Bordeaux Day 3 & 4

It is day 3, and it is a SUNDAY! While most things are closed on sundays in Europe, markets are still happening. That is where everyone goes with their family to scroll around, bond and enjoy some quality time together. So with that in mind, we started walking along the harbor and passed by the first “touristy” place, Place des Quinconces, which is one of the largest square in the whole of Europe.

Right in front of us was already the port! It was finally sunny and the market welcomed me with bustling chatters from the excited crowd. Food were fresh and they smelled good.

Oyster, Seafood grill and a chocolate cake for lunch.

There was also a street skating area – FOR KIDS. They were just so adorable. They fell, cried, got up and rolled again. They made mistakes, and they moved on and tried again.

What is it about growing up that made us lose this ability to look past things and carry on? When did I lose the courage to learn from trial and error?

Then we walked through the grand bridge and there were basically nothing on the other side…just like the dead city from I Am Legend. Walking back to Saint Michel church, I saw cheap but pretty strawberries again 🙂 1 euro for the whole bucket of edible flower. (my cousin used to think strawberries are flowers…)

At night my friend’s roommate cooked delicious Chinese food dinner that I haven’t had in the past month! 2 bowls of rice and my crave for Chinese food was still not quite satisfied. After dinner, I captured Bordeaux under the veil of the night. The lamp posts were green and pink, they even changed colors. The city was so different from where I used to live (Juan Les Pins) and the fusion of old and new was rather impressive.

After a good night’s sleep, I was awaken by the colored sunlight shinning subtly through the tinted glasses on the ceiling. Then I thought a nice brunch is the way to start my day.

Swiftly I scooped myself out of my blanket and left home in 15 minutes. Bordeaux said bonjour to me with drizzles and I found the cafe I had in mind. I figured a high sugar content meal is called for a cold, gloomy day, so I ordered a grande caramel macchiato with cookies, and crepes with cream and Nutella. Then I sat outside and wrapped myself in one of the green blankets they had there. The cream was divine, foamy and milky. One lick and I am emotionally soothed. Some of the cookie melted inside and some I just ate them. The crepes was generously filled with Nutella. It swirled down my throat and the smooth and thick Nutella entered my system. Such a fattening and comforting brunch. Just sitting here and listening to the sound of people passing by, the heels, the chatter, the rain drops, the sound of greeting kisses on the cheek…I think I found inner peace 🙂

No one to report to, no time constraints, it is just me and freedom. And a full stomach.

Then I headed off to shop! I haven’t seen any shopping malls in my town and I was so jealous at my friend’s place with such a central location. I managed to walk through one of the longest, and also most confusing shopping lane in Europe. Rue Ste Catherine, and arrived home safe. We cooked failed dinner, sort of burnt eggs and rice that was too soft, but it was still edible and the conversation distracted the quality of food.

Bordeaux Day 2

After a really nice long sleep, we woke up realizing that we have overslept. We had to run like crazy to the train station and made it on time, to Saint Emilion, YET another UNESCO!

I was greeted by some really interesting people but due to privacy, I should not get into more details. 😉

Turned out the train dropped us in the middle of nowhere, but thanks to GPS, we passed by a million empty vineyards and finally arrived a really old town.

The village of Saint Emilion. The weather was unfortunately quite cloudy at first …

Due to the rush in the morning, we did not have much time for a full breakfast, so the first thing we did was have lunch. Beef and Chateau Lacoste.

A caramel colored fluffy cat apparently wanted to join our little lunch. He was so nice to touch. There was a constant shifting of sunlight through the windows during our lunch.

Although we came when the sky was cloudy; when we left we all had to put on sunglasses! O;O 🙂

The initial planning of wine tasting didn’t work out so we went to a Church, built in 11th century, that was carved out of stone instead. It was an underground church with baby corpses. Extremely creepy, there were human bones, skeletons on the ground, which I dare not take a photo…

There was another part of the church that’s rather interesting. The paintings on the ceiling was so well preserved because they were making certain chemicals for the war back then. The black fume covered up and protected the paintings and after hundred of years, people scrapped the black stuff out and found beautiful and historic paintings underneath.

It is kind of like life, sometimes things turn out unpredictably better than you thought, just when you think certain things are unfortunate, life might just swirl it around and change everything for the better 🙂 – Stay Optimistic but be alert and count your blessings.

The next thing worth noting is the convertible BMW 😛 and the nice cup of coffee with chocolate (Leonidas, 3.3 euros for 82g!) while the boys have cigars.

As for dinner, we whipped up some quick food but of acceptable quality, and continued my planning… (remember how there is no break in between traveling, friends coming and schooling? x)

Bordeaux Day 1

After the enriching week in Spain, the only part of my body that was still functioning properly is my hair, all other pieces were either bruised, sore, fatigued or ALL OF THE ABOVE. Obviously, I have never taken into account resting time in between all the traveling, guests visiting and schooling and I am not the most robust person out there…Hopefully I will still be in one piece by the end of May, after all initial plans to visit 13-14 countries.

At night I had no choice but to sleepover at Nice airport. Though it was dimmer with more comfortable chairs to sleep on, there was also a hobo who slept around that area. It was mildly intimidating but hey, life is all about facing your fears and becoming braver!

After a long night and a delay due to captain’s sickness, I finally landed into the very different landscape of Bordeaux. From above, you could see the winding meanders stretching all across the green canvas of agricultural land. I did not see any oxbow lake though 😉

The world’s largest urban area to be named a UNESCO world heritage site welcomed me with pouring rain. During this whole trip in Bordeaux, I got more rainy days than my entire month in the South.

It was easy to find my way out to the city (perhaps I was getting better? 😉 unfortunately plan A of meeting my friend there failed. Thank god we do have a plan B.

Problem solving time: stay calm, don’t panic, look helpless and harmless.

I asked around and people were so nice to help me out with their google maps and I finally stumbled upon their fascinating apartment.

Note to self: ALWAYS have more than one plan at least for important matters. I mean it’s not like you have to carry a fire extinguisher around or anything, but just be well prepared.

Sadly, my plan B was flawed as I forgot to ask which floor or room number it was. so I just had to ring all bells and got replies like we no speak English…then finally I heard footsteps; the door opened and my friend was there! I don’t think I have ever been that happy to see him :p

After a hot long lovely shower, I was refreshed again. Yay, I’m getting more sturdy now: 3 hours sleep + coffee and food and shower and I am good to go. (Perhaps I will no longer be tofu by the end of exchange 😉

My friend has an Interesting house. It was old, wobbly and it was as if the entire mansion was falling apart, but it was different in a good way. The key, the door knob, the middle outdoor space, the fireplace, the irregular shaped kitchen all seemed very French to me.

The house is also in a ridiculous central location. I walked 5 minutes and I am at the Saint Andre church. It was definitely one of the most crippled church I have seen. But I liked it, it smelled and felt different. This church seemed to contain more stories with the greyish, peeled off pillars.

Then I also walked passed another random church. Seriously though, they are just everywhere. They are like the Starbucks in Hong Kong. I mean in terms of quantity.

I saw many lovely small shops that sell toys and children books etc that was really adorable.

I discovered a free musee d Aquitaine but it was just super horrifying. I didn’t get the purpose or the theme of it. I was practically the only one there and the atmosphere freaked me out.

At the end, the trading of slaves part was a bit heart twitching. Do you know only those slaves who were packed tightly in the ship has only 25% survival rate? Less than 3 people survive out of 10 slaves 😦

Then randomly I arrived at Plaza Victoire (Vic TUA) 😛

Bordeaux is just such a big city with big, wide roads. I almost got lost when I was finding my way home. I thought I just have to find back the church, and I will be home, but turned out I recognized the wrong side of it… The wind was ridiculously strong too like it wanted to blow me away. My tiny umbrella became useless and I decided to walk back, French style – with just a hat on.

For Dinner we went out to a black and white restaurant and had beef and duck with lots of salad and delicious fries 🙂 It was such an interesting restaurant, all they sell are beef/fish/duck + salad and fries, with JUST ONE SAUCE. But it was good, may be that’s why people kept coming still despite the limited choices.

The strong wind and rain wide kept hinting not so subtly that we should go back home so we finally gave up and called it a day. Well 4 more days, plenty of time left!

Miss Tofu

My journey in life

Tag: Bordeaux

Bordeaux Day 3 & 4

Bordeaux Day 1