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Published: April 20th 2010
Couchsurfing
French Couchsurfing flagSo much to write and it is very difficult on this French Keyboard. The "A,Z,Q,W, and M" are all in weird places and my keyboarding skills go down the toilet so bare with me. Since I last wrote, I have been in Libourne, Pomerol, St. Emilion, Bordeaux and unexpectedly Bayonne/ Anglet. If you haven't heard, there is a volcano spewing it's toxic fumes in Iceland which has closed many airports, making the train system busier than usual. What's more, the train employees have been on strike for the last week, which means that not as many trains are running as usual. Apparantly, they go on strike quite often, and from what I can tell, there is no rhyme or reason to the madness that incurs because of it. So after some confusion of my train getting cancelled, getting on the wrong train, and accidentally going to Bordeaux, I finally arrived in Libourne.
Side note: Don't pay attention to the titles of the photos. The first ones are correct, and all fo the text is correct for the photos, but for some reason, this dumb program mixed up most of the titles? so they don't match, and I am too lazy
Basque beach
Ah! my first time to a nude beach! I love how lax everyone here is about their body. Americans are much too uptight about the natural beauty of the human body. to fix them.
My Couchsurfing host in Libourne, Pascale, was a very kind zoman and is easily the funniest French person I have met so far (she actually understands and uses sarcasm!). She had to work both days so I set off to exploring the area. I had an appointment at a winery called Vieux Chateau Certan in Pomerol so I rode a bike the 10 Kilometers out there. For those of you who are not wine geeks like myself, Vieux Chateau Certan (VCC) is considered to be one of the best chateaux in Pomerol, and I met the son (Guillaume Thienpont) in California when I was at Sommelier school. He graciously took me on a tour through the winery and we barrel tasted all of the 2009 lots (I wish I would have brought an extra pair of underwear). Then he asked if I wanted to go on a ride around St. Emilion which I quickly accepted. To my dismay however, he meant on his motorcycle. Not many people know this, but I am terrified of motorcycles. I rode on the back of one once, and I was so scared I was going to fall off that I
Basque house
All the houses have the same white and red decor have never ventured back. Alas, my second rule (first blog) sang out in my head like the devil on my shoulder and I hopped on the back. It was sooo much fun! Terrifying, but fun. My biceps were bulging from holding on to the handle so tight (sorry ladies, I didn't get a picture).
Later on, Pascale was leaving to go to her parents house down in the basque country of France and insisted that I come. In her French accent and matter of fact tone: "Oh, you must come, cancel your bordeaux treep; Thee basque country is must see for any toureest". So instead of cancelling my two days in Bordeaux I told her that I would come down after Bordeaux, which I did. But first, the city of Bordeaux. Amazing! I absolutely loved this city. Bordeaux always gets credit for being a great wine region, but unfortunately never gets credit for its great city. I walked around it for two days, and I summed it up as a mixture between London, Portland, and The Bellagio in Las Vegas times 100 (though in an ever changing vegas, I highly doubt The Bellagio will be standing for as long
Cheese!
This little house we went to, they make the cheese right inside their house. so cool! as these buildings have). Also, it just so happened that this weekend was a huge French Couchsurfing convention so I tagged along to all of the parties (because I was couchsurfing in Bordeaux as well). It was really great to meet so many other people that have done or are doing exactly what I'm doing, and they were all super nice. Couchsurfing is such an amazing program.
So, I went to the Bordeaux train station at 4 to catch a train to Bayonne at 4:30. I didn't have much time and the line was very long to get a ticket so I decided to ride the train... illegally! I felt really bad, but during the strike their hadnùt been many people checking tickets, so I thought I would take the risk. I jumped on the train and for a half hour was nervously looking around for any attendants, so that if need be, I could casually walk to the bathroom and pretend that I was taking a 20 minute crap. Fortunately, it didn't come to that. However, other events did transpire that did not bode well for me. As we pulled into the first stop, I was looking around
Basque countryside
me and the cheese maker's dog. and thinking "hmm this city looks kind of like Angouleme" (a city many miles north of Bordeaux and I was going south). Shortly after this, I realized that it
was Angouleme and I was on the wrong train! I'm thinking, how the hell did I do this, and in a panic I try to get off the train. This was not a regular stop where people got off and on, so I didn't think that the door was going to open so I was freaking out because the train was bound for Paris. Finally the door opened and I jumped out and started to walk to the exit to sort things out. 45 seconds later, I come to the horrifying realization that in my panic I had left my backpack on the train! Now, I would say that I am a pretty fast runner, but I would like to see a Ferrari get back to that train as fast as I did. From the French conductor's point of view: The train is ready to take off, and some sprinting American yelling unintelligible English comes back to get his bag? Forget about it. Fortunately, she did and I avoided an even
the family
Pascale on the left, then Antoine, Fanny; and Annie. I am so grateful to them. bigger pickle than I already was in. Later, as I was trying to figure out what happened and wallowing in self-pity, I burst out laughing because this was all the Karma for not paying for my ticket! Ha, life is funny sometimes eh?
After paying twice as much as I would have originally, and arriving four hours later, I made it to Bayonne and went straight to bed. The next morning I met Pascale's mother Annie, her sister, Fanny, and her nephew Antoine (who was adorable). They were all so welcoming and spoke broken English for me, and took me to the Basque country side to buy cheese. It was lovely. We even went into Spain to go to a "cheap" market (I don't think that I am going to count that as going to Spain though). When I say "cheap" I mean it is cheaper than France because there is less taxes so many people go over for clothes and alcohol. But I went into the clothing store and a pair of Dockers were like 100 Euros! Those are like 40 dollars in the states, right? (I don't really know because I do most of my shopping at
mini stonehenge
Cool little outcropping of rocks outside of Cognac, where they used it for burials or something. thrift stores) Anyways, Basque country is very beautiful and it was very cool to go to this random house in the country where they make lots of delicious cheese.
Anyways, tomorrow I am off to Toulouse for the day and eventually on to The Rhone Valley. I definitely summarized things more than I wanted because it is late and I am tired. Catch you later.
Paul.
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Morgan
non-member comment
So cool
Wow. Looks beautiful. I'm so so so so jealous! I want to drag Joe around (it would be too, I'd have him by the shirt sleeve running around and he would be like, wtf?). Anyway, miss you and so glad you updated. Glad you're meeting so many giving people too. It must be nice being so far away from home with good company. But one question, and I CANNOT be the only one wondering this... What the hell were you talking about an extra pair of undies for? So confusing... And strange...