les frungers

Bonjour! As you've probably seen, I posted my first batch of pics this morning in the post below this one. I didn't have time to write up any stories or post the next album (embedded with this post) because I was using my weekend wifi hotspot (aka the sidewalk outside my barred up office where the wifi penetrates the gate :) ). Now, I've found a much better alternative: after eating a big pizza and half-liter of gazzeuse (seltzer water), I bought a 1 euro burger at Micky D's and am using THEIR wifi! Tres bien.

Anyway, a few days ago Seth emailed me, Aaron (his 1st cousin) and Sophie (Aaron's wife - she's French!) to remind us all that we are all currently in Paris. Not one to pass on an opportunity to see family, I emailed the Frungers (French Ungers, that is) to try to set up a meeting. Sophie and I exchanged phone numbers and set tentative plans for Friday. Unfortunately, Friday there was a monsoon here, so they didn't make it into the city. Also unfortunate, my phone didn't work. at. all. Idk why people still use blackberrys! Friday night I wound up walking around and saw Notre Dame (as you can see in the 1st slideshow) and then had dinner featuring des escargots (some snails) near the seine. Two doctors sat down next to me (they identified themselves as such only after we began talking - they weren't wearing scrubs or anything). Their dinner of steak-frites looked way better than my rather feminine duck breast salad. In any case, they were really nice, gave me their email addresses, and offered me the last glass of their liter of vin rouge (red wine).

Saturday morning, I woke up pretty late (that one tasse de vin wasn't the only thing I drank that night...), took a quick shower, and hurried out to my weekend wifi hotspot to see if Aaron and Sophie had emailed. Since they hadn't, I shot them a quick letter to tell them that my crapberry doesn't work, and to just email me an itinerary or something and I'd try to meet up. My only plans were to walk around like a tourist anyway. Hopes high, I got up and started walking up my street, bd saint-michel, towards the river (seine) where I told them I'd be. To avoid being repetitive, however, I cut through the Jardin de Luxembourg (you can see these pics - the 1st 20 or so - in the newer slideshow). Absolutely beautiful.

Dans le jardin (in the garden), I found a bachelorette party of pharmacists. The bride-to-be lives in japan, and they were all back in paris where they went to school. I danced with the bride (as I guess is a custom of theirs?), accepted their prize of some candies, and went on my way.

Some blocks and about 25 pics later - the good ones included below - I finally found a decent looking place to have a cup of coffee and my first croissant, so I did just that (I was trying to save my appetite in case I met up with the Frungers, as they said we should do lunch in an email the day before. I was also searching for wifi to see if they had written back). I don't really drink coffee, so I was relieved that un cafe here is smaller than a shot.

After my decidedly French breakfast (or what Americans perceive to be a French breakfast...which it may be), I continued my search for WiFi. If there are two things the French don't hate America for, it's Starbucks and McDonalds. Both offer free WiFi at every location in France. Thanks!

Lucky for me, a few blocks further along my walk, I saw the holy grail of wifi - a starbucks! I was super excited that I'd finally get to check my mail, and hopefully meet up with Aaron and Sophie (it can get pretty lonely when you don't speak the language and don't know a soul for about...emm 5,000 miles). As I approached the hotspot, I heard the first word spoken in American English since I'd arrived in France. Clear as day, in a music-to-my-ears new york accent, I heard

JORRRRRRRDANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

On the most random small block of Paris, I literally ran into the Frungers! It was great :)

Had a blast with them. First we ran around Paris a bit more with Margaux (their daughter, friend and cousin of Jane and Georgia, the UngerTwins). Turns out, that croissanterie was right next to DPAM, a children's clothing store loved by some American parents. Then we sat down at a sidewalk bistro (?) and had another cafe (the waitor was a real meanine, slamming our drinks on the table).

Next, we met up with Aaron's friend Anu (?) and his British girlfriend Hannah, and the 6 of us (me, Margaux, Aaron, Sophie, Anu, Hannah) headed over to the park outside the Louvre. We were incredibly lucky with the weather.

In the park, Margaux made friends with a 6 year old homeschooled girl from New York, a soccer playing dog (you can see him below), and a couple of statues with their feet showing. Margaux also taught me a lot of French (she's bilingual at 21 months. At 21 years, I struggle - greatly) with her anatomically correct French baby books, and wasn't too judgmental of my horrible accent.

After the park, the grownups went on the giant swings at this festival while I played Manny some more.

That night we had dinner at a delicious Brasserie. After the meal, Aaron recounted how great the restaurant was (we were all incredibly stuffed), and said that the meal was certainly complemented by that magical thing that keeps Margaux well-behaved. In this restaurant, Aaron admitted, "it was named Jordan." (Margaux fell asleep in my arms).

Lucky for me, Aaron and Sophie ::invited me:: out. In French, that not only means "asked for plans," but also implies covering the bill. Sophie told me that when she first went to America, that slight difference led to a couple awkward situations. I was fortunate to have the misunderstanding go the other way! Thanks so much guys :)

When I finally got back to my apt I realized a few things. 1) I was not falling asleep, despite having run around for about 10 hours that day. 2) Those little coffee shots are damn deceiving, and pack a serious punch. 3) They really suppress your appetite - I only had one meal all day. 4) I didn't feel so hot as a result of #1-3, so I'm gonna curb the coffee consumption back down to around zero.

Ok, well it seems the battery on my superlaptop is running low, and I'm getting sick of this McDonalds (although the high ratio of English speakers here is quite interesting to note). So without further ado, I present my pics from yesterday!

(vid to come tomorrow)