There's Going to Be Cheese in Here Somewhere

June 18, 2012

Monday began with a 9.00 am microbiology/biochemistry class with Professor Max. There was a screen and projector and slides and everything to make it feel more like home.

Breakfast. French baguettes would become our staple for the next two weeks. The hot chocolate was very nice, but technically I only found that out the next day.

Our first full French-2 hour-lunch experience was had in Brassier du Nord. Wei Jie and I split a set meal that came with escargot and a fake steak made of chicken (at least, that's what the direct translation of the menu could be). It was bizarre, ordering in French, and then waiting in anticipation to see what comes out of the kitchen for you. We spent a good deal of time poking at our meat and debating whether it was pork, beef, or chicken. It tasted fine so no harm done. Our dessert was crème brûlée, which Wei Jie had never had before in his entire life. I had some coffee which came in a little cup.

The coffee that came in a little cup. The sugar here is served as a little adorable cuboid.

Chocolate mousse. Notice their joy.

To more serious matters:

Cluny is built upon centuries of history. It makes for dramatic commentary, and a slight pensive feeling that the ground you're treading on was probably trod on by ancient men and donkeys from as early as the 10^th century. On some houses you could trace their history in their ancient facade. Perhaps not so ancient when you think of dinosaurs, but at least ancient by human standards. Or ancient to me, seeing as some of the facades have fixtures dating back to the Renaissance, a period that seem to belong only in history books and museums and historically-inaccurate period films. Perhaps I've never stayed or been to a really old place with a really old history, or not seen something really old that is still being in use.

An old, old tower. It's now in a school

Another old, old tower. I wrote the name down somewhere, I tell you.

The old, old Abbey walls. (If I remember correctly)

It amuses me to see cars on a cobblestone street amongst old, old buildings. Then again, most of my life I've seen only asphalt and concrete.

Cobblestone roads

These, I believe, are Romanesque windows.

Oh yes, we also went up the Cheese Tower, either named so because cheese guilds commissioned its construction as a lookout tower or people used to store cheese in it. Here are some pictures of the view.

Cluny, as seen from the Cheese Tower

Being touristy.

A little model of the Cluny town and the Abbey. The French love their little models. They are anywhere historical.

Also, it felt awesome having a professor of medieval history give you a tour around a historical town. I'm a geek like that. Thanks Professor Reinert.

After the little historic excursion we went to the local supermarket, the Intermarché, to ogle at their cheese counter, which was very impressive. You don't get cheese counters like that in the local supermarkets in Malaysia, except in the fancy ones that cater to foreigners and people with money to spare. What we have in Malaysia is a huge selection of flavored UHT milk, like grape milk. But that doesn't really compare.