Crazy Adventures in the Life of a Redhead

I had two birthday parties, one with some friends in Angers and the other with some friends in Nantes. I kind of feel like I have two homes bases, thanks to my wonderful friends in Nantes. They are always so welcoming to me that I really feel as comfortable there as I do in Angers. Well, anyway, my first party, part one (for there were two parts to part one!) was with my host family. We had Bretonne Galettes, which are crêpes made with buckwheat flour and then with a myriad of different fillings, really whatever you want. We made them with ham, cheese and an egg (of course mine was without ham…yes, I am still batting for the veggie team). I made a delicious cake, well what I hoped would be delicious because I had been obliged to make it in the microwave. Who has ever heard of making a cake in the microwave? I mean, I know that you can make meatloaf and bread in the microwave (according to crazy home economics people, but really, a cake (and those other things as well; I was always a l

Wow, what a weekend (10, 11, 12 October). I spent it alongside the Loire River, and it was glorious. I am dividing this entry up into three parts for the three days during which I traveled and according to the places where I traveled. Pt. 1: Orléans, Where is Joan of Arc? Okay, this title really evokes all that there is to see in Orléans. I must admit that I was a little disappointed when I got to the city. Sure, my guide said that it was only one star, but I thought that it had such a low rating because it does not have a château. Really, it is one star because it is a very small downtown and really nothing very extraordinary makes it home there, so for tourists, it is more or less just an okay town. Whatever, you cannot always go to a tow n with the hopes of being blown away. I ate some really good pastries and bread there, so I was happy. As for the title of this entry, it is quite funny. Some of you may know the name Orléans and also know that it is linked with Joan of Arc. Do you

After four years of absence, I returned to Germany to visit two good friends I met in Washington DC. I stayed with my friend who makes her home in Nuremberg, which I found out was the headquarters of the Nazi party, quite ironically so since the people of Nuremberg protested strongly against the Nazi party; so much for resistance during that time. The whole city had been bombed like many of Germany’s strategic cities during WWII, but the Old Town was rebuilt as an almost perfect replica of the way it had been before the Nazis took over and before the Allies burned it. What a lesson in history and a time to really contemplate what war can do to a people and the manner in which people can overcome even terrible things like devastation and complete terror. Even though Nazi history was one motif on this trip, I started out in Munich at Oktoberfest, something I have always wanted to experience but never really thought I would have the occasion. Beer is served in one liter glass mugs that ea

I do not kn ow even where to start with my trip to Prague. It was such a whirlwind!! I am going to place a lot of photos on this entry because I was so impressed by the architecture of this magical city. Okay, the one downer was the fact that it was tourist heaven. At one point, I was fighting my way through the crowds on Prague’s most famous bridge, the Charles Bridge, and I told myself, “This is enough. Get me out of here.” But on the side streets, one can discover the real Prague, and even better when one ventures into a great, large park and gets lost alongside the river; then, you really see the real Prague- from personal experience; details to follow. I went to Prague to visit a friend who was visiting her boyfriend who now works in Prague, so I was blessed with their company and a great place to stay. The apartment was about 30 minutes walking distance from the center of town, which was a nice distance in my opinion for walking and having some time to prepare yourself for all th