London called...so I answered

I had a fabulous time in London! Though I don't have too many pictures of myself in comparison to the hundreds and hundreds that I took...

This is Paris Nord on a Friday evening after a HUGE storm ripped through the west and northwest the morning of,
delaying and canceling trains left and right...

London: home of the 2012 Olympics!

So, while in London, I......

...went to the Natural History museum...

...found Cara in the Natural History museum ;-)...

...saw a cool dinosaur in the Natural History museum (RAWR)...

...rode the Underground (a LOT)...

...saw beautiful sunsets...

...saw very interesting ads on the Underground...

...went shopping in Camden Town...

...did more shopping in Camden Town...

...saw the London Eye...

...saw Big Ben...

...popped out of telephone boxes (that reeked of piss)...

...visited Trafalgar Square...

...saw a giant Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square...

...touched Big Ben...

...touched a horse's ass apparently...

...went shopping at the Christmas Market...

...saw the city at night...

...saw Big Ben from the London Eye...

...actually rode the London Eye...

...ate some motherfreaking DELICIOUS Pinkberry pomegranate froyo
(with lots of toppings, obviously)...

...saw the American Embassy, which was an entire building itself...

...went in search of the Globe Theatre...

...found the Globe Theatre...

...took photographic evidence that Hugging Pig and Mootivational Cow
actually visited the Globe...

...went to the Science Museum...

...walked the same streets that Jack the Ripper did...

...took a Jack the Ripper walking tour...

...saw the church at Spitalfields on the Jack the Ripper tour...

...walked more of the same streets that Jack the Ripper did...

...went (back) to Trafalgar Square to take photographic evidence that
Hugging Pig and Mootivational Cow actually were there...

...visited the Museum of London...

...saw awesome Christmas lights on Oxford Street..

...went (back) to the Canadian Embassy and took a picture for
my awesome Canuck, DK...

...walked back to Oxford Street to see more Christmas lights...

...saw Christmas lights at Marks & Spencer...

...saw even more Christmas lights on the way back to the Underground stop...

...saw the Christmas lights at Debenhams, a huge department store...

...decided I didn't really like Christmas, despite the pretty lights...

...went back to Camden Town to the Stables Market...

...and last but certainly not least, found out that I would  not
receive Hugh Laurie if I purchased this product.
Damn, that's a disappointment. Hugh Laurie is hella-entertaining.

I actually did lots more than this in London, but I don't really feel like writing about it all...

The sacrifices I will make to travel somewhere...

My train from was supposed to leave at 6:40am Friday morning. I walked to the train station with slight (then a bit more than slight) rain and tens of mph winds...only to arrive and find out that all trains were indefinitely delayed. I waited around about an hour and then my train to Paris was canceled, which meant I would have to miss my train from Paris to London. I went back home, figured out somewhat of a game plan, slept for two more hours, ate a quick lunch, then went back to the station just before 1pm. They put me on the next train to Paris, which was scheduled for 2:39pm. That train was also late (about 15 minutes). I arrived in Paris, had to wait in line FOREVER to get a ticket for the metro to go from Montparnasse station to Paris Nord station, and then it took probably another 45 minutes to get there. It was packed like sardines in a can and the metro train ahead of ours kept having difficulties, so ours kept stopping and starting several times between actual stops. When I arrived at Paris Nord, it as well after 6pm. The only train left from Paris Nord to London that had any places was the LAST one that departed at about 9:15pm, so I told them to put me on it!!!!! Then I had to go through customs since I'm a non-EU citizen, of course. I (thank goodness!!!) didn't have to pay any extra for my tickets, though, because obviously nothing was my fault!

Then I finally arrived at St Pancras, walked over to King's Cross/St Pancras, and bought a 7-day unlimited Oyster card (because that's apparently the best deal). Then I hopped on the Southbound Victoria line, switched over to Northbound Bakerloo at Oxford Circus, and stopped at Maida Vale, where Alissa met me right outside the exit. Then we walked a few blocks to the flat that her parents have rented out until the 20th. 

And I could probably say lots more, but I'm crashing in 3...2...1...

Guess...

who's going to London on Dec 16, suckers!!!!!!!!!!

More details to follow. :)

This will make you hungry if you weren't already

Hugging Pig and Mootivational Cow enjoy a nice cup of cider. :)

Brigitte's crêpe (la crêpe bleue - obviously)

The birthday girl's crêpe :)

La Trévou (pomme rissolées flambées, caramel au beurre salé, amandes)

La Trévou no more!

FORGET YOU THANKSGIVING, IT'S MY TIME TO SHINE!!!

Today is my birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!! :D

At lunch, Jean-Paul brought a bottle of 2006 Chaume, which is a Loire Valley wine that's very sweet (similar to Coteaux de l'Aubance or Coteaux du Layon), and everyone had a glass (the two Brothers, Michel, Nora, Lilian, Jean-Paul, and me). I'm now sipping the remnants of it. :) He also brought me a box of chocolates (Cémoi, a French Chocolatier). They are delicious. And so is the wine.

They also served turkey legs today at the "self" where I eat lunch. I don't know if that was coincidence or not, but hey, who cares?! That completed my Thanksgiving meal spread out over the week. This past Sunday, Sarah, a friend of Albin's (the director of the IPLV) forced a homemade Thanksgiving meal upon him and I actually benefited after he put up pictures of it on Facebook. :) At lunch on Monday, Sarah and Albin brought me a slice of pumpkin pie and it was absolutely delicious. DELICIOUS I TELL YOU. (Pumpkin pie is my favorite part of Thanksgiving.) They also brought me a piece of chocolate pecan pie, but it's not nearly as exciting to me, even if it was also delicious. :)

Then Thursday evening I was supposed to go to a dinner at Debra's house. Debra is a Meredith alumna (REPRESENT!) and lives with her husband and two children about 30 minutes from the Catho. However, none of the 11 students that she invited to dinner had a car, so she had to change things around. Instead she brought in sweet potatoes and pecan pie for a little get-together during lunch yesterday. So all together, I had the absolute essentials for Thanksgiving spread out over the course of a few days.

Today after lunch, I had to meet with some students who are preparing to take the Advanced Cambridge English exam in early December. One of them, Emma, made me cookies. They're yummy. :) Then I came back to my room and decided I wanted nothing more than a nap. And hey, it's my birthday, I can do whatever I want. Plus it was starting to drizzle a tiny bit, so I couldn't really go exploring or anything.

In a little while, I am going to meet Mia in front of the Château d'Angers to eat dinner at the Crêperie du Château. Brigitte planned (almost a month ago!!) to take me to dinner for my birthday and we are meeting her there to celebrate. I AM SO EXCITED. 

Wine in the middle of the day. CHEERS!

Toasting to the Birthday Girl!

Chocolatesssssssssss. This is obviously only one layer of the box :)