In class a few weeks ago, we learned the term “insolite” which means unusual. Today had a bit of the unusual happening. During our break from class, everyone was outside chatting (and the smokers smoking) when a seagull landed on the sidewalk with a pigeon in its mouth! We all watched in quasi-horror as it jumped onto the hood of a car and began savagely shaking the pigeon corpse in its beak. I don’t know what it was trying to do but I couldn’t watch as feathers began to fly from the lifeless bird so I had to go inside.
By the time class ended, a vicious wind was blowing through the city. It was lovely and sunny but the wind was insane (it’s the same again today – it keeps lifting open my skylight and slamming it closed again, causing the whole room to shudder. I’m waiting for a dog to go flying by my window). I took my laundry in (it had dried within a few seconds anyway yielding to the gale forces) because I was afraid that my underwear and towels would end up hanging from someone’s Juliet balcony below. Although I guess that would be an interesting way to meet people… 
Much to my chagrin, it appears that my body prefers to sleep during the day than in the night, so I once again had a nap. It wasn’t as successful as the day before – probably because of the loud wind — but I did get a bit of shut-eye. When I woke up around 4 p.m. I walked over to the computer and glanced out the window. The wind had completely died down and I realized that the noise that I’d assumed was still wind was actually an air show. I love being at the top of this building. It always provides such visual treats. I could see people on the lower floors craning to see what was making the noise but from their angle on the opposite side of the courtyard you couldn’t see anything.
The planes were shooting out red, white and blue smoke (France’s national colours). I’m not sure what the occasion was but I enjoyed watching it (with a slight fear that something would go horribly wrong, as I always fear with air shows.)
The planes from my window
The fireworks formation
And the "holy shit is that my intestine I'm tasting?" formation
I popped over to the grocery store and, as I stood in line, I realized that there are no express check-outs here. Everyone just waits forever to pay for things. One of the women in front of me actually paid with a CHEQUE, so of course that took forever with the two pieces of ID and all that. No one seems fazed by this. On the way home I passed an elderly woman who had painted her face completely red – not in support of a team or anything like that, she just seemed to have used her rouge as foundation and then had her other make-up (similarly garish) on top of that. To each his own.
In the evening I went to the restaurant where Greg works. Although it was a gorgeous night, I think the wind earlier in the day had scared people away. The streets were strangely empty. Thankfully, the walking street where the restaurant is located was still very lively. Greg and I chatted a lot (my French was horrible last night) and when he was busy with customers, I worked on a presentation that I had to give in class today. The staff at his restaurant are distractingly good looking. Not everyone is hot but an abnormally large percentage of them are. Oh, the food’s good too.
When I left, I passed “The Brazilians”. There is this troupe of Brazilian buskers and I swear they are following me (okay, not really but I run into them EVERYWHERE). They do their acrobatics and singing and dancing and then ask for money. At this point I just avoid eye contact and walk on.
That’s basically it for my day. Apparently there is a jellyfish infestation down at the beach right now but it is hoped that the wind will send them back out to deeper water.
