The cravings for some Mexican food started on about day 4 of the trip. Thus, Lea, Sandy, Adrianna, Alina and I embarked on the first of our fancy lunch Fridays. While in the international aisle at Auchan, I could only find tortilla chips in the Mexican food section. No beans, no salsa. The choices were either chips or pre-made, non-refrigerated fajitas. I went to the canned food aisle and searched for something that was remotely like black or refried beans and came across Heinz baked beans...in ketchup. I figured why not and bought them. Our first stab at French made burritos came off better than expected. The beans were weird, but the rest was pretty normal. And thanks to Lia, I now have a can of black beans from the US that will be put to good use next time we venture to make our own burritos.
The next time I had Mexican food was at an actual restaurant in Bordeaux. Skeptical and with some Pepto in my purse, 8 of us went out to eat last week. I had heard from a French friend that the Mexican food in France was better than the Mexican food in Chicago (she lived there for a semester I think) so I figured it was going to be bad, but not horrible. The first (what should have been) warning sign was that instead of tortilla chips on the table, there was trail mix. Yes, trail mix; complete with raisons, banana chips and coconut. Not Mexican, not even French. Second weird sign was that they had sangria. We ordered it and it was good, but that is Spanish, not Mexican. Alas, the food came. I had chicken fajitas (they didn't have burritos on the menu) which was actually quite good given all the warning signs that it was going to be horrible. Not totally Mexican like the good stuff they have in Ventura, but still good for being 6,000 miles away from Mexico. I'd go back.
On Sunday, I went to the marché with some friends to get some fresh cooked lunch and sunshine. We went to a paella booth and had some rockin' paella and kebobs. I had the kebob because all the paella had seafood in it. It was so fresh and so tasty. Afterwards we got ice cream and strolled in the foreign sunshine. It was only 51 degrees and yet I wanted to be in a dress.
Speaking of seafood, all you fish loving friends of mine, I am happy to announce that you're wish for me to live with a family that likes fish has come true--its Matthis' favorite food. Thus, we have fish quite often. And I have actually been eating it. Yes, dad, yes Sarah, yes Colin, I like fish now. That is not to say however, that I will eat it all the time, but it is more tolerable now.
On a not so mouth-watering note, some life updates:
-I dropped grammar to take a photography class that meets every 2 weeks. Today, we spent 3 hours in the studio modeling for each other.
Madeline- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Lane from Winnipeg
Me
- Trang, Sofie and I saw a super long chain of caterpillars today on the way to lunch! I've never seen anything like this!
-My facebook has been acting weird and I know that most of the time you can't see my comments on wall posts/pictures/messages. I am trying to fix this but can only wait it out at this point. E-mail is the best form of communication right now.
-I am going to Spain in 9 days! Paris a week from tomorrow to stay with the Portiers for 2 nights and then fly to Barcelona with my cousin Paul. We meet up with my brother in Barcelona! I cannot wait!
- This is where I study
- While walking to the tram on Sunday, I went past église St Pierre and heard music. I went inside to find a full blown gospel choir concert going on. Clapping, cello and everything. It was so neat to hear familiar songs in a gothic style church in the middle of Bordeaux.
The end. I'm going to go eat a baguette now.
