After a 5 a.m. wake up and a trip that took us by train, city train and bus before dropping us at Charles de Gaulle, we saw our friend onto her flight home. I'm not sure where her eight days went, but they went quickly and I loved every minute.
Half a box of snails & half a bottle of wine are the two reminders left from her visit. We tried to get in as many French traditions as we could, and she was a great traveling companion–ready to order her own food, excited to relax in the town's many parks, happy to see la Bell France that exists outside of Paris. She was even enthusiastic for our snail dinner!
Before Kristen's arrival, we made a list of what we most wanted to share and discover with her. A lot of the list was purchased at pastry shops, but I made sure to add the famous (infamous?) escargots. I decided it would be best to try these at home and avoid embarrassing myself at a nice restaurant. I wasn't sure what to expect when I put the frozen snails filled with green butter sauce (butter, parsley, garlic and shallot) into the over. I'll say this: butter is delicious, and if you don't look at the thing you'll be fine... They're a bit like mussels. Mussels that look like snails shriveled from a salty death.
I think it's safe to say that Kristen and I left our Nancy adventure with heavier suitcases (though mine isn't packed yet) and heavier cheese stomachs. Joe, skinny as always, seems untouched by the increased calories. Many of our best and happiest moments took place in restaurants, and I couldn't be happier. Food is passion in France, and the waiters know this. Restaurants aren't always a friendly exchange. You can often be left feeling like the lowly foreigner.
But not usually in Nancy, and not for a second in the restaurant where we had our goodbye dinner or our first dinner out in town. I felt like town was really welcoming her–refilling our wine glasses and giving us free sample-sized appetizers and desserts, charging us a euro for a bottle of wine (not sure if that was good will or bad typing on the cash register, but hey). I was proud of their friendliness, and with each day out and each small adventure I felt myself growing more proud of Lorraine.
Today, life slips back toward normal & begins the routine of my last two months in France; my eyes swell thinking of it. (I'm not sure if it's from the idea of cleaning and routine or leaving France...) Time to get going.
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