Days 3-9 - The Cliffnotes

So obviously, I'm entirely too far behind on my updates because I'm off living the fabulous life. Thus, I present to you, my gentile readers the Cliffnotes.

Day 3 - we almost died. Mom was driving up a street, with grass growing down the middle of it and she kept insisting it was a highway. Lola's English cousin (AKA the GPS) kept telling us it was a road and we were to take it. So we drove up it and after a while, another car came careening down the hill. There was nowhere for either of us to go. Both my mom and this other lady slammed on their brakes and the woman had to back her car up about 1000 feet and pull off to the side so there was enough room for us to pass. We also got quite lost, petted a horse and went to an amazing medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle.

Day 4 - Bunratty Castle Folk Park - mom and I walked the folk park and ate some food, we were kind of bored. Then we walked through the castle which was cool. So we left and drove out to the Cliffs of Moher. And OMG what a sight. Absolutely incredible. (See right ------) The picture doesn't even come close to doing it justice. It was so aweinspiring.
We stayed there for a while and then drove over to the B&B we were staying in for the night. And got lost again. We had our last dinner in Ireland at a cute little pub, repacked our bags and that was it!

Day 5 - Leaving on another jet plane - Mom and I got a plane for France! And bought some jewlery on the plane - I bought it and that bitch took it home with her... :-) Then we got to FRANCE!!!! Mom was terrified in the car with the Cabbie as we drove from the airport to the hotel & was very happy to know that I did not want her to drive in Paris. We got to our closet... er um, I mean hotel room. (Thank God there was an elevator!) And threw our stuff down and went out to see the sights. We didn't make it far before mom faceplanted off the curb! She insisted she was fine and then I made her walk a bunch of stairs. Up to Sacre Coeur, up to the top of Arc de Triomphe and all over the city of Paris. She insists it was worth it... and I agree, though I felt very bad. We took lots of pictures and had a great time. Then we got lost... (are you sensing a theme here, yet) while trying to find the way to get down to the boats to take a boat tour. Then we had to rope 8 other people into doing it because they only run the last one if there's 10 ppl. So we panicked a bit because we really wanted to go! But we found some people and we went and it was FREEZING. But absolutely fucking amazing! I would post a video, but I think I've lost it!!!!

Day 6 - Paris insanity - We spent all day running around and seeing the sights of Paris - Notre Dame, Tourist Shops, Hotel de Ville, Centre Pompidou....  then we got crepes at the base of the Eiffel tower and waited in line forever, because of course, this is us and the friken elevator broke! So we finally got up into the tower and saw the city of lights by night. It was beautiful. It was a great night! We walked around the city a bit after and then went back to the hotel.

Day 7 - I'm an idiot! So day 7 started with a bang when the front desk called to tell us our cab was downstairs waiting for us and we were still sound asleep! We leapt out of bed and tossed clothes on, grabbed our bags and ran out the door. Make up? Jewelry? Bathroom? Water? NOPE - clothes and bags and out the door! We took the cab to the tour place, ran next door and grabbed some food and then got on the bus to go Castle Hopping! We went to Amboise which was very pretty and then got in the bus to go to the next castle and the bust stopped in the middle of the road. The bus driver and guide got off the bus and then the guide came on the speakers and said "I need some young strong men to come out and help us move a car." and we all kind of looked at one another and smiled on the bus and then he said again, "no.. really. If we don't move this car we will have to wait for the police to come". So a bunch of guys got off the bus and picked up a car, put it partially on the curb and wheeled it down the street a full car's length so that we could get by on the bus... Guess that guy's always going to wonder wtf happened to his car. We then went to Cheverny and Chenonceau (see above), both of which were gorgeous!

Day 8 - Not going to be fooled again! - So for the following day, I scheduled a wake-up call. Except for the fact that I asked for an appel de reve (a call of dreams) instead of an appel de reveile (a wake-up call) at the desk and they laughed at me :-) We went on another bus tour. This time was to Monet's Gardens at Giverney and the Palace of Versaille. Versaille was a pain in the ass - too many people, too much to see and not enough time! But Monet's house... that was amazing! (See right----) It's no wonder that the man was so inspired living in a place like that! We got back to Paris and walked around a bit and got Kebabs and went back to our hotel and ate and packed and hung out for our last night together in Paris.

Day 9 - We got up and moving the next day and called for two taxis - one to take mom to the airport and one to take me to the train station. Then we said goodbye and went our separate ways - It was sad. But we did good! I wrestled my damn luggage through the train station and bought a ticket and found a lovely nice lady to help me drag the damn suit cases onto the train and then I went to La Rochelle! When I got to the train station, I had no idea if anyone was going to be there to greet me. But two lovely gentlemen helped me with my suitcases because I had to go down a flight of stairs, walk under the tracks and climb another set of stairs with my two giant suit cases and duffle bag. It was kind of strange getting off the train - it kind of felt like coming home.... So I was standing in line for the taxis - the next one in fact, when a jolly looking man with a large handle-bar mustache and a chic looking woman came up to me and said.. "Joann?" in these cute little French accents! Garrett had seen a message on facebook and told Thiery and Sandrine that I was arriving!!!!!! They took me to the hostel and I got settled and then went house hunting! :-) That night, all the assistants that had arrived spent a great night at the hostel bar getting to know one another and having a good time. It was a great first night back in La Rochelle.


Ok - kind of the LONG cliffnotes version, but that's okay.
Weeks 1-4 in France coming soon. :-)