a good day =D

Today has been a really lovely day.

this is going to be one of those times when I pull from the bottom of my brain to get english because there's lots of French on top, despite speaking English for most of the day...I feel that I've been speaking quite well this evening. Maybe it's helpful to be used to talking normally all day and then to add French later.

At any rate, I REALLY LOVED the places we went today and I think it's because I now have 1. a basis for comparison and 2. a better appreciation for architecture after a couple of Kevin's spiels. The moral of the story is, if you want to become more interested in something, hang out with people who are. The other students ask good questions that I would never think of (ie "Who's that statue of over there?") that make me realize how much more there is to all the big cool buildings I've seen.

I really liked both of the buildings of today--and the city. First (and last) was the cathedral, which is EEEEEEnormous and has lovely stained glass windows so close you can practically touch them. The first visit, Kevin talked about architectural details that I probably learned about in Art History, and then the second visit he "read" the stained glass windows to us which was QUITE interesting because most of the time I knew the stories but then there would be some traditional reference thrown in that got added later that I'd never heard of. But it was cool to get the "decoding."

And in the middle (after doing some shopping after lunch to kill time) we saw the Palais de Jacque-Coeur, which, in addition to having little hearts everywhere, was tres jolie and unfurnished, which left room for the imagination and didn't clutter everything up--rather, it had the air of being for sale and made us all want to move in. I really loved it.

And I sat with Emily on the bus which was fun too. We hung out with Hannah and Makayla and I was almost this close to buying to stuff like 3 times but always ruled it out on the basis that I've been doing a great job of rationing my money to last me until I get my new debit card and I didn't NEEEEED anything...well, a grey sweater would be nice and all, but it wasn't thick enough or cool enough to merit 8E.

When I got back, I watched some TV with Claire (is everyone in the States all over the numerous protests and the revolt in Egypt? Because that's a big deal here). OH and I forgot the very interesting conversation between the directors on the way back--I was sitting right behind them succeeding at not falling asleep and Kevin talked about how he got to spend a week in Soviet Russia as a student and the thorough searches at the border and stuff, and how he visited Berlin before, during, and after the fall of the Wall. It was cool. I feel like I was in sponge mode today--soak it all up!

For dinner, we had eggs with ham in them, and rice with gruyère on top (and salad as usual with clementines for dessert. Her salad does come out of a bag, just so you know, Mom ;) I've decided I LOVE gruyère! I tried wine for the last time...yes, a grand total of 4 tastes and if alcohol is an acquired taste, it's one that I'm failing to acquire. Cheese, check. Wine, eeehhn *<=buzzer noise*. I mean, it's all good France, you got me converted on 1 out of 2. We'll even add in a .5/.5 for fashion and a .1 out of .5 for current events.

Now, Claire and I are watching "Hors de Prix" with Audrey Tautou. Illegally. So it kicked us off for a little bit. But now it's back. So until later, cheres liseures! Dear readers? not sure how to say that in French. =)P bon, a toute a lheure!

PS: I liked the movie. It was iffy starting off, but it had a good ending and is oh-so-French. PPS: Classic has a negative connotation in French, which I had to explain when Claire thought I didn't like it after she said it wasn't BRAND spanking new and I said maybe it's a little classic. =)P

PPPS: Laura had a point about the food smells: without air conditioning/heating that moves the air, those smells don't really go anywhere and have the potential to settle in for a couple days...Definitely logical. =)