Changing gears

Oh wow!

I have SO MUCH to I want to write about! So many things have happened in the past week, since arriving in Alsace. And now that I look back, I don't think I wrote anything about our last days in Toulouse, either!

So as to not overwhelm you lovely people, I will try to write shorter entries hopefully plusiers fois (many times) this week. Ca va?

So. We left Toulouse! I have to say I was ready to move on. I had previously found a restaurant that would host all 17 of us for lunch and made a reservation. Our last full day in Toulouse, we had a lovely meal together at said cute little Italian restaurant, where the owner and server were very genial and accommodating. (WOO for under-budget-ness! We each ate an entree, plat, AND dessert). I also have to say: I know chocolate mousse is supposed to be a French thing. And I have had many a mousse in this country that have been fabulous. But NONE so delicious as I found in an Italian-run Italian food restaurant. MAN THAT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WAS GOOD.

I had a nice goodbye with my kooky host mom, and departed with the rest of the group (and the Prof) for Paris.

The train seemed completely full, but thankfully a SNCF man recognized us as a big group and offered to seat us a little bit ahead of schedule. That is the ONLY way we were able to stow all of our luggage!

We arrived in Paris at the Gare Montparnasse, where we said au revoir to Madame Schrambach. Then the students and I, with ALL our luggage (which is a lot of luggage, in certain cases) ventured to the metro station because we had to change train stations! For many students it was their first time in a metro of this size, not to mention with their suitcases (and at what turned out to be rush hour...? Those of you who have taken the Paris metro at rush hour know how HORRIBLE AND SQUISHY AND SMELLY cramped it can be). However, we were all prepared and had a contingency plan. Luckily, we all made it out alive and well (if a bit sweaty and stressed out). We waited around at the train station, and after talking to a couple different official people I was able to finagle our way onto the train early to stow all our bags. As far as I can tell, this is the only time in France when traveling in a group is an advantage!

Our train car to Strasbourg turned out not to be heated, and we arrived that night in Strasbourg with the snow falling, already freezing our buns off! Fortunately we had a VERY brisk walk to the hostel to warm us up.

Also the food at the CIARUS (the hostel), while not really very good, was SO much more edible than the last time. Huzzah!

Here are a couple final pics from Toulouse, I promise to write more soon. Gros bisous!
-Natalie

Dat Michael Jackson Dog...