The end of Alsace

I leave Strasbourg on Monday morning for Paris, and am excited and nervous.  To be honest, these past few weeks feel like they have gone by really fast, but I also feel like I’ve been away from home for a LONG time.  I’ve got just over a week of traveling to do and as of now the plan is to hit Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin, and then fly out of Brussels, on the 2nd.  I know everyone in St. Louis has been hot, but I’m telling you, it has been 98 degrees here the past week or so and the only AC to be found is in the stores. Not in the dorm, or the classroom, so I’ve been taking a LOT of sweaty naps.  Anyway, I will be overjoyed to take a nap in the AC with a glass of ICE water next to me. I havent had ice since I left St. Louis.

Strasbourg has been a really great place to spend the last few weeks.  Everyone I have encountered has been really nice and helpful, and the city, of course, is beautiful.  I’ve also become good friends with some people on the trip which was quite unexpected, but really great. Thursday night we went out for a traditional Alsatian dinner, which for me was delicious sauteéd mushroom in a puff pastry followed by potatoes with garlic, parsley, and onions in a <fromage blanc> which is really just like sour cream, so…. delicious.  Everyone else had to share two HUGE platters of sauerkraut and meat. Those Alsatians, man, they dont mess around with their meat.  Anyway, I am proud to say that most everyone was increadibly jealous of my veggie feast.

Today I went all over town to shop, because EVERYTHING closes on Sunday and I leave Monday at 8 am. My quest for the day was to get myself an adorable dress like all the French girls have, and to get souveniers for everyone. I managed half the souveniers, and a bag (green, of course) but no dress. Maybe I will have better luck in Paris. Tonight we are all going out for a nice dinner together, then tomorrow will be spent doing laundry in my sink in the morning and napping at the beach in the afternoon. I have a tan to keep up, you know.

That’s all I’ve got for now, I’ll keep you updated.