French Train Adventures 2014!!

WHEW hey kids! HOW are ya doin today? Great, I hope--February is half way over (?!?!) and I have stories to catch you up on, so I guess it's a fantastic day to be alive. I spent the past two weekends training my way through France AND IT WAS FANTASTIC and I really think we should all invest in high speed trains in America!!!! Like how great would a train from Madison to Milwaukee be? SO GREAT LOL MAN TOO BAD WE NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. (sorry, really old political joke/dig at Scott Walker, my fave person, but the protests were three years ago today so I had to slip one in there somewhere).

My first train adventure brought me to the absolutely marvelous city of Paris, where I saw the sun every day and ate macarons equally as much. While I was there, it was coincidentally the very end of soldes. For those of you unfamiliar with them, they are a government-required, country-wide sale in basically every store on any clothing article you could possibly dream of. Naturally, I had to remind myself that I still had to eat for the remainder of the year so I didn't buy a Burberry trench that was 30% off, but still worth 3 months rent at least. Oof. I did manage to find a killer leather jacket, and when I wear it with red lips, I can feel all my months of studying the French finally pay off.

Paris had more than just soldes to offer, of course--two of my good friends from Madison, Kelsey and Jenny, are studying there so I got to see them and remind myself that I actually have friends across the ocean (sometimes it seems like you guys are just figments of my imagination, especially at this point in the game). Notably, Kelsey and I voyaged to Refuge des Fondus, a fondue restaurant in Montmontre that famously serves their wine in baby bottles. Our dinner that night was 100% bread, cheese, and wine, and we certainly weren't complaining. And, in a small world story, we were sitting next to a pair of friends, one of which is actually studying abroad in Aix! We have plans to meet up later in the week, so holla to new friends found in a fondue joint!

truest love of them all

don't hate it 

The second train journey took me to the French/German border, to the city of Strasbourg with my friend Robert for a Valentine's weekend extravaganza. I had the best food there, and the cathedral is actually awe inspiring. I know I've said this before, but they honestly dumbfound me--they're so intricate and so old and just how!!?? I of course did my German roots proud by eating a lot of sauerkraut and sausage and drinking beer at the same time. The sauerkraut gets filed under "life changing" because it was the best I've ever had, and trust me when I say I've had a lot (Wisco4lyfe).

Being so close to Germany, I of course had to get there somehow. With my marathon now less than two months away (ahahahhah what), the natural solution to this goal was running. Getting there and back was easy, but I got hopelessly lost in the town of Kehl while on a hunt for a German flag to snapchat all my friends (wahtever, sue me). I have no idea how many miles that ended up being, but it turned into a three and half hour thing, so I guess I'm ready to run now HAHAAAAAA ugh.

I ran to Germany and all I got was this stupid picture 

oh and speaking of weird athletic things the Lindstrom kids did this weekend, my brother did something stupid at swimming sectionals so yeah whatever that's cool/equally unsurprising...JK HE KILLED IT AND I SCREAMED FROM FRANCE but that's not shocking.

That about wraps it up for my train adventures 2014!!! I actually will go on more train adventures next weekend, but this time in Switzerland. Bummer, I know. And then there's a school break, followed by a trip to Istanbul so I mean I guess I'll have busting fat blog posts soon!!!

luv u guys,

Sarah + statue