Our petit adventure continues...

Tuesday 17th July 

Most of this day was spent in Vannes, a lovely city about an hour and a half from Benodet. We'd already been there before but not for a few years so we decided to go and do a bit of shopping and explore the city. Unfortunately the weather wasn't too great and since living in Paris I hardly ever travel in a car anymore (almost never actually) and now seem to be prone to car sickness...by the time we arrived I didn't feel so well.

Anyway we managed to have a few hours in the city before it started to rain. We explored an indoor market, the Cathedral, some nice shops (managed to find 2 new pairs of shoes, thanks Pops) and devoured an enormous club sandwich at a cute little cafe in the central square.

Vannes and his wife 

The main square

On the way home we decided that travelling in the car actually made everyone a bit stressed so we agreed to do more cycling and try to avoid using the car (unless it was necessary). Car sick Chloe + stoppy dad + car = bad recipe. On the way home we stopped in the Carrefour to pick up some bits and bobs. I was thrilled to find a 7 euro pair of fake TOMS and a French football shirt for 10 euros. Please someone tell me why don't we have the huge Carrefours in Paris?!

The weather was terrible on Tuesday night so we decided to stay in, drinking red wine and eating copious amounts of bread and cheese whilst watching Ghost together. We also dyed my hair...unfortunately instead of my normal honey blonde dye mum accidentally bought natural honey for blondes. I'm not originally blonde so now I'm slightly too blonde but it will fade, right? (>>>) What a perfect evening, it almost felt like I was at home in our living room!




Wednesday 

After a restful night we woke up early to cycle to Mousterlin, a little town about 3-4 km away. We cycled through Fousenant, the little town where we had the delicious meal on the first night and picked up some fresh Breton style pancakes (with chocolate chips). We actually bought a sealed packet that had cold pancakes in but when I asked the lady working there to open the packet as we wanted to eat them straight away she offered to give us fresh pancakes straight off the hot plate. They were absolutely delicious and we were so grateful, people are so kind in Britanny!

Mum and dad enjoying the cycle and the fresh pancakes from Fousenant!

 On our way back we stopped at a little pub called 'The Queen's Pub' and had a quick Breton cider before continuing to cycle. Honestly, you can't match Breton cider, it's just so tasty. It tastes like it's made only of pure apples that just ripened, fell off the tree and into the glass. Delicieux. 

Later in the afternoon we went to L'Eclerc (one of France's huge supermarkets, a bit like Carrefour but bigger). You are probably wondering why I keep harping on about supermarkets but I have to explain to you why France officially has the best supermarkets in the world. In L'Eclerc you can find and buy just about anything you need. There are clothes, books, electronics, domestic utilities, food, drink, a separate bakery, a fresh seafood area, a meat section which is effectively it's own fresh butchers, a separate cheese section which could be a fromagerie it's so big and even it's own wine section (including 'La Cave' for the more precious wines). It's like dying and going to supermarket heaven.

Cheese, glorious cheese

Thursday 

On Thursday we decided to cycle to a little village just outside Benodet called Sainte Marine. It didn't take us very long at all, maybe 45 minutes in total. It was very very small but had some pretty little cafes and a small port. We decided to take the tiny ferry back across to Benodet because it was possible to take the bikes with us and it crossed the river to an area of the town we hadn't explored yet. We spotted La Croisette a restaurant recommended to us by our neighbours and decided we would come back and go there for dinner later that night. As normal we cycled back to the campsite, picking up fresh bread from the bakery on the way back and sitting on our little terrace to have lunch. 

Mum and I went for a swim afterwards in the gorgeous pool, exploring the whirlpool tunnel and jacuzzi pool as Dad took photos (he's not so keen on water). When we got back to our mobile home dad was up to his old mischief again. My dad is nearly 60 years old but continues to be a big kid at heart, he's always playing tricks on people, especially my mum. As she got in the shower he decided to turn the tap on so that the water would run cold in the shower, mum gasped and started cursing while dad and I were in heaps of hysterics on the sofa. Poor mum. Although it's worse when Lydia is around, her and dad are like the gruesome twosome. 

We went to La Croisette for dinner and it was absolutely wonderful. We all wished we had found it sooner as it was great value for money and the waiter was really pleasant (and funnily enough originally from Paris)! He asked me if I was studying and looked shocked when I explained I was an English teacher (yes I look sixteen, I know). I convinced dad to have an  Ile Flottante (a Floating Island) for dessert as it is typically French and absolutely yummy. From his expression he seemed to like it...!

Enjoying his Ile Flottante

Friday

Our last day sadly! 

We decided to go back to Concarneau because after the cycling palava on Monday we didn't really have time to explore the walled city very much so we wanted to visit a second time, oh and Mum wanted a fruit bowl. I started reading 50 Shades of Gray in the car because everyone has been raving about, I got to chapter 8 before wanting to hurl the book in the bin. It's awfully written, distasteful and honestly quite disturbing. If you like good books, don't waste your time with this trilogy! On the other hand I read Jill Mansell's A Walk in the Park in 3 days (it's over 400 pages) which is well worth a read. Her books are pretty girlie but so well written and thoroughly enjoyable, a perfect holiday book. 

Anyway I'm sidetracking. When we arrived at Concarneau there was an outdoor market so we explored that first, looking at vintage items, tasting cheese, olives, Breton cakes, fresh cooked pork and much more. I bought some postcards, a friendship bracelet for my sister and I (we've sort of started a tradition of collecting them together) and a keyring to add to my already big assortment. We had a lovely lunch of fish soup and mussles and the sun came out all afternoon. 

We went back to Quimper a little earlier (as that's where I was catching the train from) and we hadn't explored the old town yet. It's a shame we didn't have more time actually as it was really beautiful with an old, prestigious cathedral and typically Breton style architecture. The only downside was the toilets were the kind built into the floor (it still baffles me that the French have these), it's so medieval! After a quick walk around the town we headed back to the station where we had an emotional goodbye on the platform. I told mum not to cry but it never ever works, she always starts blubbing, bless her. Actually I found myself welling up (I'm usually the strong one) because it had just been such a fantastic week. I had really needed the break from Paris and the difficult past few months. It reminded me how important family is and even though sometimes they drive you mad, there is nothing more valuable than family. So to my dear mum and dad, I know I can be a pain in the arse sometimes but I really do love you both more than a chubby child loves chocolate cake.

Better late, than never

So I'm finally finishing my post about my vacation in Benodet. It will have to be briefer than I originally anticipated as it's now September, I'm 2 months behind schedule and therefore officially need to go blogging crazy in the next few weeks. Be prepared readers, be prepared.

The rest of the week in Benodet passed far too quickly. It included numerous cycling trips, a few too many Breton pancakes, some hilarious miscalculations (not at the time but in reflection), a tonne of wine and cheese buying and some quality family time. What are vacations for after all?

So much cheese, delicious cheese

16.07.12

On Monday, my first full day in Bretagne we decided to cycle to Concarneau (around 20km away...or so dad thought). Now, I had been doing a fair bit of velib-ing in Paris (the cycling system in the city) so I knew I wasn't too unfit, but my god, nothing could have prepared me for the cycling we did that day.

First of all when we set off the sun wasn't too hot, so I put sun cream on (as you do) but didn't pack any with me in my bag. Huge mistake. Dad wasn't too off par with the calculations, it was about 20km. Unfortunately it was 20 km if the entire world was flat, the entire world is not flat and we consequently landed right in the merde. There were more hills than we could have ever anticipated (literally not in my wildest nightmares). On top of that, we got lost, several times. Dad's a good map reader but I'm pretty much sure French road signs were made by a drunk person; no surprise really with all the wine made around the country. I'm starting to think people just get drunk and hammer the signs into place, spinning them round as they go just to add extra confusion. None of the signs make sense and when you follow the sign you SHOULD take you're pretty much guaranteed to end up in the wrong place. Highly annoying. So finally after nearly 3 hours of cycling up hill in 30 degree heat, several wrong turns and a 30km journey we finally arrived in the city of Concarneau. We were exhausted but weirdly happy at the sense of achieving such a distance on the first day...

Finally after 30km and one sore ass!!!

Unfortunately my back suffered too...peau Anglaise!

Fortunately the upside of all this was that Concarneau was just beautiful, it's an old walled city that was recommended to us by a good friend of mine (merci encore Cedric) and I'm so glad we visited, even if I couldn't sit down for at least a day. Sadly by the time we got there we only just about had time for lunch before the last bus back to Benodet. Yes we caught the bus, with our bikes, don't judge. Honestly I couldn't have managed it and I'm 23 years old...I didn't fancy having either of my parents keeling over on the way back up those wretched hills. Luckily now I speak French (oh la la) I was able to go into the tourist agency, find out where and when the buses were and if they accepted bikes or not. The guy explained to me that they normally took bikes but only if there weren't a lot of people with luggage), it was a maybe and maybe was good enough because my bottom couldn't even entertain getting back on the damn bike.

The city itself

So we went for a little wander around the city, tres picturesque before coming back to wait for the bus. The bus finally arrived and the lady explained that actually, we needed bikes that folded up. We had three bikes and three that did not fold up. VIE DE MERDE. I think when she told me this I must have looked like I was going to a) cry or b) have a nervous breakdown. I started rambling in French about how we had cycled 30 km, were so lost, so tired (me personally sun stroked) and so far from Benodet that this was our only HOPE of getting back in the next century. She must have been concerned for my mental state if she said no because she let us on the bus (HOORAY!) and even helped us with our bikes, what a star. I will be eternally grateful to this kind woman and thank god we weren't in  Paris because it never would have happened. 

The only negative was in all the commotion begging for the bus and trying to get the bikes on dad forgot his helmet on the bus shelter bench (ahaha). Oh well you can't win at everything! 

As soon as we got back we took a long dip in the gorgeous pool and I have never enjoyed a cold swim more in my life. It was like having an ice bath after a marathon (or what I imagine that would be like seeing as I've never done either one of those things). There is only one word I can use to describe this day and that's...unforgettable. 

Benodet

15/07/12 - 20/07/12

Well, what a week it has been. It's been good for my mind, body and soul and finally I feel a little more revitalised! I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about certain things and certain people but I've come to realise that it's just all part of life. You can mourn the loss of a friend as much as the loss of a lover and both can be equally as difficult but...c'est la vie. 

I had a lot of 'quiet' time in Benodet which at first frustrated me because I wanted to keep myself busy so my thoughts wouldn't wander...(fear of silence I guess) but eventually it became easier and the feeling of loneliness soon turned into the feeling of independence and...freedom even. So, I pulled myself together a bit and although I'll openly admit I've got a long way to go, at least I'm finally moving forward instead of a hundred steps back.

So anyway...after a long but pleasant 5 hour journey I arrived in Quimper. Mum and Dad were on the platform when I arrived and I dived into a huge welcome hug from them both. We headed back to the car and to the campsite which was about 15 minutes away in the lovely little seaside town of Benodet. 

Unbeknown to me (at least until later) Mum was actually worried I'd be disappointed. Yes, we haven't stayed in a mobile since I was a kid and yes, since then we've had some pretty luxurious holidays BUT  what Mum didn't realise was that this was all I wanted to do. I was so tired of Paris, I just needed the countryside, some sea air and the simple life and that's what I got :-) For most of my holiday my phone was switched off and we spent a huge portion of the trip cycling, walking and exploring Britanny. 

I will probably have to do several blogs for this vacation (as it's a little long) but let's start at the beginning. As I said I arrived in Benodet around 5pm and although I was a little tired after a long weekend I was happy to go for some dinner and a little coastal walk to see some of the town. We decided on a little bistro that my parents had passed in the next town along called Fouesnant. From the outside it looked like a simple French Bistro with a traditional French menu but inside it was pleasantly surprising. It had a kind of Cuban theme with old pictures, a juke box and a refurbished wireless radio. 

 The little wireless radio

 The interior of the restaurant

It took us a while to decipher the menu (there was a lot of strange fish dishes and something called black pasta) but finally we decided to take a chance and order some food. I ordered veal, dad ordered some kind of white fish and mum ordered scallops. I couldn't believe it when the food arrived, this bistro didn't seem to be anything special but the food was just...incredible! The black pasta that mum and dad were a little hesitant about turned out to be delicious, we think it was made with vegetable oil but we are still not sure. *(Ilana just told me that black pasta is normally with squid ink - merci my encyclopedia d'information). Either way it was just divine. My veal was cooked perfectly and had a 'foristiere' sauce which had wild mushrooms in it. To.die.for.com. And of course I took pictures of my food, as we Martin's do...

  Mum's scallops and black pasta

 My veal, mushroom sauce and frites

After our delicious meal we came back to the camp site. It was around twilight when  so we decided to go for a walk along the coastal path. Our camp site was really close to the beach so we were able to reach it quickly and easily. It was a little windy but we still enjoyed the view and nosied at some very expensive houses right on the beach. 

Mum and dad xxxx (below)

The promenade by the beach

All in all a very good first night, now let's see what the rest of the week holds...

Je pars en vacances

15/07/12

This vacation could not have come at a better time. I'm exhausted, mentally and emotionally and I can't wait to have a huge hug from my parents. Yes, I'm 23 years old and I need a calin. 


I also burnt my eye with my straighteners on Friday so I look like I got into a fight this weekend (nice, very nice). It looks like it's going to scar too...ouch. Right above my eyelid too...excellent! Note to self - be more careful in future especially when using hot irons!

I planned on sleeping for most of the journey but the view is too beautiful. I think the Frenchies on the train know I'm a 'tourist' because my face is stuck to the window like a chlid looking in a sweet shop window. I also can't stop reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Most of you have probably seen the movie (myself included) but seriously, read the book, I couldn't give it a higher recommendation. I finished it today with tears in my eyes, it's such a moving book. Life in 2012 sometimes seems difficult but  after reading what life was like for a black person  in Mississippi in 1962, the book just renders you speechless. The prejudice and racism people were forced to face was just unimaginable. It really gives you both perspective and a new education. So...pick up a copy asap!

Lastly, I'm so excited to get to Quimper that I really can't sleep. I've spent most of my time scribbling away in my notebook (which is what you are reading now...the typed version anyway). I'm looking forward to switching my phone off and detaching myself for a week, sometimes technology gets the better of us! I can't wait to see my parents and get back to basics (the sea, the countryside and our bikes!) 

I had recently started to feel a bit like a little fish in a big pond and this week is about getting the balance back. I'm not saying I want to be a big fish but medium sized would do nicely, so as not to feel completely overwhelmed by the city of Paris.

Bastille Day

So surprisingly after a pretty rough morning Bastille Day finally became one of my happiest memories in a long time. 

After cancelling the pre-arranged picnic on the Champ de Mars (thinking the weather would be bad) the sun shone ALL day. It was very windy though so we had lunch at Ilana's (lovely pasta merci a Ilana et Kelvin) followed by the yummiest and cheapest (only 8 euros) 'grillee aux pommes' from the bakery in Belleville. Anyway, even with the sun shining we stuck with the decision of avoiding the Champ de Mars, hearing from most of our French friends that it would be horribly crowded and full of 'cons.' So finally we decided on a free ballet that is offered at the Opera Garnier every year..

We arrive an hour and a half early (thinking that would be MORE than enough time). Oh...how wrong we were. We found the queue on one side of the Opera house and slowly started to follow it round to find the end of the line...around ten minutes later we were still walking. At this point I just started to laugh, I couldn't actually believe how many people there were. The problem was huge tour buses had dropped groups off outside who had obviously just come for the free ballet (as they were all full of oldies on a retirement day out). The queue reached all around the Opera house, all four sides were lined with people, at least five people deep. We were at first happy to queue until we asked one of the workers if we would get in and she clearly explained that although we might get in to the building "vous allez voir rien" (basically you'll see nothing). So pop went that balloon. 

Alors...time for a re-group. We were kind of in my area with the Opera being so close to my work so I had a brainwave after remembering Ilana nor Rachel had been on Printemps terrace before. It was beautiful (comme toujours) and I was happy to be there with my good friends. 

The idea was then to go to Pont Neuf to see if we could get a good spot to watch the fireworks. However after walking to Concorde and deciding to explore a bit (the staging was still up after the Military Parade) we found ourselves at Pont de la Concorde. After walking down onto the quai Ilana and Kelvin discovered this great little spot with enough room for all of us to sit AND have pizza with a great view of the Tour Eiffel. 

After more than a few beers, 2 pizzas and around 3 hours of waiting the fireworks finally began. Although Isabelle said she thought the view from the Champ de Mars was better (because the fireworks are either side of the tower) I was just happy to have a great view, great friends and not to be pushed and shoved around by some moody Parisians. 

The fireworks were beautiful and after a very mixed year which has included falling in and out of love, more than a touch of heartbreak,  a new job, a new apartment, new and old friends arriving and leaving and much much more they helped to summarise my feelings for Paris. I found myself feeling that even now, after everything Paris still has a part of my heart. It's not all tarnished for me. 

I don't know if this is a sign of the end or a new beginning but all I know is  I'm still here and I'm still fighting, Some things are worth fighting for. 

Gay Pride

The month of June has been full of changes for me. After a rollercoaster of a year I am finally beginning to move forward with my life. I can already see a few of my friends rolling their eyes (with good reason). I know you all know I've said this many (many many) times but now, really, it's time to start a fresh. So...here's the update.

A few weeks ago I went to Gay Pride which was both a new and interesting experience for me. I was a little nervous because I've never even seen a gay pride before let alone dance in one! But really, I had a great time. Everyone was in costumes holding huge flags and wearing wigs on their heads. I think my favourite moment had to be Dave catching a balloon and screaming "BALLOOOOOOON" with delight before realising that it was, in fact, a blown up condom. Poor Dave and he couldn't wash his hands for ages either...

I have to add a little note for the boys there, I'm so glad I met these two utter crazy people. They've made me open up to new ideas (some ridiculously stupid) but they've also made me lighten up and not take life so seriously, for which I will be eternally grateful. "I'm going to spike my gavina!" and "Don't you think the moon is just so....AWESOME." Coolest guys ever.

We also managed to find a semi secret location by the Seine where you can sit without being surrounded by du monde and a great place on the quai at Bastille. It pays to have friends who grew up in Paris.

The Cost of Living

Now, I'm not normally one to complain about France or the way the French do things. Generally speaking I agree with how the system works over here and as a French friend once said to me (rather bluntly as they always do) "If you don't like it you can always go home." France can be a wonderful place to live but sometimes it just tests your patience.


There are a few things that have caused me some grief this month and I've decided to blog about them so my friends back home...and over the world actually, can see what it's like living in France.


1. This month I unfortunately became sick, I had what I think was the flu but it really knocked me sideways. I had a horrible fever, cold and was coughing like someone who'd smoked for 40 years. I had to leave work early on Friday and couldn't work  on the Saturday either so, of course, I had to go to the doctor. That's how it works in France by the way. If you are sick you have to go to the doctor's and get an 'arret du travail' to prove and to justify that you needed the day off. It makes sense, people have a day off for a hangover in the UK it's so easy just to call in sick. In France you have to really BE sick to have the day off, it makes you think about how sick you really are. Unfortunately I was sick on a Saturday and because I needed to get my arret du travail as soon as possible I had to find a clinic open on a Saturday. Finding an appointment was difficult as I originally wanted to go to my normal doctor in Alesia but they only worked until midday, the receptionist rudely reminding me "Well it IS a Saturday, we don't work all day." Oh of course EXCUSEZ-MOI. 


Anyway finally I found one at 2pm on the Saturday afternoon. I was reluctant to leave my apartment but keen to see a doctor as I really didn't feel well. All seemed fine, the doctor was on time and my appointment lasted only around 10 minutes. She checked my back and chest with a stethoscope, making sure my breathing was okay, she took my blood pressure, my temperature and noted down my symptoms. Nice and easy (all in French by the way, mini proud moment there for me). I remember when I was terrified to go to the doctor because I didn't know the medical words...it's not easy now but it's definitely easier. 


So everything was fine, she was a very kind doctor and even offered to prescribe me my inhalers as well as the medicine for the flu. I was just thinking to myself 'oh what a lovely doctor, maybe I will come here instead in the future it's much closer than Alesia and easier to find' blah blah blah. Unfortunately I got a very nasty shock when she told me the price of my consultation....wait for it.....SEVENTY EUROS, yes that's right 70 EUROS. That's around 7 euros a minute. I don't know why I didn't say anything then and there. Last time I went to the doctor it cost me 26 euros and the consultation was much longer. I think I was just in a state of shock, I thought maybe I'd misheard her but when she gave me the receipt I knew I hadn't been mistaken. I don't know why she charged me that much, she knew I spoke French so it's not as if she thought she could charge me whatever she wanted and I'd be none the wiser...Maybe because it was a Saturday, maybe because she was a replacement doctor, maybe it was because of the area (4th arr) I really don't know. I've gone over and over the possible reasons in my head and I still can't justify it. I almost called them later in the day to ask why I was charged such a ridiculous price but at the end of the day, I got ripped off, I paid it and there's not much I can do except learn from the experience and never make the mistake again. 


Funnily enough my colleague M was sick the same week, she doesn't speak French so I offered to go to the doctor with her and help her get her arret du travail. A colleague of ours recommended a doctor's really close to St Lazare station, which I later found to be open on Saturday's and you pay up front before you see the doctor so if you don't agree with the price you don't have to pay. Monique paid 23 euros and the doctor even spoke English. So...I got screwed over but I learnt a huge lesson from it and I will be going to the medical centre close to St Lazare if I ever have another illness. I finally understand why all my French friends don't go to the doctor, you can buy everything you need in the pharamacy (including a thermometer to use at home, I bought one) AND you don't pay for advice. The doctor's is now, I understand, a real last resort.


The other positive is that thanks to my Mutuelle (healthcare) I will EVENTUALLY get reimbursed some, if not all of the amount. It just means I am totally broke now until pay day.....................


2. Wow this is turning out to be quite a long blog maybe I was more frustrated at the French lifestyle than I realised. The second thing that happened this month actually wasn't something that affected me directly but that affected a good friend of mine. D has just moved into his new apartment and he needs all the basics; sheets, duvet, pillows, curtains etc...In England you could probably go to Primark and pick up all of this and more for under 100 euros. In Paris I couldn't even find a duvet for less than 85 euros....it's just crazy. Other things are relatively cheap but the things you HAVE to have are stupidly expensive. I was so lucky parents bought a lot of stuff for me from the UK, even good shampoo I haven't found for cheaper than 6 euros. Finally I donated my old duvet to D and we found some decent covers on boncoin.fr. I think in future I will look for everything second hand first before I even think about buying it new! 


3. I lost my temper with a saleswoman in Galeries Lafayette this week. I think after the doctor and everything costing so much in general I just lost my patience. As M and I were walking through Galeries Lafayette during our lunch break a saleswoman tried to offer us a perfume tester (just one of those little cards with perfume sprayed on). I ignored her because I already knew I didn't like the perfume to which she responded "WAIT" (in English). I am telling you now I just threw my toys out the pram. I explained how I would NOT wait, called her rude and stomped off. I just couldn't believe it. Okay, yes in France the language is more direct and yes you can say 'attends (wait) to each other like you do in English but only when you KNOW the person. It's very familiar language and like "tiens" (hold this) it is not really correct. Also for someone you do not know it's incredibly rude. I think I just got fed up with being spoken to rudely, no wonder French people go to England and comment on how polite everyone is........jeez. 


Anyway rant over, bring on July when I can head to Quimper with Ma and Pa and have a break from this madness. 

A breath of fresh air

This past weekend I found myself escaping to the countryside. It was, officially 'last minute.' I'd been craving to get out of Paris for a while (I was in the UK twice in May) but the opportunity hadn't really presented itself since then. Thanks to my colleague Paul I have been introduced to quite a lot of new people which has really made a difference to my knowledge of Paris (and beyond!) A lot of Paul's friends grew up here, or went to college here so they know so much more than I do about Paris. One of his friends, a lovely girl called Shona, has a holiday house in Samois-sur-Seine, just 40 minutes from Paris. A group of people were all heading there for the weekend and although I had been invited I had to work. Finally I decided (if it was okay with Shona) that I would work on Saturday and arrive afterwards. I needed a break from Paris and this was the perfect opportunity, plus I got to see Shona and talk to her more (before this weekend we had only met once properly).

Anyway I arrive around half past four and everything was running smoothly until.......I waited for an hour for a bus that never arrived. The boys had assured me the buses were running but after a long time we realised that most buses were running but not those to Samois sur Seine. So, finally I decided to try and take a taxi. At this point there were no taxis, I had already missed the only one I had seen at the train station and there didn't seem to be any in the taxi rank nor on the road. I was, apparently, stuck. Now, I love walking so again this did not seem to cause a problem so I called Dave and declared I was going to walk because I was pretty fed up with the bus and taxi situation. It turned out that it was too far to walk so very kindly Paul called a taxi to come and pick me up. I finally got to the house about an hour and a half after I arrived at the station and the first thing I did was open a beer. Bit of a palava but everything was alright in the end and it was definitely worth the wait.

I arrived finally in a tiny village that was full of cute little houses, brasseries, not a single cash point, one tiny boulangerie (bakery) and one tiny corner shop. And finally...I could inhale deeply without coughing, such a relief from the polluted city air! Saturday evening was spent drinking, eating and playing drinking games which always ended in laughter. We had to first describe someone without saying who they were, then we could only give one word to describe the person and finally we had to mime. As the game got more and more difficult and we drank more and more beer some people came out with some ridiculous mimes particularly for Charles de Gaulle. We had a walk down to the river where some of the guys played the guitar and we all wrapped up in blankets looking at the stars.

Sunday was spent relaxing, eating and drinking (again) and after lunch Dave, Paul and I took a walk down to the riverside to take some photographs (as the night before had been too dark and too alcohol based...ha). The riverside was beautiful and it was so nice to see genuine cobbled streets and old buildings. Samois sur Seine is also where Jazz artist Django Reinhardt retired and each year they have an annual Jazz festival in his honour. It was so great just to explore somewhere so green and I was so surprised that there were such nice little villages so close to the centre of Paris, most people don't know they even exist!

Thank you to everyone (especially Shona for allowing me to join you) for this lovely weekend a la campagne! 

The House-party that dreams are made of

In my previous blog I didn't mention the girl's frankly epic house-party. I think it deserves a blog of it's own. We have an expression in English which we call - banter - which according to urban dictionary has the following definition:

Supple term used to describe activities or chat that is playful, intelligent and original. Banter is something you either possess or lack, there is no middle ground. It is also something inherently English, stemming as it does from traditional tomfoolery of British yesteryear.

"You are so drunk"
"Maybe but you are ugly and I will be sober in the morning"
"Good banter"


Basically, the house-party was full to the brim with banter. We actually decided on the Sunday, with pretty hefty hangovers and lack of sleep, to write down all of the 'quotes' so that we would never forget the night.

So, as promised, here they are...

Rhys - "TOML"
Luke - "TOML?"
Rhys - "Time of my life"
Luke - erupts in laughter

Soph - "Can I come out of the corner please??? I'm in the bread bin!"

Charlotte - "Do you have any coke?"
Megan - "Diet or normal?"

Soph to anon - "We just can't date, we're different sizes."

Mike at 4am - "I'm going to ring Sefty NOW."

Will to ... - "Well...you were smashed last night. You weren't just drunk you were plain inappropriate. I felt physically and emotionally abused. Go home and pounce on your husband. He might even like it and you might be surprised by his reaction."

Will to ... - "It's not going to happen. We're not going to have sex tonight just STOP!" Music goes completely silent............."Oh well that was bad timing."


Numerous people - "WOW"


Red trousers girl - "This is like Made in Chelsea."
Danielle - "What the hell does that mean?"

Soph - "Do you think violin players are good at hand jobs because they have two really strong hands?"

Discussing a very beautiful man in a pub

"I don't think it's his girlfriend with him"
"Yea but she's holding his jacket..."
"Yea but he's on crutches they could just be friends."
"He knows we're all looking at him you know"
"To be honest I'd hold a bomb for him if he asked me too!"

Me - "Megan I'm going to KFC with Sam okay?"
Megan "Okay babe see you soon"
2 minutes later 
"Has anyone seen Chloe and Sam they have disappeared??? Can you help me look for them?"
We return later
"Megan's been looking for you for 20 minutes"
"What? Why?? I told her where I was going!"
haha drunk much? 


Megan - "I just saw Mike's poo face!!!!"

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit!"

Spencer from Towie - Until the book's closed it's still open.


Massively funny moments had to be 


1) Megan refusing to believe Mike was having a poo and walking in on him on the toilet
2) Ben taking a midnight stroll and ending up lost and confused in someone's garden down the road
3) The over-use of the word WOW
4) Henry's legendary dancing
5) Ross being drunk and in bed within 90 minutes of arriving at the party
6) Josh falling over whilst dancing in the lounge (a real, genuine, banana slip fall) causing everyone to erupt into giggles for at least half an hour
7) A certain party guest's failed attempt to pull.......multiple people

I promised the girls I'd write a blog about the party, so here it is and I hope you will remember it for as long as I will :-)

A tourist in my own capital

This past weekend (May 5th) I finally I found some time (and money) to go to London to see the girls. Honestly London surpassed all my expectations. I've been known, in the past, to grumble and moan about London without really knowing much about it...I had a strange preconception of London which turned out to be totally wrong. Firstly, I didn't realise how much I missed being able to speak my mother tongue, without ever having a problem expressing what I wanted to buy, order or find, it was so refreshing to be 100% relaxed and at ease. Secondly people are just so genuinely friendly, yes in France they say hello and have a nice day when they serve you but around 70% of the time I get the feeling it's just out of habit (and not because they actually want to say it). You don't get hassled in shops (even the touristy ones) and a smile costs nothing. In the shop where I bought my London keyring one man even asked politely if he could come back to Paris with me and assured me he was very rich.......I of course, (reluctantly) said no.

London itself is a beautiful city...and I finally had time to visit a few things. On bank holiday Monday we went to the London Dungeons which was such a laugh and was nice for all of us as most of the girls had never been either. We waited for the Dungeons for close to 40 minutes in the pouring rain, sheltering under umbrellas and discussing the likelihood of any of us producing ginger children in the future (don't ask). Inside we laughed and screamed (mainly Soph) as we learnt about the history of London. I also had time to see Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace (the Queen was at home!), St James Park, the Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, The Battleship on the Thames, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. I was literally a tourist in my own capital. I was shocked by how much I loved London (having always said Paris was much more beautiful) and found myself not wanting to leave.

Sometimes, like any city, it's not the cleanest place (I noticed a lot of the buildings were very grey - I imagine from the pollution) but I did notice that ARIEL, a washing powder company in the UK are heading a campaign to clean up the city. Paris was pretty disgusting before the new 'green' bins were placed everywhere around the city...and at least in London you aren't constantly dodging dog poo. I really had no complaints about London and although it rained whilst we queued for the dungeons, afterwards it was just beautiful, I even wore my sunglasses!

The Eurostar: I even made a new friend on the Eurostar. Being a Eurostar virgin I had no clue what I was doing but everything ran pretty smoothly, I even managed to book myself into Premier class and enjoyed a free meal and plenty of free wine on the way there. 'Big Dave' (the guy I met) explained how the Eurostar mainly works and how I could get cheaper tickets and better deals in the future. It sounds like a weird story but actually it was really cool to meet someone new and we chatted so easily that the 2 and a half hours flew by.

I think my favourite part of the trip had to be seeing the girls. We laughed so much, to the point that my stomach hurt everyday. It was so refreshing to be with old friends, friends that know me inside out  and share all my stories, year after year. I think my biggest realisation was how much I appreciate my friends and how much they can make me laugh again and again and again. Thanks for the best weekend girls!

Beaucoup d’écrire

Like all things in life, writing is something that is sometimes easy and sometimes hard. These last few weeks I've had a bit of writer's block and have found myself unable to blog even when I've tried. With me, I think my motivation for writing depends on my how i'm feeling emotionally. I first noticed this when I went through a break up last year and didn't write for nearly three months (the longest I've ever not written for I think). It's a bizarre thing but I think it's because I like to write when I feel like expressing myself. It's in our nature to put on a brave face when going through hard times, which I can successfully do; but when I avoid my writing it's because it's harder to hide your real feelings when it comes to pen and paper (or I should say fingers and keyboard). So...finally, with a new age (23...at last), a new attitude and a new outlook it's time for my writing to make a come back. Enjoy ~ Chloe

19.04.2012

My birthday this year was honestly, wonderful. I didn't do a lot and I didn't drink perhaps as much as I would have liked but it had been a mixed few weeks for me and my main aim was to spend some quality time with my closest friends. My colleagues gave me a great card and two gorgeous bracelets, one set of pearl bracelets and one small silver four leafed clover bracelet (which I have not yet taken off since that day). They all signed a card for me and we had 'Gateau Anglaise' (Fruit cake) and a cup of tea. I'd already received my gifts from my parents, sister and family who visited a week before...which included Dr Dre Beats headphones, new clothes, earrings, a velib pass, a Ted baker make up case and much more. I am a truly lucky girl! After work I spent the late afternoon with my friend Elina who bought me a very funny little book which I absolutely adore, it makes me laugh whenever I read it. American au pair bought me a gorgeous pair of turquoise earrings and necklace to match (as it's my favourite colour) and Fin made me a photograph of a rowing boat with my name on, something he saw in Ireland...it's truly gorgeous I will have to post a photo later - I'm still trying to decide where to hang it in my apartment. We then all went for dinner at Vins & Terroirs, one of my most recent discoveries but by far one of my favourite restaurants. The food is great and such good value. I had snails followed by honey duck breast with sautee potatoes....oh and a chocolate fondant with 'creme anglaise' to finish (with happy birthday ringing in my ears...thanks everyone...!) We finished the evening with a few drinks...and a truly happy birthday girl.

20.04.12

My day off was spent with the original American au pair and to this day my closest friend here in Paris. She told me about a photo exposition near the Louvre and I decided for once to do something cultural rather than spending the day lazing about in my apartment, however desirable that sounded. So I dragged myself out of bed and off to Paris I went in search of 'Jeu de Pomme.' American au pair finally corrected me when I couldn't find me on google that the correct spelling was 'Jeu de Paume' which apparently means 'tennis court' and nothing to do with apples at all. The exposition was from a woman called Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) and focused on her photographs of New York and the different States of America. I'm not one to be interested in art if i'm honest....which is blasphemous to say when you have the unbelievable Louvre Museum just five minutes from my work but paintings just don't speak to me. Sometimes yes...especially with Claude Monet but I just prefer photographs and particularly statues (especially anything done by Rodin). However, this expostion was just amazing and Berenice Abbott seemed like a truly inspiring woman. When she was taking photos in the 20s it was really difficult for her to find sponsorship or any form of financial support because, frankly, she was a woman and women (even with the vote) still weren't considered equal to men, particularly in the working world. But...in her words, she was not 'a nice girl', she fought and fought for her exposition and finally was granted permission to document the ever changing city of New York. My favourite picture had to be the Flatiron Building on Broadway in 1938 but there were at least 20 others I could mention as she also took pictures of people, including James Joyce. If you want to know more about her check out her official site http://www.commercegraphics.com/ba.html and if you would like to go to the exposition (which I would highly recommend) it finishes tomorrow and the details can be found here http://www.jeudepaume.org/index.php?idArt=1499&lieu=1&page=article

27.04.12

Last night was probably the most fun I've had in a long time. My friend Dave and I decided to have a few beers after work, first we checked out a bar called O'neil which is a micro-brewery (finally decent beer in Paris) and which Dave had been to before but wanted to re-visit. I'd heard of it but never actually gone inside but finally  went and honestly loved it. The atmosphere is really American even though the staff are all French, everyone was really chatty and polite and we sat at the bar drinking and eating french fries. The food looked great, especially a burger that a man was eating next to us that both Dave and I were drooling over. Next time....That's one thing I love about Paris, even after nearly two years here you can find a small road full of the quirkiest, most interesting little bars. There was even a pub called 'The Bedford Arms'...I felt like I had accidentally walked through some kind of transportation device and found myself smack in the middle of England...Later on I finally activated my velib card and managed to convince Dave to ride on it with me. This was the stupidest but funniest idea I've ever had. We were wobbling all over the place as Dave had already had a few more beers than me and I nearly fell off because of my lack of balance multiple times. However we did go zooming down some hills around St Germain Des Pres and discovered again some more ways to enjoy Paris. We finally finished at Le Cafe Petit Pont just opposite the Seine and Notre Dame with cheese, beer and wine...you have to love Paris, no place like it.

So quoi neuf?!? What's new basically...

Well, next week after finally making a decision I AM GOING TO LONDON. I realised that there had been so many reasons I wasn't making a decision...money, situations, work etc.. and I finally just woke up and bought my tickets. I organised a change in my schedule with my colleague, THANK YOU PAUL I am going to bring  you back tonnes of herbal tea from London and can now go to London from Friday night to Tuesday evening. I am so so excited to see the girls, all my old friends at the party on Saturday and to finally see a bit of London too as I have some time to at least do one or two touristy things! And it will be my first time on the Eurostar so I will definitely have something to blog about next week...I might even have to take my notebook so I don't forget anything!

Just remember bloggers, "Today is going to be a good day."

Ciao

Le dîner tue la moitié de Paris et le souper tue l'autre

My dedication to my blog has been recently...........poor. Not for lack of want I assure you, just lack of time! Everytime I've sat behind my computer determined to reel off a blog I've always had something else to do, or start, or finish that has been unfortunately more important. Finally it's my jour de repo (day off) and I have some time to write about what's been going on recently in la ville lumière.

Back in March I went to the Six Nations final game at the Stade de France. France were set to play England and I was, honestly, a bit nervous. My friend J had been continuously reminding me how well France were playing and I was worried for England because our previous performances hadn't been particularly strong. However being the true Brit I am I was patriotic and refused to believe England would go down without a fight. And well...........they certainly did not. The atmosphere was amazing, even surrounded by mainly French people I found myself screaming and cheering when England started scoring. I'm normally pretty shy when it comes to things like that (ask my mum - I'm always asking her not to shout when she's cheering for Tom, Dick or Harry) but this time it was different. I felt weirdly free...probably because I knew only the two guys sitting next to me in the whole stadium. The end of the match was more nerve racking with France nearly taking over our lead, however a failed drop kick from France (which really should have been left as pushing for a try...) meant that England kept their lead of 24-22. J and C were, of course, disappointed (especially as it was C's birthday the next day) but we all went back to the Mazet for a few evening drinks and birthday shots. All in all an excellent experience.
*England also went on to beat Ireland the following weekend in an unbelievably strong game. I later received a text from my Irish boss saying 'You're fired.'

What else...work is still good, my boss recently trained me in TOEIC and in a few weeks I'm going to do a teen week so lots of new, fun experiences. The TOEIC hasn't been easy - mainly because of the computer but it's such a good experience to learn the test structure and to know you can give students good advice for their upcoming TOEIC exam....because seriously it's a difficult exam, more focused on your endurance and concentration than anything else.

We had crazy hot spells in Paris (literally I was sunbathing on lunch breaks in the Jardin des Tuileries) which was lovely........but has now abruptly ended with unfortunately the weather for the Easter weekend being totally crap. But my parents and sister are on their way and I couldn't be more happy to see them. First of all they are bringing me a working hoover (no one realises how important this is) which for someone with asthma who currently has a room full of dust........ is like Christmas come early. I actually can't wait to hoover.....sad I know. Secondly they are bringing me a new kettle, the one I have is beyond stupid. It keeps boiling until you unplug it (very safe these Frenchies, like the person who thought putting PLUGS in the bathroom was a good idea, dear me). So I can't wait to have a real, working kettle......oh and one that can make more than 2 cups of tea at a time. Lastly they are here for my birthday (not my actual birthday) but we are celebrating this weekend. So....we are off to La Pulperia tomorrow night - a restaurant run by an Argentinian chef which literally has the best food I have ever tasted. I discovered this restaurant thanks to Romain and will be eternally grateful to him for this discovery. I can't wait for the squid starter tomorrow it's just divine....

Pollution has been a hot topic at work and at home for me at the moment. All of us have begun to notice that the pollution is getting worse. Maybe it's the hot-cold weather, whatever it is something in the air has changed. My asthma is verging on terrible when I used to go some days without it I now can't. My colleague at work's asthma seems to be coming back after years without it, my students children all have rashes at the moment that are unexplained and apparently due to the 'weather' and Paris has warning signs around the city reminding people that pollution is rife. I hope things won't continue like this and at the moment it is just the weather...because I won't be enjoying Paris if I can't breathe! Not long until 5 days back in Devon and I can breathe clean air...cannot wait.

Apart from the pollution Paris is treating me well, I have made many new friends recently which I am really happy about as most of my old friends (the au pair gang) will be soon departing and I am happy to know I won't spend the summer alone. These new friends also know Paris better than I do so are always telling me where I should go and what I should see which is great. I'm still reading Paris Revealed by Stephen Clarke (the same guy who wrote A Year in the Merde) and honestly it's one of the most interesting books I've ever read. It's really informative but you never feel bored reading the historical infomation because Clarke makes it light and easy to read, including the information that's most intriguing. Such as...did you know that there was a cathedral twice as beautiful as Notre Dame in its place before? Napoleon knocked it down for the new 'gothic' church that everyone now knows and loves. If you live here and you want to really know the city....buy this book!

Read this book!

As for me, I'm off to tidy my apartment before the parentals arrive tomorrow and will head into Paris later for a bit of Jardin des Plantes, cinema-going and maybe even some chalk-drawing (will explain that one next time).

A bientôt bloggers

The highlights of teaching English abroad

When you are an English teacher, especially in France, there are often highlights to your lessons which are primarily caused by pronunciation errors. Before I begin recounting my stories I must tell you that in no way do I want to make fun of any of my students, god knows I make terrible mistakes with my own French pronunciation causing a waiter to think I was saying "Thank you have a nice arse" instead of "Merci beaucoup." We all make mistakes. These are just some of the comments that have put a smile on my face and continue to help us, as teachers, appreciate the difficulty of English pronunciation. 

1. In a conversation class last week about animals I showed a picture not too different to this one (okay maybe it wasn't so child-like but you get the idea). I asked the students if they knew what this animal was and one, very enthusiastic student called out 

"I know! It's an octopussy!!" 

Now I tried not to laugh I really did but the fact that none of the other students understood the reference did not help my state of mind. So I managed to compose myself and say "Well....almost but actually the word is Octopus." None the wiser the students all nodded happily and noted the word down in their books. 

This was not the only highlight of my week. The next came during a Waystage encounter. When we begin a lesson we normally ask if the students have any questions or queries, especially regarding vocabulary or grammar (normally the most difficult). So as normal I asked the class if they had any vocabulary to ask me or any other questions. This conversation thus followed....

Student: Yes I have a word I didn't understand

Me: Okay, which word didn't you understand

Student: Dickhead

Me: Err....Are you sure it was definitely in your workbook? That particular word?

Student: (now a little agitated) Yes! It's in the book...I saw it, the word dickhead

Me: Okay so...I'm not sure why that was in your book it's not something we would normally teach to you in the context of your book and it would be quite difficult to explain (at this point I was trying to buy as much time as possible)

Another student: (Begins to explain in French and I finally understand what the student was trying to say -  thank goodness I understand French) Alors...c'est comme une dizaine en français.

Teacher: Oh! You mean a DECADE. 

Student: (In a very strong French accent) Yes zat eez what I said deekhead

Me: Okay in this case you must be careful with your pronunciation.................

I almost tried to explain that "I've been working for a decade"is very different to"I've been working for a dickhead"  but I realised that it would not help the situation as the students definitely weren't ready for 'gros mots' (swear words) in English yet. However it did provide for serious giggles for the other teachers and I. 

My last one came in a Threshold conversation class. Now....Threshold at Wall Street is one of the highest levels you can be so the students are fully aware of how to make English jokes and particularly they know how to embarrass me to the fullest (in a good way....i'll go on to explain). Actually I feel like I'm almost friends with a lot of my Threshold students, we see each other outside Wall Street when possible and they are always so warm and open you don't feel stuck in a teacher-student relationship. If you're having a bad day you just say, if you're fed up you just say, if you're really happy about something you share it and most importantly we're always making each other laugh. 

Alors...last week I had a conversation class with what we call the 'dream team' at Wall Street. These are our highest and most constructive students. The subject was dreams so naturally my first question was what kind of dreams can you have? One student replied immediately with the word "EROTIC." Being the typical English prude that I am I tried desperately to continue without laughing and steer the students away from the topic of erotic dreams. Everyone laughed and I blushed as always. 

A little while later I asked the students if they talk in their sleep (I talk about oranges - not kidding and my sister talks about everything and anything so it's something I'm very aware of in my family). A few people had general answers such as "my children talk about school, they think they are talking to their friends" etc. One student explained that he sleeps alone so he doesn't know if he talks in his sleep. I asked if they had never stayed with a friend or someone else who might have noticed. A student that we will call C replied very nonchalantly with "Chloe....if there is someone else sleeping in my bed I am definitely not going to be sleeping." Everyone laughed and we all stayed in good, happy spirits for the rest of the evening. I was unable to not laugh and finally realised that I'd have to join in. As we say in English "if you can't beat them, join them." 

The Request

For the first time ever in my blog history I've actually been requested to write an entry. Apparently more of you read my random ramblings than I actually realised...so this one is for you.

As you probably know from my self-pitying facebook statuses I have been very sick the last few weeks. I am almost out of the red zone (I hope) but now have to face continuous headaches for the last three days non-stop which is just LOVELY. So let's keep our fingers crossed that I'm feeling better before my very, very busy weekend.

Last weekend was a bit of a failure...after wrapping up like an Eskimo with 5 t-shirts, tights, trousers, 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of gloves, one jumper, one hoody, one huge coat, a hat and ear muffs I felt just about prepared to face the bitter -5 degree weather outside. I'm not a crazy person going out in the condition I was in but...it was important. The rugby match between France and Ireland was planned for the 11th of February at 21h at the Stade de France. Apparently there had already been rumours that it was going to be cancelled due to the cold weather but I hadn't heard any and to be honest I'm sure the rugby teams (due to the sheer size of them) could manage a bit of ice. Anyway long story short the game was called off, people at home actually knew before us (the 80,000 fans standing freezing in the stadium) so I received some texts before it was actually confirmed. I can understand completely why they made the decision as some parts of the pitch were supposedly entirely frozen but I think the decision could have been made sooner. People had already requested that the match be moved to 3pm, a request that was promptly denied. I think deep down people knew it was too cold. I just feel sorry for all the people who flew over. I met an Irish couple in the Mazet on Sunday who had spent 800 euros on their flights, 800 euros on the hotel and god knows how much else on the simple eating out costs in Paris. It was such a shame too because the atmosphere was so fantastic on the trains, going up to the stadium and inside. It was freezing yes, but the fans were as loyal and supportive as ever and the French and Irish were even having a bit of banter (first time I ever saw that!!) If you want to read more about the rugby here's a good article http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/french-farce-as-six-nations-match-cancelled-at-last-minute-20120212-1sz38.html

I did manage to take a few quick pictures as the Irish team did a small warm up on the pitch (I guess just to partly satisfy all the people who came to see them). The match is now rescheduled for Sunday the 5th of March so I hope it will be warmer then!

So...disappointed by the match we left and headed to find a bar. I was so surprised when we found a little bar just off Rue Laplace. This might mean nothing to you but this is where I spent most of my time last year - between the Pomme d'Eve and the Violin Dingue in the fifth. I couldn't believe just a few steps away was this hidden gem...http://www.lepianovache.com/ The Piano Vache (literally the Piano Cow) is a small, quirky, cool bar just tucked away from the tourists. As well as several different size cow statues it is filled with photos and posters and writing is all over the walls - traces of people who have previously frequented the bar. The TV is always on, showing bizarre 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s rock stars (including some people cutting up a pig's head). Yes it's a bit strange but that's the bar, something different in a Parisian world where things start to merge into one sometimes. I love Paris but bars sometimes seem to be one of two things - either typically French like a brasserie or cocktail type bar or they are trying to be English, American, Australian or Irish. There's nothing wrong with this but sometimes it's nice to find a bar that's totally different. I felt like I could have been in London, Berlin or Paris....and I loved it. I hope to drag the girls there soon :-)

Lastly, two weeks ago I went to see the Arctic Monkeys with Ilana (thanks to some free tickets from a friend who couldn't make it). They were amazing live and the atmosphere at Le Zenith was really great...even the support act Miles Keen was excellent so all in all we had a great time. I felt 17 again and some of the songs brought back so many forgotten but happy memories.

So...I think that's all for now. It's my day off today so i'll be heading to the supermarket, possibly the doctors and sorting out my mess of an apartment. Thrilling eh?!

Peace

Prix d'Amerique

Prix d'Amerique Marrionaud 2012 - Last weekend I found myself in possession of two free tickets to the Prix d'Amerique (thanks to a very kind student who circulates in the horse-racing world). So Sunday came around and Sarah and I set off to Bois de Vincennes to watch the race. The race is actually a 'trot' where the horses have the rider sat behind them, attached to a small, what I can only describe as a carriage behind....in this case a picture speaks a thousand words.

A Jockey

It is difficult to describe without seeing it as it is something truly unique. The race itself is very famous in France and pits the 18 top high-flyers against each other in a 2,700 metre race. The race was originally created in 1920 to honour the United States entry into the first World War and is now attended by over 40,000 spectators (me being one of them), every year. It's an elite race with a prize of 1 million euros.

The race itself was amazing and a real joy to watch. People were handing out free flags, hats and batons all around the racecourse so we really got into the spirit of things. There were cheerleaders, a marching band and even some Hell's Angels (whose bikes were on display in a marquee next to the course). The skill of the jockeys was just amazing and apparently they have to train for up to 2,500 hours a year to perfect their racing skills. It was just such a unique experience and the first time I had ever managed to go to a real race so I was really pleased. It was really well organised with a free navette (shuttle bus) from the station to the course which helped because the only downside of the day was that it was freezing!! By the end of the day I think I lost all feeling in my hands and feet. 

However it was really worth it and I can't wait for next year!