P@rn at Pirates
P@rn at Pirates - New experiences in Lille
Last summer I earned my very first passport stamp. I studied in and toured Europe - around Lille for over a month and I definitely recommend visiting. For me Lille provided many eye-opening experiences. Plus the city was just plain fun!
Often after class I would go out with other students to a bar called Pirates. There we would order a fish bowl - a rather large alcoholic concoction topped with Bonbons, which we would fish' out with straws and feed to one another.
One evening when I went in, I sat at the front of the bar, glanced up at a television and saw two people having sex.
To my shock and amusement p@rn was playing at Pirates! This was quite a surprise to me since I'm from the states where porn only plays in private movie theatres and back rooms. This experience however opened me up to accepting the differences in Lille, whether they be cultural or happenstance.
That night I decided to start going out more on my own. I should have done it sooner because I got a much better feel for the town this way. Luckily Lille is easy to walk around so I didn't use the bus at all.
On these adventures I discovered that La Grande Place hosts a market in the middle of town next to the tall statue and the old Flemish buildings. My favourite time to visit was on the weekends - when puppeteers and musicians provided entertainment in the square. It's also a lovely place to sip a coffee at sunset.
Nearby you'll find Meert - a famous historical chocolate shop that lives up to the hype about it. It serves the best hot chocolate I've ever had and because of this place, I can no longer appreciate powdered chocolate mixes. I bought my mom a box of chocolates there and am proud to have communicated my order without confusion. I count every victory when it comes to the French language.
A 10-minute walk away, the Euralille mall is a terrific place to find great deals on great clothes. Modern sculptures surround it and the train station is just next door. I took day and weekend train trips to Paris (1hr), Bruges (1hr) and Amsterdam (4hrs). Sometimes in the field outside the mall there are free concerts and movies at night. These always start later than the times advertised. As I found out - this is the French way.
A neat place to grab an ice cream is the snack stand in Parc Vauban, on the other side of town. Ice cream in hand, I'd walk over the bridge to the free zoo and say hi to the monkeys with the moustaches - the Emperor Tamarins.
The park itself was where I spent my afternoons people-watching. There were roller-bladers, thin dogs walking with their equally svelte masters, boys playing football, young couples lying together in the grass and families having picnics. The park is THE place to be.
During my time in Lille I stayed active and found something new to do everyday. My study abroad experience was a success because I let the city show me what it has to offer instead of just tagging along with the university group.
Here are my top, independently sourced Lille Recommendations:
- Pirates Caribbean - Bar with a theme and a young, college vibe. Have a fish bowl with your friends! 92, Rue Colbert.
- Le Kremlin - Bar decorated with communist regalia, typical of Vieux Lille. If you ike your vodka, you'll find an impressive selection here. 51, Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
- Marche de Wazemmes A market with a bit of everything. Head here on a Sunday morning. Place de la Nouvelle Aventure.
- La Villa de Marrakech - Morocan restaurant with great ambiance and generous portions. 111, Rue Solfrino.
- Palais des Beaux Arts de Lille - Art from the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
- La Piscine - Pool-turned-art museum, a short trip to Roubaix.
- Laura Doody
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