What can I say??? We had a fabulous time with friends for Christmas in Sevilla, lots of amazing good food cooked by The Don. Then, we jetted off to Barcelona where we stayed in a prime-location apartment, ate MORE good food (cooked again by The Don...in case you're wondering it was fish stew catalan style and then duck for new year's eve). The city, though, was crowded. Italians like the plague. French a close second. Everything Gaudi was over-run. I've decided the city would be NOTHING if not for Gaudi. He brings in thousands, probably millions of tourists per year and think of all those tourist euros.
La Sagrada Familia: Gatito said, "This church is impossible." I would have to agree. He has decided to return in exactly 50 years when he is The Don's age to see if it's done.
Now, here I sit in nothing less than the Falstaff cafe next to the Bastille. They have free internet (for 30 min), but my espresso cost 3.20 euros (that would be $4.00), but then again, what does a stupid Starbuck's in SLC cost? And all you get is a paper cup, no Parisians smoking at the next table saying "oui oui" (at least this is mostly what I understand them saying), no Bastille or guillotene history, AND no free wifi! Besides, I WANT to be in Paris drinking expensive coffee.
Tomorrow I start THE FRENCH COURSE (Time out: I just saw a small mouse run across the floor in the outdoor part (but enclosed) of the cafe). Soon I will say more than bonjour and oui oui.
Met up with ma amie, Stephanie, yesterday. She speaks English like a native; then we went to meet another friend, Alexandra. They began in Italian; When Alexandra realized I couldn't understand she switched to French saying Do you prefer French or do you speak Italian? Then she tried in Spanish and finally realized English would work best. (Stephanie, of course, speaks ALL of these languages beautifully). Okay, so much for my linguistic envy.
A bientot mon amis!!!
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4 comments:
You totally have a great thing going on there. I have a fantasy of staying somewhere in the south of France long enough to activate and improve my French, shop at markets, cook in somebody's rented kitchen, and smell a lot of lavender. Can it be done? Oh yes! It will be done!
Thanks for blogging! Glad you are having fun, though I am sorry about the mouse. And $4 is not too much for coffee in Paris. It's Paris!
Much fun for you!!
You'll talk pretty one day!
I still can't believe we actually went, and I can't believe it's over.
yes we should all rent a large villa in southern france and cook and eat and write and only speak english at dinner
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