Sunday Fun

On Sunday, host dad wanted to go on a bike ride to show me a mill he likes in France near Sarreguemines.  Fabian and I accompanied him (chased after him).  It was a "healthy" pace.

 but never too fast for biking selfies

First break was at a Casino that he really likes.  He had wanted to get married in the building, but it didn't work out.

 Apparently the region used to be famous for painted tiles like this one:

Second break was at this awesome cruise-liner-replica a French man built.  He took one of the old standard Saar-ships and by himself converted it into a cruise-line look alike.  IF you notice the door, car, and person, you will get an idea of how big it is.

Destination, Mill:

We stopped and caught our breath.

Sidebar: When the two house cats are behaving poorly, they get squirted with water. Recently, host dad has started joking I will get the same treatment if I forget the word-of-the-day he teaches me.

Word of the day: Weberknecht "Daddy long leg"
    Weber= weaver. pronounced Vaybuhr
    Knecht= Servant

On the way back I took this photo of an abandoned mill:

We stopped and grabbed coffee in Sarreguemines. Sunday is not a good day to grab coffee in Sarreguemines- the only shop open was a hole-in-the-wall bar.  The other customers there and the waitress reaffirmed every bad French stereotype.

In French (Host dad can survive in French, Mom is 100% fluent):

"What will you" ***Takes a drag from cigarette*** "have?"

"Three cafe-au-lait, please"

"Three?" ***takes another drag***

"uh, yes"

***Another drag and then another and then another until she is finished, while standing at the table and looking at us***

Everyone took her lead and began smoking like it was there last chance. The lady next to us was one bright idea away from having her 17 month-year-old baby hold her cigarette for her.

When it came time to pay the bill, we waited for 15 minutes but never saw the waitress. Eventually host Dad mustered up the courage and went inside.  The waitress was watching horse races on TV.

Buttttt, the coffee was great and we had a laugh.

We got back to find someone had killed the cats:

 Actually, they were just "dead tired."

I worked more on my paper and then eventually came back upstairs for dinner.  My host Mom is a professional grade cook.