Random...filling in the blanks a bit ..a few snaps

This is my view of the Puy-de-Dome volcano from my balcony... 

we did finally make it to the tex -mex restaurant a few weeks back, it was pretty awesome...very fresh, but also very expensive.  luckily I do not appreciate tequila, so I left my friends to be suckered into purchasing a 25 euro pitcher of margaritas... ooh la!

Where's the wi-fi ?

So much fun, so few opportunities to go online and share stories.  For now I will settle with posting a few more pictures and save the minutia for a later date. 

Here's a picture from our first ski trip --> Super Lioran!  It was glorious, but extremely icy and treacherous, with approximately 37000 people on the mountain. good thing all the "debutant" slopes were closed and all of these people were on the advanced slopes making it all the more fun! wheee.

well, I actually DID find wi-fi...unexpectedly for sure....at the laundromat.  Sure, they can only afford 3 washers and 1 dryer...but they have wireless !!! whooooo.  

we were also very lucky seeing as how EVERYTHING is closed on sundays, including all boutiques, kiosques,  food stores, boulangers, and a good portion of restaurants and cafés.   turns out that I DID have 14 kilograms of laundry......meaning I have run out of curo coins and have nothing left to dry all four-teeeeeen kilos of sopping wet and somewhat clean (i hope, but have little faith in the tiny blocks of detergent that I bought here..) hmm.  Luckily there is a super friendly and helpful young guy here with me.... reading harry potter in english.  Quelle Chance !! 

crotti, baguettes, and skinny jeans...oh MY

Salut!  so far there have been many bizarre and fabulous things going on in france... until I have some sort of consistent internet connection and ability to share more lengthy tales, I will share only the weird and wonderful highlights.

lets start with a favorite topic of mine....food

For instance, I love living in a place where it is not only acceptable, but very much encouraged to start each day with a big hunk of crusty white bread smeared with nutella. 

peanut butter is an oddity here -- you may be able to find ONE jar in the whole supermarket and they have approximately 37 different types of chocolatey nutella-style spread. (most for less than a euro) mmmm. and more than one aisle dedicated to cheeses.

Truffade -- the local traditional dish of the Auvergne.... basically you get served a cast iron skillet of potatoes au gratin smothered with delicious cheese.  

more later, I'm off to scrounge something for "dejeuner", who's up for vietnamese eggrolls sold on the street, ramen or a fresh croissant?

Cheese - hundreds of 'em.  been loving everything so far, am relieved that I have not developed any sort of lactose intolerance. ....one word of wisdom, stay away from the Munster, it is the only one so far that is in my opinion so pungent it immediately will turn your stomach. 

The four of us neighbors -->  Andy, Philippe, Somil and I, have made a monumental purchase... we've wisely invested in the gadget of our dreams....a curry cooker... well, that's what they call it here rather than crock pot.  It's been a dream so far..... delicious spaghetti bolognaise, guiness infused beef stew and lima bean soup.  (one veg dish out of 3..not bad).  and of course EVERYTHING is accompanied with the requisite crusty baguette, again, and some sort of cheese or garlicky spread.  

What is THE most sought after food in town?  Where do you need to get reservations at least a week in advance? Where an average meal costs approximately 14 euros ???  

........  TEX MEX !  Nacho Grande

this gem of a restaurant is highly renowned in Clermont and my mouth is watering already in anticipation of the meal we will greatly enjoy later this evening. yay! salsa!  

at the store salsa costs approximately 4 dollars for a teeeeny jar. 

Bienvenue!

Sorry for the delay....but we are currently in a wi-fi crunch (weeeee feeeee) and internet access has been sporadic at best, soooo, unless I camp out at mcdonalds to sponge off of their free wi-fi and enjoy the fine american cuisine or stay at school ALL the live-long day, my blogging will be a bit irratic until I get into a routine.

In a word, france is fantastique! 

Bienvenue!

Foggy London-town

"Dive right in the water's fine!" well, that's pretty much how I felt as I arrived in the bustle of London. Since I landed early morning and met up with Somil by 8:30 am, I just had to keep on trucking and get geared up for a fun New Years Eve later on. The city is truly a world capital and a refreshing melting pot of cultures and people, a far cry from the dirty looks that are regularly thrown at any who dare deviate from our glorious native tongue (particularly in the globalization eschewing South). True to stereotype, london is pale skin, queues and proper accents as far as the eye can see. As Borat would say... I liiiiiiiike !

       Spent NYE Slovakian Style with Cushnie and his Diana at an amazing house party where the Slivo flowed like wine. (for those brave curious souls, Slivo is a pernicious alcoholic beverage distilled from plums that tastes like battery acid and gives one the ability to breath fire afterward similar to tequila....ouch!) It was our great honor to drink this noxious liquid with the gentleman that had carefully distilled this 105 proof slovakian delicacy. Needless to say (but i guess I'll say it anyway) great fun was had by all and sundry and new years was an amazing fete indeed!

My remaining time in London was spent exploring the various burroughs including Richmond, Covent Garden (with it's charming Neal's Yard), Twickenham, Kensington etc etc. We did the touristy bit, visiting Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. The robust pound sterling stalwartly bullied the meager dollar at every pub, restaurant, shop and underground....but we still managed to have fun.

Highlights included:
-walking by the river in Richmond witnessing Cush attempt to

 hand-feed a goose and instead getting accosted by a flock of pigeons and having his hand furiously and repeatedly pecked
-sharing a fine bottle of vino in the basement of a wine bar, who knew the exposed rock, sloping ceiling, cave atmosphere and candlelight could be so cozy?
-spending 50$ on a fry up of a lunch post new years eve -- yup, that's right, 2 burgers, one order of chips (fries) and cokes can put the serious hurt on your wallet.

-attempting to communicate in garbled Russian to the Slovakian man that made the Slivo --disaster!

-witnessing true philosophy -- as my good friend "wisely" lectured "Tomatoes are the only vegetable, that's a fruit!"..... what a gem!

Not even the blustery cold could dampen our spirits or diminish our fun together, Cheers mates!

Bon Voyage !

My first smart move was avoiding another agonizing flight on Delta, you know, the airline known for their service with a sneer and impossibly poor seating.  For my excursion to Europe I chose to fly with British Airways where I enjoyed an altogether different traveling experience....hassle free check -in, cheap upgrade to "world traveller plus" class, continuous in-flight entertainment, endless demi-bottles of french wine and zero turbulence.  Oh yeah, and can I mention the fact that BA has this novel idea of actually wanting to perpetuate future business through top level customer service and chose NOT to push the limits on capacity for the plane....Everyone in the world traveller plus, aka nod to the middle class, completely lounged and we were all able to enjoy the epitome of comfort in our very own rows.  How can you really improve on that ?? I guess the privileged in first class had craftmatic adjustable beds at their disposal, either way I felt a bit like I belonged to the jet set. 

I safely arrived at Gatwick airport with mes valises, two of the largest suitcases on the face of

 the earth, miraculously the airline chose to ignore the fact that both were over the 23kg weight limit (one over by 9 kg alone... whoops).  Navigated baggage claim, customs, train and taxi with far less trouble than I'd anticipated, then again I also had a handy dandy guide with me courtesy of an untrusting and somewhat dubious compadre  -- "Directions for Kelly to meet Somil in London".