(Thanks to Dave for assisting me with some international FTP excitment on the photos linked below!)

Well, I spent the weekend dealing with some bad juju in Anjou.

My jetlag caught up with me Saturday afternoon, and, despite the fact that I could barely tell my head from my ass, T. bundled me up at three that afternoon and pointed me out the door into a bus, then a subway, then finally the TGV to Anjou. I slept on the train, but was disoriented, to say the least. I’d been in France barely more than 24 hours (12 of which had been spent sleeping) and already I was moving moving moving!

We arrived in Anjou and sat at a cafe and waited almost an hour for T.’s friend Sylvie, who I spent time with last year and who was running late to pick us up. Then it was bustling around Anjou before going to a bar where eventually a bunch of Frenchies T. knew joined us…including Martin, T’s exboyfriend and his new girlfriend. If that wasn’t weird enough, there was a lot of strangeness in the air because Martin’s brother was in the hospital after a car accident, so everyone was very understandably preoccupied, and not able to stumble along with me and my terrible French. I stayed quiet. (Sylvia and T. swear, by the way, that my French has improved from last year…that was good to hear, despite the fact that I was on the verge of tears after sitting — exhausted — at a bar with a bunch of people I didn’t know, unable to communicate or understand anything. There is no greater torture for a big mouth than being unable to express herself.)

Anyway, then it was off to dinner with Antone (not Antoine), the brother of Martin. Just in case you thought that might be a break from the weirdness of the day, it turns out that Antone’s boyfriend has recently dumped him, and he was so beside himself that he was unable to eat the meal he ordered, and spent half the meal outside the restaurant on the phone with his recent ex. Whee! I tried to comfort him — “Je comprende ta coeur est triste” – but what can a stupid American visitor say to someone who is heartbroken while trying to play host?

Then, despite the fact that Sylvie asked if I was tired and I said “Oui,” she took us to a houseparty where we stayed until almost 3am. Keep in mind that I had been up since 6am. At a certain point I just fell asleep sitting upright in a chair, observing the first cardinal rule of happy (or at least sane) travelling: you must be able to sleep anywhere, under any condition. In my case, it was sitting in a wire chair in a room full of Frenchies dancing to Green Day. Ooh. La. La.

Finally it was back to Antone’s amazing ancient house, where we were to stay. We arrive and it turns out that we’re sleeping in the same room as Martin and his new girlfriend…who are naked in bed. Oh and Sylvie, who is an infamously loud snorer, was also sleeping in that room.

Needless to say, I was up by 9am, unable to sleep despite my earplugs. T. and I had a nervous tea with Antone and Allan and Phillipe, an older gay couple who were also visiting him (this poor man: heartbroken and in a house FILLED with guests!), and then went for a walk. That was the best part of Anjou…T. and I walked through rolling wheat fields and then laid down in the sun for a chat. Hawks flirted thousands of feet above us, the wind blew through the fields, and crickets chirped. Big puffy clouds overhead. Very nice.

Then it was back to the house for what was going to be a quick trip to another friend of T.’s, before catching a ride to the train station with Allan and Phillipe. Naturally, we were so late getting back to Antone’s house that we almost made the previously very friendly (but then quite anxious) Allan and Phillipe miss their train. Many inconsiderate and awful feelings. Luckily the train was 20 minutes late, but still.

I’m sure things will be better tomorrow: T. and I are planning to rent bikes and cruise through Paris. Wheeze. Must see the sites though! In the next three days, it’s Eiffel Tower, Monet’s garden, and Versaille. Then it’s off to Marseille Thursday. I’m going to need a vacation after this vacation to recover from the pace.

More photos (and a better attitude) coming soon!