Where's Waldo? And Who The Hell Is Charlie?

There are lots of funny translated titles in French bookstores: Dr. House, Les Frères Scott ("The Scott Brothers" = One Tree Hill), but this one takes the cake (and eats it too). "Où est Charlie?" (pronounced Ooo eh Sharley) - Really? That doesn't even rhyme! If Waldo's name must be changed I would prefer "Où est Jorge?"!

That said, I did enjoy seeing Charlie in the bookstore.

I still haven't quite figured out how to eat on the go in France. There just isn't as much fast food, so when outside the big city centers you're on your own. My attempted "cheap lunch on the go" last Friday in Varades consisted of:

• 3 slices of uncooked-looking ham bought from the butcher
• 1 small bottle of warm milk bought at a corner store
• 1 apple washed in bottled water
  

This meal cost about 4 euro - pretty good. For another euro, I could have bought a baguette and made a sandwich, but I was feeling adventurous and back-to-my-animal-roots by eating the ham all by itself.

Only one McDonald's exists in Ancenis, and yesterday I found it:


There's McDonalds, looming on the horizon, ostracized to the giant commercial center just outside the small town's boundaries. This commercial center has apparently sprung up in the past 10 years or so like a cancerous growth.

But returning to "McDo" (as they call it) - I knew that I should perhaps not go to France and visit the McDonald's. But it called to me. I was hungry and the damn restaurants were too expensive. And as for the taste, and the smell - how could this be wrong when it felt so right?


I decided to get a Big Mac in honor of Matt in Cincinnati. Maybe fast food really is an addiction, because that greasy Big Mac brought with it a wave of satisfaction unmatched by all the finest wines of France.

There was no dollar (or euro) menu, unfortunately, and a small cup of "iced tea" with no ice (they consider it A-OK to call it iced tea and include no ice) costs something around 2 euros. That sucks! I really don't find it all that great that they sell beer, either, since I really wouldn't feel like paying for beer with my Royale.

Oh, and besides McDonald's, I also saw a beautiful 600 year-old castle and a quaint little house.



Wow! That's one leafy house.

Speaking of houses, tomorrow I move from the 3rd floor of an English teacher's house into a dormitory 0f Ancenis. I'm very excited! The reason being, of course, that even though I make plenty of coffee and even worked at Starbucks, I've actually never bought or owned a coffeemaker. This is my first priority upon moving into my new home. I'll also be buying plenty of rice, couscous, pasta, an iron, and a radio. Stay tuned! (groan).