The trip that was supposed to be Barcelona

Thursday evening I went to an amazing French movie with my group “Un Secret” is Tres Bien- I highly recommend it even if you have to read the subtitles. I understood it very well without subtitles, though, I consider that progress which considering the lack of class I have had this month is good!
While I was at the movie Galen went to the SCNF (train office) to ask about our trip to Barcelona, the man at the office promised her that the trains would be going to Barcelona and we would have no problems. Oh if only our luck were that good.
We woke up early Friday morning got on the bus to the Valence train station, things seemed to be going our way we felt good about it. We took the train from Valence to Montpellier then we had a nice 2 hour layover there where we all got coffee and had some Pain au Chocolate and read our books, yet after an hour we realized that our train was not on the departure board . . . not a good sign. So Galen went to stand in line and find out the information. Well she found out our friend from the Grenoble SCNF office . . . was wrong- the train was not going to Barcelona. So there we sat about 3 hours from Grenoble and 5 from Spain wondering what exactly we were gong to do; cursing the French strikes all the while under our breath in both English and French. Well we got out tickets refunded for Spain and found some tickets to Nimes- a city in France with a cute old history not nearly as cool as Spain would have been but they had a nice place to stay and a few tourist things to see. So off we went to Nimes. There we went shopping I found a nice warm coat to make my parents happy  we also went to an arena where they have bull fighting in the spring and watched them practice and we went to the old roman stone garden. All in all the weekend was not a bust but it was not what we had been hoping for.
Well we can only hope we actually do make it to Milan next weekend! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Je suis desole! I know I have not been writing as much as I should but things have been quite hectic and the only time i am on my computer recently is to call people :) ANYWAY last weekend we went to Aix-en-Provence which is the capital of Provence and we also went to Avignon. Both beautiful cities we had a lot of fun taking pictures eating brochette and drinking Cidre! I got to see the Papal Palace in France where 9 Popes (7 recognized popes 2 popes the church did not recognize- long story)Lived and a bridge that was washed away by floods and wars a long time ago and never repaired! lol we also got to see some cool architecture and some really fun fountains! Fountains that are always warm water so people can wash their hands in them so cool eh? We stayed in a REALLY nice hotel we are talking flat screen TV in each room nice!
This week has been pretty good so far as well. I went shopping with my Host mom this morning for groceries at the equivalent of the French Wal-Mart - Dad is does exist! We bought all the stuff I needed to make Pumpkin Pie too! I made it this afternoon when classes were canceled because of another strike oh well at least I got to do something productive! I even learned a new skill I have never made Pumpkin pie from an real pumpkin so I learned how to pressure cook it and puree something that looked kinda like a pumpkin but not really least to say they are much different looking here! But it smells and tastes the same so should be fine even if it is more a light orange than dark orange. tonight I am going to Kat's house for a "petit fete" small party/gathering for CREPES the reason France is amazing well one of the many! Here are some pics of my trip! hope you enjoy got any questions I would be more than happy to answer you!

Tomorrow marks me being in Europe for two whole months! I have already hit 6 countries and am planning on at least hitting one more - SPAIN! This week I went to Czech Republic and Switzerland! Both great places! I loved Prague! or as they call it Praha. I meet up with my friend Valoree and we stayed with her cousin who lives there. So much shopping in Prague and beer. Beer is cheaper than water and everything else! The day her cousin took us around we had to take 3 breaks for a beer lol in like 4 hours of walking the city starting at 11 am :) then around 5 we had to take a coffee break. Oh Europe! Got to love it! Prague has amazing history, being that is has only been a *free* country for 17 years! Communism was there until 1989! WE took a Communism Walking Tour from a cute little 65 year old man who was so nice! It was a private tour because Val and I were the only ones there to take it! He told us all about how he had lived through it all- The occupation by Germany starting in 1938- he even had a picture of him as a three year old sitting on a German tank! Then he told us all about living in a communist country and how they always had basic human necessities but new human freedoms. He also told us about how he and his wife had been scared to go to the protest in 1989 on the first day becuase they had a 15 year old daughter and they - while wanting her to have a better and free life- also wanted her just to plain be alive and it was a gamble going to the protest against the soviets. The protest was started by UNIVERSITY STUDENTS went on for 4 days, and after that the government had to fold the soldiers would not obey the commands because their family's were in the protest as well. There is your history lesson for today it is almost the anniversary of the day too November 17th. Prague is so pretty though and known for its Crystal. Food was good there as well and everyone spoke English which was nice. I bought so much stuff! Christmas shopping baby! Geneva was also awesome chocolate everywhere very pretty city- did not make it to the UN they are closed on saturdays oh well excuse to come back!







PS for the Money picture - you get 19 czech crowns for 1 American dollar