Crazy, horse! Paris, France!

Okay, so even if only me and Eric know that song, it's okay, because that's what I sing to myself when I'm walking around this city.

I only have good news to share about the rest of my spring vk--as my fam likes to call "vacation", not to be mistaken for a common English expression, which I thought it was until about a month ago.

Rex and I got to enjoy the wonderful company of Albert, who was pretty fantastic. I really appreciate that even though I've had pretty spotty communication with him and haven't seen him for two years, we still get to be friends and just pick up wherever it was we left off. Abi gets credit for being a perfect host and knowledgeable tour guide, plus! he gives great hugs and has blue eyes, both of these things I'd forgotten... Ah, nostalgia. sniff sniff...

We also made an unexpected stop in Brussels. The waffles were wonderful, it was like hot, pressed cake. Mmm. And we had Belgium fries with American Sauce. There is a reward for anyone that can tell me what American sauce is. I've had it twice, and it doesn't taste like anything American I know.

So, now I'm back in Paris for the month of June. Eric and I tried to escape to Dublin for a long romantic weekend of beer and James Joyce, but we missed buses, trains, and planes in our efforts to make it out of Paris, so we stayed. And really, Paris isn't that bad of a concession...

Other bits:

MY PARENTS ARE GRADUATING COLLEGE! Yes, after years of school work, begging grades, and poking patients the Hineys will be kalwedge grads. I'm extremely delighted and proud of them. I'm real sad I'm gonna miss the party. If you know my family, we celebrate the right way: good food, desserts and wine.

I meet the adopted son of the family that Grandmere stayed with in Nantes twelve years ago. I spoke my worst French, and in return Maximilian bought lunch; merci pour un bon rendez-vous that was only minorly awkward.

I bought my return ticket back to Norfolk. I'm arriving with Rex on the 19th of June, right about mid-night. I expect the party truck to be awaiting our arrival, or at least a comfy bed to crash in after the 12 hours of travel from Greece.

Right, Greece! I'm going! After my courses end on the last of May, I'm headed out to the south of France where I'll hopefully find lavender fields and nude beaches, probably not together. Then I'll make my way through Italy, I'm going for the food and the greasy men, which accounts for .25 of my heritage! Then I'll ferry across into Greece, where I'll stay with a delightful host and find strappy sandals with Rex. Hej hej, we all have our reasons for travel.

I have lots of touristy and candid pictures up on my photobucket.com site. Search my username: continuetojam or continuetojam2

So as we can all see, it's been a real rough semester, so I need a break: I'm taking my baguette and wine down to the Seine for an afternoon of cliche Paris springtime. Ciao!