Carrie's Travels

  I’ve spent the last several days in the Alsace region of France. This area has flipped between French and German control several times in its history. Because of this, this area is equal parts French and German. All of the street signs are in French and German. You’re just as likely to find a Bretzel (pretzel) as you are a crepe.   I stayed in Strasbourg, at the Boma hotel. I chose the hotel because of its price and easy walking distance to the sights. When I entered my room, I knew I had made the right decision. The room was painted TEAL! My favorite color! The walls were teal, the ceiling was teal, even the phone was teal! I could have bought the phone for only 60€, but I don’t have a landline, and that’s a bit steep.  My first stop was Le Petit France. This area of town is what all the tourists come for. Centered around the river are fairytale, half-timbered houses. I felt like any minute, Belle was going to start singing about how her neighbors are always doing the same thing. Th

  I’ve been to France before, on student trips, never by myself. I decided last year, while I was at Sarah and Nico’s, that I was coming to France this summer. So I switched my DuoLingo lessons from German to French.   The France portion of my trip already started with a speed bump. I was supposed to take an earlier flight, and arrive in Bordeaux in the early afternoon, but while I was waiting in the Madrid airport last week, I discovered that Iberia has cancelled my flight to Bordeaux, and I was booked on a later flight, one that got me into town around 5:30. Now this wouldn’t be a problem if I didn’t have train reservations at 5:25. Needless to say, I did NOT make that train. So I had to book another night in Bordeaux. After taking a taxi to my hotel for one night, The All Suites Bordeaux Marne, more on the hotel later, I took a walk to the train station. In the morning I needed to get to the train station, and drop my bag at the luggage office, so I could catch my train for my day t

  Buckle up peeps! This is a long one! Scanning my passport and leaving the country again. I started this trip, how I’ve never started any international trip by myself, I drove myself to the airport (well, the Park N Fly near the airport.) Mom and dad would be coming to get my car just 2 days later when they drove to Trevor and Ann’s to watch the kids while they went on their own adventure. Got to the airport about 2 1/2 hours before my flight, because that’s just who I am, even though I have TSA Pre-check. Well, the Air Canada desk wasn’t open yet. They didn’t open until 2 hour before the flight. I was hoping this wouldn’t be an indication about how my trip out would be but I think we all know, it was. Anyway, got my luggage checked in, finally, and made my way to my gate to eat my lunch which I’d picked up on the way to the airport. I tried to find somewhere to sit that was slightly air conditioned, because the gate area for my flight to Toronto was positively sweltering. While I was