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Published: December 10th 2007
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Flat Maddie
Here's my travel companion in the St. Andre bell tower Framboise—it’s the French word for raspberry, it makes a delicious tarte, and it’s also the color of my new studio! After much debate with the ladies of the household and nashing of teeth over their lack of accord, Patrick decided to paint the walls a beautiful shade of raspberry. Sabine told me to go and have a look, and when I walked in I couldn’t help squealing from sheer happiness, which was just the reaction the Canterot’s were hoping for, I think. It’s absolutely charming and I can’t wait to move in. We’re just waiting on the furniture and then…voila!
In other news, I went to Bordeaux on Saturday for the Marche de Noel. I’d wanted to go to Strausborg to meet up with Isaac and see the most famous Marche de Noel of all, but the train schedules had other ideas. Still, Bordeaux was the next best thing. It rained in cords (as the French say) the entire day, but I still managed to get a lot out of it. My travel companion for the trip was “Flat Maddie”, an adorable little paper doll sent to me by Miss Liz’s 3rd grade class. I’m supposed to carry her around
Cathedral St. Andre
This would probably be more striking had there been some vestage of sunlight. and take pictures of all the things we do together, then return her in March as a way to help the kids learn about other cultures. So, as you see, we have some pictures of Maddie in the Cathedral St. Andre Belfry. I’d seen the cathedral the last time I was in Bordeaux, but this time I braved the 219 steps up to the top of the bell tower for a panoramic (if somewhat sodden) view of the city.
The marche was not as large as I’d expected, but it was still cute, with lots of vendors selling all kinds of jewelry, clothing, toys, and other gift ideas. There were also concession stands with yummy vin chaud (mulled wine), and pain d’epice (gingerbread). In case you’re interested, the French call cotton candy “la barbe de Papa”, or “daddy’s beard”. Outside the Cathedral St. Andre, they’d set up an iceskating rink. I would have been tempted to take a turn myself had the weather been less miserable. Besides shopping at the marche, I also checked out the Rue St. Catherine, which is a hopelessly long street of nothing but glorious shopping opportunities (fitting, huh?) All the chic boutiques and well-known
Ice rink
Skating in the shadow of a centuries-old church...totally normal in France. department stores are there.
Still working in reverse, Sabine and I went shopping on Friday. Her birthday is next Saturday, and she’s having a bunch of friends over and has kindly invited me as well. We were looking for decoration ideas, but didn’t come across much. We had a good time, though, and when we got back to the house, since neither of us felt like working, we watched “la vie est belle”. I told her I’d bake her a cinnamon coffee cake for her birthday, since she fell in love with it while she was in the states. Thursday was my comic book lesson with my 3emes, which they seemed to enjoy. Turns out Pierre-Andre is quite the Calvin and Hobbes fan, and he was just about beside himself with joy when I handed them some comics to look over and then asked them to create their own. “Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Waterson” he declared proudly in his cute little French accent as soon as I set the paper in front of them. For the less artistically inclined, I just cut the final panel off of a pre-existing strip and asked them to come up with what
Lights!
Bordeaux was all lit up for les fetes. would happen next. Some of the things they came up with were quite clever and funny. I’m planning to tape them up in my “classroom”, the microscopic former German classroom at Clermont where I teach my lessons.
Wednesday, I went over to Helen’s for dinner, and Becki and Georg and Georg’s friend who was visiting from Germany came as well. I made a Corsican chickpea and olive salad, Becki made a yummy pasta primavera, Helen cooked up a turkey stir-fry, and we had lots of good wine and company, so there was nothing more to ask for. It was good to catch up with everyone and listen to Helen and Georg’s verbal sparing. Georg’s friend didn’t really speak English or French, but I think he liked us anyway ;-) I told Helen she should drop out of Uni and move to Atlanta to live with Clary, Elizabeth, and me next year (that is, assuming we all get accepted to our respective grad schools of choice), because she’s pretty much an equal combination of the 3 of us. Must be why I like her so much!
This week I’m making things easy on myself and talking with my kids
about how winter Holidays are celebrated in the US. I already covered Thanksgiving, but not Christmas or New Year’s. I already know some of the differences in custom (oysters and fois gras instead of turkey and mashed potatoes, shoes instead of stockings), but I’ll be interested to see what my kids have to teach me as well. It should be pretty easy, since I’ve had nothing but Christmas on the brain since this month started. I’m counting down the days til I head to Paris, and the 23rd will find me back in my Chesapeake home.
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