Ratatouille - The rat chef

We went to see Walt Disney cartoon "Ratatouille" and it was excellent!

The whole story took place in Paris and it was charming to see the Eiffel Tower, under the eyes of the rat!


Yes, this cartoon is about everyone can cook, including this cute rat.


It's amazing, hubby was making this French dish "Ratatouille", then 2 days later he proposed to go see a movie "Ratatouille". Rat is the same word as in French, so this title matches completely: A rat who cook the famous French dish Ratatouille.


I'm so glad I discovered this dish as each week we got so much zucchinis from the farmer, this is a good dish to finish all of them haha.


Have you guys seen this movie? How do you like it?

Agar-agar: Dessert or appetizer?

I was in the Chinese grocery shop, chatting with my friend who works there, and a customer stopped by to ask her about "agar-agar". Since my friend is from China, she doesn't know what was it. I told her it's Chinese pudin/jelly/jelatin. The customer is French, I asked whether she is looking for something like English pudin, but she said no.

At check out, I saw she has the exact "agar-agar" powder we have in Malaysia. Since most of the French hate agar-agar, I told her that I was surprised she liked it. Apparently she has never tried it before, and her husband makes her try. She explained how she's going to take it: mix the powder with some water and take it as appetizer, and this will help her stay slim.

Wow, it's the first time I heard that agar-agar can be taken this way as appetizer, some more having effect of stay slim. Surely she is not going to make the sweet dessert out of it like the Malaysian.

Annoying tax return!

I posted sometimes ago that I needed to declare my tax return (required by bank to apply for the housing loan) even though I was not working thus not earning a single cent. We went to the tax office but the woman who received us was firmed that I have no right to fill a return since I was a foreign student. When I got to the other tax office for the declaration, I was told that since I was married in 2006, I needed to do one pre-wedding and one post wedding declaration.

Soon after that declaration, I received a letter from the the same woman, who remembered me and repeated that I have no right to fill a tax return pre-weddng due to my foreign status.

Today, I received a letter marked urgent, telling me that they couldn't find my pre-wedding return so I need to do it as soon as possible.

What the hell? One told me not to and threw away my pre-wedding declaration, now the other tell me to do it bcos I didn't do it? Well these two people should meet and agree among themselves.

I suck at parking!

These days hubby couldn't drive so I have to take up this responsibility. I have seen built up some confidence in driving, but I really suck when come to parking.

We live in an area with parallel parking, worst, uphill. Well, we have a private garage but have to do reverse in so I don't even dare to try. So today after going out to get some grocery, I came back and found out that the only spot left was the uphill parallel parking between two cars. I tried, and got stuck in the middle. The back of the car was still outside the line.

What did I do? Called hubby. Poor guy had to come down to rescue this stupid woman. Under his instructions then only I managed to park, during the process blocked 3 cars behind.

So are you guys good in parallel parking?

A pink roof

When attending my friends' wedding some weeks ago, I discovered this pink roof, I thought it look very nice.



Then I realized, that the pink color is due to the pink flowers growing on the roof. Is it nice? Good way to decorate the roof.

Back home

We are finally back to our home. It has been a long weekend.

I still couldn't get used to the whole check out process: You fill up some paperworks, waive goodbye to people, and you are off to go. Yes, nothing has to come out of your pocket. Nothing again at the pharmacy. At this point, your is to recover and not worry about the finance.

I like this aspect of France more and more. Imaging in their soup opera, when find out someone is sick, they don't have to worry about the hospital bill, or someone has to sell house or steal a bank to save their love one.

2138 comments!!!

Don't worry it didn't happen in my blog. :-)

I went to see my favorite author's blog and saw she has 2138 comments on her latest post. OH MY GOD! I have never seen such a huge number of comments.

Cheong Siu Han is a famous author from Hong Kong, look at her AmyMagazine site. The most funny thing is that her readers fight to get the first comment after her new post. They waited beside their computer just for that. How crazy!

She does reply comments but I don't know how she will have the time to read through all of them.

It must be tough to be famous. Anyone has seen blogs with more comments that hers?

Update

When I arrived in the hospital this afternoon, Fabien told me that he can go home tomorrow. Phew! What a relief! Anyway, he has to stay home for 2 weeks.

Since we know more about the situation, we decided to call the in laws. They were concerned of course, but I'm glad that they stay cool.

Many people called and asked about his situation. Then the usual question: You must have been scared!

My answer? No. Actually I stay very calm. Because? I have expected this. I don't know how many times when he was away in a drinking party, I dream of his friends bringing him home unconscious. I have expected the worst.

Don't ask me why I didn't try to stop him from drinking. It's a long story.

From bachelor party to hospital

Well, you can't have good endings in everything.

We were extremely luckily to have nice weather for our bachelor party. The guys went for their activities and me and the girls headed to visit an island. During the night we met in a friend's house for BBQ. All were well planned and everybody had fun. He was extremely happy and excited and I had great conversations the whole day and night.

The cute houses we saw on the island.

His costume of the day


Then thing turned south when he fell from a hill, when trying to bury the coffin. Yeah in France the bachelor party is called "l'enterrement de vie garçon"= funeral of the bachelor life, so the coffin symbolizes the end of it.



He broke his arm and is lying in the hospital now. The big question right now is: Should we inform his parents who are having vacation like 12 hours road trip away? They are supposed to be back in a week and we really don't want to spoil their vacation.

Do you wear your wedding ring?

After months (or year?) of procrastinating, we finally bought our wedding rings. I think now the parents in laws can relax :-) (they were worried).

According to wikipedia, "In Western cultures a wedding ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger. According to tradition in some countries, the wedding ring is worn on the left ring finger because the vein in the left ring finger, referred to as the vena amoris was believed to be directly connected to the heart, a symbol of love."

Since the very beginning, there has been a "discussion" between me and hubby: "Is it ok if I don't wear the ring after the wedding." His reaction was big, he strongly disagreed. For him wearing a ring is a commitment. The commitment I swear to follow, and the ring symbolizes it.

Well he grows up in the Christian community and I don't blame him. But I don't know when the rings started to have influences in the Chinese culture, and I don't even know when people exchange rings (during the registration? during the tea ceremony?). For me, it's a precious thing and I should keep it safely somewhere. The problem is I don't like to wear jewelry plus the fear I could lost it.

My Asian friends in US, told me that she doesn't wear it because she has lost it 3 times. Well it's not a big deal for her bcos her husband is an Asian too. Then, another guy lost his ring when he was playing beach volleyball. We were all searching under the sand but to no success.

At this point, I'm willing to give it a try, wear for several months and see how it goes. For my married friends out there, do you guys always have your ring? And for the non-married, will you wear it when it's your turn?

You want a big "bite" or a medium "bite"?

In France there are many slangs/street languages/expressions that even some (usually older generation) won't understand. So it makes it very tricky in certain situation if a word is used and you don't understand what could be the second meaning.



This word "bite", means a stone tube that allows a boat to park by tiding a rope to it, or it could mean "dick" in street language. In the dialog below, try to interpret "bite" as "dick".

Guy: Hello, is this the florist?
Woman: Yes
Guy: Ok, I'm calling from the town hall, we have problem with the parking in front of your shop.
Woman: What problem?
Guy: You know people park illegally, so we decided to put some "bite" there.
Woman: To put what?
Guy: Some "bite", you know something that comes in a tube shape...
Woman: ah ok...
Guy: Ok, so I will put some "bite" for you. How many "bite" do you want me to put?
Woman: but don't ask me!
Guy: What?
Woman: You know I'm a woman I know nothing about this.
Guy: Excuse me, but every woman knows what is a "bite".
Woman: But... ok...what is the distance you want to put?
Guy: About 2 meters.
Woman: Ah ok, you should have told me this. 2 is enough then.
Guy: Ok let me look at the map. I will put one "bite" in front of you and one behind you. Will this pleases you?
Woman: It's perfect.
Guy: Ok, I'm going to put one "bite" in front: who comes in and comes out. This "bite" could come in and also come out from you.
Woman: Oh try to put it in the corner, you know sometimes I can't get out.
Guy: Don't worry, it's the "bite" that will come out from you. They are good "bite". You know it's for your own good.
Guy: So I put one behind also?
Woman: But... I don't know...
Guy: You know when it comes to two "bite" you need to react fast. I will put it at your end.
Woman: o...k....
Guy: Oh we haven't talked about the size. Big or medium?
Woman: bahhh...I don't know...
Guy: A big "bite" in front of you and a medium one behind you, or a medium one in front and a big one behind...?
Woman: You put this for everyone here?
Guy: Yes.
Woman: err, let me think... the big one should be ok.
Guy: I put which one for you?
Woman: The big one.
Guy: I put the big "bite" for you?
Woman: That would be nice.
Guy: And the one behind?
Woman: Make it the same size then.
Guy: Ok two big "bite" in front and behind you. You know what is funny, the women in this area all wanted the big "bite".
Woman: Ah you know women like big "bite".

Note: I added this photo so that you can understand the parking "bite"the guy is talking about. It's a stick that comes in and out.(29/7/07)

For the complete version of this dialog in French, go here:
http://lyn.blogs.fr/index.html

My neighbore can be...a Malaysian?

The first day we moved in, my hubby told me that there is a Proton parked just outside the building. I was surprised! I have never seen a Proton (a Malaysian made car) in France before. Literally nobody knows about it. I thought maybe the owner is a Malaysian??? But so far I have not seen an Asian face in this building :-(.

This car has not moved since we came, it might be abandoned.

Even though some of the French have visited Malaysia, they still don't know that Malaysia has it's own brand of car. They were counting the number of French cars there, which is rare, and had to acknowledge that Malaysians are crazy about big cars from the Japanese manufacturers. In France? Yeah they will tell you French car is the best in the world!

Vacuum cleaning....the ear

Everybody knows about vacuum cleaning, but do you know about vacuuming the ear?

I did it just now. So scary.

Like I wrote in the previous post, my ear was blocked. The general doctor cleaned it but couldn't clean the inner ear so she sent me for the specialist.

The specialist used a vacuum pipe and I can hear stuffs being sucked out. At the beginning it was weird, but I had the courage to hold on. But she said the ear wax was stuck at the very deep in to the canal, so she put the pipe a bit inside, then it started to hurt. I felt scared with the pain and asked her to stop.

Anyway, she was very professional and stop immediately and keep apologizing once I complaint of the pain. It's so unlike the treatment I got in the Malaysian public hospital. Once a nurse took out the IV tube from me and blood was dripping until the bed sheet, and I was the one to be scold!

Back to the French doctor. I asked her about this blocking problem, and she said it happens to a lot of Asian. She didn't know about any scientific explanations, but she herself think that the Asian has dryer skin thus causing more discharge inside the ears.

Sigh*, more work now since the ear wax is not totally cleaned, have to put drops day and night. Anyway I paid 49 euros where 70% will be reimbursed by the government medical care and the rest if not all covered by the insurance.

Another bride

On the same day there was another classmate who got married. My friend went and took some photos, and I found her gown so excellent and original.

French wedding (2)

It was a beautiful Saturday. We were all gathering outside of the town hall waiting for the couple to show up. It was 11am.

The handsome groom arrived with his buddies first.


Followed by the bride riding in a fancy car, a bit American style I found.


The bride is accompanied by her father, walking inside the town hall.


After the mayor (representative) announced them husband and wife, they signed and exchanged rings.


Walking outside the town hall, greeting by rice. She threw the bouquet and it landed on her mother-in laws'forehead, unexpected!


We all moved to a beautiful park having some cocktail, while the couple went for photo shooting.


By 1.30pm me and hubby went to the dining room beside a castle, to finish some decoration.


Around 3pm, the couple and their closed family members arrived and we (again) have some appetizers. These were so good! Pumpkin and foie gras mousse.


Since I was the witness we were seated in the main table. The grandmother sat beside me, good opportunity to have her introduce all the family in the room for me. Had this as the first course.


The main course is the goose, I didn't really like it, too chewy.


In between meal we had games for the couple. This time she had to touch many legs and determine which one belongs to her hubby. She managed to find out! Amazing! When it was the turn of the groom to guess, he touched several pairs of hands, and he found the one too! I don't know how they did it.


Salad with cheese


Most of the family members love musics. Have you seen French sing karaoke? Well here you go. The bride's parents from Bolivia also sang in Spanish.


Pouring the champagne. Hubby reminded me that those were real champagne, not like those we had in Malaysia. :-(


Dessert named piece monté (climbing piece)


The lunch ran from 3pm to 7.30pm, by the time some of the guests already arrived for the evening buffet event. The family prepared a short film with the parents participating in the script and songs, it was very well done.

Around 9.30pm the couple led the first dance.


People were crazy dancing. They danced whole night non stop, amazing! I was off at 11pm, too tired to even think. It's too tiresome to have a wedding from morning to night and still not ending.


Again the family prepared this for the couple, they were dancing (a song created by the groom, sent it to the bride who was then in Bolivia). Isn't romantic?


I left at 3:10am damn tired. Hubby wanted to stay so I decided to drive home with a friend. We got lost as predicted but I managed to find the way home. When I go to bed it was passed 4am. The second morning I was not feeling well the whole day. Well, if this was hung over, I wish I had never drunk. (I took at least 2 glasses of red wine, 1 glass of white wine plus champagne for lunch, but didn't drink the whole night.)

I don't know how I'm going to hold up for my own wedding.

Wedding again

It's a wedding season so we have another wedding to attend tomorrow. This time I'm the witness, so a bit stress. We spent the whole afternoon decorating the dining room, and we are still not done.
I asked the French about the vows, the toast like in the American movies, but they don't do the same here. So lucky me, don't have to prepare a speech!

The groom and his friends have set up the karaoke set, so there should be a lot of singing, plus drinking.

The wedding is going to be in the morning, then cocktail party, then we are invited to the lunch with the close family (since I'm the witness I'm invited), and buffet dinner during the night. I'm sure we won't be home until the second morning, it's a 27km driving so I might be the driver again.

The languages joke

colourmecrazy gave me an inspiration about the languages joke between the inter-racial couples.

As for me, hubby speaks better English, and of course French is his mother tongue, so most of the time is him who laugh at my accent and mistakes.

Here's one occasion. In France, there are many drinking songs, people sing while drinking:

XXX (name of the person)
tu nous délaisses (you are not paying attention to us)
ça fait longtemps qu'on les a pas vu (it has been a long time we didn't see them)
allez XXX montre nous tes fesses (let show us your buttocks)
allez XXX montre nous ton cul (let show us your butt)

At this point the person they sing to will have to show them his butt!

Hubby and his friends were singing this song in Malaysia, and accidentally my mother saw the scene: a guy was dropping his pants!!! My mother came to me and say:"Your friend is mabuk (drunk in Malay), he is dropping his pants!!"

As for me, I always couldn't pronounce the "cul" (butt) correctly, so once I said:"montre nous tes couilles" (show us your balls), so embarrassing!!

I locked myself in the garbage room!

Cirnelle's blog was talking about locking herself in her apartment, and so coincidently I got myself locked in the garbage room today!

Well, I seldom go to the garbage room bcos the apartment has a hole for us to throw stuff, directly linking to the rubbish bin in the garbage room. I went today to do some recycling. The room is located in the ground floor and one needs to have a key to enter.

So, I went in finished the recycling thing, by the time I want to go out, the room was locked! I tried like 15 minutes to open it, but to no success. I had no choice but to bang on the door for like 10 minutes. Only then a guy came out and open it for me. And he showed me the way to open the door. I swear, I did it like how he showed but couldn't open it. He must think that I'm stupid.

I always find the lock system in France different from what I know, they can turn in different directions and before you take the key out it has to turn back to a direction.

I will bring my cellphone with me next time in case I couldn't open it again.

Stress!

I'm so stressed planning this trip for my family. Yesterday I received their wire transfer and the rate is RM5.06 for 1 euro!!! Man those banks are just sucking money machine. Now that I have bought the air tickets, I have to check out each city, where to book hotel, where to visit, how to feed 10 mouths for each meal...basically how to make sure everyone is happy.

At this point my sentiment is: If I were rich, all these stresses would not occurred. I can then:

1. Hire a trip planner to organize everything
2. Pay the whole trip for my family so they don't have to worry about over spending
3. Staying in 5 star hotels every way so everyone can do whatever they want and be happy
4. Eating in the finest restaurants for every meal

But on the other hand, I won't get to know
1. That I could be a travel agent.
2. I'm sure by the end of this trip I would be an expert in organizing trips for big groups
3. Get known better about the European continents
4. Discovered potential areas to visit just me and hubby in the future

I'm so excited that my family is coming in one month but stress up as the time approaching. To cool myself down, I give me some minutes enjoying the surrounding areas of our apartment.

From our bedroom: Each day we are waken up by the singing birds. During the night is the sound of frogs.


From the computer room: a giant tree with the leaves keep waving at us

Fight back!

We were in a car park searching for a place when this happened.

We saw a cute guy walking over so we thought we can take his spot.

He bypassed us, just a little bit further, so my friend can still reverse her car to park. So she put her blinker on.

While the guy was getting out of the spot, a car came from the other side and took the spot!! Innocently made us invisible!

My friend, unlike me, is a very assertive person. She immediately went to the car and told the driver nicely that she was there waiting for the spot for 5 minutes already. The driver, an old man with his wife, ignored her completely. My friend was angry so she raised her voice. The old man finally responded but he refused to leave the spot, saying that we should have waited before the spot, not after the spot. At this point, I have to salute my friend, not only she didn't back up, she yelled at the old man with all kinds of words, in English!!

For me, it was funny to see the old man walking away, completely ignored us, and his wife, was already far away, didn't bother to talk to us.

I told my friend, that French people can be nice and polite to their friends, but be nasty to stranger. The notion of "gentleman" might not apply here. Anyway, she is leaving soon to USA so she doesn't have to deal with the French for too long.

Am I crazy?

I don't know whether I'm crazy but this is what I have planned for my family when they come in August. As some of you know, coming to Europe is very expensive from Malaysia, so I want them to get as much out as possible. Right now 1€ = RM4.75, and that really hurt!!!

Day 1: Arrive late in Paris
Day 2-4: Paris
Day 5-9: Brittany (my in laws' place)
Day 10-11: Loire Atlantic (our place)
Day 12: Lyon, France (flight)
Day 13-15: Rome, Italy (flight)
Day 15- 17: Milan, Italy (flight)
Day 17 - 19: Geneva, Switzerland (Train)
Day 19-20: Bordeaux, France (flight)
Day 21: Back to Nantes (flight to our place)
Day 22: Preparation for the wedding (in laws)
Day 23 - 24: Wedding
Day 25: Back to Malaysia during the night

We are traveling as a group of 10. Age range:

Senior (55-67): 3
Adult (27-40): 4
Children (8-11): 3

So do you think I'm crazy? Any traveling tips or advises for a group of people that are so spread in age?

Bad customer services in SNCF (train station)

So far I haven't been experienced very bad customer services in France despite everyone telling me that they just don't exist.

Yesterday I met a very bad sales representative in the train station. I almost cried and was so upset for the whole journey home. It has been a long time I had not been so emotional.

So, I needed to go to the train station as they don't sell train ticket involving international destinations online. I was directed to this guy, who handles all international transactions. There are a lot of places we want to go so he had to check out the time table, the prices and the best deals for me. It was very good of him. Ended up I didn't buy any bcos the quotation was closed to 3k euros (yes, 10 of us are traveling). I needed to take time to think about it.

After one day of discussion with my family, I decided to take some of his deals. I went to see him again, but this time the prices increased. Since it involves 10 people, I couldn't decide on the spot. And his reactions:

Him: "You know, my boss is not going to be happy, you came in yesterday and today blocking my time and buy nothing."

(The fact was nobody was waiting behind me)

Him telling his colleague in front of me: "This woman is just wasting my time. Yesterday for one hour and today again. "

(I don't think we spent 1 hour on the first day and it was only 15 minutes on the second day. Plus, it was his system who slowed him down as he has to redo the checking sometimes due to system failure.)

Him:"You know you can't do this. You don't come in asking and asking and buy nothing. We are not a travel agent." (I don't remember what exactly he said but he literally meant that if I ever came in the third day, I should buy something else he won't entertain me).

I don't know why but the fact that he was speaking in French make it 10 times worst and upset me even more. I kept saying I'm sorry and just left while still hearing his complaints to everyone.

But, I want to thank him today. Because of his bad attitude, I gave up traveling by train. Instead, I found good deals with the budget airlines, saved lots of time and money. Since I'm living in France and the budget airlines is limited to very few destinations, I didn't know that one can travel so cheaply in Europe. For example, From Rome to Milan only cost 35 euros and traveling time is 90 minutes.

However, I couldn't find any budget airlines linking Milan with Geneva. So I might need to go to see him again. Anyone knows of any other way to travel from Milan to Geneva?

Married name maiden name

I'm in the mist of arranging trips for my family and I really don't need this bad news now.

The travel agent in Malaysia miss spell my mother's name, so her reservation is now Tee (her married name instead of Lee (her maiden name). There is no way to change it so we have to rebook her a ticket. And the price difference is RM950 (around 200 euros).

I called the airlines in Paris and the reservation department said there should be no problem as there is only one letter difference. She said she has put a remark on the reservation.

But my travel agent in KL called the same airlines in KL, and they said they need my mother to sign a letter stating that if anything happens, like she couldn't check in, the airlines bear no responsibility. Appearantly this has happened before that someone with one letter mistake couldn't check in to his/her flight.

So who is going to pay this RM950? I don't think it's fare for my mother to pay for it? I almost tempted to do nothing as the woman I talked to sound very confident that this is just a small mistake. But I certainly don't want my mother to stuck in the airport missing her daughter's wedding! Anyone has experience to share?

Long life French!

I was in the waiting room for my doctor appointment and I discovered a funny fact in the obituary page.

Out of 29 announcements on 9 July 2007:

1 was dead at 105
5 were dead at more than 90
16 were dead at more than 80
2 were dead at more than 70
2 were dead at more than 60
1 was dead at 34 due to a cancer
2 didn't state the age

So, 22 out of 27 were dead at over 80 years old, that means 81% of the French die after 80 years old? Or just happen that on 9 July more old people dead?

5 things tag from Cirnelle

Since my internet is up at home (with still some technical issues to solve), I would like to do the tag I got from cirnelle in her Storm in a teacup on Jun 28.

5 things found in your bag

• keys
• wallet
• cellphone
• receipts
• junk foods

5 favourite things in your room

• My bed
• books
• closet
• laptop
• my red pig saving box

5 things you've always wanted to do

• Go to travel with good friends
• eat in nicest restaurant in the world
• buy a house for my parents
• go to see cherry blossom in Japan
• back to the childhood

5 things you're currently into

• Have a clean and all renovation works done apartment
• Planning trips for my family in Europe
• Arranging the church wedding
• Browsing through my favorite blogs
  
• Get a baby

Again every is welcome to do this meme as you wish. You are tagged if you do this in your blog!

The face behind the blog

Jamy from Seay's Kopitiam tagged me on June 27 about my face behind the blog.

Well, I think you guys have seen my photos here and there, so I will skip that part.

Jamy, I put this photo up so you can see the recent me and Fabien. This is taken during the wedding last weekend.


I was born in Klang, Malaysia, went to school in my hometown then university in Kuala Lumpur. After having my BBA degree, I worked for around 6 months in Damansara, then took up an opportunity in Austin, Texas, USA. I worked for around 2 years, during the time I met my French husband. Because of him, I stayed on for my MBA degree for another 2 years after my work contract ended. In 2005 we decided to move to France. I took one year French classes in the local university, and free French classes here and there for another year. We got our civil wedding done in 2006, Malaysian Chinese wedding in Feb 2007 and will have the church wedding in this coming September. We just bought our first apartment and I will return to university right after the church wedding.

Sorry I don't like to tag people, but anyone is welcome to do it if it pleases you.

A French Wedding

07/07/07 was a popular date for wedding in France. We attended one and it was fun.

The wedding started at 3pm. The bride arrived with her father outside the Town Hall. (My MIL was very surprised that the Malaysian wedding start in the morning)


They had first their civil wedding inside the Town Hall, getting ready to sign the official marriage contract.


It followed by a church wedding. This was the part where the priest directed them to ask each other the big question. I felt weird that the couple actually have to say the full sentence (xxx, do you want to take me as your husband for the rest of your life?...) instead of the priest. It's like a dialogue in a movie and they are the actor and actress of the day.


They are finally husband and wife! Now start the photo session. They took photos with everybody and it took a long time to finish.


I really like this gown, white with red flowers, a good match.


After the photo session, they have the vin d'honneur, something like appetizer before the real wedding dinner. There were more downing patisseries


We finally got seated at around 7pm. The hall is decorated with the red and white hortensia, the term colour of the wedding. You can find hortensia in every corner of this region.


The feast started with my favorite foie gras, this one is really really good.


I ate quite some appetizer, so I was full at this point. The salmon was very good but I only managed to eat half.


In between meal, people sing. The first song was sang by the grandmother of the bride. When she finished, all the men in the hall went to kiss her. So every times a woman sing, the men in the room went to kiss her, and vice versa.


The second main course was steak and french fries. I only managed to eat some french fries. That's the problem with the French dinner, there is just too much food!!!


We had games during the meal, and this time each table has to follow the DJ of the night for a song with gesture.


The dessert. Those were real cakes, the French told me. Yes, not those fake one like during wedding in Malaysia. I was so embarrassed.


The cake was very good especially the raspberry sauce. I finished it all after making some space in my stomach.


At around 12.30am, we started dancing. As usual the couple led the first dance. I left soon after the dances as I was extremely tired at that point. The French wedding last too long time compared to the Malaysian one. My husband and her friends got back to hotel only at 6am in the morning.

When you get all these surprises...

We are in the in-laws place this weekend for a wedding. We just got an email from our internet provider that the line is up! I hope we will have no technical problem to get the connection this Sunday when we get home.

Anyway, after two years living in this romantic country, I still get surprises from time to time. Such as:

- Our landlord from the old apartment charged us 400++ euros because the charges from the apartment complex is more than what we paid to him. I was so angry when I heard this, as I didn't know that the charges we paid every month is only "an estimation" and we need to pay the differences at the end of the stay. I went to an association called ADIL who defends the right of tenants, and the woman told me that it's totally legal what the landlord did and "it is the way in France". Yes, people can rent an apartment over 5 years and at the end the landlord gives you a bomb to pay!!!

- I went to a library in town center at 2pm just to realize that they only open from 3pm to 7pm because it's SUMMER! The library only open 4 hours a day and it's closed on Sunday and Monday. So you thought everybody goes on vacation so no need to go to library. But at 3pm there were so many people in the library and they have only one person in charge of book check out... and when you need to return the book, you need to go during that 4 hours. I'm so spoil by the US system, renew online or just pass by the library at anytime to return books.

Luckily my in-laws place have lots of lovely flowers and fruits for me to pick that leads to a wonderful summer day. And I renewed my residence card without much problem. So I'm still alive after all these surprises.

Updates

Guys and girls,

Sorry there is still no internet at home. I can't post my photos here to let you see our apartment. Also I'm so eager to read your blogs!

There are still some renovation going on, hubby has been working on it everyday.

The photo you have seen in my previous is our apartment, but all those furnitures belong to the previous owners. We have made some changes but the wall papers will remain the same. I love red colour, for me it brings lot of good luck lah.

At the main times, I quickly finished all my French homeworks while unpacking stuffs. The unpacking process have been slow bcos I'm waiting for hubby to build some shelf for the computer rooms.

Oh, most importantly, I have been accepted to the University doing Master in Project Management for IT industry. I haven't gotten the acceptance letter yet, but the interviewer has informed me on the spot that he will send out the letter as soon as possible. So immediately after the wedding, I will go to school, again yes at this old age. :-]