Wednesday Wrap-up

This week has been a wild one! I feel like I've done all the things (but haven't, really).

So aside from enjoying much too much Bordeaux wine (oh yes!), here's what's been happening:

• School. A little. Say, two hours/day. Brilliant. And some of those classes are science. In French. Yes!


• Open mic night at a rock n' roll bar, supporting my fellow teacher who's decided to try his hand at the guitar. This support ends up being my friends and I drinking a lot of Belgian beer. Yum.


• Partying in theme bars. Bordeaux is great for this! On Friday I went to a medieval monk's bar with friends, but have checked out pirate bars, wine bars, and a board game bar in the last few weeks






• Lunching at a seafood restaurant that did not have a single dish for this poor vegetarian. Everyone raves about French cuisine, yes? On Saturday I ate bread and a boiled potato. True story.


• Saturday's pitiful lunch was more than compensated by the AMAZING Dune du Pilat! Standing on the top of Europe's highest sand dune, with the sea on one side and forest on the other. Incredible.







• Caught an eight hour train East through the most charming French countryside. So, so green. Lucky lady.


• Welcomed into my friend's parents' house in Lyon and fed simple French fare. Merci.







• I spent Monday in my own company, exploring the city and was reminded just how much I like travelling alone (and how long it's been since I've done it - 2009?). Best things included spending hours in the Parc de la tête d'Or, smelling roses, watching animals and breathing deep in the greenhouses. I also loved my easy lunch of warm chèvre and honey on thick crusty bread and a glass of Côte du Rhone. I may have also had a slice of blueberry tart. Sunset was spent in the old Roman amphitheatre at hillside Fourvière, looking out over the city. Magic.







• The week's still not over! Tuesday I packed my bags again and caught a train out to a tiny little town, where I was picked up by a Brother and escorted to the Hermitage for a historic pilgrimage. The welcome I've received here has been most generous, and I am really appreciating the serenity of these beautiful grounds. I am looking forward to my next few days here, before heading back to Bordeaux and.... welcoming my parents to town!