Tourists in Bordeaux

Reunited, and it felt so good. This weekend I had a visitor in Bordeaux, ZOE! My roommate at UCSB, Zoe is spending the semester in Florence, Italy, and visited me in Bordeaux for the weekend. So while I didn't travel to a new city this weekend, I still donned my tourist hat and toured my city, the lovely Bordeaux, with my lovely best friend.

Book-lovers paradise, Mollat

On Friday afternoon I showed Zoe around my neighborhood, Gambetta. Stacey's sightseeing tour included, but was not limited to:

• Mollat, Bordeaux's largest, and most famous bookstore
• Hotel de Ville, Bordeaux City Hall 
• My favorite boulangerie, La Mie Câline
• Cathedrale Saint-Andre and bell tower
• Rue St. Catherine
• Gambetta square (made complete by our chocolate croissants)

Zoe loves her Gothic churches

We walked and walked, and when we were done with that, we walked some more. We had dinner at home with my French host family. The night before Zoe arrived, my host mom, Nelly, had asked me what meal she should serve to Zoe to which I responded, "Something French." And for her first dinner in Bordeaux, that is what Zoe got. We had a melange of potatoes, leeks, and two different types of French sausages in a white cream sauce, followed by the obligatory cheese course before a chocolatey dessert. After letting our stomachs digest, we hit the bars with a couple friends.

Picnic lunch!

In the interest of showing Zoe a good time, Bordeaux pulled out all the stops and decided to forgo the rain and gray skies for blue skies and sunshine. Saturday I donned a tank top, capris, and sandals, and we met up with some friends at Jardin Public for a late picnic lunch. We kept with the French theme of baguettes, fromage, sausage, wine, and chocolate while basking in the sun. Trying to battle lethargy, we headed to Quinconces along the Garonne River to take a look at the faire that was in town. We hopped on the ferris wheel and took to the skies, getting a bird's-eye view of Bordeaux. The fun in the sun (and the wine) did us in, however, because when we headed back home around 6pm, it turned out that we were in for the night.

View of Quinconces and Bordeaux from our ferris wheel

We ended Zoe's tour of Bordeaux today, Sunday, by getting up early and walking back up the river to the Marché du Colbert, a Sunday open-air market "sur le quai". We passed by artisan breads, flower marts, and oyster bars. We ate croissants, canelés (a traditional bordelais rum cake), and sipped coffee at a café just along the river. We were the epitome of "la vie bordelaise" while lounging and agreed to do our best to continue this lifestyle when we get back to Santa Barbara in the fall.  Only reluctantly did we head back to my house to make sure we got Zoe back to the airport on time. 

Living the café lifestyle

It was a wonderful weekend. It was nice to introduce Zoe to my city and to have a little part of home with me in Bordeaux. Parting was such sweet sorrow but I was cheered by the fact that I am going to visit her in Florence in only a few week's time! 1,200 km can only keep us separated for so long.