Observations

So today I spent the whole day traveling only for a major let-down at the end. So really, today’s post is just some observations for the day. I ended up traveling through Tours again today. When I think back to the last time I was there, it seems so much longer than it’s actually been. I was in a different area of the city, and let me tell you, it was a totally different feel.

I went to the Tourism Office in Tours to see if they could tell me the best way to get from Chinon to Fontevraud, and the girl behind the counter immediately started laughing. “It’s complicated…” she said before embarking on a series of phone calls to the tourism offices in Chinon, Saumur, and Fontevraud before finally just telling me, “it’ll probably be easier to just get a taxi and pay the extra money.” Which I kind of figured.

 I’ve run into a lot of rather smelly French people, but today I’ve encountered my first over-cologned Frenchman. After two-and-a-half months, finally I’ve found someone who smells too good.

I saw something today that was a sight for sore eyes (okay, I’m lying… I’d be okay if I’d never seen one of these again, but it’s been the first time since I left America)… a strip-mall! It was a pretty bizarre sight and seemed so not French.

I had booked my hotel this morning immediately before leaving on the trip. However, I was a complete dumbass and forgot to write down where I was staying. So while I was on my bus trip to Chinon, I frantically tried to get text messages to my mom and sister to ask them to retrieve the address for me. I was off on my estimation for the address, but not by much… just one word. And eight blocks.

Finally I arrived in Chinon, hoping to see the castle illuminated up on the hill, and… it’s pitch black. So I still haven’t seen the castle. God I’m excited to go see this thing tomorrow morning, you don’t even know. Tomorrow’s update should be good.

Veteran's Day

Happy Armistice day everyone!

So, I did not actually go to Chinon today. That will be tomorrow. As it is, train tickets are hard to come by on national holidays.

Last night my drama teacher had both of the drama classes over to her house. It was quite a party which was occasioned by lots of work on our French drama sketches. I can’t believe after a long day of French, we had to go to an extra 3 hours of French acting practice. But, it was a good chance to work on my French, because there were a couple of dozen people there from about 10 different countries. The only common language was French. There was one drunken Korean kid there who seemed to be making everyone uncomfortable. It was a fun time.

La Fontaine Head

I’m obviously getting lazy and not posting much. Last night I had to go to a French theater to watch a play based on the fables of Jean de la Fontaine. It was kind of weird. It was a series of short episodes, none necessarily having anything to do with the other. It was wacky, there was a song-and-dance-show halfway through in which the characters had a dance-off to songs by Blondie and Michael Jackson. Did I mention that all of the characters were animals? In case you didn’t know, I’m talking about stories like The Tortoise and the Hare and The Ant and the Grasshopper. But a lot of it was fairly funny and entertaining, and it was free for me, so all-in-all it was worth it.

That’s about all there is to update on today. This weekend I have Friday off, so I’m using the extra day to head up to Chinon (finally!) and wander around in the Loire. So I’ll probably update Thursday night or Friday morning, then you probably won’t hear from me again until Monday. But maybe not. Who knows?

I'm back

Long time no update… yeah, there’s not been anything going on. I was sick in bed all weekend. It’s been raining without end for the past 4 days. Saturday I left my room once, Sunday not at all. I did watch the entire series Rome over the weekend, so that’s an accomplishment (it’s about 22hrs total).

Interesting news today, however. I’ve heard rumors from home of a possible job for me when I return. Through my guild, we’ve received interest to take part in a reality TV competition. LARP for some reason is becoming quite popular, and apparently some company wants to make a show where groups of fighters compete week-to-week. They’ve already been in contact with my buddy Rick. Yeah, I know… it’s LARP. But hey, if I can do some semblance of fighting and get paid for it, why the hell not?

Bad Sign?

So yes. I’m sick again. And this time, a teacher sent me home and told me to skip the rest of her classes for the day. Is that a bad sign? Other than that, nothing to report. I’ve pretty much been in bed getting as much sleep as I can, which is welcome after the long vacation. It really took a lot out of me.

I'm getting tired of this.

I think I’m getting sick again. I’ve been coughing since Saturday, and today I had a brief moment of panic… what if it’s bronchitis? I don’t want to be stuck in bed anymore; I’ve got too much to still see here in France. It’s also just a really weird week. I’ve just started school again today, but I already have to start making my plans for the weekend. I’m kind of tired of making travel plans, but I’m thinking of finally going to either Bordeaux or Avignon.