It has been Spring Break for a few days now, and what a Spring Break it has been!
Thursday night, airports started closing because of the volcanic eruption in Iceland. On Friday, I went to Orly airport with Soso to see about our flight to Madrid, whether it was delayed or canceled. We waited in line for a few hours, then ended up rescheduling my trip and canceling Soso's. As of right now, I am headed to Madrid from Monday night to Friday morning... Fingers crossed!
I looked into taking a train. It would have been 13 hours, but it is an over-night train with sleeper cars, which is pretty awesome so I would have had no problem with it! However, SNCF (the company that runs all the trains/TGV in France) is on strike, so while 9/10 trains are running, it is impossible to purchase new tickets. Unfortunately for people actually stuck in various cities (I'm lucky that I'm "stuck" in Paris, where I have an apartment!), SNCF is not really adding any new trains to deal with the lack of airplanes. They announced yesterday that they are adding new trains with Eurostar to/from London, which is definitely a big start, but the strike is causing extra complication. Thankfully, I've got my room here in Paris and don't have to find a hotel or something.
The upside was that I've been able to get some work done on my directed research project. 7 pages down, 5 to go before the end of May! And I never unpacked, so if the flight is on for tomorrow night, I'll be there! Fingers crossed that I'll make it to Madrid to see Mom and Natalie!
Gros Bisous,
Jaimie
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Spring!
Today, I met Soso for lunch by Saint Germain. We wandered toward Odéon and stopped for pizza. It was so great chatting with her and catching up. It's so nice to get to see her, and to have her nearby. I don't know what I'll do when I leave Paris and I'm back to seeing her when I visit every few years, instead of every few weeks for lunch!
After lunch, we walked to Ile Saint-Louis and got ice cream at Berthillon. Melon and Blood Orange... No passion fruit today! I'll just have to go back... We also stopped by Pylones, one of my favorite stores. I know there are 5 in NYC, but it will ALWAYS make me think of Paris!
I had to say goodbye to Soso to head home and work on the "plan" (outline) for my mini-thesis. Vercors and Les Editions de Minuit, a clandestine publishing house from the German occupation of Paris during WWII... Not my favorite way to spend a sunny afternoon, but it's really interesting, and I've learned a ton about literature from the occupation period. A lot of major authors stopped writing because of censorship, and then didn't really start writing again until the 1950s because France was essentially in shock/denial about the occupation, so any literature REALLY about life during 1940-44 is clandestine. I feel like a detective, especially since Vercors (Jean Bruller) was not a famous author, and has been almost forgotten.
Next weekend (April 16), Soso and I are off to Madrid to meet my mom and Natalie! The fun never stops!!!
Back to work!!!
Gros Bisous,
Jaimie
After lunch, we walked to Ile Saint-Louis and got ice cream at Berthillon. Melon and Blood Orange... No passion fruit today! I'll just have to go back... We also stopped by Pylones, one of my favorite stores. I know there are 5 in NYC, but it will ALWAYS make me think of Paris!
I had to say goodbye to Soso to head home and work on the "plan" (outline) for my mini-thesis. Vercors and Les Editions de Minuit, a clandestine publishing house from the German occupation of Paris during WWII... Not my favorite way to spend a sunny afternoon, but it's really interesting, and I've learned a ton about literature from the occupation period. A lot of major authors stopped writing because of censorship, and then didn't really start writing again until the 1950s because France was essentially in shock/denial about the occupation, so any literature REALLY about life during 1940-44 is clandestine. I feel like a detective, especially since Vercors (Jean Bruller) was not a famous author, and has been almost forgotten.
Next weekend (April 16), Soso and I are off to Madrid to meet my mom and Natalie! The fun never stops!!!
Back to work!!!
Gros Bisous,
Jaimie
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Dublin!
This past weekend, I went to Dublin with Katie, Joe, and Juan. After a late-night trip to Paris Beauvais (an airport I did not know existed before this semester) and a quick flight to Dublin, we arrived. We were greeted by a friendly cab driver, who told us about the best place to get Fish and Chips and which sites we couldn't miss.
After a good night's sleep, we woke up early to take a full-day bus trip around the area outside of Dublin. Definitely a great way to spend Good Friday! We saw tons of sheep, visited a medieval cemetery, and drove past where they filmed parts of Braveheart. For lunch, we had AMAZING Guinness and Beef stew, and even found a pint (which can only be sold in hotel restaurants on Good Friday).
Back in Dublin, we visited the National Wax Museum. Not quite Madame Tussauds, but we saw Harry Potter and some Vikings! After dinner, the boys went back to the hotel to work, while Katie and I searched for dessert. We discovered Eddie Rockets, which is basically Johnny Rockets. A shared Brownie Sundae and a Chocolate Milkshake later, we were back and the hotel and preparing for Satuday!
Saturday morning, we walked to the Dublin Zoo. We saw orangutans, giraffes, elephants, hippos, and gorillas. Conveniently, Katie is also a child at heart, and we spent a few hours wandering around before stopping at a tea room for lunch (while the boys were at the Jameson Distillery). We wandered over to the medieval jail, then met the boys at the Guinness Storehouse. We learned all about how Guinness is made, tasted Guinness that had been kegged next door that morning (Guinness that fresh SERIOUSLY tastes like coffee), and then enjoyed a pint at the Gravity Bar. We wandered back to the hostel to meet with friends that Joe and Juan had made to go on a pub crawl. Katie and I stuck to Bulmer's Cider (both apple and pear), while the boys were happy to have more Guinness. It is Dublin, after all!
Sunday morning, we went to Dublinia to learn about the vikings and the settling of Dublin. After a tour, we went to Christchurch Cathedral (before the afternoon Easter Mass). Katie taught me all about medieval architecture and stained glass windows. We went to get Fish and Chips, then went to Dublin Castle.
After a tour, it was back to the airport, where we made our way back to Paris. A quick trip, but definitely worth it!!!
Gros Bisous,
Jaimie
After a good night's sleep, we woke up early to take a full-day bus trip around the area outside of Dublin. Definitely a great way to spend Good Friday! We saw tons of sheep, visited a medieval cemetery, and drove past where they filmed parts of Braveheart. For lunch, we had AMAZING Guinness and Beef stew, and even found a pint (which can only be sold in hotel restaurants on Good Friday).
Back in Dublin, we visited the National Wax Museum. Not quite Madame Tussauds, but we saw Harry Potter and some Vikings! After dinner, the boys went back to the hotel to work, while Katie and I searched for dessert. We discovered Eddie Rockets, which is basically Johnny Rockets. A shared Brownie Sundae and a Chocolate Milkshake later, we were back and the hotel and preparing for Satuday!
Saturday morning, we walked to the Dublin Zoo. We saw orangutans, giraffes, elephants, hippos, and gorillas. Conveniently, Katie is also a child at heart, and we spent a few hours wandering around before stopping at a tea room for lunch (while the boys were at the Jameson Distillery). We wandered over to the medieval jail, then met the boys at the Guinness Storehouse. We learned all about how Guinness is made, tasted Guinness that had been kegged next door that morning (Guinness that fresh SERIOUSLY tastes like coffee), and then enjoyed a pint at the Gravity Bar. We wandered back to the hostel to meet with friends that Joe and Juan had made to go on a pub crawl. Katie and I stuck to Bulmer's Cider (both apple and pear), while the boys were happy to have more Guinness. It is Dublin, after all!
Sunday morning, we went to Dublinia to learn about the vikings and the settling of Dublin. After a tour, we went to Christchurch Cathedral (before the afternoon Easter Mass). Katie taught me all about medieval architecture and stained glass windows. We went to get Fish and Chips, then went to Dublin Castle.
After a tour, it was back to the airport, where we made our way back to Paris. A quick trip, but definitely worth it!!!
Gros Bisous,
Jaimie
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