Adventures with Sam

Well, in an effort to catch you all up on what I've been doing over the past few months, I thought I would tell you about some of the most fun I've had this year--the adventures I have had with one of my best friends (yes, you can have more than one), Sam. Sam was one of my lovely roommates at F&M and luckily for me, she spent part of the last year in France teaching English. I say luckily for me because that meant that I got to see her and when we couldn't be together, we were at least in similar time zones making internet-based communications that much better and more satisfying. We had two really cool adventures together that I want to share with you.

The first was the day we met in Bath for more laughs than I had had in months! This was the first time I had returned to Bath since I studied there three years ago. It was really special for me to return to this place that had changed my life in so many ways! It was in Bath that I first learned about British Politics. I can say with some confidence that if it weren't for that study trip during the summer of 2010, I wouldn't be in London now! What made this return even more special was that I got to share it with my friend who hadn't been there before (well, she had been there on her own the day before, but let's just put that aside for now).

We packed so much sight-seeing, laughing, talking, and good times into that one day in March! As we are both big Jane Austen fans, the first priority was getting to the Jane Austen Centre on Queen Square (which is coincidently very near the place I stayed on my first-ever night in Bath). The staff there were great, but I don't even know if their wonderful explanations of the life of Jane were really necessary with Sam there--she was answering all their (usually rhetorical?) questions! We had a blast looking around and even trying on some dresses (I know, me in a dress! Doesn't happen very often, but I will do it for Sam and Jane). But my favorite was sitting at the old writing desk they had and practicing with the quill and ink they supplied!

Next, we continued our Jane Austen-themed tour of Bath with a walk up past the Circus to the Royal Crescent. Now I like the Crescent, but apparently Sam is not a fan. Regardless, the real reason we went up there was to travel the path that leads down behind the Circus and back into town. This path was a favorite of Austen's and was featured at the end of Persuasion (one of her best novels in my opinion). Sam and I ambled along "the comparatively quiet and retired gravel walk" twice that day! In fact, I do believe that path is one of my favorite places in England and perhaps the world.

Of course, any trip to Bath is incomplete without tea in the Pump Room! For those of you who don't know the Pump Room is so-called because it houses the pump/fountain from which one can drink the healing waters (although a classic activity, I can't go so far as to recommend this warm and salty water).  Sam and I loved the tea, scones, and little deserts they give you! We were further amazed at all the people who didn't finish their food or drinks (don't worry, we resisted the urge to offer our services (read: stomachs) to help them).

After a lovely tea we explored a few other Jane Austen-related sights before heading to the train station for a much more difficult than anticipated goodbye. It was so hard to go back to London that night! But I am so glad that I got to spend that amazing day with my best friend, in one of my favorite places, following in the footsteps of one of our favorite authors! I was reminded that day of the importance of good friends who really know and understand you! Just being able to talk and not have to explain myself or worry if she was misinterpreting what I was saying was wonderful! And laughing so much my face hurt was pretty great too!

Luckily our parting would not last long. A few weeks later, I went to France on the Eurostar (train) to stay with Sam for the long weekend around Easter. Actually, this trip turned into more of an adventure than I bargained for. It is a long story, but suffice it to say, I missed my connecting train in Paris (not my fault) and got a bit stuck there. It was only after several panicked calls to my parents (isn't that what every parent wants--a call from their daughter in tears in another country?) in the States that I was able to get my credit card to work to get another ticket and finally get to Grenoble, where Sam was living. I'm not going to lie, there were a few minutes when I was wondering if going to France was worth it.

But don't worry, I made it to Grenoble and everything was better when I was with Sam (it didn't hurt that she actually speaks more than the two words of French I know). And things got even better when we began sampling the first of many yummy, fresh, French pastries (I mean, really, who needs other types of food?)! The next day we went on these tiny gondolas up on one of the hills around Grenoble to visit the Bastille. It was a rather overcast day, but it was wonderful to see the city from above! You can tell that Grenoble really is a city in the valley.

Perhaps the highlight of the weekend was Easter itself. We decided to sleep in and when I woke up, the Easter bunny had even managed to find me in France (with some serious help from Sam who gave me a chocolate bunny)! Not only that, but Sam shared her very special Easter basket/box from her grandmother with me! We then proceeded to MacGyver one of the best Easter dinners I have ever had (okay, part of what made it great was that we made it by ourselves with limited money and supplies in France). We had ham, green beans, roasted carrots with a sauce Sam made, French bread, and the hero of the meal: the special mustard sauce! Now, you have to understand, this mustard sauce is very important to me. My Mom makes it on holidays and it is so wonderful! It is an easy recipe, but we couldn't find all the correct ingredients/didn't want to buy a lot of an ingredient that Sam wouldn't use later. So we made substitutions and we made additions. When I told my Mom what we did, she was skeptical, but let me tell you, it turned out spectacularly! As good I as remembered! And Sam liked it too! We topped off the day with an Easter egg hunt via Skype with Sam's family!

The Mustard Sauce is working! 

Seriously, look at the awesome meal we made! I want to eat it again! Now!

Finally, on my last day in France, Sam took me to a beautiful Chateau a few towns over. It looked like something out of Beauty and the Beast! Even better, it had the most lovely park and nature preserve. We took a picnic lunch and just enjoyed the scenery!

In the end, the trip was definitely worth the money, time, and panic attack in Paris! Once again, I had a blast with my Best! We got to spend an entire weekend talking, laughing, watching movies, and eating! Just the memory is making me hungry! Thanks for the adventures Sam! Can't wait to have more of them with you back in the States!