I'm still here!

Hello, friends. To the four of you who follow this thing, I apologize for my long absence. I was traveling during the Toussaint holidays, and spent the last week in a mood that can be best described as stormy. It turns out that one of the many characteristics I share with small children is difficulty with transitions, and not only has the transition to living in France been hitting me hard this week, but also the basic transition of going back to school after a break, something I always struggle with. I’m fairly certain that most of you would rather not listen to a pouty person, because if you did, you would just read Oprah’s blog (if she partakes in such commoner activities), or offer candy to your children and then decide “never mind”. I apologize if you are a fan of Oprah, I know she has done wonderful things, but I can’t fight the urge to make fun of her. I just don’t think anyone should cry in public that much. 

I feel much better now, and back in the swing of things, though I will say that if you ever find yourself feeling bored, so bored that you find yourself watching one of the 12 Kardashian shows that sadly exist or cable news (shudder), you should email me and tell me about your life. I would love to hear about it. Now that the election is over, not only am I not pressing “refresh” on the 538 blog obsessively anymore, but somebody has to pick up the slack now that the Obamas and Joe Biden no longer email me everyday.  Just please don’t ask me for $5 or send me pictures of you in animal print leotards like Joe Biden did. Say what you will about that, it was at least not embarrassing as those pictures of Paul Ryan lifting weights. I mean, he released those to the entire public. Joe’s were at least a private gift for me. And he didn’t sport a backwards hat like he was auditioning to be part of a Kris Kross tribute band.

Anyway, I did have a great time traveling over break. Megan and I went to Prague and Vienna for the first week. Prague was amazing; we ate and drank very well. And cheaply. I couldn’t help thinking of my buddy Rachel Gage while I was there (shout out to Baby Rach!), because the majority of the diet seems to revolve around meat and potatoes and beer, which I think comprises her dream meal. The architecture in Prague is all very beautiful and unique. We took a free three-hour walking tour all over the city, which was great. Their history is fascinating; being a country that didn’t gain their freedom till about the time I was discovering the Boxcar Children, and it was interesting to hear stories of a place that has been occupied by both Nazi’s and Communists in recent years. There is also a huge and very interesting Jewish Quarter, filled with beautiful synagogues and museums. During WW2, Hitler had decided that when his work was done, he would build a museum to remember the exterminated race in Prague, and had many of the Jewish artifacts and possessions the Nazis confiscated from homes and synagogues around Europe during the war sent to Prague. There was a large collection of drawings done by children who were taken from their families to live in the ghettos and wait for the concentration camp outside Prague to be completed. When it was, they were shipped out and hardly any survived. Those were particularly heartbreaking. Here are some pictures of the city: 

Vienna was also beautiful. All the buildings were elegant and white, and they were setting up for the Christmas Market that is starting this weekend. It is apparently one of the biggest Christmas Markets in Europe, which would have been cool see. I wasn’t sure what to expect of Vienna, I’d heard mixed things, but I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of good food, interesting history, and lavish palaces filled with stories of inbred crazy people. You know, standard fare. Here is a picture of me in front of the Hapsburg palace summer home just outside the city. We also visited their main palace, both were huge. 

And here is a random Vienna street/typical architecture:

We flew back to Paris from Vienna, and then a few days later I flew to Geneva to spend a few days with Kristin at her boarding school in the tiny mountain town of Leysin, and hour and a half outside of Genva. The campus was beautiful, it had a great view of the mountains. I arrived at midnight and thus had no idea where I was. When I woke up the next morning and looked out the window, and saw this: 

it was quite surprising. While I was there, I got to indulge in some of my favorite past times; like working out (there was a gym!), thai food, actual wi-fi, and using a clothes dryer. I was so excited about the dryer that I even brought my sheets. Air drying sheets just isn’t the same. We went to Lousanne, the home of the official Olympic museum, but unfortunately it was closed for renovations. Too bad, because I would have loved to pay homage to my fish’s namesake, Kristi Yamaguchi. It was a nice weekend, and thanks to the availability of European  budget airlines, not too expensive. I did visit the olympic flame, however, something I imagine I'll have a much closer view of when I finally make the olympic team: 

In other exciting news, there are five weeks of school between me and a trip home for winter break. I’m looking forward to seeing people and using the dryer. In that order. I’ll probably stare at it in wonder and amazement in my free time. What a marvelous appliance. Maybe I’ll stare at you, too. If you’re lucky.

I can’t really top the image from that last sentence, so I’m going to stop there. Have a great week and a happy Thanksgiving. I will be going back to Sarlat to reunite with the Dordonge elementary teachers for a grand ol’ American feast. I’m excited. And, I think I’ll be able to wake up at a reasonable time and get some great 4am CST Black Friday deals. Maybe I’ll buy a dryer…..