Well it's been a little while but we've been busy in Bordeaux! Last I left off Pedro was playing the tournament at Cenon, which he got second place at. Woo! The apero afterwards (little appetizers) was really good and everyone was super friendly (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100319926721143&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater et http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100319926895793&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater).
The next day we went to St Germain de Puch again before the last match (last Sunday). We had a super awesome dinner at JB's house - seafood, steak with Syrah-infused sea salt (! will be bringing back), salad, homemade fries (yum) and a particularly good fruit salad with ice cream for dessert. The company and the food were great. The match at St Germain was a lot of fun and everyone was really happy that the team won and moved up a classement. I hung out with a lot of the club members and families as well as Loan and Elea. It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun though tiring after 9 hours of tennis...Afterwards everyone ate together and then went to a friend's house in St. Germain where we had another apero - appetizers, rose wine and champagne (this was so good!). The guy's house was beautiful and we all hung out outside by his pool/garden until late. :)
The beginning of last week we spent exploring Bordeaux some more, mostly the city center/old town parts. We had a really, really good kebab dinner one night after a disappointing attempt to go to a creperie (of course it was closed the day we went). But the kebabs did not disappoint!
We got to go to St. Emilion, too - a small town outside of Bordeaux (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100323678786973&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater) that is famous for....(http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100323679465613&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater) wine!! We took a tour of the town and go to see a really cool underground church and catacombs. The church was particularly impressive because it was carved out of the stone, mostly underground, instead of being built. The catacombs were also really interesting - man, people were motivated. It's incredible to think how much effort those things must have taken hundreds of years ago.
During the week we also visited the Musee des beaux arts (fine arts museum), musee d'Aquitaine (regional history museum), and the modern art museum. Highlights at the fine arts museum included Renoir and Mary Casatt! The regional history museum was interesting but we still have to go back and see the second half of it. I really liked the 1600/1700s things that we saw, as well as some ancient Roman things (including a leather shoe from hundreds of years ago that was perfectly in tact!). The modern art museum was definitely interesting, though maybe not my thing...Fun to see the stuff anyway. The building had one of my favorite automatic coffee machines (which we NEED to have in the US, particularly on college campuses) so that was a redeeming quality.
We also found a park near downtown where we had a lovely picnic one day (perfect weather!).
(I'm doing some work, too...)
This past Friday we went out for an awesome dinner!! We started wandering downtown in the quartiers and there were people everywhere eating, playing music and hanging out. The environment was so nice. We decided on a cute restaurant near all the action (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100327893051553&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater) where we could hear some jazz music and traveling guitar playing man. Awesome! And to top if off, the food was amazing. I had a salad with a light vinagrette and warm goat cheese (!), beef bourgignon with rice ( a small but delicious serving) and profiteroles for dessert! I had been needing a hearty dessert and this did the trick. Think http://www.bellemaisoninc.com/chez-catherine/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/PROFITEROLES2.jpg with ice cream and whipped cream. Yum.
On Saturday we finally made it to the market in the center of town (near one of the cathedrals) and it was sooo worth it!! We stopped for a bakery dessert on the way (ah-mazing, of course - apple tart and a walnut mille-feuille) and when we go there at around 11 it was packed!! So many vendors everywhere, and everything looked amazing. We mostly came back with fresh fruits and vegetables, along with a really good cheese (Cantal jeune). Eggplant parmesan (minus parmesan, plus the Cantal) was made with market eggplant and tomatoes...delizioso! The raspberries that were got there were also particularly incredible. Probably the best raspberries I've ever had...We also got a melon from Morocco that was really good. Fresh food like that is just can't be beat!
and to wrap up...yesterday we watched the final of Roland Garros, played tennis and had dinner at one of Pedro's friend's place (with him and his girlfriend). His girlfriend is actually from Virginia so it was fun to talk to another Virginian in Bordeaux...go figure! We had homemade ravioli that they had bought from the market and it was hands down the best of the best! I'm convinced that I can't buy store bought pasta again...Oh we also went to a classical concert at the Grand Theatre in Bordeaux (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100327894159333&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater) - great! And went to mass at the cathedral (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100327893839973&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater) - also really nice. We also went up to the top of the bell tower adjacent to the cathedral and saw an awesome city view!! http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100327894847953&set=a.10100314837889203.2703431.6234577&type=1&theater
Like I said, we've been busy! Working some more and catching up on things the next few days. Going to Perigeux (http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&biw=1536&bih=727&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ry_tTanEIYGO8gOEl7WUAQ&ved=0CDkQvwUoAQ&q=p%C3%A9rigueux+france&spell=1) on Thursday for a tournament and visiting some people.
Whew! Thinking of my friends and wishing you were all here to share these experiences with me!
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