Amiens, in short.

My friend, Molly (another 'fake,' her name is Marissa), worked as an assistant in a middle school in Abbeville, which isn't too far from Amiens, which is in the region of northern France known as Picardie.

I'd been planning to visit her for months, but life in general got in the way. When Caitlin's flight was unexpectedly canceled because of the volcano, I suddenly had a week of nothing. Not a single plan. So I ran away to Abbeville/Amiens for the week-end.

When I got there Saturday morning, we went straight to the Museum of Picardie and its history. Voilà.

This was part of the inside. Not your typical paint job, that's for sure.

Ancient safety pins. I found it entertaining; they had tons of exhibits and discussions of ancient ruins. I really liked this museum, although my bad memory means that I can't cite any interesting facts.

I am told that the beautiful weather I enjoyed was atypical. At any rate there was a music festival in the Place Gambetta in the middle of town, so Molly and I ended up spending a big chunk of the afternoon there. This group is called The Nightingales, and the singer's voice is a style a bit like Counting Crows (and completely without accent)! I figured I had nothing to lose, so I struck up a conversation with the singer to see if he was American or not (not, as it turns out). I ended up chatting with half the band, and it turns out they're playing a show at the Olympia in Paris in September (which is a big deal). Little did I know. Too bad the show will be before I'm back!

The biggest cathedral in France, I'm told. Didn't go inside though.

It is very colorful.

This stupid movie traumatized me in FREN 241 at Binghamton. It possibly ruined French film for me as a side effect, but we shall see.

Scenic overlook. We stopped in one of the nearby bars for mojitos, but the volcano had grounded the planes that bring mint from Morocco. NO MOJITOS? Unacceptable. This volcano must be stopped.

We took a tour of the canals (remnants of the Romans!) while we were in Amiens. It was so beautiful and calm that I was half asleep by the end of the tour. I think I'm developing narcolepsy ...

After that we headed to Molly's place in Abbeville. Her bathroom was the size of my apartment, which is one way of describing how HUGE her place was. Lucky.

But what is the question?!

Besides, from what I know of Einstein (via primarily other quotes), I'm not sure he'd approve.

This doesn't look like the same videogame, but same style and he's cute! And protesting. Obviously French.

Then Julien broke his arm late Thursday night a few weeks ago, so I spent Friday in the hospital with him, distracting him with Toy Story balloons (thanks Lin and Emma, those came in handy!) and attempts to read Métronome to him. You try reading Latin names and stuff in the middle of French. I can only imagine what the equivalent disaster would sound like in English.

Also, I like that this magazine refers to your time in the hospital as 'your stay,' which makes it seem more like a luxury hotel.

It involves string instruments, and his name is Spooky. I should have been there.

I can see Russia from my house!

OK not really, but the Jardin d'Acclimation had a Russian festival going on when Julien and I went a while back to hit up the driving range (pun not originally intended, but now that I noticed it, totally leaving it). For the record, my golfing skills are subpar, but it's only because I feel like a moron when I assume the position ... Just as soon as I get rid of my last vestiges of self-respect I'll be a pro. Can't be long now :)

Then Julien's aunt and uncle were able to smuggle us into the classy party in the Tuileries for some car tour around France that began the next morning. For you, Daddy, is a 1966 Mustang. I know your dream car is a Mustang, but I was iffy on the year. There were a few others ... a bajillion Ferraris and who knows what else.

I recognized them mostly as a)Former Barbie cars or b) Former Matchbox cars, and thus was disappointed when they didn't have glittery pink paint (although in our house, Barbie's Ferrari was red, her Corvette was pink, her Jeep was yellow, her VW bug convertible was pink and her RV was pink).

Interception!

Now I'm the mean teacher that confiscates notes. But seriously, kids these days lack finesse. I was passing short stories with my friends in elementary/middle school, and we never got caught.

They're talking about how a classmate gets on their nerves. The other side says 'Does he annoy you? Circle yes or no.' Even their NOTES are multiple choice!

YESS' WE CAN!

Now they're just messing with me.

Sorry France.

This is why people do illegal things.

Nancy Drew didn't have the internet at her disposal ...

MYSTERY SOLVED (already?!)!!!

Thanks to the help of my friend Dave who pointed out that the little characters that mystified me are from an old arcade game called Space Invaders, from the 80s.

THEN, from the culture portion of the article (the French wiki version), I learned that a street artist (anonymous, of course) 'invades' cities the world over. He's known as Invader. Or, I just realized there's an English version.

The gist is that he sets up in a city, and decides strategically where he's going to put the little characters (often with a significance, for example, the bird's eye view of the locations forms another space invader character, etc.). It's awesome. So now I need to get a map and go on a quest for the others.

Mystery solved. The quest, however, is incomplete.