I Heart Bordeaux

I’ve been MIA on the blog because I was in Bordeaux the last couple days and loving every second of it. On the first day we started out with lots and lots of coffee and then used Jean as our tour guide to explore the city (Jean is not only my tour guide, but also my GPS, he is very handy to have around). We wandered around a bit and stopped to get a kebab for lunch (not too good) but it all worked out since we all walked out and forgot to pay, so they ended up free instead. Apparently Bordeaux isn’t as expensive as everyone said it would be. After that we headed off to the waterfront and to see all of the amazing sites of the city. We walked miles for sure and it was great, but my “dogs were barking” and I needed a drink come about 2pm. We met up with some of Jean’s friends and hit up the market to get some beer and wine to take back to the water. Everyone in Bordeaux seemed to love drinking in the open (even though it’s not legal) and we attracted a pretty big crowd of booze hounds. We had the weirdest mix of people but we all had the love of drinking in common and that’s all that mattered. I couldn’t understand a word of what anyone was saying though, so I just enjoyed my surroundings and threw in a French word every once in awhile. With lots of help I am finally speaking some French. I’m sure I sound terrible and everyone thinks I have some thick accent but I’m getting there. After loads of drinking, Andrew, Katy and myself hopped the tram back to our hostel to freshen up for the night. When we got back to the rest of the guys at the water, the group had grown to a bunch of wasted homeless looking people, playing the drums extremely poorly. As soon as two sketchy guys started fighting over the booze, it was time to get dinner. We ended up at a Chinese buffet and it was heaven. Not what I expected to be eating in Bordeaux but it was a good change from duck, cheese and bread. I felt like I had a 5 month old in my belly by the end and you better believe I got my euros worth of food. The extra weight just made my feet hurt even worse. Towards the end of the night I was getting piggy-back rides back to the hostel. In the morning we met up with an Aussie that we had met the night before at the hostel and headed off to meet up with Jean to plan out the day ahead of us. We were completely shocked when we were told it was too early to order wine, it was already 10am and we were in wine country. I didn’t realize people stopped drinking wine out here. I watch Philippe chug at least a couple glasses every morning at 8am. Oh well, we could wait if we had to. We were ambitious and decided to visit at least 6 wineries for the day, but after calling them all, no one could take us but 1. That wouldn’t be until later, so we headed off to the market for what I thought would be a basic picnic in the park and turned into an outrageous feast. We bought wine, cheese, bread, duck, pork, strawberries, chocolate and way too much more. After lunch we hopped the tram to get to the winery that appeared to be close…we were almost an hour late and had to walk about 2 miles in the heat with blisters from the day before. The vineyard was awesome but we only got to try 1 wine and after the trek we made, that just wasn’t enough. Thank the lord we passed a bar on the way so we could stop and get a drink and some roadies for the train. We stood out extra bad speaking in English and drinking out of plastic bags, but it was the only cure for my aching feet. Our train left at 8pm to return home and was delayed of course, so by the time we hit our stop all I wanted to do was fall asleep. However, I get to hop in the driver’s seat and attempt to find the way home on random country roads that have zero street lights. It took forever and I made far too many wrong turns and nearly flew off the one lane roads when cars shot out of nowhere, but I guess I am a better driver because of it and I am also a champ at swearing in French now as well. I’m learning more every day out here. It was a fantastic visit though and I will for sure be back to Bordeaux before I leave St. Michel.

Chinese Dinner

Last night we had yet another fabulous dinner party. The girl here from China cooked like 5 different courses with duck (of course), dumplings, some crazy eggplant thing (with enough garlic to make my breath stink for weeks), fried rice and I can't even remember the rest. Food just kept coming and I just kept eating. I helped do some chopping for her and I think I still have raw duck in between my nails today after pulling apart duck fat for an hour yesterday. I am getting way too comfortable with having duck and duck fat in everything. (Side note: we had beans the other day, Andrew asked how they were so good and Brigitte listed a couple ingredients and the last was duck fat.) Anyways, there were 10 of us for dinner, but 2 were kids and we still managed to go through 6 bottles of champagne, at least 4 bottles of wine and then some 30 year old cognac that they found in the basement. I'm pretty sure something was floating in the cognac and it looked way sketchy, but I drank it anyway. A couple from England joined us and I have already promised to come back and help them build their house next year. One of the best and most inappropriate points of the evening was Philippe's impression of how the Chinese talk. There is no way to explain to him how bad that would be to do in public, so let's just cross our fingers that he doesn't do his impression outside of the house. I nearly shot champagne out of my nose multiple times when this big French buy pulled his eyes and started shouting in "Chinese." I really wish I could speak more French so that I could understand Philippe better, he's one of my favorites for sure. All we ever do is confuse each other, drink and giggle. He sang to me at dinner and it was a bunch more "Chinese," with my name thrown in and a couple random words in English that made no sense. It was a great song though, I wish I could have recorded it. That also reminds me of my first day here. Philippe looked at me, started singing "Blue Eyes" and shaking me because he liked my eyes. He really loves to sing, as you can tell I'm sure. I need to write Philippe a song one of these nights and play it on the air piano (his favorite). And tomorrow morning we are off to Bordeaux for a couple days. Look out vineyards, here I come!

Booze for Lunch

Yesterday was the most unproductive day I think we have had so far. All we did in the morning was go to the market and then we got back and started to get ready to paint, but then it was lunch time so we stopped. Brigitte and Phillipe had some friends stop by which usually means a party is about to start. I remind you that it's noon and we still have to start working...The first course was straight liquor and strong as hell and on an empty stomach was doing it's job fast. Then finally some food comes out and there are about 3 different duck dishes, potatoes, cheese, bread and pork and I think there was even more. Then we switch to white wine for a little with lunch and then end with red wine. Brigitte is tanked by this point and so is Philippe. Philippe had already started out the morning with a bottle or 2 of wine (he hides it in the bushes so Brigitte doesn't know), so he was way ahead of everyone. By this point I'm thinking that work isn't going to happen...but of course it does. I can't believe anyone was ready to trust me with painting after feeding me that much booze for lunch. I needed a nap hardcore and almost passed out in the hallway a couple times! The paint job looks like crap but I managed to get it done before it was time for dinner and more drinks. Brigitte, the lucky bitch, went and passed out while we were working. Being the woman of the house certainly has it's benefits. I don't think that there is any point during the day anymore where I don't have duck and wine coursing through my entire body. I'm starting to think that this is what heaven looks like.


Oh yes, and Brigitte and Philippe's son is in town now...I thought that meant that someone could finally drive besides me, but of course, the odds are always against me. I found out that Andrew had a DUI and that's why he has no license, the girl has just never driven in her life. But so, Jean (said like John) ALSO got a DUI recently, so out of 4 damn people, I am STILL the only one legal to drive. How that managed to happen...NO IDEA. And we are going to Bordeaux next week so I have to drive like an hour to the train and I am still stalling the damn car. I can't get the hang of it and it will be a total shitshow sending me that far. I have no choice though, so we will make it no matter how many times we almost die. 

It's St. Patrick's Day...We WILL Find Whiskey

A couple of days ago it was St. Patrick's Day, as you all know, so I was far too busy sitting on my ass drinking to send out an update, as I was the next day as well and most of yesterday while I’m on the topic... But back to St. Patty’s day, so in France people take the middle of the day off for napping, so it was not easy to find a bar in the early afternoon. We found one though after a couple tries and got our whiskey to celebrate (me and Andrew that is), homegirl (the Chinese aussie) didn't even want water. She just watched the tv and and laughed at a toothpaste ad....ya, she lives a thrilling life. I’m pretty sure she is certain that Andrew and I are headed straight to hell, not that either of us are concerned. But, since I was driving we didn't stay too long because that meant I couldn't pound any beers. We did find some boxed wine and some Killians, so we just set up our own bar back at the house. We celebrated the shit out of St. Patty's Day and my head was pounding in the morning (the sign of a good night). We got up early to go to the city the next day though and the highlight of the day was the feast that Andrew and I had ourselves. Again, the girl is a vegetarian and no fun, so she wandered by herself while we ate for 2 straight hours. The first course was foie gras and it was like butter. I don’t think we said a word while we were eating it because all we could do was savor. Then there was salmon lox (amazing), then a beef dish, medium rare with potatoes (heaven) and we ended with another type of fish (awesome) and of course the meal came with wine too. I don’t think I have ever had a better meal in my life. The rest of the day was spent with me and Andrew moving from one bar to the next, enjoying the weather and drinking more. Every time we put our stuff down this girl got all ADD and had to leave on her own. If anyone needs a few drinks and the stick out of her ass, it’s definitely her.

We're Gonna Need Helmets

Sweet Helmet

I'm super excited that there are finally two new people here to work with me! There is a girl that's 20, Chinese, from Australia but studying in Germany...weird combo. And then a guy from the Boston area that's 26. What is funny, is that NEITHER of them have licenses...I was hoping that maybe someone someone else could drive or help a sister out with some driving instruction, but nope. I'm GD Driving Miss Daisy out here now. How am I the only one that drives a car?! SO ya, we are going to need some matching helmets for sure since I still can't reverse. AND this means that if we go to the bar, I have to be the designated driver at all times. Maybe I'll take a tip from the show, "The League" and get drunk, call a tow truck and drink in the front seat and be driven home at the same time. I wonder if they have some sort of AAA out here...? Something to look into for sure. So this is sadly going to be a short entry since I agreed to play a board game in French...should be interesting since none of us speak French. I have a feeling we will give up pretty fast and try to hit up the store for more wine. I have made everyone agree that we need to invest in a big, fat box of wine. And this is France! You know that all the boxed wine out here has GOT to be high quality. We will find out. I will keep you posted.