Day zero, by Kasey.
Spoiler alert, there is only one mention of food on this first post. However, there are harrowing events, gratitude, and a celebration of togetherness.
Background: Kelly is living in Bordeaux to immerse herself in the language and the cuisine, When she came home for Christmas, her stories of the wine and the food, along with her invitation to join her there, were too much to resist. So we say au revoir to Portland and we’re off to Bordeaux, along with our dear friend Karen, who was up for an adventure like us!
Our journey to Kelly started with sliding to the airport along roads that were just like skating rinks. Portland was hit with an ice storm that kept most people at home – except us. Stephanie, with her excellent driving skills honed on Mt Hood, got there on time!
In Denver, our travel luck took a turn for the worse. The flight was delayed due to maintenance, a passenger who chose to leave the plane (jetway returns, luggage to be retrieved, etc). Finally, as our plane was seconds from touching down in Newark, the pilot pulled up straight to the sky… apparently, there was a plane sitting in our runway and we nearly collided. Thank GOD he uses his eyes to land (not just trusting air traffic control). Enough said. We sprinted to the gate, only to be denied access to the flight to Paris because they cannot re-open the doors they had closed moments before.
We reroute to London. Make massive train reservations then realize it’s unsafe to spend so much time in train stations (another story for another day). Cancel, take a flight instead. Thanks to the amazing customer service at United in London, we actually get one!
In Paris, we hop on a train to Bordeaux. It’s the last leg and of course we cut it close because I forgot to consider rush hour in Paris. What an aggressive, charming french cab driver that got us to the train with only 2 minutes before it begins to move. Relieved and happy to be in first class, we grab a power nap after a quick sip of wine and crisps (possibly some snoring and drooling were involved).
We arrive in stunning Bordeaux. Exhausted.
But we arrive to Kelly. And that’s where our story turns. Kelly, in a lovely apartment, and a beautiful meal. She greets us with the wine she has chose for our arrival and her famous Hungarian Mushroom Soup.
Food. Is. Love.
Each day, we’re posting highlights from Bordeaux. Each post will be written by a different person, so you can experience the different perspectives we bring to the conversation.
