http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Jackercrackie/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Jackercrackie en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:29:29 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:29:29 +0000 Aaaaah Paree. I feel so comfortable here like I already spent ten days exploring this city from end to end two months ago. Two months It wouldn't be Paris without losing my way. At least this time I wasn't dragging my bags to and fro. The hotel I'm staying at is in St. Germain de Pres which is adjacent to the arrondissment that I lived in when I first arrived. Therefore I really do kno http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Ile-de-France/Paris/blog-341349.html You would think that being twenty minutes from the French border citizens of western Belgium would speak French. But that would be too easy. Belgium splits itself up linguisticall by North and South. In southern Belgium they do indeed speak French. But in northern Belgium where I was in Gent they speak Flemish. D'oh. The most interesting part was after conveying the fact that I don't http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/East-Flanders/Gent/blog-340924.html After a day Irsquom not sure four days here will be too long. The people have been amazing so far. Therersquos a huge language barrier I didnrsquot realize Gaspard wasnrsquot fluent in English. We went to hang out with some of his friends last night who thought it would be fun to speak English all night mostly for my benefit but I think people like to show off their multilinguality http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Nord-Pas-de-Calais/Lille/blog-340395.html I decided to leave my last place in Sourdeval a few days early as Irsquove discovered that 2 weeks is an ample amount of time to live with one family. The kids seemed upset that I was leaving early and had their own ways of showing it. On my last day the little fiveyearold kept coming into myhis room and just hanging about the doorway not really doing anything just talking nonsense. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Nord-Pas-de-Calais/Lille/blog-340393.html Today I witnessed fullcircle the process of existance. It makes me marvel everyday how connected to nature you become living in the country and how detached us cityfolk are. My sunday morning started with a bit of a hangover unwittingly one hour ahead of schedule. Today the clocks went back in France and GB so what I thought was a late wakeup of 10am was really a fairly reasonable 9 o'c http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Lower-Normandy/Caen/blog-338658.html Itrsquos funny how free I can be with complete strangers. One of the best things about this host is that Jayne busies herself with a lot of social activities and while shersquos doing them I typically come with her. Therersquos not much work I can do on my own at her house. I get the benefit of glimpsing into the subculture of older British expats in France. Itrsquos remarkable an http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Lower-Normandy/Caen/blog-338648.html I haven't decided which major city I'm closest to. Two out of three hosts I've stayed with have threatened to kidnapstake my foot to the floor so that I couldn't leave. I think that's a compliment. And while the third was less violent he did invite me to come work the reception desk at the annual wine festival in Sitges Beach next year. One morning Jayne asked if I wanted to toast up a muf http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Lower-Normandy/Caen/blog-336265.html The Wilsonrsquos have taught me many lessons during my two weeks on their farm. One thing Irsquod like to clear up from earlier is some phraseology. I mentioned a couple entries ago that their ldquogardenrdquo was hardly such but much more. The other day Enid explained that in England the small houses were allotted a tiny patch of grass behind the building and this was called a ldqu http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Aquitaine/Marmande/blog-335203.html Enid and Kevin have left on a minibreak weekend to the Pyrenees and left me in charge of the grounds. It's amazing how I can get people to think I'm trustworthy. Normally I don't have to work on the weekends so I could sleep in if I wanted but now as head farmer I have to wake up with the cats to make sure all the chores are done. I thought this morning I would just get a little bit of a l http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Aquitaine/Marmande/blog-333282.html I came on this trip to learn something. I think that's ninety percent of the reason anyone travels even if they don't realize it. When I travel I mostly learn about myself which is a selfish way to look at it and I don't intend it to be that way it just happens. Also I hope to learn about a different culture. Right now I'm not learning too much about French culture but more about the B http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Aquitaine/Marmande/blog-331952.html I've travelled through a good dozen countries in my life and I maintain that American men are the best looking. I believe this is because of the vast diversity in our fair country so I find it a bit ironic. But I suppose it's just genetics really you mix two breeds and get a much superior specimen. Therefore I find the term Ugly American a bit misleading though extremely deserved. As Ame http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Aquitaine/Marmande/blog-330873.html I have hit the Mecca of help exchange. One of the reasons I picked this spot other than the location near Southern France was the large number of positive reviews from previous Help Exchange participants. It's always a little nervewracking showing up at a train station and getting in a car with complete strangers. It even crossed my mind that some people could write reviews of themselves http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Aquitaine/Marmande/blog-330056.html I've reached my next destination for all those concerned. I'm trying to get it added as a town on this website so we'll see. It's somewhere between Bordeaux and Toulouse...Actually it's even smaller than Marmande it's called Il Bretonie or something. I will write a full entry tomorrow night. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Aquitaine/Bordeaux/blog-329876.html As the culmination of my experience in La Llacuna I was recruited to help serve at a Wine tastingluncheon with Anthony. As part of his work he sets up winerelated events for a club that he runs. It turns out none of the club members were signed up for this particular luncheon rather a different club of Barcelonians Barcelonans filled all the spots. It was a club for divorced single fol http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-329066.html Last night I finally had the opportunity to reap the benefits of working for a Wine Tour Operator besides my daily overdose of wine and cava. Anthony had a businessrelated winery tour to attend last night and needed someone to watch Jethro. Thus working over hours I tagged along as the nanny. The reason I was not at all reluctant to work extra was the promise of free wine and sample snac http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-327885.html For those of you concerned my ribs are quite nearly healed did I mention that I slipped in the shower again in Marseille That one only resulted in a skinned shin and now a nasty bruise. I moved and dusted about 50 bikes today the cruel irony that I cant ride a single one of them not lost on me and the dust kicked up had me in a sneezing frenzy. I was able to sneeze away with pleasure a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-327871.html I had another lesson in culture today with my first ever game of paddle. It's exactly like tennis except wimpier. It seems to be the trend in British culture to go for the more dainty version of a sport. Take cricket versus baseball. Or chess versus Risk. They must be able to observe I say old sport good show after a play or it's not the game for them. In paddle you use tennis ba http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-327236.html Rain for days. I cant get any outdoor work done Ive been imprisoned at this computer screen for 20 hours. Ive developed a twitch in my left thigh and after Garys neardeath experience Im convinced its a blood clot. Thats silly of course. Tons of people sit at a computer screen daily for 8 hours straight. Theyre called gamers. But thats not the life for me. I finished todays http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-326798.html This morning I woke up and there was no water. Luckily that awesome spring water abounds in jugs around the house so I managed to wash my face and brush my teeth with that. Unluckily jugs of spring water dont make the toilet go flush. I have to pee so bad My host is nowhere to be found. Im pretty sure he mentioned something last night about being gone and gone he is. He does have a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-326238.html Once again not Barcelona Vilafranca. I had my first day of real work today and Im actually pretty tired My tasks for the day were to vaccum and mop mow the grass add a billion emails into his database and port a BILLION bottles of that delicious cava from my potential room to the new cellar. I got almost all of it done and I think Ive done enough for today.This area where Im staying http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Catalonia/Barcelona/blog-325595.html