Bon Fevrier!

The Bordelais ushered in February, which happens to be my favorite month, with a bang. February 2nd was la fete de la chandeleur, a festival with religious origins that today simply means an excuse to make and eat lots of crepes. Twice this week I was invited over to friend's houses to celebrate la chandeleur and make crepes, including flipping the crepes in the pan. According to tradition, you place a piece of money in your hand while flipping the crepe, and if the crepe lands perfectly face up in the pan, you will become rich in the coming year. If not, misfortune and bad luck will apparently follow. While many of my crepes did not land perfectly, I hope that my beginner status as a crepe-maker will equal out any bad luck I may have brought upon myself.

And while the Bordelais are busily eating crepes, they are also busily shopping, as the first weekend of February also brought la grande braderie, a huge flea market and rummage sale, in the centre-ville along Rue Saint Catherine, the longest pedestrian shopping avenue in Europe. The bi-annual sales are also going on right now, as the French government dictates that all stores have sales in the winter and the summer. The sales began the first weekend after I arrived here, so for the past month, St. Catherine has been packed on the weekends. Yet, this weekend the braderie meant that everyone, and I mean everyone, was out and about, searching for good deals. Of course, it doesn't help matters that this weekend brought absolutely beautiful spring weather too. Yesterday I decided to brave the crowds and venture downtown just to witness this once-a-year event, and it was certainly a sight to see. For those of you Washingtonians, it was like gridlock on the Beltway at 6 pm on a Friday, but with human bodies. There were moments when I literally couldn't move since I was surrounded on all sides. But, it was a true example of the dynamism and vibrancy of the city of Bordeaux; vendors were hawking their lower than ever prices, young people were searching the discount piles of shoes and clothes for good deals, and families were out and about, parents clutching the hands of their children against the heavy tides of people, yet enjoying themselves nonetheless.

Tout le monde sur Rue St. Catherine

Une famille francaise sur les quais

And just this afternoon I experienced another classic event in la vie francaise: Sunday lunch. My host mother had invited the host family of a close Middlebury friend over for lunch today, and it was a true culinary experience. We started with aperitifs, drinks and light appetizers as a sort of warm-up for the courses to come. The first course was oysters on the half shell, shrimp, and a homemade terrine. Then came the main course, which was a huge pot of mussels steamed with white wine, parsley and shallots and Hubert's homemade frites. Seafood is a regional speciality in Bordeaux because of the city's proximity to the water, and everything was fresh and local from Valerie's trip to the seafood market this morning. And then came dessert, which was fresh fruit salad, apricot cake and chocolate and nutella cake. And finally, coffee, and then finally, rest. It was a wonderful four hours of eating, drinking and enjoying the company of friends. Since all the stores close on Sunday, there's really very little to do except eat and talk and sleep, and now I can say that I have truly spent a classic Sunday afternoon doing those very things.

Tomorrow marks a month that I have been here in Bordeaux, and the time seems to be flying by. I can't believe that it was four weeks ago that I arrived in this city, and how far I have come since that day. Yet, it seems that every day that passes adds more and more things to do, places to visit and expressions to learn to my to do list. I'm excited to continue exploring this beautiful and dynamic city and I wish all of you a wonderful February!

Beautiful Bordeaux at sunset from the Pont de Pierre