Week 1: Something New Around Every Corner
Trip Start
Aug 16, 2010
1
2
26
Trip End
Ongoing
Where I stayed
Hotel du Soleil
Aix-en-Provence, Provence, France
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Let's skip ahead to evening 5 shall we. Just returned from Wohoo, a Brasserie (bar). I must say it was very fun. I find it very amusing to be halfway around the world and still be listening to American music. Retro American music at that, but mixed with modern American music as well with one or two French songs here and there. I think a major reason that tonight was as enjoyable as it was is because it was one of the first times in two years or so where I didn’t have to be the sober responsible one, it was nice when someone said the cops were coming to not have to worry about being the one to have to talk to them. Luckily the cops didn’t come and as far as I know right now everyone made it home safe, although I did have to help some of the girls who had wandered ahead and forgotten the way back to the hotel.
I must admit I have fallen completely in love with Aix. It is the biggest little city I have ever seen. It’s just like the movies. It seems too cute and perfect to be real. It feels like it should be a tourist trap, but it’s not. I can’t get over the architecture. Everything from the fountains (which seem to be infinite) to the doors to the buildings themselves is beyond description. There is a new fountain around every corner and as best as I can tell you can drink out of all of them. I have seen locals drinking from them and washing their clothes and every source I have checked seems to have confirmed this. One would never think to drink from a fountain in the U.S. so I am naturally still hesitant, but I have been drinking from them gradually for the last three days and no problems yet. Two of them apparently receive their water from a hot spring beneath the city and most of them date back several hundred years and some to as far back as the 14th century. Every day I find a fountain that I haven’t seen before, and each is unique and beautiful.
The contrast between and mix of ancient and modern continues to bewilder and captivate me. Today while searching for a new swimsuit, (I left mine at home) I found the only remaining tower from the old wall that used to surround and defend the city. It was situated acote de (next to) a resort hotel, and even served as part of the hotel’s wall around its swimming pool area. There are modern chic fashion boutiques within gateways that are of unfathomable age. The interiors of many of the shops would fit in an American mall but their exteriors give them away, many of them seem to closing in on 1,000 years or at least several hundred.
I have yet to see a single Starbucks or McDonalds in the entire city, although I have heard that there is a McDonalds but I have yet to find it, as it is far outside the main downtown area. Perhaps I’ll hunt it down when I get homesick. Today I saw a Subway which was kind of exciting because it was the first American food chain that I had seen, but I can’t imagine why I would ever eat there when there are so many better places to eat here. Today I had lunch at one of the two Mexican restaurants in Aix ( I have yet to find the second). The cook/cashier asked if I would like it spicy, of course I said yes (oui) avec enthusiasm. Unfortunately the French idea of spicy is not the equivalent of mine, not by a long shot. It was ok, but I suppose I am spoiled by growing up in California and shouldn’t expect authentic Mexican food in France.
I met my potential landlord today as well, she seems very sweet , but speaks no English whatsoever so communicating was difficult with my limited French. It is close to the university but kind of far from the downtown area. I hope that it works out, I move in on Mardi (Tuesday).
We were supposed to go Avignon tomorrow morning but apparently most of my fellow students drank too much tonight, so we will probably go next Saturday. So I will probably go in search of the house of Paul Cezanne and the Roman ruins.
