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Published: March 17th 2006
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The Three of Us
Katie, me and Amanda- self-portrait style Since Saturday I have been entertaining my very good friends, Katie and Amanda, here in Aix. They came all the way from New Hampshire to see me! And to go to Paris, but that's besides the point. So of course I showed them around my great town!
I picked them up at the Marseille airport on Saturday morning and brought them back to Aix, guiding them if you will, because neither is up on their French and when you're jet lagged you just want other people to do the work for you. They stayed at the Hotel Concorde in town, a nice place it turns out. Nice location too, right on the edge of the centre ville. So I let them rest for a bit, then I showed them around the town and we also explored the park by my apartment building and the fair.
All of this is building up to them coming to dinner at my place that first night, Saturday. We bought tulips for Arlette because I think it's proper to bring something for the host- there was an odd number of flowers, I counted. We got to my apartment at 19h30 to find that Arlette
Churros
Churros = delicious (and me being silly) had invited two of her friends, so now the languages were evenly balanced. We didn't start eating until 20h00, or 8 o'clock, so I served the girls cola in my room as an apertif. Jean-Claude just stayed out of the way I guess.
Dinner was marvelous and even though I got the majority of the questions, in French, I think we all made out well. Amanda's "I don't understand what you're saying" look is priceless, and the guy sitting next to her kept trying to get her to eat more. Katie started speaking in Italien at one point. It was wonderful. All dinner parties should be that raucous and unintelligible. I think everyone would have a lot more fun.
On Sunday we had the whole day before us, so we went to Mont. Ste. Victoire. But that's another story, so I will move on to Monday.
The next day the girls met me between classes and we went to the poulet complet place. We actually sat there, and I'm happy to report they liked the sandwiches. Today the IEP also went on strike, but that is also another story. After my european history class we met down
The market on the Cours Mirabeau
Every other day you can buy tons of great stuff here by the fair and had churros from a vendor. So yummy! We wandered back up to town and ended up at the Book in Bar, until it closed. Then I had to go home for dinner and the girls ate at a brasserie along the Cours Mirabeau.
Tuesday I met the girls at the Office of Tourism, because they were going to visit Marseille. However, the clothing market was going on on the Cours Mirabeau. So we started looking at stuff and I decided to go back home for my money and come back. I ended up with a new silk scarf, leather gloves and trench coat. Which was actually a good thing because it has been warmer the past few days. The girls did a lot of their souvenir and presents shopping. So it ended up that the girls didn't go to Marseille at all! We had a fabulous time instead!
Wednesday was the last day of Katie and Amanda's stay in Aix, so I skipped history to spend the day with them. We when to the Musee Granet, where I got yelled at for taking pictures, bought some crepes and soupe aux legumes at Vitam Fruit
Musee Granet and St. Jean de Malte
The museum's free until May! But you can't take pictures, which is dumb. and even saw the cloisters at the Cathedrale St. Saveur. At the cathedral we met this Spanish lady who's mom is sick in the hospital and she is visiting from London. She was very nice and we all exchanged email addresses. I'm to contact her if I ever go to London.
At 18h30 we met up with Mollie, her boyfriend who is also visiting, and Bridget and went for a send-off dinner at Piazza PaPa on the Cours Mirabeau. We got wine and I had the calzone. All very delicious and the food came out very fast. Then I walked the girls home and we decided I would meet them in the morning to take them to the TGV station.
I was very sad therefore this morning. We had no problems getting to the station and we had plenty of time before the train came. I got pictures for Dad and made sure they got on the train ok, then took the shuttle back. I walked home and decided to go see Bubba Ho-tep today. It's playing at the Renoir. So that was a fun, albeit scary activity, to cheer me up after seeing my friends off. We had a great time and I'm so happy they liked Aix as much as I do.
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