East Coast, USA

One nice thing about Boston is that my bank has an ATM on every corner, and there's no 1% foreign currency charge. Another is that Bostonites have the highest per capita rate of donning sports team attire on days when there's not a game than any city I've ever visited.

Compared to when I lived in town, the Somerville/Cambridge/Boston area is crawling with bicycles. The cyclists, most of whom do not look like serious athletes, usually wear padded spandex bike shorts. And helmets. Where are my Parisian bikers in their peacoats and stilettos, with hair flowing in the breeze? Are these Bostonites all training for a race that I don't know about?

Today I'm heading to the beach in Maine to camp with some old college friends. It should be like my night in Versailles, round two, except that this time there'll be friends and tents and fires and hot dogs and beer. It's good to be back.

Last night in Europe

Yep, tomorrow I fly to Boston. I'll stay a week, then return to Chicago on MAY 26!!!

It'll be my first time in the States since September. Besides cake doughnuts, I'm really looking forward to American showers, take-out Thai, twelve-ounce coffee to go...ummmm...the US dollar, used bookstores with English books, not looking slovenly compared to the Parisians, a full wardrobe of clothes and shoes, $4 burritos, Chicago pizza, root beer, oh, and not having to schlep around with all my stuff on my shoulders!

Don't mind the ostrich

I was just getting tired of the other photo. Hope you enjoy this one, from an excursion yesterday to a chateau slash wild animal park. My "aunt" wrote about it in her blog today--check it out for more pics.

And now, from the very funny site "Stuff White People Like," please enjoy this little essay about what I (and a zillion other schmucks) have been doing for the past eight months. (Thanks, Jenna, for the link!)

Ingrate

That I'm in France fantasizing about an American breakfast pastry must be a sign that I am burned out on travel. But here's the truth: there's nothing I'd like more right now than a good, firm cake doughnut. The croissants, pains au chocolat, pains au raisins, chaussons aux pommes, all with delicious buttery pastry, inimitable outside France, leave me indifferent. I'm salivating at the thought of this lovely cake doughnut, with a little clear glaze, and a good cup of coffee.