the fire in the background and watched a French film together (in French, without subtitles). It was really good and I understood most everything. Then, they took me home, in their car, at midnight (which is a really nice gesture as the night buses are few and far between!). They are just so great, all three of them, and have truly made my Nantes and France experience the greatest!
SUNDAY: After a nice long sleep, a nice long run along the river, and a nice long warm shower, I met up with Lea for a spectacular afternoon, again! We “balader” (walked around) all of Nantes. We went to the Lieu Unique to view this really cool photography exposition. Then we walked around for about an hour again. Everything is closed on Sunday in France (except the cinema!) so there is really nothing spectacular to do, but it is just so fun to be outside and wonder, and talk in French with Lea. Well, Lea had the grand idea to go to the La Cigale. La Cigale is the nicest restaurant in Nantes, written up in all the guidebooks, and quite revered. We had hot cocoa and their attempt to make me a coffee “American” (look at the photo…they were unsuccessful, it was about 2 sips worth!). But, we had a lovely long afternoon/evening coffee break at the nicest restaurant in Nantes!!!
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