salon du chocolat

So, the Salon du Chocolat was in Paris this past weekend. It's basically a huge festival where different local and not local vendors come with their gorgeous and delicious chocolate creations. Some were inexplicably good. Some sucked. I had some really creative-looking Japanese dark chocolate...but I think it had seaweed in it and I had to chase down some orange liquered dark chocolate to get the gross taste out of my mouth...I went back for the orange ones about 15 times. I definitely got my 12.50 euro worth out of it...however I conveniently forgot my camera, so here are some pictures courtesy of my friend Liyan.

Also I looked at my planner and I don't think that I can quite wrap my brain around how much work I have to do before I leave for Tangier and Fez (in 3 days). Today I gave in, bought a grande chai latte and sat in Starbucks next to the most affectionate couple in the world. It was seriously too much, I was about to get all French and angry on them however I managed to keep my anger in check by listening to early 2000s crappy Top 40s at super-loud volume so everyone around me could hear.

this isn't the salon du chocolat, this is at gare du nord...it's like india-central

rainy and cold. HI DAD.

Oh and I finally got my bank card from BNP. Only took 2 months. But is it activated yet? OF COURSE NOT that would be too easy. I have to go home, find (in the 2000 letters I received from BNP) my confidential code, which I then try and doesn't work. Go figure. If this doesn't work itself out in the next week I'm cancelling my French bank account and sticking with good ol' BofA. 

papa p in paris!

Dad came to visit Paris on his way back from Bangalore. He was here for 2 nights, but since he's already seen tourist Paris, we did mostly other things - like Sciences Po and the Gare du Nord area (hello Little India). There is more india here than there is in Edison (ok, slight exaggeration, but still). There's Krishna Bhavan and Saravana Bhavan in case I ever miss my south indian home cooking. Then, theres eye-brow threading places everywhere and more brown people than I'd see on 3rd block in Bangalore...except they all speak Tamil or Hindi here, so I'm kind of at a loss...which is probably why I look very surprised right now...the idiot lady took off the better part of my eyebrows. Greeeaaat.

We did do some amusing and touristy things, Champs Elysees, Notre Dame, Saint Germain area, Marais...and I'm embarassed to say we did enter a McDonalds (to get a chocolat viennois...which is so far the cheapest/best I've had in Paris...sorry fancy cafes).

Highlights of the weekend were: the stand-up shower in the hotel, getting to witness the teenage girl gypsies trying to rob unsuspecting tourists in front of the Notre Dame, eating Nature Valley bars and Dove chocolate.

Also really missing autumn in New England. I attempted my normal autumn pumpkin bread with chocolate chips, but it failed miserably and tastes like grits. However, the apple cider is really hard to mess up. Apple cider and cinnamon. Ugh...just got really excited to go home so I can drink some more...

my backyard this time last year...i'd rather see this than the eiffel tower any day (lie...but at present, true)

well...i'm not adjusting anymore

Since the last time I wrote on this blog I've discovered that (1) I actually have a lot of homework and studying to do here (2) I need to find less expensive pass-times than drinking chocolat viennoise's at cafes in Saint Germain (3) I really miss my friends (4) I don't HATE all cats (5) time needs to slow down. 


Since last month, I’ve been to Munich for Oktoberfest (you all know what that it) and Barcelona for Sensation White (trance/house/techno rave fiesta). Last time I posted, I was still getting adjusted to my home-stay, life in Paris, and academics at ScPo. I’m well beyond that now…I'm basically Parisian...jk. But good news is I didn't fail my first round of exposes and dissertations, and now I have more time for a social life (but no money). Literally came here with a set in stone budget of 400 € per month. I think I've missed that by about 300 € in the upwardly direction. As this seems to be a trend with all the exchange students, I'm not particularly worried. Worst comes to worst, I just eat 7 breakfasts and 4 meals with my (awesome) host family and become emaciated and look even more Parisian than when I'm wearing all black and looking pissed off. Literally, the percentage of size 0's here is really disturbing.


Munich: I had strep throat, got it the morning I was leaving for Munich…went to the doctor and got antibiotics (the appointment was only 40 euro and medicine was 17! That’s just incredible). I ended up taking a nighttrain, “slept” sitting upright for 9 hours, went straight to the tents (HB). I bought a stein of beer (how could I not at Oktoberfest) but couldn’t really do much damage (antibiotics. WOOHOO). So I ended up drinking about a ½ L of coke while everyone got drunker and drunker and I got more and more hyper. Stayed in a super nice hotel, which the group of 9 of us returned to after drinking from 9 am to 3 pm. While everyone napped on the king size bed, I took the longest shower ever in the fancy rain-shower which was freaking awesome considering I have a victorian-style bath and a hand-held shower-head and I end up getting more water on the bathroom floor than on myself. 


Barcelona: Best weekend ever. Sensation is not particularly included in that designation considering it was an absolute mess. But I couldn't be happier that I stayed in Barca for an extra 2 nights and got to see the BC group being academic. The beach was exactly what I needed after coming from rainy and cold Paris (except now it's 65 and sunny, seriously weather make up your mind so my immune system can be semi-effective). Sad bit, realized just how much I miss my friends and just how awesome they are. Enough sentimentality. No but really...also I wish people here would get in the Christmas spirit sooner. It's already mid-October. Mariah Carey is being played more and more every day. By mid-November I'll be able to hit the high note...except I don't have a real shower to sing in so maybe not.


Friends, miss you. Family, miss you too sometimes :D

Munich

Hofbräuhaus - Oktoberfest

les escargots. yum.

Sagrada Familia - Barcelona

Sagrada Familia again - Gaudi, the lighting/stained glass was incredible.

Not so sure about this...