A really eventful day. Got my first-ever ride in the driver's compartment of a moving train. Serious! I was taking a photo of the train when the driver, Farid, came out and asked me what I was doing. Told him I was taking it for my blog, and he was really nice about it. Even invited me into the driver's cabin so I could see him in action. Cool! A pity it was only two stops before I reached my destination.
Got myself really lost after arriving at the train station, but since I wasn't bogged down by three 18-kilo deadweights, it was pretty fun.Wandered around a picturesque town square dotted with small cafes and tinier shops that sold pretty much everything from shoes and clothes to *gasp* Star Wars toys. No, I'm not joking. Almost couldn't believe my eyes, though, when I saw the shop window full of toys and other 'collectibles'. Luq would be over the moon.
Was still limping around on one unbuckled boot, though, and hadn't located the school yet, so decided to put off a visit till next time.Blundered next into a shopping mall that raised my acquisitive instincts. Looked at my poor flopping boot, and headed straight for the mall directory to look for a cobbler. It was all in French, but fortunately, spotted a familiar name. Mister Minit! Wow... That was a surprise.
Even more amazingly, there was another name that reminded me even more of home. Bata. I just had to check it out. Along the way, though, spotted this really nice pair of boots in another shop window. At 40 euros, it was also among the cheapest shoes I had seen in France yet.
Immediately dashed off an SMS to Luq, telling him that if my boots were irrepairable, I've just seen their replacement. One floor up was Bata. It really was 'buy-and-throw-away' Bata! Same signage, same corporate colours - even the placements looked similar. But with the price tags that I saw on their shoes, few can afford to toss them away after wearing once or twice. The cheapest pair of boots was around 70-plus euros! What a far cry from the Bata in Singapore! I mean, the pair on my feet at the moment was from there, and I paid only S$40 for it - less than a third the price of the cheapest shoes there! This Bata sure wasn't going to do any business with me.
Left to resume my hunt for Mister Minit. The cobbler couldn't speak English, so I resorted to putting the buckle on the counter, and putting the mistreated boot next to it. Cobbler shook his head, and muttered one of the few French words I know: 'Non, non." Looks like it's time for some new shoes. But really wondered whether it was wise to buy a pair in France. I know I needed something to walk around in, but it'd be way cheaper to simply get it shipped to me. *Sigh* Shelved my acquisitive streak for the time being, and left the mall to look for the school.
Ha. Hadn't found the school yet, but located the bank. Had put that off to a vague 'some other time', but since I was already there... The bank had all my details and everything, but would release a debit card only after I showed them an accreditation of residence from my hostel. O well, at least I didn't go away empty-handed. The nice lady at the counter gave me directions to school, which was actually within sight of the bank, had I simply walked past it and around the building.
Finally got my student ID and password, and now I can connect to the Net again. Hooray!
Got myself really lost after arriving at the train station, but since I wasn't bogged down by three 18-kilo deadweights, it was pretty fun.Wandered around a picturesque town square dotted with small cafes and tinier shops that sold pretty much everything from shoes and clothes to *gasp* Star Wars toys. No, I'm not joking. Almost couldn't believe my eyes, though, when I saw the shop window full of toys and other 'collectibles'. Luq would be over the moon.
Was still limping around on one unbuckled boot, though, and hadn't located the school yet, so decided to put off a visit till next time.Blundered next into a shopping mall that raised my acquisitive instincts. Looked at my poor flopping boot, and headed straight for the mall directory to look for a cobbler. It was all in French, but fortunately, spotted a familiar name. Mister Minit! Wow... That was a surprise.
Even more amazingly, there was another name that reminded me even more of home. Bata. I just had to check it out. Along the way, though, spotted this really nice pair of boots in another shop window. At 40 euros, it was also among the cheapest shoes I had seen in France yet.
Immediately dashed off an SMS to Luq, telling him that if my boots were irrepairable, I've just seen their replacement. One floor up was Bata. It really was 'buy-and-throw-away' Bata! Same signage, same corporate colours - even the placements looked similar. But with the price tags that I saw on their shoes, few can afford to toss them away after wearing once or twice. The cheapest pair of boots was around 70-plus euros! What a far cry from the Bata in Singapore! I mean, the pair on my feet at the moment was from there, and I paid only S$40 for it - less than a third the price of the cheapest shoes there! This Bata sure wasn't going to do any business with me.
Left to resume my hunt for Mister Minit. The cobbler couldn't speak English, so I resorted to putting the buckle on the counter, and putting the mistreated boot next to it. Cobbler shook his head, and muttered one of the few French words I know: 'Non, non." Looks like it's time for some new shoes. But really wondered whether it was wise to buy a pair in France. I know I needed something to walk around in, but it'd be way cheaper to simply get it shipped to me. *Sigh* Shelved my acquisitive streak for the time being, and left the mall to look for the school.
Ha. Hadn't found the school yet, but located the bank. Had put that off to a vague 'some other time', but since I was already there... The bank had all my details and everything, but would release a debit card only after I showed them an accreditation of residence from my hostel. O well, at least I didn't go away empty-handed. The nice lady at the counter gave me directions to school, which was actually within sight of the bank, had I simply walked past it and around the building.
Finally got my student ID and password, and now I can connect to the Net again. Hooray!
1 comment:
Glad we're finally moving away from that whole "L" business. What do you think you are, a saucy fictional online diary?
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