Cannes has turned into Paris on CRACK

They were not lying when they said the town nearly doubles in size - I have never seen this many tourists wandering around. I really want to just yell BRAD PITT and point and everyone would freak out! I hardly recognize the city anymore, it has turned to Paris on crack.

I really enjoy my badge, it makes me (seem) very official and important so do not be surprised if I am still wearing it when I come home.

The beach areas by the Carlton and the Martinez (Brad is staying there and there are rumors the two of them are broken up?!?!! YES! Perfect timing..) they have kicked off all the topless women and set up these massive white tents for parties. I get to go to one of these parties on Sunday at the Palm Beach which is pretty shwanky. I promise not to say that while I'm there, but it's a BIG party.

BIG day of work yesterday. We had 3 screenings, one for Huacho a Chilean film and another for Rien de Personnel (Nothing Personal en anglais). It is chaotic and I forgot how much I love being behind the scenes. My boss is awesome and everyone is so nice. AND I speak french all day with the occasional English/Australian/American person coming up and asking questions. It's fantastic!

Also, I met some pretty famous french people yesterday! It is kind of funny because everyone in line was freaking out when they walked down our "red carpet" but the girls and I do not know who they are! Still pretty cool though.

No famous sightings yet but that will hopefully change. Our college got some passes to the red carpet premiere of a Chinese film yesterday so I'm hoping that I will be around for another one. I

I did go see Francis Ford Coppola's "Tetro" last night. It was absolutely amazing/beautiful/weird. I am hoping to see the Jim Carrey one soon too - "I love you Phillip Morris" and "Taking Woodstock" by Ang Lee. :-)

International Festival de Cannes

The 62nd Annual Festival de Cannes starts today.

I work in-between the two biggest hotels that house all the stars - It is absolutely chaotic downtown! There is a giant transformer in front of the Carlton.

Also - I found out yesterday at our first day of "real work" that Diane Kruger is coming to a premier at the Miramar for one of her films and apparently it is supposed to be pretty crazy! I am working at that premier too!

I also got the afternoon shift - so I am working from 2:15-8:30 everyday with a half our break in there somewhere. The big showings are at 5:30pm and 8:00pm = crazy!! It's really nice though because I can go to breakfast and lunch at the college and then get dinner on my break. Works out quite well!

A friend of mine just showed up yesterday! Kari is visiting me for the duration of the festival. She got a pass and is going downtown to get it today. I feel bad because I'm working and going to classes (kind of) during the film festival so we wont get to see much of each other - thank goodness there is a beach here she can go to!

It is so cute seeing everyone at breakfast all dressed up for their internships! I don't work until later - so I will be dressed up at lunch! I also think it is about a 2mile walk to the Miramar from my school - the buses (as we discovered yesterday) have changed their route, so I have to walk! Thank goodness women have purses, because otherwise my feet would be killing me. Putting shoes in the purse and then changing them when I get there is an amazing thing!

I will try and take pictures of everything. The big premier of "Up" is tonight - if you haven't watched the trailer I suggest you do, it is so incredibly cute.

I also feel pretty cool walking around with my BADGE and my bag downtown; not going to lie!

Semaine de la Critique

I started my internship yesterday! This is the poster of the Semaine de la Critique which I am working at!!

We had our first meeting yesterday which turned out great. We were so incredibly nervous though, all sorts of things were running through our heads! Too dressed up, not dressed up enough, we have to speak french, they are going to be awful and mean to us. It was ridiculous!

We ended up meeting them in front of the Palais du Festival - which is the big red carpet place! They took us up to Anais' apartment that she shares with some of the others and we had a petit cocktail and she talked about what are going to do. After that, the whole group came and we had dinner with all of them. We met the big boss and everything!!

I am so incredibly excited!!!!!!!!

After being incredibly nervous for the french thing and not thinking I was going to understand - everything went better than I thought it was going to. It was parfait!

We are working at the l'Espace Miramar which is in between the Carlton and the Martinez (where all the stars are). We will be receptionists during the screenings, helping out with answering questions, seating people, talking to famous french/Mexican people and going to parties!
"The smaller of the two parties is...uh..only about 500 people" - WHAT?!!?!!! That is "the smaller" of the two. Crazy crazy.

I'm getting really excited though. The festival starts on Wednesday - everyone is getting their internships. I have three friends working with Entertainment tonight, one who is actually going to be at the "Inglourious Bastards" (Quentin Tarantino) screening working at it and meeting everyone, and others who have all of a sudden needed a black tie!! It's so exciting and there is a buzz around campus that is making everyone crazy.

We have also received 25 new Americans at the college who are staying just for the festival. And everyday 150 other American film students who are working at the American Plaza (something like that...) come and hang out. It's crazyness!

I have another meeting tomorrow and then we start real work! Downtown is absolutely insanity and I will definitely have to take pictures.

George Clooney - here I come!!

Les Gorges du Verdon

Saturday was my last trip with AIFS! We went on a day trip to Les Gorges du Verdon. It was about a 2hr bus ride up north. We left around 9am and got back around 7pm just in time to talk to my parents! Armed with a bathing suit and my camera, we stopped at the Gorges du Verdon, which is gigantic cliffs of calcerous rock. There are possibilities to do a lot of different water and aerial sports.
I decided that if I couldn't jump out of a plane in Provence or hangglide over the mountains in Monaco, kayaking on the St. Croix lake would be the next best thing. (yes, I did look into all of those things...)
Definitely worth it. It is the largest of the three lakes where the tail goes into the Verdon Gorge.

Hello waterfalls! I was going against the current up river, so it was quite difficult. Many turned back! But I managed to find the waterfalls!
And then I went under one!
After that little kayaking adventure we traveled to Moustiers Sante Marie which is located in the entrance to the Verdon canyons. It is known for the earthernwear tiles. It is set on a semi-circle of rocky cliffs. There is also a church, Notre Dame de Beauvoir located at the top of the cliffs. I thought, well I had already kayaked, why not climb up cliffs too?!
It is a little hard to see - but look for the point and that is where the church is in the rocks!
It was a pretty picturesque town. Apparently it is the "plus jolie" of all the french towns.
With a fantastic view of the lake we were just at!
The vraiment old church at the top!
And the view from the church
Church!
Town
Artwork everywhere

The tree grew around the sign. I thought it was kinda cool!
Bittersweet last trip with AIFS. Next post - INTERNSHIP UPDATE!

Kobenhavn - Hans Christian Anderson

I went to Copenhagen! Surprise!
It was actually a last minute trip because my friend Linda, who I know from waaaay long ago, is studying there. I haven't seen her in 5 years because she's Scottish and lives in Scotland normally. It was fantastic to see her!
I arrived on May Day (May 1st) because we had a day off from school. In the States we do not really celebrate MayDay as crazily as the Europeans do - so it was really fun. We arrived to a HUGE 30,000 people park party! There were concert stages set up all over this park and people everywhere. It was a fantastic way to spend a beautiful day in Copenhagen.
We were lucky enough (my friend Tiffany went with me) to know some Danish guys that showed us around the city all day Saturday. We even took a Canal Tour!
Where the Queen lives
The new opera house - it is huge
Walking over to Christianshavn - an island in the middle of Copenhagen
The view of the palace + church fro on the other side of the river
Nyhavn
Nyhavn
Christanshavn
It was fantastic not to completely stick out while walking around. I remember saying to Rasmus (one of the Danish guys) that he can come get us "just look for the three blondes standing on the side of the road" now...in any other country I have been to that would haven't worked! BUT I was in the majority this time - it was great not getting stared at!!

Tivoli is a mixture of new and old rides. There is a 100 year old wooden roller coaster! Sunday was our last day in Copenhagen and we decided to spend it at the amusement park

And yes - go on that ride!!
Tiffany and I
It was actually very beautiful there too - there were tons of flowers and ducks


yay!
Then we wandered around Stroget which is one of the longest shopping streets and the town hall
These are the lakes we had to pass on our way back to my friend Linda's apartment - she lived pretty close - but it was still a 15-20min. walk.
With SWANS!

I thought she was cute...
Copenhagen - great last big trip on my own. 3 more weeks in Cannes!

Ile St. Marguerite

I have come back! So there was that little two week hiatus - but I have been busy!! On wednesday of last week I went to the Ile St. Marguerite - known for the "Man in the Iron Mask"
It was a BEAUTIFUL day....slightly windy though
You have to take a ferry ride over to the island and then they have the fort where the man was supposedly kept - it is a legend still...
It was kind of surprising because you could see the snow on the Alps behind the ocean - absolutely incredible

did I mention it was windy!???

I stalk old people - I just can't help it!
I have been busy with finals and the ending of classes over here. I'm also trying to figure out what I'm doing this summer and getting ready for my big internship which starts tomorrow!! More updates with pictures (just for Tracy...) in a bit!

this is the images in the quarry