3-24/25-2024 Horses. French. A Party.

3-24-2024 Sunday

The weather has turned wickedly cold. For Saturday and Sunday, there was lots of rain and wind. I borrowed a heavier coat from Fabienne and wore several layers. I discovered that my umbrella does work but there is a learning curve in getting it up and down.  I think I showed my face as the clumsy foreigner when I couldn’t get it down before getting on the bus. That was a sight. How is that possible?

(Note: Aline is the daughter of Fabienne and Francis, and Mia is their granddaughter.) Mia was involved in a horse competition on Sunday afternoon. We arrived at the place of the competition and found Mia, who was brushing her horse. To my delight, she was wearing a most interesting shirt. Another day—another devil. YAY.

Then, we went to lunch with Mia and Aline. A crepe station was set up in a large room. We bought tickets for what we wanted, then ordered it. I had a savory crepe with ham and cheese. Then I had half of a Nutella crepe which I shared with Mia. Super Yum.

As soon as we finished with lunch, it started to really rain with wind. AAARGH!!  In spite of the weather, the teams warmed up and practiced. Then, it was time for the competition. 

There were teams of 2 people who worked together to carry a baton from one end of the field to the other; to place a spear in a bucket; and other stuff. I was so cold and wet, I didn’t notice the games but I did notice that the horses didn’t much like the wind and rain. Mia’s horse decided that it didn’t want her on its back, so bucked her off and that was the end of watching Mia at the competition. She was OK. Just shook up. We left.

3-24-2024 Monday

At 1:00, I had an appointment for a kind of “oral exam” of my French at Alliance Francaise. It was really just a conversation with the usual…”tell me about yourself”…kind of questions. Then I was placed in level A2. There are 6 levels —A1 & A2; B1 & B2; C1 & C2. (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages <CEFR>) Basically, I am a high beginner which is what I thought. I can talk a lot but my grammar is bad! I begin classes next Tuesday.

When I walked out of the Alliance Francaise building, I wondered where I would wander. Then I noticed that my favorite place in all Strasbourg was visible from where I stood. (Joy!)

I decided to check out the Office de Tourisme at the Cathedral Square. I want to go to the history museums while I’m here, as well as other things going on so…..

Along the way to the Cathedral, I wondered where the homeless people were. When I was in Mexico last November, we also wondered about this since we saw very very few people living on the streets. In Spokane, they are overwhelmingly plentiful. I decided to start paying attention to people around me. I want to answer the question: “Where are the homeless people?”

In the square, there were a moderate number of tourists….lots of young’uns—maybe school groups(?). Some were standing around a guide. Most of the guides spoke English so I think I’ll check out taking a tour.

I also took note of the people holding cardboard signs and asking for “personal donations.” I noticed three of them…one woman was holding out her cup and telling her story to some young people sitting next to a building. The woman wouldn’t stop talking so the people got up and walked away. 

Another woman was sitting close to the exit of the Cathedral with her McDonald cup. People avoided her.

A third one was with 2 dogs. I think she was trying to find someone to take the dogs….or maybe she wanted dog food(?). I don’t know what her sign said but she was the only one surrounded by some stuff. A young man was also with her.

I wandered around the square and found the entrance to the “Ascension.” I think that one of these days, I will try the 300 steps to the top. I think it will cost €8. ($8.70). What will it cost me in pain!?!

I used google to get me home. I think I’m beginning to get the hang of not getting lost. I have no sense of direction.  I don’t mean I have a poor sense of direction. I have NO—NADA—RIEN sense of direction so even google fails me sometimes….I guess I fail google.

3-25-2024 A BIRTHDAY PARTY

Monday was Mia’s birthday. She turned 13!  It’s hard to believe that she is now an official teenager. We went to a Brassserie/Pub. In addition to myself, Francis and Fabienne, there was Aline and Cedric (Mia’s parents); and Victoria and Yannick, (Mia’s godparents) with their 3-year old daughter.

Francis looks a little shell-shocked in this photo. And he hadn’t even started drinking.

This was my first time eating out in a real restaurant this trip. (Of course, I’ve eaten in restaurants in Alsace). I started with a picon biere. (Beer with picon liquor with a squeeze of lemon.) Since picon isn’t available in the US, I was temporarily in ecstasy. 

Hmmm. Looks like the menu is all in English. Well, not all. The descriptions of the food weren’t.

Then I ate a raclette burger with pomme frites.

…and finished it off with a coffee.

Ahhhh…the joy of French cooking (even if it was a hamburger.)

Mia received a few presents. then the restaurant servers brought a lit candle BUT it wasn’t really  a candle. It looked like a mini flame thrower.  Happy Birthday Mia. 

It was after 11:00 when I got home so another day in Strasbourg was complete in several ways.

MISCELLANEOUS STUFF

1.  The McDonald’s in Place des Halles (shopping mall) is the very first one in France. Yay. Boo. Go McDo. (Just kidding!)

2.  At the central tram stop, there is a building within a building. It’s hard to describe but it looks like someone put a new modern facade around this old building. You’ll have to zoom in to see the old building behind the new facade. I wonder what this story is?

3. Message to you…If you choose to write a comment on the blog, please make sure that your name is there so I know who wrote it. I want to know who you are. I read them but don’t comment on most of them. Thanks.

…à tout à l’heure…