Dashing end of 2010 - Hello 2011

The last four weeks have felt like one. I have no freaking idea where the time disappeared.

My holidays shortly as possible:

1). A traditional dinner in candle light with friends, turkey cooking, opening of gifts, Christmas movies (Holiday & Love Actually) and a decent amount of alcohol (Tattinger champagne, wine, Fisu..). Just a perfect way to start the holidays.

Christmas in Dijon

Meet Peggy

2). Finding new areas in Paris. I absolutely fell in love with Latin Quarter. And Champs-Elysées: there are no words to describe that gorgeous Christmas market and all those thousands of lights. Just couple days before Christmas, the city was sparkling.

Panthéon

Champs-Elysées Christmas market

Btw. Those waffles are awesome.

3). Last minute working. Why do anything in advance? Although, I'd rather not spend hours in Quick of Champs-Elysées writing when I could see the beautiful city. And the floor of Charles de Gaulle isn't one of the most comfortable places to work. Yes, I don't miss those painful hours from 23-06 with an expensive internet and a research project. I could consider starting things sometimes a bit earlier..

4). Excitement whether I will actually make it to Morocco. Snow really confuses things around here. I got lucky and arrived to Morocco via Madrid on time. The family at whose place I was supposed to stay wasn't that lucky, got stuck in Lyon and managed to get another flight two days later. I watched the Reader on my mac while waiting friend and his family to arrive couple hours later than me to Casablanca. I was tired and alone in Africa with a some random fake currency in my pocket. Finally I met my company and we continued together to Rabat.

5 quality hours at Madrid airport

5). Morocco. God I was tired. I slept so much during the time there. 10hs per night plus naps and still I was exhausted only after two hours of walking in town. But good times. Really good times. Just what a holiday is supposed to be. Proper and good food, some sightseeing, Christmas traditions, sleep and definitely not a single thought connected to work and school. A walk on a beach in sunset, mint tea with a nice view to the sea, the Sun, warmth, Moroccan markets, pastries and illegal movies, cheap taxis, palm trees (HUG!), episodes of Friends, movies, table football.. Countless small things.

Some champagne for Christmas maybe?

So good! Mint tea. <3

We visited an awesome hotel for drinks on Christmas eve. 

Entrance to the house of the apartment

We found a piece of Dijon in Casablanca.

6). This needs to be a separate point: Way too much Monopoly.

7). 14hs of traveling alone on my birthday. Oh god I was happy to wave my EU passport in Madrid and I almost cried tears of joy when I saw the lights of Charles De Gaulle.

8). Meeri & Paris. Rye bread, rye porridge and Fazer chocolate. Absolutely saved my birthday!

9). Good food, excellent company and touring around Paris. Some things never change. Like we'd never been apart.

10). Sweet home Dijon. I noticed that I really feel like home in Dijon. I felt so happy to be back at home. Peace of mind.

11). And my two worlds met. I introduced my hoods to Meeri.

12). New Year in Paris. Montmartre, a dinner, some sightseeing and champagne in front of the Eiffel tower when the 2011 arrived. Only one thing: No goddam fireworks! I'm bitter.

13). Return to daily life. Of course first we needed to wait for the train at Gare de Lyon at least for two hours. You know, part of the traveling traditions. Thank you SNCF.

14). Speaking of which: many many hours on trains.

I felt peace and happiness when I was back in Dijon and friends arrived back as well. I like my life here. I really do. Something I've realized here is, that I'm truly happy. I enjoy life and small things. This is a good way to start a new year, 2011.

A Finnish friend visited me for a day and we had a lovely dinner with Mikael in Dijon. The two exam weeks have started and after that it is Dublin times. A week in Dublin with friends. Complete vacation between semesters. Now it's the last push and the big French exams are next week. Fingers crossed for everything.

Happy new year everyone! Hugs from rainy Dijon. 

I miss you my ladies!