Giverny is What's Up

Yesterday,
I went to Giverny in Normandy, where Monet called home the second half of his life.
It was by far one of the most extraordinary things I have seen thus far in France.
I love Monet's art (he is maybe my 5th favorite painter) and seeing this gorgeous complex where he was inspired was something I will never forget.

A little history in my own words...
Monet was an impressionist painter (I hope that is not new information).
Impressionism was an art movement that began in the late 19th century, which was actually not well regarded at first. It was looked at as being pretty much garbage because it didn't show a grandiose scene from history or the bible but instead studied nature and the effect of sunlight creating completely different impressions of the same subject.
Well, Monet saw the village of Giverny while on a train and he decided to move there and that he did- complete with a gorgeous pink house, vast gardens & ponds with waterlilies and green bridges. This gave him endless motifs to paint and gave birth to his enormous waterlilies masterpiece now on display, in an infinity figure as he so wished in his will because nature never ends, in Paris in the Musée de l'Orangerie.

Whew.

I got the train to Paris yesterday morning and then the train to Vernon, the main town closest to Giverny. I rented a black bike at a cafe near the station and headed out with just a little paper showing me the route.

I got lost on the way of course but just for a bit until a nice man who was on vacation from China directed me back on track. It took maybe thirty minutes by bike to get there, flat and scenic.
I waited in line for a ticket and got down into the gardens and just could not believe it.

That first view of the garden under the sun was heavenly.

Monet's house was also so, so charming. The kitchen was all blue with mosaic tiles and the dining room bright & yellow with sunlight streaming in.

& actually, before I knew we weren't allowed to take pictures inside I got this one of his original studio. I seriously didn't know it wasn't allowed but honestly, how cool is this?

The master bedroom though- oh lala... two grand windows with the most incredibly beautiful views.

I can't believe he woke up to that.

So, after the house, I made my way through the rows of flowers and smelt some peonies, my favorite flower, which were in full bloom.

The gardens eventually led down some stairs and back up to where the Japanese ponds and bridges were. This was quintessential & perfect.

I ate a sandwich I packed while walking back to the beginning and just thought how marvelous it was to be there. yum, I was thinking and not just because my sandwich tasted good but because it was such a delicious thing to be able to see this dream land that I have seen immortalized onto canvas so many times in so many different cities.
happiness.

After a while of looking at poppy fields & browsing the gorgeous boutique where I bought great smelling rose incense, I unlocked my bike and headed back but this time I took the backroads through the surrounding village. Bed & breakfasts, tiny cafes, art galleries, etc.
The town was so romantic and natural. I am definitely going back there someday.

Just going to sum this up with one thought...
how awesome are flowers? I am so glad they exist.

I've been here 8 months and...

i'm homesick today. I miss my family, friends & felines.
On top of that, Cecilia (my friend from Wisconsin who I met in Paris two years ago and who I adore) is on a plane back home right now & Lauren (my adorable Georgia peach of a friend who I met this year in Beauvais) is in Croatia. Basically, I'm lacking in the girlfriends who speak English department.
I, am neither traveling in Eastern Europe nor going home because I have work until July 1st and on top of that I have to evaluate my 10 year olds' English this week- the poor things. Last week, it was my 9 year olds and one of them answered "My name is" to start every one of his responses. Me: "What is the weather like today?" Him: "My name is windy". Me: "How old are you?" Him: "My name is 9". You get the idea.

Sort of cute, sort of sad.
Hey, you can lead a horse to the h2o but you can't make him drink it.


At least I am sporting a sweet cut off shirt from high school.

Macadam Tambouille

Yesterday, Mélanie & Alex (my lovely French friends) and I went to a circus arts festival called Macadam Tambouille in a small village called Songeons. I loved this happy, outdoorsy, funky, French, let's laugh and relax, & watch entertaining people do their thing type of day. It was refreshing.

The festival was about thirty minutes away in the car, not bad and of course we talked about the latest news about Dominique Strauss-Kahn along the way (the previous head of the IMF and front runner for the 2012 French Presidential election who allegedly sexually assaulted a maid in a Times Square hotel). Yes, heavy stuff. I just keep reminding my French friends & co-workers that although I am from the United States, it was not me who put the handcuffs on him.

Here in small town France, my face = America.

Anyways, this festival was such a good time.
Set in a village with an open park lined with perfectly manicured trees and just funky stuff all over.

We got there around 4pm and we saw a hilarious portrayal of "Blanche Neige et les 7 nains" (Snow White & the 7 dwarfs, bien sûr). Then, we ate some candy and had a beer.
After that, we watched this one man comedian clown act called "Humanus Comicus". It was pretty great.

The last number that we watched was my favorite. It was an Australian lady named "Shirlee Sunflower". Her french was awful and it was absolutely a riot because she recruited "sexy men" to help her do ridiculous and actually pretty impressive stunts who understood basically nothing she was saying. I was dying laughing. She was mispronouncing stuff and being completely inappropriate and was having them repeat stuff in English and it was absurdity. Too, too funny.

Ça va

Really quick I just want to reflect on the most incredible and useful phrase in the French language.

"Ça va"

The French say this...
1. To mean "how are you?" or maybe more like "how's it going?"
2. To answer to this "how are you"- meaning something like "yeah it's going"
3. To mean "fine"- for instance, "Is your dinner good?" "ça va"
4. To respond when someone trips, etc. to make sure they are ok meaning "are you hurt?" "are you alright?"
5. To mean "does that work for you?" or "is that convenient?"
6. To mean "that will do" or "that's fine".


Honestly, I think I could get by a whole day by just saying those two words. Mind boggling.

Confession

Today, I might have hula hooped with some 8 year olds at recess.

Last Tuesday, I might have jumped rope with some 6 year olds at recess.

Le Tréport

There are three main train lines that go through Beauvais. The first goes to Paris. The second goes to a town called Creil which I was at for a little bit in April while waiting for another train. It had a nice outside market but not a whole lot else. Then, there is a train that goes to Le Tréport, a seaside town in Normandy.

I figured I would give it a go this last weekend being that basically everyone else has left Beauvais (because I got assigned a longer work contract) and also that well, yeah, Beauvais is nice and all but sometimes I've gotta bust out if you know what I'm saying.

I got up early and got a 9am train. I read about Scarlett O'Hara's absurd life on the way.
I got to the town at around 11:30.

At first glance, I knew I was going to have a good solid peaceful day in this town.

I found a cafe and had a coffee while looking at the ocean and listening to a cute old guy play the accordion. I love accordions. They're fantastic. I threw the man a 50 cent euro piece (almost 71 cents in dollars I will have you know).
After that, I strolled along the English Channel. I found some pretty back roads, a church, and some gorgeous mosaics and murals.

Then, I ate a sandwich near the lighthouse.

Later on, I paid some money to take a boat ride around the area. It was really choppy and there was a cute dog on board with us that I thought was going to jump in the whole time- but it was a good time. I took some pictures of strangers that asked me to and then I awkwardly took this picture of myself (hey, no one offered to return the favor).

After the little excursion on the water, I found some cool shops. I was chatting with one store owner who was really nice- who for some reason was telling me how her daughter lives in Versailles and is studying to be an architect. It was a little out of no where but I went with it because maybe she was lonely and had no one else to tell it to. I then bought a necklace and a pair of earrings that are GORGEOUS for just 15 euros total. not bad.

I then explored the cliffs of the area by taking a cable car up. It was really calm and pretty at the top and I hung out there for a bit. The view of the water was so beautiful. I was thinking and I came to the conclusion that I really miss the ocean. I need to swim in it a lot this summer at home I decided. I need people who also like to swim (anyone, anyone?) - I always want to stay in longer than everyone else and it kind of stinks being alone in the ocean. You know? Plus, there is no one to call over or under with when a big wave comes. hahahaha. Is it weird that I still like to do that?
ahem.
ANYWAYSsss,
At the end of the day, before catching the train- I sat down at a cozy spot and got some moules frites (that's mussels with fries for all the american folk reading this). It was delicious. I got it with a Leffe beer (belgian, one of my favorites), and minus the guy at the next table over who talked too much and ordered an ice cream sundae for his dog- it was a nice meal.

I got on the train around 5. I was in a car with two of the cutest and most affectionate couples in the world. I couldn't decide if they were charming or annoying, but I soon fell asleep and it no longer mattered.

So, it was a good day in Le Tréport. I am sort of loving all of this alone time I have these days. Let's hope that sentiment continues as I have over around two months left of it.

Oh and just a quick shout-out, my best friend, Steen, or Squirrel as I have endearingly called her since forever, turns 23 tomorrow. I LOVE YOU SQUIRREL! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! xoxox

.ciao for now bellas/ bellos.

Random Facts #7

1. I just watched a TV show about haunted houses in France (it's Friday the 13th).
2. This year, I am going to be spending my birthday in Milan, Italy.
3. Today I watched a French guy in the street attempt to sing in English and it was the most horrible, butchered thing ever.
4. Like I mentioned, I am reading "Gone with the Wind"- I like Scarlett O'Hara, she is ridiculous.
5. This Sunday I am going to take the train and spend the day at a sea-side town called Le Tréport, which lies on the English Channel. It seems charming and it is supposed to be cool but nice out.
6. Tomorrow I am going to a earth celebration day at one of my schools- where I will see some of my kids singing Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" that I taught them. & I think that shirts and hats with cans, bottles and other things that we recycle attached to them are involved.
7. I need a cat in my life.

Today

Today, I got up at 10am. I made myself some toast with some homemade jam that a French lady made for my friend Lauren, who then gave me some. I had a cup of coffee.
I got dressed in a shirt, skirt and boots.
I painted my nails.

Then, I went outside in the garden and I read my book at the moment, "Gone With the Wind", in the sunlight for an hour or so.

After that, I ate lunch at the cafeteria in my building- for 3 euros, I ate... a leg of rabbit in an herb sauce, potatos au gratin, lentilles, and fresh baguette.

I headed to school around 1:15pm and I had three classes. They were all of my "older" kids (9-10 year olds)- so we did verbs and things like that.
After school, I tutored one of the teachers' daughters in English. Her name is Margot and she is in 6th grade. She's cool and works pretty hard.

Then, I went to the boulangerie, the post office, and the supermarket.

Now, I am sitting on my bed typing this in a tye-dyed shirt and sweatpants with a green face mask on.

And that there is my day spent in Beauvais, France.

Untitled

Today during a break at school, I signed on to the internet to check out a stellar review that was written about my mom's english tea room on NJMonthly.com.

First the google page came up and it read "GOOGLE" in big letters (normal) and then underneath that in small text was "France".
I must have stared at this for 2 minutes straight. Sometimes I completely forget that I am in France and it just hits me like a ton of bricks. What do I make of this? I am speaking French constantly and in my dreams my American friends are even speaking French, yet I forget that I am in FRANCE itself. Absurd.

am I crazy?

anyways, everyone should go to said tearoom. it is the place to see and be seen. :o)
www.teaberrys.com

Stories

Well, I have now been back home in Beauvais for a week and the daily grind at school with my little Frenchies has started up again.
The couple weeks around England and France with my mom and my aunt were great. We had fun.
I was the tour guide and if I may confess, I wasn't too shabby.
That Friday night to start the vacation was wonderful because I got off the train in London and hopped the metro to the hotel to see my mom after 7 months! Eek! We hugged for a really long time and then got in our pjs and got all caught up on stories. What could be better?
Well, London was very cool.
We saw the Queen by accident.
She is the tiny blue one in the car pulling up to Westminster Abbey.

We ate at a pub called "Ye Olde Chesire Cheese" that has been there since the 1600s and was a favorite hang out for Charles Dickens.
We had Afternoon Tea a bunch of times, like at Harrod's on a Tuesday Afternoon.

We went to Spitalfield's market, where a bunch of just starting fashion designers sell their creations.
We took a bus tour on the top deck with the sun shining.
We saw TWO plays. "The Woman in Black" which was really frightening and very well done & "Les Misérables"- where my mom was sobbing at the end. I wasn't for some reason. I'm thinking the two red bulls that I chugged before the show might have been to blame. But it really was a moving story and very entertaining.
We went to the Twinings Tea Store, the smallest storefront in all of London, and I drank a Royal Wedding blend of tea as I chatted with a cool guy who was from South America.
We went to Windsor for the day and drank shandys (beer & lemonade) in the sun at a pub next to the castle. After that, we went inside the castle and I racked the brains of the people working there and got a whole lot of interesting information on things like the Queen's dinner parties that she has there, etc., etc.

We went to the National Gallery, where I saw this Monet painting- which actually has bits of sand and shell in it from when he was capturing the scene on the beach.

I love that.
After a week in London, we headed to Kent to meet some family for Easter. This consisted of lots of English grub (like homemade currant jelly (jello in american) and beef tongue (I didn't go there.)), beautiful backyard gardens, and intense political talk- some of which I was not completely prepared for. Apparently, my family members in England are intellectuals. For example, we digested our easter dinner with a two hour quiet reading of newspapers. Luckily, I had been brushing up on English history and that sort of thing due to the trip so I impressed them with my knowledge on the distinct differences between The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, The British Isles, and The British Commonwealth. ;o)
There was gorgeous wisteria at the house.

In Tenterden, the village we stayed in for the weekend, my mom and I were at the most wonderfully gorgeous bed and breakfast called "The Tower House". I thought I was dreaming. Inside, it was crisp white with romantic antique floral touches. The view from our window was a charming garden and just lush green as far as you could see. The bed had a down feather mattress cover thing so that obviously was awesome.

Then we got on a boat to spend sometime in a place called Paris.
We did a lot of the good classic stuff that there is to do. Except, we also experienced a bunch of fantastic things that I have discovered for myself over the years.
Like the steak-frites at Le Relais de L'Entrecôte

and the Marais with the vintage shops and Falafel
and the cool bridges to walk over
and the greatest quiche restaurant ever

and the most charming markets
and the place to see Monet's waterlilies in full bloom

Hey, did I mention that our Paris Hotel was adorable?

Oh, and at the Louvre I ran into the Art History Professor, Monsieur P-G, that I had while I was in Paris. What are the chances? that place is gigantic. We talked about some paintings for a while. It was very sophisticated.