Recommended trip/book for a dampen soul
Dec 22nd, 2016, 12:32 AM
#21
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OMG, FuryFluffy -- you got Wo to stop long enough to be seriously serious! I can't imagine anything that would provide clearer evidence of the support you are receiving from your fellow Fodorites. 
Dec 22nd, 2016, 12:39 AM
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you, everybody, for your kind suggestions. Your kindness, more than anything, has cheered me up.
The reason I consult you guys and not a doctor because a doctor would be no help for me. I need some loving words, even if from internet^^ I'm half a psycho doctor myself, having many friends consulting me for their personal problems, and having read several psychology theories. Kinda like a sad comedian who would not laugh upon other comedies at the moment. Normally I'd have had many guilty pleasures to sort me out, but this time specifically I'm under several constraints, both administratively and financially, that's what bound my hands. A trip is indeed the best solution, but I have visited almost every destinations suggested here.
WoinParis: those books sound great to me. You have no idea, books that are dark, violent, politically incorrect, with a very weird sense of self deprecation and bleak humour, is exactly what I like to read now.
indyhiker: Thank you, Cat Cafe is what I was looking for!
jamikins & marvelousmouse: thanks a lot for the book suggestion.
Christina: thank you for the suggestions. Sure, I know and appreciate the advantages of living in Paris, but if you live there sans famille, sans ami (mes amis sont tous retournés chez eux pour le Noel), sans papiers (pas ma faute, ma sous-préfecture vient d'être brulée et fait un bazar partout), with a hot assignment coming up so I'll have to work during Christmas, la vie n'est pas en rose. As for volunteer jobs, I have been spending a part of my time for them already. They give you joys and headaches, as every other things.
Sassafrass and kja: thank you for the amusement, even if I have no interest
(i.e. I have an interest. Cooking is one of my favorite activity. Too bad I can't throw away my duty and spend whole days in cooking.)
The reason I consult you guys and not a doctor because a doctor would be no help for me. I need some loving words, even if from internet^^ I'm half a psycho doctor myself, having many friends consulting me for their personal problems, and having read several psychology theories. Kinda like a sad comedian who would not laugh upon other comedies at the moment. Normally I'd have had many guilty pleasures to sort me out, but this time specifically I'm under several constraints, both administratively and financially, that's what bound my hands. A trip is indeed the best solution, but I have visited almost every destinations suggested here.
WoinParis: those books sound great to me. You have no idea, books that are dark, violent, politically incorrect, with a very weird sense of self deprecation and bleak humour, is exactly what I like to read now.
indyhiker: Thank you, Cat Cafe is what I was looking for!
jamikins & marvelousmouse: thanks a lot for the book suggestion.
Christina: thank you for the suggestions. Sure, I know and appreciate the advantages of living in Paris, but if you live there sans famille, sans ami (mes amis sont tous retournés chez eux pour le Noel), sans papiers (pas ma faute, ma sous-préfecture vient d'être brulée et fait un bazar partout), with a hot assignment coming up so I'll have to work during Christmas, la vie n'est pas en rose. As for volunteer jobs, I have been spending a part of my time for them already. They give you joys and headaches, as every other things.
Sassafrass and kja: thank you for the amusement, even if I have no interest
(i.e. I have an interest. Cooking is one of my favorite activity. Too bad I can't throw away my duty and spend whole days in cooking.)
Dec 22nd, 2016, 01:07 AM
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
StCirq: Thank you, sounds like you had great trips there
PalenQ: I hope the best with you broken foot too!
Gwendolynn: agree, Pride and Prejudice was a good read for me. I have watched all existent screen versions of that book, I think.
tuscanlifeedit: I'll check that book out, and its movie version too.
kja: magic and science fiction books will do well for me, I'm a fan of The Lord of the Rings and such. And thank you for the observation about me
Sassafrass: all suggestions from you are interesting, je vous remercie. I did consider a painting group at some moment.
historytraveler and swandav2000: thank you ^_^ I have faith in fodorite's reading taste, that's why I asked. I was in Montreux last year and it is a special place, not only peaceful but very spiritual (at least for me). I haven't gone up the small mountains that ring the lake, maybe that'll be an excuse to visit Montreux back.
PalenQ: I hope the best with you broken foot too!
Gwendolynn: agree, Pride and Prejudice was a good read for me. I have watched all existent screen versions of that book, I think.
tuscanlifeedit: I'll check that book out, and its movie version too.
kja: magic and science fiction books will do well for me, I'm a fan of The Lord of the Rings and such. And thank you for the observation about me
Sassafrass: all suggestions from you are interesting, je vous remercie. I did consider a painting group at some moment.
historytraveler and swandav2000: thank you ^_^ I have faith in fodorite's reading taste, that's why I asked. I was in Montreux last year and it is a special place, not only peaceful but very spiritual (at least for me). I haven't gone up the small mountains that ring the lake, maybe that'll be an excuse to visit Montreux back.
Dec 22nd, 2016, 02:24 AM
#24
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,302
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
http://www.philipkerr.org/
I'm reading the other side of silence right now.
If you want to contact me :
groumfbof at gmail.com
This is a semi-dead address, I'll answer with my real one...
(proposal valid for anybody actrually).
I'm in Paris every week, so if you can endure looking at pics of my children and wife (maybe cats if you like them) we can spend a dinner in 2017 ?
I see you can speak french quite well, so you can use me as a private teacher if you like ;-)
I'm reading the other side of silence right now.
If you want to contact me :
groumfbof at gmail.com
This is a semi-dead address, I'll answer with my real one...
(proposal valid for anybody actrually).
I'm in Paris every week, so if you can endure looking at pics of my children and wife (maybe cats if you like them) we can spend a dinner in 2017 ?
I see you can speak french quite well, so you can use me as a private teacher if you like ;-)
Dec 22nd, 2016, 04:42 AM
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you Woin, that's very generous of you! I'm seriously moved. A dinner in 2017 is something for me to look forwards to. Philipp Kerr should be a fine choice, I'm in WW2 mood this month.
I speak French not as well as I write, and I write with a dictionary next to me^^
But I manage.
Again, I'm grateful for the excellent posts of everybody.
I speak French not as well as I write, and I write with a dictionary next to me^^
But I manage.
Again, I'm grateful for the excellent posts of everybody.
Dec 24th, 2016, 01:39 AM
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you kja, that means a lot to me.
I'm planning a short visit to Bayonne and San Sebastien. It'll sure be a crazy trip with half of the total time in transportation, the kind of holiday that I would have recommended fodors newbies not to do. (StCirq, I read your thread of Reality Check, and I wholeheartly agree with it). But at the moment, running around is good for me. The idea of a chocolate workshop tour, a ham workshop tour and endless food delicacy over there excites me. My personal problem would not go away soon, but hella it will not hinder me from enjoying my trip.
Merry Christmas to everybody ^_^
I'm planning a short visit to Bayonne and San Sebastien. It'll sure be a crazy trip with half of the total time in transportation, the kind of holiday that I would have recommended fodors newbies not to do. (StCirq, I read your thread of Reality Check, and I wholeheartly agree with it). But at the moment, running around is good for me. The idea of a chocolate workshop tour, a ham workshop tour and endless food delicacy over there excites me. My personal problem would not go away soon, but hella it will not hinder me from enjoying my trip.
Merry Christmas to everybody ^_^
Dec 24th, 2016, 01:46 AM
#28
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I haven't been to Bayonne yet, but I visited San Sebastian in 2015 -- check on my trip report for more info, if you want. While there I splurged on a group pintxos tour, which I enjoyed (and which I, as a solo female, preferred to a self-directed one). Let me know if you want the details!
Happy Holidays to you, too!
Happy Holidays to you, too!
Dec 24th, 2016, 04:39 AM
#29
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 2,302
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bayonne is where the 'Baionnette' was inveted, (transalates into bayonet)
FF, if the idea of a dinner is still something you look forward to I am in Paris on 10,11 16 or 23 january.
Send me a mail if interested, and specify which arrondissement would suit you best !
Have a nice trip.
FF, if the idea of a dinner is still something you look forward to I am in Paris on 10,11 16 or 23 january.
Send me a mail if interested, and specify which arrondissement would suit you best !
Have a nice trip.
Dec 24th, 2016, 05:51 AM
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Baionnette, ah now I know why the town name Bayonne rang to me.
Woin: that's very kind of you. I wrote you an email yesterday, from my yahoo mail, but I know that it often landed in Spam section. I will write you again when I'm sure about the arrondissement and date, thank you.
kja: I found your TR of San Sebastien (and many other trips, gosh you've been to South Korea and China, that's great). At the moment I have something coming up that can hinder me from the pintxos, but if my plan fleshes out I will ask you about it
Woin: that's very kind of you. I wrote you an email yesterday, from my yahoo mail, but I know that it often landed in Spam section. I will write you again when I'm sure about the arrondissement and date, thank you.
kja: I found your TR of San Sebastien (and many other trips, gosh you've been to South Korea and China, that's great). At the moment I have something coming up that can hinder me from the pintxos, but if my plan fleshes out I will ask you about it
Dec 24th, 2016, 01:45 PM
#31
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi kja,
I will go to Bayonne tomorrow, and San Sebastian sometimes like Dec 27,
may I know the name of your pintxos tour please? I'll try to book it if possible. Thank you ^^
I'll depart with my camera fully charged, a newly bought book in my Kindle, and an empty stomach ready to be filled!
I will go to Bayonne tomorrow, and San Sebastian sometimes like Dec 27,
may I know the name of your pintxos tour please? I'll try to book it if possible. Thank you ^^
I'll depart with my camera fully charged, a newly bought book in my Kindle, and an empty stomach ready to be filled!
Dec 24th, 2016, 02:19 PM
#32
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My pintxos tour was with San Sebastian Food. I arranged it in advance through their web-site; you may also be able to make arrangements through a shop it has at the Hotel Maria Cristin (which is where my group met).
http://sansebastian.mimofood.com/en/...g-tour-dinner/
It was a splurge for me, but the tour took several hours, covered quite a few different pintxos bars, and I thought the guide put it together very nicely. I enjoyed the wine parings, but of course, one can enjoy pintxos without imbibing. Here's part of my TA review:
"We tasted a wide array of pintxos, from simple to complex and traditional to gastronomic and with appropriate transitions from appetizer-like through main-course-like to cheese and dessert options. The wine pairings were well considered and also allowed a wide sampling, from txakoli through various white and red Spanish wines to sherry. Our guide ... provided information about the foods and wines we tasted and the pintxos bars we visited, as well as the general traditions behind this cuisine, and she also gave us an introduction to San Sebastian / Donostia’s private gastronomic club traditions."
Enjoy your trip, FuryFluffy, and think of me when you bite into your first pintxo! (or if you forget, maybe the 2nd, or 3rd, ...)
http://sansebastian.mimofood.com/en/...g-tour-dinner/
It was a splurge for me, but the tour took several hours, covered quite a few different pintxos bars, and I thought the guide put it together very nicely. I enjoyed the wine parings, but of course, one can enjoy pintxos without imbibing. Here's part of my TA review:
"We tasted a wide array of pintxos, from simple to complex and traditional to gastronomic and with appropriate transitions from appetizer-like through main-course-like to cheese and dessert options. The wine pairings were well considered and also allowed a wide sampling, from txakoli through various white and red Spanish wines to sherry. Our guide ... provided information about the foods and wines we tasted and the pintxos bars we visited, as well as the general traditions behind this cuisine, and she also gave us an introduction to San Sebastian / Donostia’s private gastronomic club traditions."
Enjoy your trip, FuryFluffy, and think of me when you bite into your first pintxo! (or if you forget, maybe the 2nd, or 3rd, ...)
Dec 25th, 2016, 08:24 AM
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 754
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you kja, especially for replying me during Christmas Eve (12am on Dec 25, no less). I have booked that tour this morning, right before I grabbed my backpack and ran for the train to Bayonne..
I'll think of you every time I say pintxos!
I'll think of you every time I say pintxos!
Dec 31st, 2016, 04:48 PM
#39
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,591
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, if you are still looking for books, the Cara Black books set in Paris are fun. I also loved All the Light We Cannot See. The Poisoner Mysteries books set in Rome by Sara Poole are also good reads.
Glad your trip went well and that the new year will be a positive one for you.
Glad your trip went well and that the new year will be a positive one for you.
