Ou est les Pharmacy? or Where the feck is a Dr?

Cough, owwww, splutter, owww, hack, hack, hack le euurrrggghhhhh!!!!!! - Saturday morning I wake up and feel like I have been sidelined by a Bus, but of course with the traffic driving on the other side of the road I didnt see it coming.  Nathalie goes into Nurse mode immeadiatemont I do a self diagnosis of either bird flu or pneumonia.  I have a temperature of 38.6 degrees apparently normal is 37 degrees and a fever is 37.5 degrees, I have even higher and we contemplate if there is a Doctor I can go to on Saturday; Nathalie calls a pharmacy friend of hers and we decide to head to the pharmacist.  I do what I do when I am travelling and that is layer my clothes, in this case it is 1 tank top, 3 t-shirts, a long sleeved top, a jumper and a jacket, yes I am wearing pants.  Off we walk with Urane to the Pharmacy and Nathalie interprets, I do my best look at being sick with puppy dog eyes.  The girl is worried that as I dont answer her questions I need more help.  I dont speak as talking is sore and if she slowed down a little perhaps I would understand a word or two.  Nathalie informs her I am staying with her and she feels better.  I get three things; Paracetemol to bring down the fever; some liquid homeopathic plant stuff, and some orange powder docongestant.  We then go on a walk to the local market, it is so interesting watching the everyday interaction and Nathalie translates for me while I remember the word for different food items I am amazed at how much I remember.  The butcher is the funniest; he doesnt speak a word of english and well I know beef (boef), chicken (poulet) and ham (jambon).  He hopes that Nathalie isnt saying anything bad to me about him.

Annette - Nightwish Concert

We walk past Le Capitol a large main square in town, Notre Dame du Tour; where I light q candle for Dad then we walk towards the Garonne which is the huge River that goes through the centre of town.  Toulouse is known as the PINK CITY as the buildings and rooftops are pink and salmon colour, it is a very pretty city and easy to get around.  We cross the Garonne at Rue Valade and then walk along the Riverfront in the gardens, crossing back past the old hospital and Neuf Pont it is brisk and beautiful but after 4 hours of walking I am quite tired. 

Le Capitole - Toulouse

We get back and Nathalie makes us some lunch, its 2pm so I am quite hungry.  It is a yummy spread of Fromage, Jambon, Pain, Salade (Cheese, Ham, Bread, Salade) and she makes a home-made pilaf of rice which is spiced but I cant taste it due to my flu.  We chat and after lunch I decide to have a snooze for an hour, Urane joins me at the end.

I awaken refreshed and ready for my night out to see Nightwish in town, Nathalie takes my temperature and says if it is over 38 I cant go, I joke I will climb out the windoz; we are on the 4th floor.  It is 37.8, I am saved, she then offers to drive me to the concert as she has been looking where the Station is compared to the venue, how nice of her, I show her the tickets and there is some more information like names of closest stations; buses etc, things which in my English eye I missed.  Admittance is 30mins before bqnds start at 8pm so she decides we have to leave now.  We get there at about 6.45 so I am feeling super early its still very much light, I have at last had a chance to get out of my travel clothes and dress up and do my makeup, Nathalie is amazed at the transformation.  I make sure Im wearing my long skirt and jacket as it will be cold walking back.

Nightwish

There is a slight amount of confusion with my ticket but I get inside okay and find there is no allocated seating which is good, I notice that most people are considerably taller than me on the dancefloor area so I head for the stands, there are not many seats left so I park it in the aisle with some other people.  I strike up a couple of conversations with people around me and I find that humour and using the line'je suis Australien' excuses me murdering the french language.  I find it interesting that people are singing along to the songs that are for warm up in English but dont really speak much or understand what I say.  I ask a group who the support band is and they say "pain" I find it hilarious as pain is the french word for bread and during their set Im like ohhh Petit Pain; Petit Pain; or bread roll, bread roll, I am in fits of laughter and they laugh at me being in laughter, it must be the medicine Im on.  Pain are not bad and I am sure I will limewire them when I get home.

Nightwish Concert

During breaks I chat with some more people they are interested that I travelled all the way from Australia for Nightwish, I explain it was actually just from Paris the day before, nonetheless they are impressed.  My newly found language skills come to the fore when a passing guy strikes up a conversation and I have no idea what the hell he is saying; the je parle en peu francais; je suis australien (I speak a little French; I am Australian) has no effect and he continues to jabber and I smile and say Oui every know and again.  I then come out with my piece de resistence ohh la la beau garcon; j'adore vous cheveaux; vous yeux et ton jambon or in otherwords - ohh la la handsom boy; I adore your hair; your eyes qnd your ham! Queue a puzzeled look then fits of laughter.  The lights then dim and the music starts.

Toulouse -

It is an all encompassing feast for the senses as Nightwish take to the stage.  It is amazing how different concerts are in Melbourne especially the pyrotechnics; which for a medium sized venue are pretty impressive.  I take almost half a memory stick of footage so if you want a taste have a look if I can upload them.  They play pretty much the same set list as when Ray and I saw them in Melbourne with one or two new songs, they are amazing.

It is a highlight among all the highlights I have experienced and I look forward to seeing more bands when I am overses.  As they finish up I realise its 11.30 already and I had told Nathalie I would be back around 11pm.  I leave with the huge crowd and try and find out where the station is - ou est le metro?  A security guard walks me the 10 mins to the gate and points me au guache (left). I wander on my way following the crowd but then it splits in two I turn behind me and ask ou est le metro? and I find my train buddies for the night, they know there is two stations and definately how to get to one; but think it is the further one. I chat in quasi french but mainly english and they say they are obligated to help me get home.  Thank goodness!!!!!

Toulouse - The River

I get home at around 12.45pm and crash into bed exhausted, what a day!

Toulouse - The River 2

Toulouse - The River 3