la Plage!

Though it is starting to cool down a bit now, the first few weeks here were prime time beach weather, or any other kind of weather for that matter. Every day it was high 70s to low 80s, with a nice breeze (le mistral!), and lots of sun. Getting to the beach is a few steps (walk to tram station, take tram to bus station, take bus to beach) but it still pretty quick and it is absolutely beautiful. (I will spare you guys the photos of the sunburn I got on my butt. yow!)


The Mediterranean is BLUE, sparkly, and crystal clear. It is also very salty, which makes my skin feel nice. The water is definitely brisk, but very refreshing.

Here, a couple of youngsters play volleyball.

catching some rays

happy happy happy 

rollerblades. only.

ahhh.

more strollin'

it's nice here.

There are so many narrow little streets and fun places to explore.

little pup

old blue door

Alright, so downtown there are all kinds of boutiques, it is so fun to go down and window shop (or real shop... oops) But this one little boutique just sells ALL LEGGINGS. This is just one wall of the place, but the whole boutique is all different shapes/designs/styles/colors of every kind of legging you could ever possible imagine. There's a very friendly, nicely dressed older woman who runs it, I talked to her for a while about how awesome her store is.

i want this.

so, you guys can just go ahead and buy this 96 euro (129 dollar) bathing suit please, ok thanks!

YES.

"Smoking causes fatal lung cancer"

ps everyone smokes here.

Food Update!

Nutella crêpe and an iced tea... didn't last long.

Coconut sorbet and an espresso. The sorbet was really really incredible.

Lunch special for 6.50 euros: A quiche with chevre, tomato and basil, and a little dessert that left me nearly speechless:

The base is a crunchy meringue with chopped hazelnuts, the middle is a very light chocolate mousse, covered by a thin chocolate-hazelnut shell. YUP. I know.

Hello, my darlings.

The ones that look like sealed envelopes have Nutella inside them...

Tee Bone Steack anyone?

Sam L. wasn't kidding!

(if you haven't seen Pulp Fiction you don't know what I'm talking about.)

(if you haven't seen Pulp Fiction we are not friends anyway.)

IM SORRY. But isn't this cardboard circle a great idea?

(and no, they aren't as good as they are in America)

ahh, so cheap!

So I went to get-beer-spilled-all-over-you night at the club, which was whatever, but THESE are cool! You can spend 30 euros and they just put one of these mini drafts on the bar for you an your friends to fill yourselves up. Carries about ten beers. I don't know who this person is, but he's enjoying it.

And apparently THIS happened to my baguette at 3 in the morning...

 

More soon! À bientôt!

Downtown

This is Montpellier's big downtown area. It is called La Comédie. 

It punches Burlington's Church Street in the face.

l'Opera

"Les trois graces" in front of l'Opera

Last weekend there was a huge wine-tasting festival, there was music and kiosks of all kinds, and TONS of people. There were lots of interesting food kiosks for the hungy drunk people. This one was selling fresh oysters. They smelled soooo goood.

Oh yeah, by the way, drinking alcohol on the street here is completely legal. You can bring your drink wherever you want!

a few of my peeps

even drunker now

Just heading into a tiny little door up to my elevated throne.

Strollin'

I like to take strolls about town.

every once in a while you pass one of these, just little courtyards or garages where people park their cars (or mopeds) and then go up to their abodes. This one caught my eye.

I absolutely love all the little streets here. I do lots of exploring.

Here is one of the streets near la comedie. Everything is very shiny.

THIS BUILDING IS AN OPTICAL ILLUSION!

It is actually a style called "Trompe l'oeil"which means "trick the eye" or "fool the eye."

What you are looking are two FLAT walls, that have been painted to make it look like they are going back as if there is another street between them (especially the one on the left. it is just one FLAT WALL.) Pretty cool huh?

This was in the middle of a park. It is a giant ball of moss that drips water.

My dorm isn't much, but I like to call it home.

What I've Been Ingesting

This right here is what makes me really really happy. Sitting at a little café drinking a teeny tiny (but very very strong) cup of coffee, munching on a fresh pastry, and reading my book in the warm yet refreshing Mediterranean weather. Ahhhh.

There are lots of great Tapas restaurants in town. For dinner one evening, I went to "Le Baron Rouge" and got some These have a roasted red pepper/onion/olive relish topped with cured ham. The drink is a Monaco. It's beer mixed with grenadine. They love it here (a little too sweet for me though). HOWEVER, I will take a Panaché any day of the week! That one is beer and lemonade mixed together. In this warm happy weather, c'est parfait!

(This is a panaché.... mmm delish!)

And dessert... une tarte tatin, which is a kind of caramelized apple tart.

This guy was pretty good.

  

Some of our Farmhouse favorites are not only cheap, but they come in TALL BOYS!

Chimay = 1.65 euros = $2.12... WAT! So cheap!

This beer is made by monks, you guys.

Don't worry, a six pack of Hoegaarden is 4.39 euros. :D

haahhahhaaa

Holy moly. This pastry is a cluster of CHOCOLATE COVERED CORN FLAKES.

NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!