Weekend Escape

This is a story about a weekend of a girl...a girl living in France...a girl who recently has been submereged dans la merde...a girl whose string of  recent disasters [caused both by her own maladroit actions and by uncontrollable forces] could be visualized as a cartoon character, hovered by an ominous, unforgivable cloud...or be classified as Pink-Panther-esque...the Pink Panther with Peter Sellers (not that Steve Martin merde) due to her clumsy nature. So, this girl had enough and was ready to curl up in her the metaphorical womb of her room and recoil from the world, and force herself to study for the GRE...but this girl's uneventful plans were then intercepted by friends, beer and travelling [but above all, friends]. It all started in Forbach (the town where the girl lives)  with a couple of beers, Lisanne, her guest Johannes, nature and posed photography:  

 ...Then, Friday, the girl and Lisanne and Johannes somewhat spontaneously decided to take the party to Metz...a city that the girl only knew by daylight...with her credit card and greedy eyes, roaming the shops...yet this day, this day in Metz was perfect...and the girl crossed bridges (literally and perhaps metaphorically) that she never crossed before in Metz...this girl got to see a more complete Metz, a more beautiful Metz...and the girl felt refreshed and reborn...she was reminded of why she came to France...

Metz, I love you too.

In the freezing cold, I went to Metz this weekend, and I heart Metz. I prefer it to Nancy.

I warmed up with some Vin Chaud (hot wine with cinnamon and orange=yum!) at White.

While Michaela got milk and honey.

And I was lovin' what was going on in the background

I also bought 3 pairs of shoes @ Andre. AH! But it was the end of Les Soldes. I had to "profiter."


Then we stumbled upon Cathédrale Saint-Étienne. Barely anyone was there, so we had the place almost to ourselves.

Where we saw Joseph teaching Jesus to walk.

Europeans don't know how lucky they are to have Cathedrals from the 14th century like this at their fingertips.

It's sheer size and majesty makes you feel the way you do when standing by the ocean. You realize how small you truly are and how big God is.

I also finished (finally!) the 3rd Harry Potter in French

and finished Greek. So sad.

So I now am watching Glee

Similar to my sentiments over Metz, I went goo-goo gah-gah over this video, Danseuse. Watch it and you will be dazzled: