Photo Update!

This weekend I went on an IES-sponsored field trip to Mont St-Michel and St. Malo. Of course, the views were awe-inspiring, and I had a really fun time exploring with the other people here. Go here to see the pictures, or you can always take a look at my photo albums on the little bar to the left called 'Snapshots of My Semester'.

Mont St-Michel & St. Malo - Castle in the Sea

Other interesting facts about this trip:

  1) There were absolutely TONS of Japanese people there! I can't tell you how surprised and excited I was when I first bumped into a couple and overheard them babbling in my other favorite language. Of course, I had to play the nincompoop and try to talk to the various Japanese people in the street. I think they were even more surprised to find a "French" person speaking Japanese than I was to run into a horde of Japanese people in France.

But seriously, there were several tour bus-loads of them there. At one point, while I was trying to find somewhere to get lunch, I was stuck against the side of the street because of an oncoming parade of tourists, cameras and lanyards slung around their necks, all demurely bantering in Japanese. 

After a few minutes of excited bouncing while watching them pass, I couldn't resist any longer. The best exchange I had with them went like this:

"Excuse me but-- are you folks Japanese?"

Stunned expressions followed by, "W-why yes, we are."

"That's awesome!"

More stunned but now smiling faces. "Thank you so much!"

And then they were gone up the inclining road.

   2) I ate the biggest helping of ice cream on a cone ever.

And of course, I received plenty of scowls from the people on the street passing by me, which really seemed interpretable as, "Oh God, not another fat American. Do they ever know when to stop?" I'll admit, it was excessive. Four scoops. And one of those scoops was definitely 2 and 1/2 scoops, so you can see where that led to. 

I wasn't alone however. Connor, my partner in ice-crime (groan, I know), helped me demolish the beast with all speed. Raspberry, tiramisu, and amour de glace. Such deliciousness man may never set eyes upon again.

    3) I think I've eaten too many crêpes. 

Is that possible? Does anyone know?

   4) Within a couple of miles of the beach, there is only one store that sells bathing suits. And you have to know the secret password, 'cause they keep them in the back. Honestly. And even then, those bathing suits are "one size fits all", which I'm not at all sure is even possible. So come prepared when you go to the beach at St. Malo.

So yeah, that's about it. Beach plus ice cream plus friends plus blue skies equals: an unequalled day. As perfect as they come, really.

If you enjoy the pictures, leave me a comment and let me know!