Cinderella

Everyone dreams of living in a castle and being a king or a princess. Usually, however, these dream castles do not contain little espresso dispensers or old ladies, who demand 40 centenes to go to the bathroom!  My visit to childhood dreamland began with a sleepy two hour bus ride. Bus rides are great for getting better acquainted with fellow foreign students. On this particular ride I encountered a girl named Annie, who studies at St. Olaf! The world is really quite small. As we laughed about oom ya ya and  Minnesota weather, the sun rose over the lush green landscape sprinkled with pink and white flora and I regretted the presence of the windows, which persistently glared at my lens. The sun rose steadily and we made odd princesses as we melted into uncomfortableness. Finally, the bus pulled over and we scrambled onto the banks of the Loire to capture the beauty of the Château-fort which dominates the small village of Chinon. A few gulps of air and we were back in our carriage being swept of to the Renaissance Château D'Azay-Le-Rideau. My stomach complained as I marveled and snapped photo after photo of water and stone. Eventually, my grumbles drew me to the outdoor marketplace where little old french man after little old french lady pushed past me to purchase the ripe fruits and fresh vegetables of the Loire Valley. I managed to sink my teeth into a sweet apricot and headed over to a small bread shop. Unfortunately, the whole world also wanted bread and I waited for ages before I could capture my baguette. As I turned to go, the village was strangely devoid of students and I scampered off to discover the bus pulling away, despite my friends pleas with the driver. My heart returned to regularity as I mounted the steps and settled into my seat by Annie. The rest of the day passed with eyes wide open as the fairy tale palaces stretched over water and gardens. Paintings of royalty and grand vistas filled my lens, and after the Château de Chenonceaux, massive Chambord claimed its attention. With its double helix staircase, white rose chapel, and expansive gardens on the lake Chambord trumped all the glorious sights of the day. The ride home consisted of playing charades and ten fingers. These, in case you did not know, are normal pass times of French royalty. At around 11 pm I left the dreamland of servants and castles behind in search of food back on the streets of Angers with my friend Claire. A friendly café owner provided me with free frits (fries) and a free drink! Yay for hospitable french gentlemen, but too bad I do not like fries! Then off to sophbar for a drink with the crazy Irish students. We looked over photos and peeked out the door every couple of minutes to watch the progress of the Lunar Eclipse. As I walked home the moon disappeared in a tinge of red.   

Everyone dreams of living in a castle and being a king or a princess. Usually, however, these dream castles do not contain little espresso dispensers or old ladies, who demand 40 centenes to go to the bathroom!