One big difference between Americans and Europeans is our perspective on space. When people ask me where I come from I normally begin with "Close to Washington." If they don't know where that is, I follow up with "Not far from New York." And then they "Bon oui? [How far?]" and I say, "Only 6 hours." At this moment they're undoubtedly astonished that I think 6 hours isn't far. In my region especially, people tend to live close to home. Most kids go home from college every weekend (which leads to a big difference in the cultures of college) and there are tons of people here who've never been to the south of the country (which you can reach in 5 hours, and for 30 euros if you buy your ticket a month in advance). A creepy old man, who was trying to give Brie a ride home, once explained that the reason America has so many problems is because we have so many different time zones.Who knows, maybe he's right.
Despite having been "interned" in Picardy for what now feels like a long time, my thinking is still thoroughly American. It seemed like too much of an opportunity to be here without seeing more of the country. So, for my last paid vacation I did a little mini, lightning speed tour of France: 1. Lille (in the very north) 2. Paris 3. Bordeaux (south-west) 4.Annecy (in the Alps) 5. Lyon
Lille
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| Soccer match |
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| I have no idea who the guy and girl in the middle are....the bouncer? |
Paris
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| Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore, where Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Joyce used to write |
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| Public Bikes - Free for the first 30 minutes!! |
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| Drinks on the Seine |
Bordeaux
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| Couchsurfing hosts |
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| Dune du Pyla- the largest sand dune in Europe |
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| Atlantic on one side, preserved forest on the other- magnificent! |
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| Looking at home from the other side of the ocean |
Annecy
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| My hostel, just opened by a pair of super cool brothers |
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| Medieval city on a lake at the foot of the Alps - paradisaical |
Lyon
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| That's the Basilique on top of the hill (pics below) |
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| Same sculptor who made the Statue of Liberty |
