Bonjour Bordeaux...

Well, here I am. I guess you could say settled in, although still stressing over the amount of paperwork that I still have to fill in... Trees in France must be limited, especially after me having to start again several times on each different form. 

Nearly two weeks after arriving here, I must say, I'm having a great time! The house is brilliant, they even threw in a few woodlice for free to keep me company in my first weeks... (They are impartial to a bit of English) and the giant green flying beetles that like to wait til dark to come and have a snuggle on my pillow. Anyway, bugs aside, the journey down was long but fine, after being told the weather was not much different to England, I arrived to 30+ degree heat! My dad joined me on the journey to help with some of the driving and to have a gander at my new place... He was also surprised by the heat, turns out buying shorts in Bordeaux in October is nigh on impossible so he struggled through in his winter clothes. 
So... my first few days... first of all, The Supermarket! This deserves capital letters, they are huuuuge. It is not possible to quickly run in and grab something, it needs at least a two hour slot, in fact, you could make an afternoon of it. I've been every day bar 2 so far and still don't think I've been down every aisle. Go in with a list, come out with a lot of stuff but the list got abandonned as soon as I hit the local produce aisle. Mesmerising stuff! If you ever need a tin of snails, or some tinned gizzards just give me a shout... No sign of baked beans though. 
Luckily, I have managed to drag myself away from the supermarket for a few hours a day to experience the beatiful city centre of Bordeaux. As you cross the bridge driving into the town it looks just like it does on the postcards. (When I find out how I will try to upload some photos.) I found my inner tourist, got out the old map (even used satnav at one point when I was lost in the suburbs *cringe*) and whilst mapreading, eating icecream, trying not to drop the camera, and sending the occasional text message, spent the day looking at the sights of Bordeaux. The buildings are breathtaking, the quais is perfect for a summer stroll, and the bustling atmosphere with the locals hopping in and out of cafes meant that I wandered along in awe of the city. The locals are friendly, and the community spirit, even in such a big city, is apparent. They walk along with purpose and see someone they know sat outside a cafe so stop and join them for lunch, (do they actually work in France, seems they are always shutting up for their next break to me?!) And why is it that the only time I need bread is at lunch time... When everywhere is shut?? 
If anyone fancies a weekend away, Bordeaux is a must see city! 


Until next time... salut!


 Alice (pronounced Aleeeeees)