Vente d'oeufs (Eggs for sale)

Event date: 9 October 2013
City: Saint-Quentin
As I made my way from the hotel to the train station to leave Saint-Quentin, I saw a sign ahead of me that indicated there were eggs for sale in a vending machine.  I did one of those Scooby-Doo double-takes at the sign and re-read it carefully, thinking perhaps my French translation skills had gone awry.  Sure enough, a few steps later, there it was in front of me: a vending machine with the sole purpose of vending eggs by the half-dozen.  In all my travels, I have never come across such a thing before; I found it comical, mind-blowing, and practical all at the same time.  This was in front of a bakery/pastry shop, which I suppose makes it all the more convenient.  After snapping the picture, my thought was, "People in Saint-Quentin must really take their eggs seriously!  How else could one merit the upkeep of such a wonderful machine?"

All about this blog

This blog aims to provide the following:
1. Fun anecdotes
2. Possibly boring stories
3. Some helpful information about traveling in France
4. Pictures that will make you want to go there
5. Occasional words in French (with translations)
6. Some links for stories related to what is being shared
7. Another thing for you to read when you are bored

Every time that I have been to France, I have kept a journal; they are all in cute little paper versions currently, which I would like to share with everyone, but they are chocked full of details that most people (except me) probably do not care about and/or have time to read.
My first trip to France was in 1994 when I was in high school, as part of a multi-country educational tour.  I returned in 1996 on a similar style of trip, though not an 'educational' tour per se.  Life got busy and I didn't return again until 2004; I spent that summer there, kicking off a series of traveling there often, living there for a good chunk of 2006, visiting many times after, continuing up to 2010.  I took another break and finally was able to return again in October 2013.
Why do I travel to France so often?  Well, besides the fact that it is an amazing country with plenty to explore, I also do so to practice my French and learn more about the culture so that I may share it with others.
Hope you will enjoy reading my France experiences!