Bonjour à tous!
I have returned! For those of you who don't know, I was on break for the past week, so I went up to Scotland to visit a friend and explore!
It was a bit of a dramatic return trip, but I made, and now I'm trying to tackle all of the responsibilities that I've been ignoring for the past week :)
So, warning: this post is going to be looooooong, so I'm going to break it up into smaller sections based off of where I was. Feel free to skip around, or even just skip to the pictures (again, there are many). There will be French words woven throughout this one.
Also, normally I'm not big on just reciting things I did, but this week that seems to be the only way to talk about everything (hence, loooong)
As I was trying to upload everything, I actually discovered that there's a limit to how much I can put on one post, so I'm going to make a second post for Edinburgh.
I have returned! For those of you who don't know, I was on break for the past week, so I went up to Scotland to visit a friend and explore!
It was a bit of a dramatic return trip, but I made, and now I'm trying to tackle all of the responsibilities that I've been ignoring for the past week :)
So, warning: this post is going to be looooooong, so I'm going to break it up into smaller sections based off of where I was. Feel free to skip around, or even just skip to the pictures (again, there are many). There will be French words woven throughout this one.
Also, normally I'm not big on just reciting things I did, but this week that seems to be the only way to talk about everything (hence, loooong)
As I was trying to upload everything, I actually discovered that there's a limit to how much I can put on one post, so I'm going to make a second post for Edinburgh.
1. Rennes à Paris à Edimbourg à St. Andrews (La première journée)
So Saturday the 13th I set out for my first solo adventure. It was a bit tricky to get going, because Friday night my host father's brother and his friend were over for dinner, as well as my host parents' oldest son, so we had a bit of a soirée. But, once I got out of bed the excitement hit, and I quickly found the energy I needed to get going. Luckily, my host mom had told me the night before that she would drive me to the Gare (Train station), so I didn't have to do the 20 minute walk at 6 in the morning. When we got there, she even walked me right inside and helped me find exactly where to go, which was wonderful because I definitely would have been wandering for a bit.
So I got on the train (my first train ride), and snagged a window seat. Unfortunately, it was still dark out so there wasn't much to see, but that's okay, because it gave me motivation to read a bit.
Once I got to Paris I was able to quickly find the metro, thanks to the many signs printed with big letters. I got my metro ticket (despite a young boy harassing me in the hopes that I would give him a ticket or leave my change behind), and caught the metro to downtown Paris. I have to say, I am so thankful to be living in Rennes because we only have 1 metro line (although they're currently working on the second). This means that I've gotten the chance to practice in a much less stressful environment, so I felt confident when it came time to try the Paris metro on my own.
So I got to downtown Paris and wandered around a bit, quickly finding Shakespeare and Co, where I was going to meet my cousin, Emily, and her husband, Josh, who were in Paris (where they met as teens) for their 10th anniversary (ridiculously adorable story, I know). Unfortunately it was pretty dreary, but I've come to get used to rain and wind, as they're pretty common in Rennes. So wandered a bit (because I am my mother's daughter, and therefore always early), and checked out some of the bookstore. Then I met up with Em and Josh, and, after exploring the store some, we set off to find lunch. They took me over to the Jewish quarter, near where they (and one of my other cousins) had had the best falafel ever. Unfortunately, the best falafel place was closed, but we found one right near by that was still pretty darn good. Sweeties that they are, Em and Josh treated me to lunch, then we wandered over to a brasserie to get coffee and tea (the falafel place doesn't do coffee on the weekends).
It was so wonderful to spend some time with them, because they're wonderful people (with some of the cutest kids I've ever met), and the few hours I spent with them put me completely at ease - not only about the nerve0-wracking travel I had yet to do, but also about the month and change I have left before I get to see my dad and step-mom when they visit. Also, hugs -- I am a very tactile person, and I love hugs, so it was weird to realize that I hadn't had a hug since January.
After our wonderful répas, I hit the street and went to find the RER, the train that runs straight to CDG airport. Somehow, I managed to hop on the wrong train (aka the one that goes in the exact opposite direction), but I quickly realized my mistake, hopping off at the first stop and getting on the right train. Once again, when I got to CDG there were nice, big signs, which showed me how to get where I needed to get. I had to wait to get my passport checked before I could go to my gate, so I was happy that I had gotten there early. (The sign said the wait would only be about 6 minutes, but noooooooo)
After getting through the check, I went and hung out at my gate. At this point, I found out that the phone charger that I had brought had stopped working (yay!) so I quickly fiddled with my phone's settings to stretch my battery as long as possible.
So flying, flying (I slept through most of the flight), arrival in Edinburgh! Yay rainy skies (not). So I got off the plane, went to the front of the passport check since I was one of the only people from outside the EU, chatted with a lovely customs officer, and got on my way. Happily, the EDI airport has free cash withdrawal stations, so I got some pounds (which are huge), and found the first bus to get to St. Andrews. After hopping onto the second bus and riding for about an hour and a half, I was finally in St. Andrews and met up with my friend Corrinne!
Corrinne and I went to high school together, although she's a grade below. Then she decided to be all awesome, and she's studying International Relations at St. Andrews University in Scotland. I was so happy when I mentioned the chance of visiting her and she was as excited about it as I, especially when I found out that my break lined up with her birthday (February 14th). So I got there Sunday night, and we went back to her room, where we ordered a small Domino's pizza (which was soo much better than American Domino's), and watched The Miranda Show (seriously go watch it).
And that was Day 1 :)
So I got on the train (my first train ride), and snagged a window seat. Unfortunately, it was still dark out so there wasn't much to see, but that's okay, because it gave me motivation to read a bit.
Once I got to Paris I was able to quickly find the metro, thanks to the many signs printed with big letters. I got my metro ticket (despite a young boy harassing me in the hopes that I would give him a ticket or leave my change behind), and caught the metro to downtown Paris. I have to say, I am so thankful to be living in Rennes because we only have 1 metro line (although they're currently working on the second). This means that I've gotten the chance to practice in a much less stressful environment, so I felt confident when it came time to try the Paris metro on my own.
So I got to downtown Paris and wandered around a bit, quickly finding Shakespeare and Co, where I was going to meet my cousin, Emily, and her husband, Josh, who were in Paris (where they met as teens) for their 10th anniversary (ridiculously adorable story, I know). Unfortunately it was pretty dreary, but I've come to get used to rain and wind, as they're pretty common in Rennes. So wandered a bit (because I am my mother's daughter, and therefore always early), and checked out some of the bookstore. Then I met up with Em and Josh, and, after exploring the store some, we set off to find lunch. They took me over to the Jewish quarter, near where they (and one of my other cousins) had had the best falafel ever. Unfortunately, the best falafel place was closed, but we found one right near by that was still pretty darn good. Sweeties that they are, Em and Josh treated me to lunch, then we wandered over to a brasserie to get coffee and tea (the falafel place doesn't do coffee on the weekends).
It was so wonderful to spend some time with them, because they're wonderful people (with some of the cutest kids I've ever met), and the few hours I spent with them put me completely at ease - not only about the nerve0-wracking travel I had yet to do, but also about the month and change I have left before I get to see my dad and step-mom when they visit. Also, hugs -- I am a very tactile person, and I love hugs, so it was weird to realize that I hadn't had a hug since January.
After our wonderful répas, I hit the street and went to find the RER, the train that runs straight to CDG airport. Somehow, I managed to hop on the wrong train (aka the one that goes in the exact opposite direction), but I quickly realized my mistake, hopping off at the first stop and getting on the right train. Once again, when I got to CDG there were nice, big signs, which showed me how to get where I needed to get. I had to wait to get my passport checked before I could go to my gate, so I was happy that I had gotten there early. (The sign said the wait would only be about 6 minutes, but noooooooo)
After getting through the check, I went and hung out at my gate. At this point, I found out that the phone charger that I had brought had stopped working (yay!) so I quickly fiddled with my phone's settings to stretch my battery as long as possible.
So flying, flying (I slept through most of the flight), arrival in Edinburgh! Yay rainy skies (not). So I got off the plane, went to the front of the passport check since I was one of the only people from outside the EU, chatted with a lovely customs officer, and got on my way. Happily, the EDI airport has free cash withdrawal stations, so I got some pounds (which are huge), and found the first bus to get to St. Andrews. After hopping onto the second bus and riding for about an hour and a half, I was finally in St. Andrews and met up with my friend Corrinne!
Corrinne and I went to high school together, although she's a grade below. Then she decided to be all awesome, and she's studying International Relations at St. Andrews University in Scotland. I was so happy when I mentioned the chance of visiting her and she was as excited about it as I, especially when I found out that my break lined up with her birthday (February 14th). So I got there Sunday night, and we went back to her room, where we ordered a small Domino's pizza (which was soo much better than American Domino's), and watched The Miranda Show (seriously go watch it).
And that was Day 1 :)
2. St. Andrews (Samedi soir [Saturday night] à Mardi après-midi [to Tuesday afternoon]
Day 2 : Dimanche (Sunday) the 14th
Corrinne's birthday!
So we started off the day with a trip to the Union, which is a building with a Café, a few bars, and a performance base. I don't know if it's officially part of the University, but it's mainly frequented by Uni students. So she took me to the Café where I had my first scone of the trip (can you say YUM). Then she had to go to rehearsal for the Vagina Monologues. For those of you who don't know, it's an episodic play based off of interviews with a few hundred women in the late 1990s. The monologues are from a wide variety of points of view -- transgender women, women over 50, a little 6 year old, etc. Many universities put this on annually (SU included), especially in February when you don't have to pay royalties. I have seen it twice now, once at SU, once at St. Andrews, and I think that it's one of the most important plays because it deals with essential women's issues.
Anyhoo, Corrinne went to her rehearsal, and I set off to explore St. Andrews. Sweetheart that she is, she had not only gotten me a map of the town, but she had also written a list of fun things to do in town, and circled some things on the map. So I had a pretty solid plan of what I wanted to visit.
I started off with a trip to a bookstore Corrinne recommended, then headed for a walk along the coast. There are three main beaches ("Sands") in St. Andrews. I started off near West Sands, then worked my way down to Castle Sands (See pictures below). Then I went up to the ruins of the Castle, which was beautiful, although super windy. I'll let you guys look up the Castle if you're interested in specifics, but I will say that it has been around since the late 12th century, although it changed hands many times (particularly during the Scottish Reformation).
As I was walking around I saw so much beauty, and once again had the joy of walking around a town centuries older than my country. I mean, St. Andrews University recently celebrated its 600th anniversary - SU has only gotten to what, 158 years? It really puts things into perspective.
After I visited the ruins of the castle, I moved on to the ruins of the Cathedral, which was also beautiful. I also climbed St. Rule's Tower, which was tight and steep, but well worth it once I reached the top!
I wandered around the town a lot, before finally going to Corrinne's show, where I happened to meet up with her St. Andrews friends. Then we went out to a pub and got nachos, which were delicious, then called it a night!
Corrinne's birthday!
So we started off the day with a trip to the Union, which is a building with a Café, a few bars, and a performance base. I don't know if it's officially part of the University, but it's mainly frequented by Uni students. So she took me to the Café where I had my first scone of the trip (can you say YUM). Then she had to go to rehearsal for the Vagina Monologues. For those of you who don't know, it's an episodic play based off of interviews with a few hundred women in the late 1990s. The monologues are from a wide variety of points of view -- transgender women, women over 50, a little 6 year old, etc. Many universities put this on annually (SU included), especially in February when you don't have to pay royalties. I have seen it twice now, once at SU, once at St. Andrews, and I think that it's one of the most important plays because it deals with essential women's issues.
Anyhoo, Corrinne went to her rehearsal, and I set off to explore St. Andrews. Sweetheart that she is, she had not only gotten me a map of the town, but she had also written a list of fun things to do in town, and circled some things on the map. So I had a pretty solid plan of what I wanted to visit.
I started off with a trip to a bookstore Corrinne recommended, then headed for a walk along the coast. There are three main beaches ("Sands") in St. Andrews. I started off near West Sands, then worked my way down to Castle Sands (See pictures below). Then I went up to the ruins of the Castle, which was beautiful, although super windy. I'll let you guys look up the Castle if you're interested in specifics, but I will say that it has been around since the late 12th century, although it changed hands many times (particularly during the Scottish Reformation).
As I was walking around I saw so much beauty, and once again had the joy of walking around a town centuries older than my country. I mean, St. Andrews University recently celebrated its 600th anniversary - SU has only gotten to what, 158 years? It really puts things into perspective.
After I visited the ruins of the castle, I moved on to the ruins of the Cathedral, which was also beautiful. I also climbed St. Rule's Tower, which was tight and steep, but well worth it once I reached the top!
I wandered around the town a lot, before finally going to Corrinne's show, where I happened to meet up with her St. Andrews friends. Then we went out to a pub and got nachos, which were delicious, then called it a night!
Day 3 : Lundi (Monday) the 15th
So another fun day in St. Andrews! Corrinne had to go to class, but I started off with another trip to the Union -- I drank so much tea while I was in St. Andrews, it was amazing! Then Corrinne and I met up for fudge donuts from this one specific bakery, which she and her friends had told me was a must-do while I was there. So we had the donuts, then just hung out for a bit before she had to go to her next class. While she was in her next class, I headed off to explore the East Sands.
I took a walk through the town, then walked down the pier, which was beautiful. I then walked down the East Sands, doing a bit of rock climbing (more of rock hopping, really) as I reached the end of the sandy beach.
Then I wandered back into town, picking up some food for dinner before heading back to Corrinne's dorm. She had another performance of the Vagina Monologues, but I decided to stay in, instead calling my sister and watching some more of the Miranda Show.
Not the most exciting day to recount, but wonderful to experience. By the way, since I keep talking about the Sands, I should tell you that in French, the word for beach is "la plage", and sand is "le sable".
So another fun day in St. Andrews! Corrinne had to go to class, but I started off with another trip to the Union -- I drank so much tea while I was in St. Andrews, it was amazing! Then Corrinne and I met up for fudge donuts from this one specific bakery, which she and her friends had told me was a must-do while I was there. So we had the donuts, then just hung out for a bit before she had to go to her next class. While she was in her next class, I headed off to explore the East Sands.
I took a walk through the town, then walked down the pier, which was beautiful. I then walked down the East Sands, doing a bit of rock climbing (more of rock hopping, really) as I reached the end of the sandy beach.
Then I wandered back into town, picking up some food for dinner before heading back to Corrinne's dorm. She had another performance of the Vagina Monologues, but I decided to stay in, instead calling my sister and watching some more of the Miranda Show.
Not the most exciting day to recount, but wonderful to experience. By the way, since I keep talking about the Sands, I should tell you that in French, the word for beach is "la plage", and sand is "le sable".
Day 4 : Mardi (Tuesday) the 16th
So I spent the first half of Tuesday in St. Andrews, then, around 12, I caught the bus back to Edinburgh. Corrinne had classes again, so I went and got myself breakfast, then picked up a scone at Gorgeous, which I was told has the best scones in town. I was not disappointed, as I asked the woman working to give me her favorite scone, which was deliciously berry-y and yum :). I have decided that my project for this summer will be to find a way to make a kick-ass vegan scone.
After I met up with Corrinne to say good-bye I still had some time to kill, so I decided to explore the West Sands, the only beach that I hadn't previously explored. I didn't have a ton of time to explore, so I only walked a bit of it, but it sure was beautiful.
Then I went to the bus station, where I actually missed the bus I wanted (because the schedule I found online was wrong), and wound up having to wait around for a long time. But it was okay because I had the rest of my scone to keep me company :)
Then I caught the train back to Edinburgh, where it was really gd cold, windy, and rainy. I had previously found directions for how to get to my hostel from the bus station, but the sign for the hostel was rather small, so I wound up wandering the road for a bit before I managed to find it. But once I found it I got checked in easily, and began to settle in a bit. Eventually I went out, down to the closest Tesco's to pick up some food, then wandered back, starting to explore a bit.
So I spent the first half of Tuesday in St. Andrews, then, around 12, I caught the bus back to Edinburgh. Corrinne had classes again, so I went and got myself breakfast, then picked up a scone at Gorgeous, which I was told has the best scones in town. I was not disappointed, as I asked the woman working to give me her favorite scone, which was deliciously berry-y and yum :). I have decided that my project for this summer will be to find a way to make a kick-ass vegan scone.
After I met up with Corrinne to say good-bye I still had some time to kill, so I decided to explore the West Sands, the only beach that I hadn't previously explored. I didn't have a ton of time to explore, so I only walked a bit of it, but it sure was beautiful.
Then I went to the bus station, where I actually missed the bus I wanted (because the schedule I found online was wrong), and wound up having to wait around for a long time. But it was okay because I had the rest of my scone to keep me company :)
Then I caught the train back to Edinburgh, where it was really gd cold, windy, and rainy. I had previously found directions for how to get to my hostel from the bus station, but the sign for the hostel was rather small, so I wound up wandering the road for a bit before I managed to find it. But once I found it I got checked in easily, and began to settle in a bit. Eventually I went out, down to the closest Tesco's to pick up some food, then wandered back, starting to explore a bit.
Okay, so the next post will be up soon, recounting my time in Edinburgh!
Thanks for reading and for sticking with it, I know it's long!
Merci, et à plus tard!
Thanks for reading and for sticking with it, I know it's long!
Merci, et à plus tard!