only three & a half months after Christmas...
Remember Christmas? Way back several months ago? I never got around to actually blogging about that, so... here it goes.
My friend Kate is also an English teaching assistant this year, but in Marseille. We realized that both of us were staying in France for Christmas, and we decided to travel together for the holidays. I suggested Bordeaux for Christmas, and she suggested Paris for New Year's, and we had a travel itinerary! December 22-26 in Bordeaux, December 26-29 in Niort, and December 29-January 1 in Paris.
Bordeaux was amazing. We splurged on the cutest Bed & Breakfast which actually didn't cost that much more than a hostel, but was so much more comfortable! We had our own room with an extremely comfortable bed and the softest, fluffiest, coziest duvet, our own bathroom with Furman-colored towels (I called dibs on the purple set) and a towel-warming rack, and a welcome bottle of red wine (Le Haut-Médoc de MAUCAILLOU, 2005). The common areas included a huge kitchen totally stocked with every dish, utensil, and appliance one could ever need (like a working microwave! be still, my heart!), plus there was the breakfast area and a little sitting area, both by a fireplace which we enjoyed a few times during our stay. Our host was a welcoming Frenchman named Jean-Pierre who had the cutest little cat, Chanel (which is very clever if you speak French).
Bordeaux was beautiful, and I plan on going back someday. It rained almost every day we were there, so that sorta sucked, but we still had a good time. The Christmas market was bustling with good food, vin chaud, and fun trinkets & accessories; the Musée des Beaux Arts was small but still had some amazing works (and Kate took several art history classes at Furman, so she actually explained some of the pieces to me!); and most importantly, the cinema was playing Harry Potter in VO (version originale).
Despite my best efforts at budgeting, I had a few splurge purchases in Bordeaux. Like new pink leather boots. Probably one of the best shopping decisions I've made in France.
And then there was our super-fancy Christmas Eve dinner. :) We made reservations at a nice restaurant that was offering a set Christmas Eve menu. I went waaaaay over budget for it, but whatever, it was Christmas, in Bordeaux, France, with all my family très loin de moi in South Carolina, USA. Merry Christmas to me! Eight courses (if you count the apéritif at the beginning and the coffee/tea at the end as their own courses, which I do, because it sounds fancier), most accompanied by a glass of wine, for a total of five and a half alcoholic beverages (yes, I was a little bit tipsy walking back that night). Best. Meal. EVER!!!! Also the most expensive meal of my life, and that includes fancy family shindigs for special occasions like graduations and birthdays.
Christmas Day itself was pretty laid-back. Kate and I exchanged presents, we skyped with our families, and we watched Christmas movies on my laptop.
On the 26th we had to say 'au revoir' to Bordeaux and 'bonjour' to Niort.
My friend Kate is also an English teaching assistant this year, but in Marseille. We realized that both of us were staying in France for Christmas, and we decided to travel together for the holidays. I suggested Bordeaux for Christmas, and she suggested Paris for New Year's, and we had a travel itinerary! December 22-26 in Bordeaux, December 26-29 in Niort, and December 29-January 1 in Paris.
Bordeaux was amazing. We splurged on the cutest Bed & Breakfast which actually didn't cost that much more than a hostel, but was so much more comfortable! We had our own room with an extremely comfortable bed and the softest, fluffiest, coziest duvet, our own bathroom with Furman-colored towels (I called dibs on the purple set) and a towel-warming rack, and a welcome bottle of red wine (Le Haut-Médoc de MAUCAILLOU, 2005). The common areas included a huge kitchen totally stocked with every dish, utensil, and appliance one could ever need (like a working microwave! be still, my heart!), plus there was the breakfast area and a little sitting area, both by a fireplace which we enjoyed a few times during our stay. Our host was a welcoming Frenchman named Jean-Pierre who had the cutest little cat, Chanel (which is very clever if you speak French).
Bordeaux was beautiful, and I plan on going back someday. It rained almost every day we were there, so that sorta sucked, but we still had a good time. The Christmas market was bustling with good food, vin chaud, and fun trinkets & accessories; the Musée des Beaux Arts was small but still had some amazing works (and Kate took several art history classes at Furman, so she actually explained some of the pieces to me!); and most importantly, the cinema was playing Harry Potter in VO (version originale).
Despite my best efforts at budgeting, I had a few splurge purchases in Bordeaux. Like new pink leather boots. Probably one of the best shopping decisions I've made in France.
And then there was our super-fancy Christmas Eve dinner. :) We made reservations at a nice restaurant that was offering a set Christmas Eve menu. I went waaaaay over budget for it, but whatever, it was Christmas, in Bordeaux, France, with all my family très loin de moi in South Carolina, USA. Merry Christmas to me! Eight courses (if you count the apéritif at the beginning and the coffee/tea at the end as their own courses, which I do, because it sounds fancier), most accompanied by a glass of wine, for a total of five and a half alcoholic beverages (yes, I was a little bit tipsy walking back that night). Best. Meal. EVER!!!! Also the most expensive meal of my life, and that includes fancy family shindigs for special occasions like graduations and birthdays.
Christmas Day itself was pretty laid-back. Kate and I exchanged presents, we skyped with our families, and we watched Christmas movies on my laptop.
On the 26th we had to say 'au revoir' to Bordeaux and 'bonjour' to Niort.