Okay, so I have been MIA via blog world, I will keep this simple as possible through the last week or so... I barely know how long it has been actually, all I know is that my feet smell, there is a death-zit on my chin, and that I should probably shampoo my hair. Lovely image no? So, spent 5 days in Brussels with my friend Camille. Now, it was a pretty rough week for her; called into work 3 days in a row, and also in the process of moving out. But, I took my time wandering through the area that she lived in. A handful of cafes surrounding the fountains in the shop area, and not many clothing stores. It was about 20 min tram ride from the center, so less touristy, and more residential. The buildings all varying from Victorian to Art Nouveaux to Modern, with light splashes of graffiti. A more easy going pace even, compared to Stockholm. But then again, Im away from the center. Met plenty of her friends, also French, or Italian. Some who moved for school, or work, and if they did not know French, they pushed themselves to learn it. Its motivating to meet people with a drive like that, and they were super welcoming (and also helped me refresh my basic french).
La Poste
Camille
The Wierdest
Elisa & Clémence
Clémence
Café Belga
dinner at Les Super Filles du Tram (gourmet burger joint that serves their fries in flower pots) €11-€15
Margherita
House creeping in Belgium
Come Monday, I decided to grab a seat in one of those blablacars (a site where people post where and when they are driving, how much room they have etc. pretty much a rideshare), and visit Tina in Paris, also giving Camille more room to move her stuff and all before we go to her mothers in Toulon. The blablacar cost €26, and left at 830am, getting me to just past the border of Paris & Belgium at 1130am. The driver himself was not too interested in us; the three random girls in the back (one didnt talk, and I chatted with the other) and was moreso bent on his lane-change anxiety or something, cause I was watching! He was busy staring at his girlfriend or I dont know what, but the car kept swerving in the lane cause he was constantly jerking the wheel... Whatever I guess; besides that the drive was alright, and the girl I talked to most Amandie had just moved to Paris from Belgium after finishing her studies as well as traveling through New Zealand and Australia. Super nice, even gave me her number if we had a chance to meet up later because she was running late to work (she had just visited family for the weekend).
So, arrived to Porte de Bangnolet, hopped onto Bus 57 (€2), and got off at Musée des Pres, then walked down the street, meeting Tina at Corvisart Station. All this took about 45 min. But fairly easy if you can read a map and speak some french:
Ou est la/le ___ : Where is the __insert station/stop/etc___
S'il vous Plait: If you please (cause you dont want to be an asshole now right?)
Merci: Thank you (cause you are a considerate foreigner who is grateful for any help)
à gauche: left
à droite: right
avant: before
après: after
And of course hand motions are just fun, if not more confusing or helpful
Tina so excited for picnics
Louvre garden
freaking out in Kenzo
Wanderings
Père Lachaise Cemetary
Tina getting the heebie geebies
passing the Modern Museum
for Jim Morrison on behalf of my old man
lil hole-in-the-wall bookstore we went to
dinner at Café de France €12-€16
Spent time with Tina mostly picnicing and wandering the streets in between the Louvre and on the other side across Notre Dame, I was going to save Museums for when I go back for a week. Drooled over the stores like Kenzo, and coughed through the dust in the vintage shops. It was nice to get a taste of Paris, the Metro is similar to London just less nice? but pushy mayhem all the same. By popular demand of my father, we also cruised to Père Lachaise Cemetary to see Jim Morrisons grave. Surrounded by a fence, it was a bit sad... and I think the guard saw me contemplating to jump it, so that blew. But I was glad to have bought flowers from a women on the street and left those for him.
The cemetary itself was huge, I could have spent hours, it was so beautiful and creepy. But Tina got the heebie jeebies, and I was hungry so we made our way out after I ran through more graves.
Dinner was interesting because I've noticed that with the seats outside, people do not sit across each other. They rather sit next to one another with the little round table and all, people watching straight ahead. It was actually still comfortable, kind of makes you think how people may interact differently if they saw the same things happening at the same time... instead of what they WANT to see, alone... does that make sense? Mmm, the deeper thoughts may have to wait til another time.
Gare de Lyon Station
Caught our train to Toulon at 430pm, one way cost €40, and the ride is about 3.5 hours long (booked through SNCF.fr). It was really comfortable, with a place for bags etc. Sadly though; left my sandwich at Tinas. Fail. Anyway, the view of the countryside was beautiful, and no matter how badly I wanted to, I couldnt catch everything in a photo. Fields went on forever, with forests, lakes, mountains, and all that simple goodness peeking through inbetween and disappearing just as quick while we sped by. Finally arrived at 830pm to Camilles mum and boyfriend.
Breaky!
Thumbs.Up.
Toulon view from Camille's G-Ma
le dinner, BON APPETIT!
homemade crème brûlée
After dinner, we crashed to wake up early for the beach. In Toulon they are mostly man-made (so they arent too big), and get crowded quickly. We walked down at 9AM, the sun was up and out and so hot. It was wonderful, and yes tops came off. C'est la vie! Well, I hope that is enough for now. It's 445AM, so I'll just elaborate more... à demain.
KL
