Trip Home

So I'll start this by saying I made it home safe and with all my stuff intact. It was not the best/easiest trip and I had a few moments when I didn't think I'd make it but the moral of this story is if in any doubt ask someone. I woke up at 8am (my flight wasn't till 12:25), it's recommended that you arrive 3 hours early for international flights. I still needed to go to the store and pick up a bottle of wine (you can't go to France and not bring back wine). Unfortunately even the grocery store doesn't open till 8:30 so I was just going to have to wait and catch a train after 8:30. I got the wine and got it packed securely in my checked bag and headed off to the metro station by no later then 9. I started by having to carry my gigantic suitcase down the super narrow staircase in the apartment next I have to carry it down the winding steps to the door (thank god I was on the first floor). I reach the entrance down to the metro and there is yet another set of stairs to drag my bag down. So let me tell you my big suitcase is huge and unwieldy and weights like 25kilos (55lb) which is a lot but was easy enough to carry on my way too Paris but I couldn't even lift it for more then a minute at a time on the way back.This made me rather pitiful and I got help from some nice french people as I carted my bags up and down no less then 10 sets of stairs on my way to the airport. I still made it to the the airport by 10ish and got off the train terminal 3 (the only terminal with a train stop). From here you make the choice whether to go one direction to terminal 1 or the total opposite direction for terminal 2. I wasn't sure which terminal my flight would be out of so I ended up going to the wrong one and turning around. I was still arriving 2 and half hours early and felt good on time. I had looked at my flight right before leaving the apartment and knew it was a Lufthansa flight so I headed for the Lufthansa section and I find these self checkouts and waste 10-20mins finding out that I can't use them (probably because I had a bag that needed checking). So I look around and find the Lufthansa counters and see this huge line that wraps around the back of the counter. It takes me an hour and a half to get threw this line and I get to the counter only to find out that Lufthansa is a Germany only airline (I'm kinda of freaking out now) I know that my first flight was with Lufthansa and the second leg was United...turns out it was Lufthansa flight threw United (or something else equally confusing) but I need to go to the United counter so it's now 11:40 and I'm literally running to find the United counter which is fortunately completely empty. I get up to the counter and am told that check in for that flight has ended (complete panic mode) I explained my situation having waited in the wrong line and they were sympathetic and did everything they could to find a solution for me. I was going to be allowed on the flight and got a fast pass to get through security and what not. As I'm getting my tickets an alarm goes off and messages are plays in French. I was told there was a total lock down going into place over an unattended bag and no one was going to be let through until the police had swept the area and destroyed the bag. My flight is scheduled to leave in half and hour. I was completely panicking especially when it got to 12:25 and we were still in lock down. Fortunately for me all flights were being held for this same lock down and I made it to my flight though we didn't take off till 1ish. We made up the time during the almost 8hour flight where I watched 4 full length movies (Frozen, The Lego Movie, Great Gatsby, and Wolf on Wall Street all very good). They fed us twice with ok airline food (not great but very edible) and had 4 beverage services, probably because it was a day time flight vs. an overnight flight. We landed in Washington DC at around 3pm and my next flight wasn't till 5:15. So let me tell you if you are a US citizen coming into the US 2 hours is the minimum you'll want to have before your next flight and if you're a non US citizen coming into the country leave yourself like 6hours, seriously. When I got off my flight we were all being herded towards border control to have our passports stamped and the US line was very long but moved really quickly and the 'everyone else' line was pretty long and moving ridiculously slowly. Then we were herded over to pick up our checked bags and walk them down a hallway and put them on another conveyor belt (I'm sure there was a purpose for this but I can't figure it out). Then we were herded into another line for going back through security and have everything scanned and go through the metal detectors and what not. This whole process took around an hour and a half and I made it to my gate about 5mins before boarding (the plane was late and I ended up waiting for like 20mins but it was still cutting it a little close for my comfort). I got on the next flight where you had to pay for movies and there was only two drink services and no food (I think I've been spoiled by international flights). The rest of the trip went rather smoothly and I was picked up at the airport by my family by 8pm. I had fun and now I'm really glad to be back home.

Disney Paris

For my last day in France I decided to go Disneyland Paris with a couple of the girls from the shop. We all met up at the park right when it opened at 10am. It was about an hours train ride to get there but it drops you right by the front entrance and was super convenient.

So I learned after I had already arrived that unlike in the US parks they allow outside food and drink into the park in Paris so next time I'll probably bring a lunch and save myself 25euro in their overpriced food.

The first ride we went on was the 'Peter Pan's Flight' followed by the 'Pirated of the Caribbean' ride. So I would come to learn that most of the rides at Disney Paris are the slow kind that drag you threw a "story" using animatronics, sets, and lighting effects. There are no real roller coasters and only about 3 thrill rides which would be about like children's roller coasters with no big drops and only one loop the loop in the whole bunch. I had never ridden the animatronics rides very much but since it was really the only things to do and that's what everyone else was going to I would, of course, go with them. I don't know whether it was because it was a Monday or because it was cloudy and rainy but the lines were very short and we didn't wait more then 20-30mins except for one exception (Big Thunder Mountain).

We ended up riding the 'Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast' ride twice, once before lunch and once after lunch and both times I got the best score out of the group.

We did 'It's a Small World' and the song was stuck in my head for hours afterwards.

Then there were a couple of rides that would take you past all these little miniature set ups of the different Disney stories. One was a slow boat ride (Le Pays des Contes de Fees) and the other was a slightly faster train ride (Casey Fr. le Petit Train du Cirque) both would have been much improved by it not raining halfway through the ride.

Then we stopped to see the parade and this is much more what I think of when you say parade then the one on Bastille Day. There were floats and music and people on skates and singing. It was great.

It ended with Tinkerbell sitting at the back. After that our friend who was the only one among us from France wanted to go over the the other park. When we had decided to get tickets we had said we'd only do one park so Rosa and I only had one park tickets but she had gotten a two park ticket which was 10euros more apparently. Well we went up to find out if we could get a second park ticket but it would have cost 33euro and I said it was too rich for me and Rosa wanted all of us or none of us so she didn't get one either. Elisa really wanted to go over and ride the new Ratatouille ride so she decided to go over and then come back...we never saw her again. She was supposed to text us when she got back to our park and meet up with us but she never did and I'm fairly certain she decided to spend the rest of her day over there but it would have been nice to get at least a text telling us that. So Rosa and I finished out the day on our own riding a few more rides and then being kicked out of the park at 9 but she wanted to stay to see the fireworks (that wouldn't start till 11) so we did the only thing there was to do...shop (I actually didn't buy a single thing but Rosa spent at least 50euro just on keychains).

After dark they lit up the castle (which is actually Aurora's castle instead of Cinderella's castle here).

Then the fireworks show started. I tried to get a few pictures but they were all blurry and dark so I gave up and just enjoyed the show. It was more then just fireworks and would use the castle and the smoke to project pictures on and played a medley of Disney tunes to accompany the show. If we had been at the front it would have been really neat but we would have been trapped by masses of people for hours and would never have gotten home. As it was we caught a train where there was actually room to sit and road all the way back where I ended up catching the very last train headed to my stop and got home around 1:15am. It was a good/fun day.

I'm Sorry. This is a Rant

Everything I WONT miss about Paris:
I've come to accept the fact that most everything is closed on Sunday, it's a cultural thing, whatever. I've also accepted that most of the places that are open on Sundays are closed on Mondays, everyone deserves a day off some times. My work has let me out by 3pm each day which is fortunate since everything closes down by 7pm except restaurants and bars which will stay open till midnight, some bars even stay open till 6 or 7am, more surprising is that there are actually people in the bar at that hour. So when do the shops open? Some, like the grocery store or boulangeries, open at 7am but most places don't open till 10am and lunch places don't open till noon. This is very unfortunate for those of us who wake up at 6am and would like to eat at 10 or 11 because we're out of luck unless we want a croissant, but the French don't give lunch breaks till 12 or later regardless of how early you start. So lets get down to why I'm ranting, there is a wine store that was recommended to me called Nicolas and they apparently (not that I would know) have a knowledgeable staff that can help you find a good bottle of wine for any budget. I went there on Monday but they don't open till 3:30pm on Mondays. I went back to my apartment and looked up what hours they were open. It's fairly common for French shops to close in the middle of the day and Nicolas is closed between 1pm and 3:30pm every day. I came back after work on Wednesday, I went to the store first so I wouldn't be too early, I arrived at 3:45 and the shop was still closed. I came back at 3:35 on Friday and the door was locked and the place was closed. I have Sunday (today) off and thought I could go by in the morning but they are closed on Sundays, I found one near the Gare de Nord station that is open from 10 till 1pm on Sundays, it was noon so I rushed up there and then spent 20mins looking for the place. I arrived at 12:45 but the door was locked and the windows shuttered. If you can't be bothered to be open when your sign says you're open, when you're website says you're open you don't get my business. I know I'm just one American tourist but I'm pissed. I have now gone well out of my way in order to go to one of these stores so I can get knowledgeable advice on wine when I could have walked into literally any grocery store a bought a bottle of French wine.
Other things I wont miss about France...
It was rather a culture shock for me in my first weeks in France when I saw people on the streets handing out cards or papers. In the states people who hand out things on the street are very in your face shoving paper at you and not taking no for an answer. Here the people just quietly stand there (kind of in your way) with their arm out stretched with the card but don't take it from them because as soon as you do they light up and bring out a book or clipboard for you to sign your name and where you're from ect. then there's a column for money. Yes, they want money from you that's what they're standing there for. There's a similar scam, mostly around tourist attractions, where someone will come up to you asking "do you speak English?" you answer yes thinking they want to ask a question but they have this clipboard they want you to sign "for the children" (or in Germany they point at their clipboard and pretend they're deaf) THIS IS A SCAM the money goes directly into their pockets and they stand there boldly telling you there's a 10euro minimum, for giving them money, what bullshit. Or the scam where someone returns 'your ring' to you (which you've never seen before and it certainly doesn't fit you) then they ask for money and insist that 5euro isn't enough for them to get lunch (well then you're eating better then I am).
I wont miss the hot summer days with no air conditioning or even a fan.
I wont miss my tiny apartment that I'm paying $900 a month for to share with a room mate I don't get along with (which I don't completely blame him for) who takes off his pants right in front of me and wanders around in his underwear like it's nothing (this is apparently a European thing). He has no set schedule and will throw parties starting at 10:30 at night or decide to go to bed at 8pm. This makes it very hard for me to plan showers or get to sleep when I need to to wake up at 6am. I wont miss having only one pot and one pan to do all my cooking in and no oven, microwave, crock pot, or toaster oven.
I wont miss the very limited (compared to the US) selection of foods. There's more breads and wines then I know what to do with but you can't find cheddar to save your life. There is only one choice in shredded cheese in fact and there are very few brands of things over all. Dr.Pepper and Mt.Dew are brands you just can't find here along with jolly ranchers or wonka candy and probably many others.
I wont miss the crowded metros filled with people who have no sense of what or who's around them just pushing and shoving to get where they need to go (I don't think this is a French thing I think a lot of people are self absorbed there's just a lot of people crowded into Paris and most everyone rides the metro).
I wont miss not being able to get to Hulu or Netflix or not being able to watch certain videos online because they "aren't available for your area" meaning most of Eurasia.
I wont miss the terrible McDonalds food (the French can not make McDonalds it's practically inedible which is saying something since McDonalds wasn't really good to start with) and the tiny portion sizes (6 mcnuggets is not an adult meal, that's a kids meal size. Also 8 California roll slices is not a meal unless it comes with 12 more pieces of sushi and soup).
I wont miss being seen as a stupid American tourist who can't speak French and yet any time I try to speak French I'm immediately asked "English?" and then they wont deal with me in anything but English (apparently this is different in the south of France).
I will be very happy to be back home with the people I love (and get along with) in my own place with air conditioning and an oven to cook in and a big grocery store filled with all sorts of food. Where there is relatively few people and they all speak English (I know that's a very American thing to say). Where all the shops are open when they say they'll be open, nothing closes on Sunday, and nothing closes in the middle of the day. It will be very nice to be back where I know how things work and I know people I can hang out with. Only one more day and then I fly HOME!!!!!

Week 8

My last week at Sugar Plum ans things have really slowed down. Perhaps it's after that crazy week that everything just feels slower but we only had 6 orders this week and 3 of them were one or two tiers and one was a cupcake order. Also since I trained one of the other interns on cakes last week this week went by really quick finishing at 1 or 2 every day.

Today was my last day and I had asked to spend it learning to make figurines so here it is, my little Dr.Who! I had lots of fun making him and paying attention to all the little details (see his little sonic screwdriver?!?!). The hair was the hardest bit and, as you can see, compared to James' my hair is much thicker, but it's my first one and I'm very proud. I'm gonna try to take him home with me (we'll see if he survives the trip).

 Apparently the 'Frozen' cake is for some famous French blogger.


I did all the cut outs for Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and Micheal's silhouettes. It was not easy and took a lot of time and patience. 

 I also made the Angry Birds figurines.

 I also attached all the flowers to the Hydrangea cake but there is some debate on whether it's too many. I certainly used more then we made and more then I did on the last Hydrangea cake I did but I really don't feel like the second tier is over crowded.

So now I'm all done with my internship, I've completed all the hours I need and I've said my goodbyes to the Sugar Plum people. I have had lots of fun and I've learned a lot but I'm happy to be going home I miss everyone and I miss America with it's 32oz sodas and AC in every building. I've got one final thing planned and that's to go to Disney Paris on Monday with a couple of the girls from work it'll be a nice send off for my final day but I'll have to have everything packed so that's what I'll spend tomorrow doing.

Bastille Day!!!

So I missed America's independence day but fortunately I was here for France's independence day which is called Bastille day. It has been held every July 14th since 1880 and is really more of a symbolic date then the day they actually won their independence. As I was told by a tour guide July 14th is the day the French started a revolution against Louis the 16th and Marie Antoinette. They marched and burned down the queens palace but were squashed by the army. France did gain it's independence from the kings a couple years later but were in such chaos that the person to rise to power was France's greatest military leader of the time Napoleon. After Napoleon lost a couple wars and was sent into exile and French longed for the days of their kings and revived the monarchy and it wasn't till 1848 did France start electing their presidents.
Bastille Day though is a military show where the armed forces present themselves to the President and parade down the Champs-Elysees showing off all their military prowess.

I was invited by a couple of the other interns from work to go see the parade with them. We got there at 8:30 and stuff was supposed to start happening around 9. We were in the second row and had an excellent view but we were apparently not in the right spot for seeing things like the commanders presenting honors to the President so it appeared like not much was happening till almost 10:30 when they did a flypast of 53 different airplanes, and later there would be 35 helicopters.

Then they had around 38  different "dismounted troops" in varying levels of ridiculous uniforms.

And they finished up with "motorized troops"

 These are just a handful of the hundreds of different vehicles and uniforms I saw. It was actually a lot of fun and I was excited to see how another country celebrates it's independence day.

Week 7 (a little late)

As promised these are the pictures from last week.

 

The Harry Potter cupcakes were completed and they are actually nutella frosting on rice crispy treats because the person they were for is gluten intolerant.

 Then a little spiderman and Metallica made their appearance.

 A couple of pretty (but boring) cakes, and a last minute chihuahua.

This is the "monster" cake. The bottom two tiers are fake but the thing still weight a ton and had to be moved by at least two people. We even had to build a special box out of two of the biggest moving boxes we could find (we called it frankenbox).

It's really all the little details that go into making this cake so festive and I for one think it's a much better wedding cake then the boring white ones.

The only cake related things we actually worked on, on Saturday, were these baby shower cupcake toppers (simple stuff).

Apologies

So I'm done with week 7 and I would love to tell you all about it but I forgot my camera at work and so have no pictures. I'll tell you about the exciting bits and hopefully have pictures to post on Tuesday. This is my second to last week, and how time flies, this week I got to train one of the other interns on cakes which makes me senior intern. I'm not sure I'm very good at training and I found it really hard to help Rosa to understand how to get the cakes perfectly smooth and straight. I had it come so naturally to me to keep my scraper level with the turn table but Rosa would tilt in making all of her cake sides bigger at the bottom than the top (and she wouldn't notice till it was too late to fix and she'd have to re-ice and start again). I spent the time working on icing a series of square cakes which has it's own set of challenges in getting the sides perfectly straight and parallel with each other. I thought I had done pretty well and Rosa's cakes were getting better but the next day James said that all the cakes needed another coat and so Rosa and I spent our time mixing colors and covering the cake boards including one truly massive board for the square cake that was so big (22in) that we had to roll it out as large as the mat would allow and then cut an X in the center to pull the edges further to cover the sides (a trick we used to cover and two largest square cakes too). We covered all but the square cakes and decorated them so we could focus on the square cake over the next two days.Thursday was Alison's (the owner) birthday and so we covered the square cakes and went around the outside making a groove in the center (they were to become suitcases) but then we went home at around 1pm because they were all going out for birthday celebrations. We came back the next day bright and early to finish decorating the suitcases. We made strips that looked like stitched leather to go around the tops and bottoms of each layer and corner pieces with little rivets. Some of the suitcases got straps, or snaps, or locks, or handles. Each tier was a little different and we added a lot of little details to make them look as real as possible. We finished them up with a sleeve poking out of one side and a bow tie sitting on the side and a very cheesy tie with red hearts all over it on the back. Saturday we boxed and took pictures of the cakes which I will post when I get my camera back. There wasn't much else to do so we helped out in the kitchen icing cakes for the shop and making pies and such. Another great week and next week is my last it's been a fu n time but I'm glad to be going home soon.