I feel like it has been a bit since I have last written although it has only been 5 days. On Thursday, I visited with Isabel and Nicolas - after promenading around the Pantheon and discovering yet another amazing market (pics to come shortly). Afterwards, I met up with a new friend, Jodi, a school teacher from Cali who is spending two months in Paris figuring out her own life, for a night out in the Bastille area. It was great fun - we had drinks and dinner at a cute cafe/restaurant and then went to a bar for a drink. It was there we learned a new cultural tradition - the "french kiss." I know what you are thinking, Swata, you have to know about the french kiss already.
We ran into 4 guys and a girl who were out celebrating what I think was one of the guy's birthdays. While we refused their offer to do shots, the girl came over to us and told us that it was her friend's birthday and he was a really good guy and the group wanted us to engage in a french kiss. Jodi and I looked at each other a bit dumbfounded. Shrugged our shoulders and said ok. What we realized is that they just wanted us to peck each of them on the lips. Easy enough and international controvery averted.
Phew.
Saturday, Jai and I took the train to Mont de Marsan in the Southwest of France. We met up with Nathalie and her children, Scott and Annabelle, and were picked up by Virginie to go to her home in St. Cricq. It was when we arrived that I remembered once again how lucky I am. Virginie lives with her children, Charles and Clara (totally adorable!) in what can only be described as a manor house. It was built in the 16th and 17th centuries originally and has been somewhat renovated but still has the stable house on grounds. It is like living in a pastural postcard. There are roosters and hens, cats for Jai to chase (although he does rather enjoy chasing the roosters too) and grounds galore, with a pool.
Seriously, I don't understand what I could possibly have done to have earned this. I sit outside and just breathe in the air. It is as if the real world just dissipates. You can sit in a hammock and just be. The kids love Jai - and throw cats at him for him to chase. I think he's having a great time drinking the cats' milk and eating their food (instead of his own - I guess the grass is always greener applies to animals too?). One of the cat's recently had three beautiful kittens who are still resting with their maman in one of the bathrooms.
Yesterday, I was included when the family went to see Charles take his promise in Boy Scouts. Scouts is very prominent here with Nathalie's son Max at Scout's camp for three weeks. Scouts here is also intertwined with religion so the ceremony included a full mass and then a cute ceremony where the boys who are taking their promise have to be invited into the troop by the boys in the troop by answering certain questions and completing certain tasks, like undoing knots.
Today, Annabelle, Clara and I went to visit a local castle - built in the 1700s and still lived in by descendants of the original owners. The original owners were within the court of Louis the 13th. It was so cute to see the girls entranced by the refrigerator within the walls (built into the wall) and the very small beds - because people slept in a somewhat sitting pose - a. because they feared that sleeping fully on the bed would put them in a position as they would be in death and they feared death, b. because they ate such grand meals and this was supposedly better for digestion and c. because they had such long hair and sleeping in repose made it easier for them to do their hair.
The chateau is still in use for marriage ceremonies and receptions every Saturday. It is truly quaint here and I have one more day to soak it all in before I return to Paris on Wednesday for Bastille Day.
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