Disneyland Paris

The most magical day ever.

I'd make that another glass please?

Before the night got messy. The mayor was actually in the room while we all drank and danced O_O

Yummm. 

Just a casual rainstorm in the distance. Fun times. 

My description of this photo album on Facebook: They took us to Mutigny (pop. 250) showed us how they grew grapes and made it into Champagne. Then the Mayor fed us in his town hall and got us completely sloshed on Champagne and wine.

Pretty much. It was a schizophrenic day for the weather - don't be fooled by the sunny pics! We got in detail descriptions of the Champagne-making business and I must admit, it was very interesting. Here are a few facts:

• There are 3 types of grape for Champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. We were in the Pinot Noir part (black grapes, white juice). 
• The UK is the highest consumer of Champagne followed by the USA
• You can tell how good a Champagne is from looking at the bubbles... I think they've got to be well rounded or something - I forget :s Probably due to all the er 'Champagne tasting' I was doing.

You probably only know a few, but there are loads of Champagne houses (Moet et Chandon, Veuve Cliquot, Dom Periginon etc) and a lot of the big names actually buy their grapes from grape growers.

I must say, doing my year abroad in the Champagne region has certainly introduced me to another interesting aspect of French culture. I know a lot more about bubbly now - I'd like a glass of MUMM Demi Sec Champagne s'il vous plait! 

Budgeting Like a Bawse... or Not.

I shall list the events of last week in no particular order:

1. I found myself rummaging through bins with French rubbish collection men on a freezing Tuesday morning.
2. I decided to start living on a proper and strict weekly budget, starting with €45 a week.
3. The cold and fever I had that was slowly ebbing away came back in full force on Tuesday afternoon along with swollen glands.
4. I lost £290. I put it in a brown envelope, and chucked it away with my rubbish without realising it.

These events are clearly not mutually exclusive. Yes, I on my year abroad lost money. I cried and cried. Seriously, beyond Halle Berry Oscar acceptance speech - I wailed and sobbed.

Ah well, not much I can do about that. But I did also start a budget plan this week too! I need to get my affairs in order and lend a less haphazard approach to shopping. One week I'll walk into Lidl and come out with a bag of veg, water and some other simple goodies... but then the next I'll go cur-azeh and run in screaming, 'BUY ALL THE THINGS!!!! PRINGLES FOR €1.09??? I'LL BUY 10' and then make a mad dash to H&M and buy those cheap, unsightly earrings I suddenly and so desperately need.

Well, no! This has all stopped. Yep, that's right, no more.

Or so I thought. Due to losing my cash, I ended up spending ages on the phone with French authorities discussion what I had to do to recuperate it. There goes my credit. I had to buy more: €10. My monthly 'Grand R' Bus and Tram Pass ran out: €27. St Patrick's Day celebrations that I was positively roped into attending: €6 and a further €5 on drinks. Major 'OHMAHGADMYLIFEISSOCRAP' feelings resulted in MacDonald's meal: €6.80. Let's not forget various 'Oh hem ghee vending machines! Chocolate! Win win win!!!' type situations that happened way too often this week.

As you can see, the budget flew out of the window. There were some successes though! I steered clear of any retail therapy (aided by the fact that H&M here is so rubbish and Zara is trop cher... we don't even have any of those cool acid bright tees!). I had a limit on how much I would spend on drinks on nights out and stuck to it. My grocery shop was well and truly under budget and I still have food to spare!

So what I have I learnt from this eventful week?

• When carrying cash in an envelope, label it with 'DO NOT THROW AWAY. LOTS OF CASH INSIDE.'
• Find other things to do when feeling down, binge eating junk food and buying clothes doesn't really make you feel better in the long term
• €45 maybe too little to survive on in a week? I've upped it to €50-€55 to see if it's any better
• French rubbish collectors are lovely people. French people who work in welcome desks, receptions or any sort of customer-facing role are not.

I hope you had a better week than I did...

From French Cafes to Domino's...

Yummah creamy spinach pasta with lamb's lettuce salad. One of my have pasta dishes to make! 

What I normally eat for breakkie: oranges and grapefruit with some oats and honey

BAM. Some Domino's takeaway pizza fo' yo' a$$. Apparently squashing to death an EDF letter. Oopsie.

Felt rather bad so made up for it the next day with goats cheese salad. It was rather wholesome with bacon, eggs and two slices of white bread with cheese on top. *Licks lips*

These are some yummy photos I had loitering on the old lappy just waiting to be unleashed onto the inter webs and gleaned by the Curious and Rather Peckish. All photos were taken by me in France... apart from the Domino's pizza one, where I went on a quick trip home to London. As you can see, my Year Abroad is filled with good food... apart from that minor slip up on home soil. I try to get as much veg as poss, because you know, it's good for you and I actually like the taste of fruit and vegetables. Besides, I like my plates to look very colourful, nothing as fun as eating a pretty plate of food, non?