If you read the titles, then you will have a slight idea of where I went and where this post is going.
Did you read it now? Good stuff, so I really don't need to state right here that I was just in Lille, France. What's that? Not Paris? Go look at a map if you don't know where Lille is, but I'll give you a hint; it's North and it's not all that far from Calais.
I went with Tony, Melissa (from Orangeville) and Tony's friend Anna. We were supposed to go last weekend but the car was in the shop so we postponed. Which worked out for the best in the long run, as it meant we actually stayed for an evening instead of just driving there and back on the same day.
This trip also meant that I was finally on a ferry. No Chi-Cheemaun for moi, as I've never been on that despite living on the BPen. Of course, there was nothing special about being on a ferry - it was a boat! But since I do love them so, I was mildly annoyed at the world for being dark both trips and being too cold (I was of the frame of mind that I would not need a sweater in France, so therefore I brought none. I was right about France, but I was wrong about the ferry!)
We had a bit of an adventure getting to the ferry. Traffic in London decided that it was going to be absolutely horrendous, so Melissa and I had a dash to Stratford instead of being picked up - of course, if we had been smart from the beginning, and if I had known that someone was going to jump on the tube line at Mile End, thus prompting me to use the Jubilee Line instead of the Central Line.... we could have just met at Stratford from the beginning. But you see, I did not expect to be using the Jubilee Line and switching back onto Central at Stratford station, or perhaps I might have thought of that brilliant plan. Espcially since Melissa was working with Stratford being her nearest tube station for the day... but I will get back to the point.
Traffic was horrific. Forty minutes after Tony and Anna leave to come get us in Wanstead, I messaged Tony to call him slow - boy was I wrong! Normally it takes 20 minutes to get from Stratford to Wanstead.. but 40 minutes in, and Tony and Anna have barely even moved within Wanstead. So off dashed Melissa and I and we made it to Stratford... fortunately I SOMEWHAT know the area, so with Tony and I having a lovely conversation where we confused the hell out of each other, Melissa and I jump into the car and off we go.
Despite driving like a bat of a hell (and that is an understatement), we arrived late for the ferry. Luck was on our side, however, as the ferry hadn't left yet either. We were the second last car on the ferry. So, after brief hiatus where we all just sat like zombies on the ferry, we arrive in Calais! With next to no gas in the car tank, as we hadn't had time to stop on the race for the ferry.
Thus began the hunt for a gas station that was open 24/7. We found one quickly... that was closed. The next was just diesel. We did find one though, running on empty. And someone else was stranded there, as the were 47p (I forget what the money is called with euros!) short of being able to pay for their gas. So Tony gave them some change and off they went.
Exhaustion was setting in by this point as it had been quite the adrenaline rush up until this point of the trip. This neccissitated a rest at a rest station, where we admired the sky. Apparnetly I am the only person who has really been able to see stars on a somewhat regular basis! But to compare: the stars in France felt a lot closer to the ground than they do in Ontario. And since it is a new continent, the stars are in different places. We found the Big Dipper, near the horizon! And I found Cassiopia quickly, and I am quite sure that I finally fround Pegasus and Adromeda, which are rather hard to find in Ontario but Natalya and I were looking for them.
Finally, we arrive at the hotel, exhausted. Except for me, apparently. I was unable to sleep. Keep in mind, I was up around 5ish Friday morning, had walked all around downtown London Friday during the day, but no, I was still not tired out. I ended up in a bit of a laughing fit, fortunately Tony was up for a while too and didn't mind chatting with me although I could not stop laughing. Eventually he drifted off to sleep and there I was, still wide awake. I think I slept for maybe 2.5 hours that night? Cause I was awake by 5:45 again.
I have came to the conclusion that my body really hates me, as it just will not sleep when it needs to. C'est la vie....
Lille
I have finally reached a point where I can talk about Lille! What a trip getting there.
I have to say, I really adored downtown Lille. The buildings were so ornate, and I must say, France knows how to do doors. The doorways in Lille were gorgeous. Unfortunately, I was too exhausted to really be in much of a photographic mood (plus I get a bit camera-shy when there are too many people with me) so I did not take a SINGLE picture of any of the doors that I loved. Next time I go to France I will take pictures of doors.
We hit up the tourist centre, which was fortunately easy to find and very central. We had to do this as we all forgot to look up what we wanted to DO while in Lille. I had a vague idea of what I'd seen online but couldn't recall anything. So off we went, and the exterior of the Tourist Centre was beautiful. I also forgot to take a photo of this, too.
So, armed with a guide and a map, we set off to discover Lille. I made my demand of where to go - I wanted to check out one of the parks, as it was supposed to have a little grotto with a waterfall. Leave it to me to go to a brand new country... and ignore all the "culture" and bee-line it directly for the "nature". What can I say! That's just what I do.
Just for the record, I pick great places to go. It was such a quaint little park, and the grotto felt like it was right out of a story-book. This was amplified by there being a puppet theater in the park, and there was a little cottage on it's own little island right near the waterfall. I was really missing Natalya and Payton while in this park of France, I kept thinking about how much they would have loved it. We all loved it there though, and this is pretty much the only spot on the trip where I took a lot of photos.
On our way to the park though, we stopped at the Citadal. What a fortress! It even had a little drawbridge (it was easy to miss that it was a draw-bridge, but Tony noticed; thank goodness, and it was the part that sealed the deal for me on liking it!)
After the park, we went for lunch. I have to say, this was definitely the worst time I've had since coming to England. Anyone who has ever been to a restaurant with me knows that chances are, there's only one or two things on the menu that I'm going to eat. But then, those who have been with me within the last few years know that I'm getting better and will try a few new things.
It is very hard when you can't read the menu. Tony was helping Melissa figure out what she wanted, and while I was able to pick out a few words and was trying to ask what the meal was, I hadn't found what I wanted. The waiter came over, and Tony said that yes we were ready to order. I wasn't. Not at all. So Tony ended up ordering something for me, and since I've ate with Tony and know distinctly that I've talked about the BIG NOs for me.... I figure it would be ok.
I have never been so wrong.
Now, think to yourself: what is the sort of meal that I will say "NO" to very quickly?
How many of you went "soggy"? If you were thinking things like chili, stu, soups, lasagnas.... you would be correct. I do not like soggy food, in particular meat.
So three guesses what my meal looked like?
Soggy meat. As soon as it was put on the table, cue the panic attack that had almost began when our orders were taken, but now began once I saw what it was. Tony had just said sausage of some sort, and while I HATE sausage with a passion, I was willing to try whatever this was.
Until I saw that it was sliced into small pieces, and was mixed in with who knows what, and it sort of looked like a mix of stew and pasta. Except there was no pasta.
Being a trooper, and starved, and having a panic attack about upsetting everyone by not eating, and by pissing off the restaurant by not eating... I tried a bite.
And almost threw it up. I cannot do soggy food. I choked down the fries afterwards and could barely manage that, and I was unable to finish the Diet Coke I had (because I was not allowed to order the drink I WANTED to have because Tony had ordered me something that CAME with a certain drink... and when have I ever ordered POP while out for a meal? Never. But during my panic when the orders were being taken, and then the humiliation of annoying the waitor, I ended up just pointed to diet coke and that was what I had. I drank about 3/4s of the glass and the bubbles were also making me feel ill.
So, I sat through the meal with my hands clenched and resisting the urge to get up and leave and walk around while they all ate, since that is what I typically do when I am having a panic attack. Of course, exhaustion from having no sleep really set in, and I was trying not to burst out crying, so I felt even worse for being so obviously not in a good mood.
Now, here's the really kicker: Know what the meat was? Intestines. That's right. I knew it was something weird while we waited for the food, but I didn't want to know what kind of meat it was, as I can handle trying weird meat (I'm quite sure at some point I've even tried Ox Tongue in Toronto). But yes, the soggy meat was intestine made into a sausage. The funny part, is that the TYPE of meat it was was NOT the reason why I couldn't eat the damn meal!
It took me an hour or two before I got out of that one. Especially since it was the longest meal ever for me, as it took Tony and Anna eons to drink their wine and then eat the cheese platter they ordered after their meal, plus coffee and desserts...... I was just not in a good state and was pretty much a mute for a while. Oh well!
We then headed off to see an art museum. The area outside of the art museum, the building and whatnot, was sooooo pretty. The art was really nice too, but it was almost all reglious art and I NEVER stick around staring at photos of Jesus being crucified; it's simply not my type of art. I think the style is gorgeous, but the subject matter is just not for moi.
By this point, Tony is starting to feel really ill. He hadn't been feeling the best the day before, and it was getting worse by afternoon. I decided he was my sick little puppy so I spent a lot of time in the art museum just sitting with him. Poor puppy.
After the art museum, it was time to head out to make it back to the ferry on time. We made it there without having to rush, although Tony was in a looooot of pain. We managed to catch an early ferry home, which was lovely. Melissa and Anna explored the ferry this trip, since we weren't all zombies, and they were my little errand runners when I needed something as I was acting out the role of a pillow so that Tony could just sleep.
We arrived in Dover (and yes, I saw the white cliffs of Dover, but since it was dark out both times we were there, I have no pictures of them) and we were tempted to just stay the night there for Tony's sake, but Tony was feeling marginally better and was more alert (I take full credit for this as I am just an awesome pillow) so we made the drive back to London.
And now, here I am, writing a gigantic post on just one day!
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