At Dufrege in the middle of sweet nowhere

Enough cities! I am in the loovely country to sit for 3 days and learn music. I can't wait to play piano and do laundry and read some new books. English books!

Time to go to bed.

I have not heard bats squaking since W and I went to see the turtles at Matura Beach, and one of the dogs has the same "please love me" look as Maxie. Did I mention that I adore farms?

Email me!

COMBIEN de Euros?

Oui, I knoow I spelled Potpourri incorrectly. Soo, I do actually know how to spell the word, really I do..

I went for lunch. I wanted to sit in a cafe and watch the crowds. Lunch apparently ends at 14:00 and costs presceque 20€. I was toute en shock. I went to la merché and found a salade and a boiddon, then bought onion rings at the local Quick (like McDonalds but called Quick), and also got food for when I am at the B et B.

Back to the application..

Le Potpouurri

Les Photos
1. Cute drooly horse
2. Breakfast I cooked (woolen mouse included)
3. Monster Slug in Salzburg
4. That is art. Apperently.
5. The Marionette Theatre
6. In the masterclass in Salzburg with Dr. Miller

Actuallement, it is a nice hat
More comments on the hat. This morning the slack-jawed yoklel guy in the restaurant beside this cafe gave me a look - actuellement he stared at me for about 30 seconds - and said "J`aime votre chapeau". Merci, idiot de village. I like it too. Or I would not be wearing it. I am not being trop sensitive. Saying mon chapeau is pretty is an opener to a conversation and a tagging-along pesky boy.
...How much did you say?
Getting off the train last night, I noticed a group of men and women sitting on the bench in a little pak near the station. I walked by. They LOOKED at me. I walked on. They LOOKED at me again. This had actually happened the night before with the same group of people, so I figured that either they recognized me from the competition, or I looked like a niece or something. No, the man got up and crossed the street and said I was nice and when was I leaving. Then hu put his hand on my arm and said that he would love to take me for a drink tomorrow. Sure, buddy, how much? Just kidding, mum! I mumbled something and then hoofed it to the hotel.

Speaking of the Train
I almost missed the last train last night. I thought I would have a heart attack. I walked from here to the trolleys and waited and the ride to the station seemed to take forever. Then at the station I ran and everyone stared at me (maybe it was the hat...or my crazed look). I got to the train and got the yett from a conductor because I didn't have a reservation. I had been under the impression that only if I was taking to train long distances (it was ultimately a train to Nice) did I need a reservation. I looked at him and asked in pitiful English "But...what do I do now..." And he let me on. Phew.

People Watching
A truly enjoyable experience for a Windowshopaholic is to 1. Take pictures of cute outfits and 2. Recognize clothes on people. Yesterday in 2 hours of strolling I saw: A shirt straight from the scary fashionistas of the 80s that said "who's the Boss" on it. I actually had almos the same shirt when I was 7, but that wasn't MY fault back then. I had just scorned it in favour of my giraffe shirt. When I saw her the big inner marquee started flashing: Girl Proudly Wears Ugly 2€ Shirt. I clutched the bag with my much more attractive 2€ shirt and kept looking. Next was a lady with brown pom-poms attached to her purse. Why? No-One knows. I did know thought that they came from H&M, right up the street. The next girl I saw was wearing the ankle-length blue H&M skirt that I had been coveting the day before. It was a truly stunning skirt. It was also on clearance. Soon I saw another girl wearing a dress made out of the the same material of one of my H&M skirts. No secret where she got that. Then yet another girl wearing a black skirt from H&M...and I own the same one!! And it is from last year! Heh heh.. What fun there is to be had in France!

Today I move out to a B&B on a farm. It is cheap and they hav a piano. Back to working on my applictions...

Two hours to roam

I spent the last 2 hours walking up and down la Rue St. Cathérine. I received an unreasonable number of comments about my hat (well it is a great hat), and one crazy man MEOWED at me when I walked by. Not "you are sexy" MEOUW but "I am crazy" MEOUW. Sigh. It is over 30 degrees outside and HOT.

I went on a mini shopping spree which invilved a 2€ shirt with a giraffe on it (reminds me of W. She is tall and she is in Africa.) and I got my hair washed.

Now, for anyone who thinks that I am crazy let me first explain that I had bought a ton (and it seems to actually weigh a ton) of expensive Bedhead shampoo and conditioner which I had brought with me. Now, every day my hair has been getting heavier and heavier and nore nasty and disgusting. The more I washed it the worse it was, so I passed a funky salon and for 5€ I got a looovely wash and conditioning.

Then I stepped outside of the salon. My hairwas clean and light and I not only looked fabulous but I was the only non-hot person on the street! It is really the best feeling ever. Hot and droopy? Stop in for a wash!

Pictures:

1. The line in H&M

2. My new Giraffe Shirt

3. Moi looking fresh and gorgeous

Shopaholic

By the way, I am a SHOPAHOLIC. I didn't realize it until I arrived in Bordeaux. I had been feeling homesick in Marmande and bored and full of ennui. Then I walked around Bordeaux. Pretty but still boring. Then I found the SHOPPING DISTRICT. I didn't even buy anything, not one thing, but it was the best hour of the trip so far looking at the pretty dresses and purses and shoes. Maybe that means that I am a LOOKAHOLIC? The day suddenlly improved immensely however.

For the record, all I have bought besides food and lodging and train tickets were some timbres, a little woolen mouse, and some books and a skirt and top. But that was in London, and since W didnùt talk me out of it it didn't count. And they were only 16€ for the outfit. Oh, and one black hoodie in Salzburg. But it was only 5€. And that is ALL! I am Mlle Frugal!

...and you can call me VOUZ

I have never really realized what a rare thing it is for a lady such as myself to travel alone. I
seem to attract an unreasonable amount of attention, and it is starting to make me crazy! Even the crazy street bum I passed called out that he liked mon chapeau. (well, it is a great chapeau)
It always starts the same... where are vouz from.. do vouz like la France, then it goes to I like TES eyes... want me to drive TU to mon house dans la nord? Growl! Je suis une lady and I am starting to resent the TUs!!

Also guys start walking with me along the street. I have been pleasant and polite until today. Just because I am taking a picture and we agree that it is a pretty scène does not mesn VOUZ can walk with me down the street! I am getting très rude...

No-one stamped my train ticket last night or this moning, so ha ha, I can reuse them and come back to Bordeaux for free! Isn't the honour system grand?

After I left this Internet Café last night I had some Frites et un(e) Granita, and then a sandwich outside the train station? where there was a 2 hour wait for mon train. There was a girl begging for money so I bought her une sandwich. I also bought myself une sandwich, which was tuna-y and tasted quite good. Then I saw the leg on top. Well, maybe it wasn't a leg. But I am pretty familiar with cockaroach legs... Je n'ai pas fini le sandwich. Back in jolie Marmande, I watched L'homme dans le masque de fer. Leonardo deCaprio sure sounds more masculin when someone else is doing his voice...

This morning bqck to Bordeaux and to l'office de poste. W, I sent you the book. In Canada it costs 8 dollars to send you a book. Here it costs 2€, thought the homme warned me it would go très slowly. Back to the grant application...

Les Photos II

A few more pics....
1. Indian Tonic?? Contains Quinine?!
2. The dog is wearing Sunglasses....non, c'est vrai
3. The BA Strike at Heathrow
4. Keeping cool in hot hot hot hot Bordeaux

Les Photos

Here are some photos!
My other memory card is back in the hotel, so there is not a huge selection... They Are:
1. How the french think people are supposed to look
2. Ma pauvre GAVOTTE
3. Marmande Poster
4. Merry-Go-Round in Bordeaux
5. Rose Petals. Why Not? The guy kept coming out and sprinkling them around his table...

BRAIN IS MUSH

I have been at this computer for waaay too long. There is a beautiful day somewhere outside and a merry-go-round in the nearby square. Not that I will ever see them, cry cry! Stuck here applying for grans toute la journée

La cité du Bordeaux...où Pauvre Gavotte

The bloody shift key (which looks like a little arrow and not like a shift key at all) keeps sticking on this computer. WHAT A PAIN! But I will try not to "yell".

I got sick qnd tired of lovely Marmande, as honestly, there is nothing really to do there and there were too many sad Gavotte memories. Who is Gavotte, you ask? WELL, he was my sweet little bird baby that I found crying in the middle of the road. Poor little bird. I took him home but he still cried and cried and cried. I tried to watch TV with him but he still cried. I tried feeding him bread and water but he shut his little beak and cried and cried some more. I finally left him in a tree so he could hide and cry and watch the men play bocce ball in the park. I went up to my hotel room and ate my baguette and wiped the little bird fleas (that practically POURED out of my little bird) off my arm. The things we do for love...

An hour later I went down and h was still crying. There were a lot of dogs running near his tree, so I scooped him up and took him back to where I found him, where there was amother bird calling and calling. His maman!! With the help of a shopkeeper's broom (there was quite a crowd at this point) I lifted p'tit Gavotte back in his arbre, and after watching him for a while, I went back to the hotel. I had done the best I could.

Later in the evening I walked by the bird tree and I was so happy. He wasn't crying! He must be happy at....then I saw a little spot on the road under the tree. It was absolutely flat with two yellow legs sticking out a bit from the puddle! My ami Gavotte! Il y avais des larmes, because he had been such a good little ami. Pauvre Gavotte!

Da Bump

I didnt make it to the finals. CRY. However, semi finalist in my first international competition isnt bad :)

There isnt much else to write. This place is once again stuffed full of french teens all playing car and LOTR games. I feel ridiculous here!

Round 1...continued

So I made semi final in Operetta and I am still waiting for opera. There were sure a lot of singers for opera, so who knows... My fingers are crossed though.

I am so so tired. Singing is hard work! The hotel room is adorable though small and is somewhere nice to relax. Also the^people here are really nice. I keep getting compliments from the audience so overall things are going well.

I am trying to plan my next week. Sigh, I am homeless come Monday so I had better get at it...

Competition - Day 1

So I went to sign up for the competition this morning and I was handed 3 things -
1 A candidates card whiwh I have to present everywhere
2 An invitation to a huge Buffet dinner tonight (whiwh is good because food is EXPENSIVE)
3 A huge bottle of Marmande wine. Hey, it is France after all!

I am singing in the opera category tomorrow (there are 150 candidates) but I sang the prelims in Melodie (A Chloris) and Operette (Couplets de Agathe). They posted the semi final list for chanson and Im on it!! The operette list shall be up any minute.

Time to check if it is up!

la petite ville de Marmande..

Thee is sure q lot to write about, qnd it will be slow going since this computer is all turned around letter-wise. I shall probably just type really carefully and just leave the mistakes in.

So, here I aaam in Marmannnnde...France (like the aria...never mind...). Marmande is a sleepy, charming town in the south of France where mercredi soir is the night when all the stores close. Lucky me. I am att his moment in the towns version of a net cafe, which is, lucky me, a gaming centre. Picture a half dozen teenaged nerds all playing Doom or something against each other. And yelling, Merde merdejsuis morte encore... Another one just ran in. So much for being all cute and sophisticated aith a poodle in one hand and a baguette in another (dont worry, mom, I am not bringing home a poodle, it is just a LOOK...)

Tomorrow I sing 40th of 47 in the Melodie competition. The order of the others hqve not been drawn yet. I had a nap today after I arrived, but I am pretty tired after sort of sleeping on the ground of the airport. Yuck.

So, 3 days ago R and I had a fabulous time! She qrrived qt 4:50am; I walked into the bus station to get here and was greeted with bus station hell. W, WHO is in Africa?? The ground was littered with prone bodies clutching fruit (strangely enough). The bodies were caked with mud. And very drunk. Some of the more mobile ones were jumping around and hooting. By the smell some of them were lying in their own urine. And there was a grim looking R, reqdy to GET OUT. So was I, so we skirted the bodies, dumped her bags in a locker, and caught a bus to the Theatergasse. One of the really drunk people was actually a singer from the Mozarteum; he had been out all night drinking. (!)

R and I stood on the Mozart bridge and looked at the city in the hazy blue pre dawn. It is simply gorgeous. And it wasnt even raining...yet. Soon we caught the bus back to my place for showers and bread and fruit and cheese, and then we headed back out into the city. The RAINY city. Not fair, it hadnt stopped but once the whole trip. Good thing I had an umbrella... We walked around the old city and breakfasted at the fine McDonalds. Then we caught another bus to Hellbrunn gardens.

"Schloss Hellbrun, the summer retreat of Marcus Sitticus, one of the most extraordinary and extravagant of all the prince-archbishops.
Sitticus was even less celibate than his predecessors. Not only did he conduct a long-term affair with an army officer's wife, he also embarked on an illicit romance with her sister.
He would hold raucous dinner parties in the Hellbrun gardens where, unknown to guests, his garden furniture was secretly rigged up to hidden fountains.
When Sitticus pushed a lever, spouts of ice-cold water shot up through holes in their seats, soaking their backsides. Other hidden sprinklers fired jets of water in all directions.
These have been restored, and the water gardens of Schloss Hellbrun are an absolute must, especially if you go to Salzburg with children.
Hellbrun is a fanciful castle set in unreal gardens. But then Salzburg, too, feels somewhat unreal; churches built by madmen, locals in fancy dress - and those impossibly huge and creamy cakes."


Now, apparently there was an archbishop or something that built as a pleasure palace. Basically the premise is that water shoots out from random places and soaks everyone and a wonderful time is had by all. And it WAS. Sure, some people slipped and fell a little bit, but it is not America so no one got upset ;) It really cannot be explained without pictures, and we have plenty.

For lunch we had Tomatosuppe in a darling little Austrian pub, and then we headed to the bus station, whiwh was looking remarkably cleaner by that time, and we tried to buy our tickets. The fine ticket seller insisted the tickets cost 4€ more than we had expected. We protested that it was supposed to be cheaper and that on the internet they were cheaper. Nein, nein he replied. So we hopped next door to an internet cafe and bought them.. for OUR price. Silly man.

An hour later we were in Chiemsee Germany and after a long sluggy (everywhere) walk to the ferry we went accross to nun island. A quick visit qt the nunnery and I started the long LONG trek back. It was so much fun though! Greqt day!

My friiiend is coming! Soon soon...

Another beautiful Salzburg day! Und tag...um...um... I was just talking Italian with another singer, I forget all my German.

No great adventures, though I found an H & M and looked at the clothes and walked for 1 hour to get R and I a tourist brochure and then lost it on the way back. Yipes!

Also the teacher of the Masterclass almost got pickpocketed today. His wallet was actually lifted OUT of his pocket and when he stepped away it fell on the ground and the thief ran away. That is two of us now. They are like mosquitos. Hang on to EVERYTHING here!

I have to do laundry tonight. It is sunny so it may actually all dry.

I have been so thrifty here (like, say, not taking TAXIS everywhere... R!!) that I bought a ticket for the Marionette theatre. They are putting on Die Zauberflöte tomorrow night. I got a really good seat for the cheap student prise. The ISIC card has alrteady paid for itself!

Sunnenblumen und Brot

Things I learned today:

1. The pretzel man moves around a lot. I want Äpfelcovered Pretzels, and I can walk all over town and not be guaranteed to find ANY.

2. What to do with wasps if you work in a Bakery. Apparently the Austrian thing to do is to catch them in water glasses and place the water glasses (turned upside down so that the wasps cannot escape) on the counter. That way (when one amasses enough glasses) not only is there somewhere to put the fresh trays of buns, but there is a pleasant buzzing sound all day. Who knew?!

3. Even at the Mozarteum, finding a piano that is in tune is as rare as...well, finding the ÄpfelPretzel man.

That is all - not a very eventful day, but at least I was not robbed or anything...

...A few minutes more

Here is a bit more about me and here.

-There is a group of Americans. That should say it all, but in case it does not, they all go around talking loudly in english and HEARTING things. For example, "I HEART those Gucci sunglasses" or "I HEART the pretzels on that corner". No comment necessary.

-In the room at the Mozarteum there is a plaque in honor of the soldiers who died in the two world wars. Not at all strange, but it IS strange when you think that these soldiers were on the evil side - yipes!

-On a related note, I was jaywalking the other day (everyone does is here) where a car started coming and a pedestrian yelled "Achtung" at me. I almost had a heart attack. Oh well..it is all about local flavour, right?

-Did you know that there are apple covered pretzels? They look SOO GOOD

-I found a pet store and gazed longingly at the gerbils. They were not as cute as *my* gerbils, but they are still pretty cute.

Tomorrow I am singing again in the masterclass. It is really a very good class, despite not getting to sing enough. That is all for now. Tschuss!

..And I said I wasn`t a tourist, eh?

So I got pickpocketed today. Oh well, it is only money, right? WRONG! Money means food and a soft bed and I need every Euro I can get. I hope whoever took it needs it more! At least I have documents and tickets - it was just a (rather large) banknote. Serves me right for carrying it in my pocket. GROWL! If anyone feels like starting a "Melanie Was Robbed" Banknote recovery fund....

Ironically enough, later in the day I found a wallet on the floor of the classroom and was kind enough to run down the street waving it at the students who had forgotten it. Karmic balancing? Maybe, but I am still robbed. I did find the cutest stiffed schwein-doll yesterday. Maybe tomorrow I shall find a million Euros...

After class today I rode the bus for awhile to see the city, and then I came down to the main bus station. Since I am lucky enough to have one of my bestest friends visiting me for the day in Salzburg I wanted to scope things out for her. R, if you are reading this, there are lockers in the station that will fit your suitcase, and it is the number 3 bus in the direction Salzburg-Sud, stop of Poleitzidirektion. The lockers are under track 3. I will probably be there though, we will see.. the train sure is getting in early...

Now that the rain has stopped the city sure is beautiful. There are mountains on every side with villas overlooking the city, and old castle gates, and castles. To every side! And music and musicians everywhere, and beside the Mozarteum there is a puppettheatre where they do Marionette shows to operas. It is an amazing city, really. Much better than the dive that is Frankfurt.

That is all - email me anyone!

One week already

It is a rainy Salzburg day, and I have been wet for hours. I actually returned to mz apartment on my lunch break (instead of practising) to change clothes and now I am almost out of clothes and wet. Again! There is a line for the computers so I will have to be relatively fast.
Salzburg is gorgeous. The level of singing here is not as high as I would have expected, but hey, being one of thie best isnät so bad!

People keep looking at my screen so more another day

HOW many more days?!

I suppose STAPLES doesn't manage to bind business materials correctly often enough, and just because all of the music for my trip is not bound and ready yet to pack is not necessarily the worst thing in the world. BUT ( as I yelled at the poor STAPLES employees) I am leaving very very soon.. Two full days, and this afternoon and I am not ready to go at all.

Actually, why am I sitting here? Time to go back to packing. Again.

It is too soon! The scarlet runners haven't even BLOOMED yet~