France, land of bises

Yesterday I saw an outdoor jazz concert in Feignies, where Mme Carmalez lives. It was pretty entertaining. I went with Angèle and later Isabelle, a young teacher from the school in Villers, came. They both knew a lot of the musicians, and I was standing next to them afterwards, the musicians kept giving me bises (where you put your cheeks together and make kissing noises; it's the standard greeting). I think that's probably the weirdest thing about France.

They passed out free champagne, orange juice, and brioches at the concert. I asked Angèle and Isabelle if they ever make mimosas here, but they said no. They thought the idea of mixing orange juice and champagne was is crazy. I still think it's delicious.

After the concert Isabelle took me to eat at her parents' house, where she still lives. We stopped at a bakery first, where she bought a couple of loaves of bread. The lady who worked there put the bread through a machine that cut it. I told Isabelle that I'd never actually seen that before, and she said that at the grocery store up the road from her, you have to put your bread through the machine yourself. She said she'll take me there someday so I can do it...haha, exciting.

Lunch involved a cheese course. I think cheese courses are my favorite thing ever. I ate quite possibly the most delicious cheese I've ever tasted. It's a soft white cheese and I normally don't even like cheese like that, but this was amazing. I would have gone out and bought some today, but unfortunately just about everything in France is closed on Sundays because you have to pay lots of taxes in order to be open. (I learned today from the TV that there's some Best Buy-like store that pays its employees double to work on Sundays. Not even time and a half, but DOUBLE. That's crazy. I should probably work there.)

After lunch, it somehow came about that we should go to a glass museum fittingly called the Musée du Verre. It was a little bit of a drive to get to, but I do enjoy seeing the countryside and all the little villages. At the museum, you could watch people blowing glass. Isabelle's parents asked if I could try it because I'm American...so they let me. I clearly knew what I was doing:

Then one of the glassblowers made me stand in front of the oven to show me how hot it was. And then he gave me a flower made of glass as a souvenir. So I now have a handmade wooden mushroom and a handmade glass flower. I was then expected to do the whole bises thing again. People honestly don't understand how I'm not used to that sort of thing. Isabelle's dad caught the moment of my awkwardly not knowing I was supposed to give bises perfectly on camera:

We then saw the rest of the museum. There were lots of old bottles that used to be manufactured there, and in the basement there was a little installation of art made from glass. It doesn't sound very interesting, but it actually was. I think I just like museums.

There was something happening in Valenciennes last night, but I heard about it too late and couldn't go. But that's okay. After we got back from the museum, Isabelle's mom made us crêpes, which were really tasty. She asked if we make "pain perdu" back home, which as it turns out is what we call French toast. They call it "lost bread" because they only make it from bread that's slightly stale- if they don't eat it as French toast, they'd have to waste it and throw it out. Fun fact.

After the crêpes we played Rummikub, which I always see at people's houses but had never actually played. We also had a conversation about how we don't do the whole bises thing in America. "But what about your parents? What about with all your friends on New Year's?" Oh France.

I think it was by far the most random day I've had in France, but I really enjoyed it. I also acquired a whole bunch of apples yesterday. Mme Carmalez had asked if I wanted some apples from the garden and I said sure, but I did not realize she meant a whole bagful. I don't have an oven so I can't make a pie or anything. Does anybody have an idea as to what I can do with them? Applesauce?

Oh yes, and for your viewing pleasure...a glass menagerie and the people I spent most of the day with (in front of a glassblowing oven, what else?):