Marseille, Day 2: Good food, good times!

Hello hello! I'm back again, with more news of day two of Marisa's Fabulous Marseille Mini Vacation. As I was "that girl sleeping on the couch," I got to know several people at my hostel pretty well. Sad, since I had to leave the next day, but it was fun staying up and chatting with whomever, sharing travel experiences, making plans for the next day. As it turns out, an American couple, Stuart and Kara, also had plans to wake up bright and early the next morning, so we decided to do so together and see what the port had to offer in terms of its early morning catch. The boats literally pull right up onto the edge of the Vieux Port, the fishers have their tables, and they place their catch right there and make up signs detailing how much it all is. I was pooped from the previous day's walking, but the early morning atmosphere was definitely worth it!

Something seems a little fishy here...nah, probably just me.

And, whaddya know, Stuart works on ships and knows pretty much everything there is to know about them, so it was endless fun listening to him talk expert sailor speak while Kara and I snapped photos. We even ran into a slightly sad, old vessel that was permanently docked and converted into a restaurant. Although rotting from the hull and showing obvious signs of decay, you could totally imagine the glory of her illustrious past. We even ran into a guy who works on the boat. Stuart wanted to know more about the boat, so the guy said he could come up for a bit, so on we went. Of course, I had to take a moment to unleash the pirate within:

Yarrrr. I be a fearsome scallywag. =D

After a while, though, I decided it was time to part ways (for the moment) and continue on my first mission for the day: exploring the other side of the Vieux Port and old town (remember that fort I was peeking at yesterday?). I ran into Stuart and Kara intermittently throughout the day, which was quite nice, and we made plans for dinner later that evening. Me, I went at a nice slow pace and enjoyed the beautiful, sunny morning where rock meets sea, watching the boats go about their business. This was one of those times when not having someone to talk to made the moment even better. Some good daydreaming and thinking took place here. =)

This guy looks like he's off to do cool things.

My old digital camera's about as honest as they come. You know the view's special when a photo like this shows up :)

So, with fort number two down and lots of morning time left on my hands, I decided it was time to see what this part of town had to offer. I ran into another stunning, unfairly beautiful cathedral (and back into Stuart and Kara!), then wandered around a bit before seeing on my tourist map something called the Vielle Charité. Probably just another nothing special church, right? Not worth seeing? Right, I went anyway, and as a church compared to the others it was nothing special, but as it turns out there was a sculpture exhibition inside one of the buildings. What started as a small detour ended up as an hour's worth of me (and only me, nobody else was at the exhibit at the time) silently gawking over statues like this:

 Well, that's not the proper way to wear a robe, ma'am.

 After bonding with the marble, I decided it was time to move on. I took a break from the tourist stops and decided to see where my feet took me. Several random turns, a twenty-minute walk, and one hill later, I find myself in this place: just a bunch of buildings/apartments set around the remnants of an old windmill in a square, with a little elementary school filled with noisy kids inside. It was wonderful.

 Kids are the same everywhere. They're all horrible drawers. :)

 Nothing really special about this picture, it just says "Marseille" to me.

Afterward, lunch in the Panier, the area of town where the artisans have their shops and the more bohemian crowd historically frequented. I bought some wonderful soap (Savon de Marseille- they're known for it), and lunch at a boulangerie for 5,50 euro. I got a pizza with goat cheese and tomato, a fruit tart, and a twisty chocolate bread thing. I sat on some steps and, again, watched the world go by. I must have looked quite happy; one couple walking past wished me 'bon appetit,' and another smiled and said my tart looked delicious. I also ran into a dude from the hostel with his girlfriend out for a walk.

 Yumyum. Also, I should be more patient and take pictures of my food without bite marks in them.

So, now that I had a full tummy, what was next? According to my tourist map, the Jardin des Vestiges, a place I'd wanted to check out if I had some time, was also right next to Marseille's very own history museum. With my student card I got into both the park and the museum for free. I checked out the park first, and my full tummy told me it was time for a 2:30 nap. I followed the example of one or two others, picked my spot, and snoozed half-in half-out of the shade for 40 minutes.

 Remnants of ancient domiciles. Unassuming, utilitarian. I like it.

Afterward, refreshed and perky, I learned all about this old town at the nifty museum and made it back to the other side of the port and the hostel in time to meet up for dinner. I (and they) got recommendations from the locals for this one place with a fabulously jolly mustachioed chef (Monsieur Loury) that serves up excellent bouillabaisse at a reasonable price (considering that it can run you 50 euro at the best restaurants, 19 euro was nothing! And it was divine). We got there well before dinner service commenced, so we enjoyed aperitifs and music from the street.

 

 Creme de cassis. And I can buy it. Legally!

Afterward, the main course, the one we were all waiting for: multiple fish, one tasty broth, some potatoes and croutons. Yes, everyone, it's bouillabaisse, the Marseille specialty and the seafood lover's dream. Oh, was it tasty.

Humble in appearance, divine in the mouth. Peasant dish elevated to incredible heights.

 After a few hours of chatting, a bottle of local wine, and some delicious dessert (chocolate truffles and crème brulée), we were ready to stroll off our meal. We found our way to the most spectacular fountain I have ever seen. It doesn't even have a name, it's just le chateau d'eau by the Palais Longchamps, but it's two stories high and breathtaking by night. I only wish I could have gotten closer, but it's closed after dark. Alas, for the next visit, I suppose?

 sigh...

 And eventually, it was finally off to bed, to rest and relax for the next day's adventures- a day trip to Aix-en-Provence. Until next time!

Full moon. Watch out for werewolves...

Some crusty old fishing town: Marseille, Day 1!

Hi, everybody! The same day I wrote the post detailing the closure of the university, I hoofed it over to the train station, deciding that this was a prime chance to get away from it all and do a little sightseeing. The options were mind-numbing, and the careful consideration required due to the multiple train suspensions made the decision process bizarre, but I decided that before I go gallivanting off to some other foreign country, maybe it's best to see a little more of my own backyard: so Marseille it is! After all, it's the oldest city in France, dating back thousands of years, it's by the beach, and only an hour and forty minutes away by train. Very doable in a situation where I can only know what train I'll be taking less than 24 hours before departing. So, 11 euros poorer and with a hostel reservation made online, away I went.

Before you wonder why there's a noticeable lack of me in all these pictures, I made this journey toute seule. But isn't it lonely/scary, you may ask? Why no, not at all! This is my first "vacation" without somebody by my side, teaming up on decisions or making them for me, so I was interested to see how it all panned out. What I did find is that I'm actually quite happy being solo on my travel adventures. I'm pretty independent and don't have a constant need for accompaniment. I could wander anywhere I chose, and I only had one tummy/bladder to attend to throughout the time there (Thursday-Sunday). Decisions were mine and mine alone, and I never had to worry about matching stamina with anybody else. (As a result, I totally tore it up out there. Who knows how much walking I did?) Would I travel this way all the time? Probably not, having a companion to voyage with means lots of memories and experiences with that person. But, for my first extended trip outside of Montpellier, I'm very glad I went it alone. Now I know I can do it. =)

To make things a little simpler with the volume of photos I took (a lot by my standards, but few by those of the insanely camera happy), I'll divide my story into days. =)

 It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...:)

I took the first (and only) train to Marseille that morning, departing at 9:41 a.m. We left half an hour late due to manifestors physically blocking the track. Was I concerned? Nah, no really. I had bough a baguette, a wedge of Brie, and ham at Monoprix just before arriving at the station so I was happy as a clam in my little train seat, crumbs galore. After the initial delay, the train ride went smoothly and I got to Marseille feeling rather guilty with the amount of cheese I'd eaten...but I did end up walking it all off.

 First look at Marseille once leaving the train station. One girl, one bag, and all the time in the world!

I got there, went to my hostel, and found out that they'd overbooked! I was the last person to make a reservation online before it "filled" and apparently the computer let them do one too many, so the hostel apologized and said I was welcome to crash on their couch (for free!) or find another hostel. I was very happy to get comped a couch, considering that I can sleep about anywhere. But what did I do with myself that day? I put on my walking boots and went first to the major landmark of Marseille: Notre Dame de la Garde, aka "La Bonne Mère." It's the largest, grandest cathedral in Marseille, set at the highest natural point in the city. It offers a panorama of the city and the sea that is to DIE for.

 Me being small next to this big ol' thing.

 Not even close to doing the view justice. Not a chance!

The church had essentially two "stories," if you will. The upper is the basilica, the most ornate portion and very grand. I went there first. It was extraordinary, as the pictures will show. Along the sides of the chapel were tons of memorabilia and paintings reflecting the city's maritime history; ships, life preservers, etc. It was an unusual assembly, but you could definitely tell that this is part of Marseille's character. This church is fiercely loved and said to keep watch over the city ("Our Lady of the Guard" is the translation from French).

 The tabernacle, and a hint of the gorgeous mosaics that were everywhere.

 Up close view of a portion of the ceiling.

 On my way out to do more exploring. Magnificent views abound.

Afterward I headed down to the crypt. No, no dead bodies...it's actually just another chapel, though a bit more somber and understated. I'm trying to post only my favorite photos of the bunch, but it really is going to be hard. All I can do is direct you to my facebook for the rest. Overall, the atmosphere was one of reverence. It was at this point that I made a note to go to mass at some point this weekend (I did!).

 Not sure of the purpose of this little chamber...but would you like to be locked up in here?

After finishing with this, I made the trek back downhill and decided to check out the historic old port. It's been around, much like a lot of this city, for a couple thousand years. It's flanked on either side by a fort for protection.Very lovely place to stroll around and visit, and I made a point to make it up to one today, and one the next. As it turns out, they're slightly limited access: I'm curious as to what goes on inside the fort itself, but I was received by a sign dictating something or other dealing with the military. Essentially, "No tourists allowed." Aww.

 Cool, but slightly confusing structure atop the fort. Giant gold sword guarding a hole?

 

Playing lookout (that's the other fort across the port)

 The Vieux Port seen from atop Fort Saint Nicolas, in the evening sun.

After this, I decided that I was in the prime situation for one heck of a view if I could find myself a beach before sunset. I made my way back down the fort, checked my map, and saw I had a bit of walking to do to, but also some time, so I set off and followed the water. I found the Pharo Gardens with a small palace (small palace??) and more lovely views and amused myself people watching for awhile. There was a party of people watching their dogs romp around off the leash, parents playing with their kids, and of course, cute French couples of all ages enjoying the evening. I made casual conversation with a couple and eventually got myself in a photo near a nautical-themes statue. Evening sun makes everything look nice. =) After that, I continued walking and eventually found myself a beach and one breathtaking sunset.

 A photo of myself I actually really like =)

 I've got my spot, right here!

 Oh, I also found "The door to the orient and distant lands," (so it reads). Me, all I see when I look at this is "Touchdooooown!"

 Oh, yeah. This is livin'.  More pics tomorrow. Until next time!

Hoo-rah!

Hey, guys! Update! Hot off the presses! The university, as of Wednesday, 20 October, is closed until Monday of next week. Like, seriously. Closed. All of it. As in, there are gates blocking off campus. Should the academic in me be concerned? Perhaps, but now all I can do is say, "Yippeeeeee!!" I'm going to find a way out of this country come hell or high water, and let's see where the winds take me. I'm feeling like now is the time to travel.

Strikes are continuing, and all of France is pretty much in a general sense of outrage over the stated retirement changes. I, for the most part, don't seem to feel the effects. I stay away from the manifestations and mind my own business. However, I will say, for any of you worried at home, that strikes in France are quite different than the sensational, violent, burning buildings and causing riots you see elsewhere in the world. They're actually more like one big party. I've seen singing, marching, even an enterprising vendor selling roasted chestnuts where the strikers will be passing. A friend of mine has apparently also seen a vendor selling coffee and beer. In general, people seem to be upbeat and festive. Again, kind of hard for me to wrap my head around, but I'll take it for what it is and see where this takes me.

In case you're interested, here's the news from the university itself: Apparently, some students have blockaded themselves in one of the ampitheatres on campus! Oh, my.

"Les étudiants, en assemblée générale ce mardi 19 octobre 2010 ont voté pour la reconduction du blocage de l’Université Paul-Valéry – Montpellier III jusqu’au jeudi  21 octobre 2010 et ont décidé l’occupation nocturne de l’amphi A par une courte majorité de circonstance.

Au-delà du fait qu’elle dessert le mouvement social en cours, cette occupation est inacceptable pour la direction de l’Université qui ne peut assurer, dans ces conditions propices à générer des incidents et des dégradations, la sécurité des personnes et des biens.

Dans ce contexte, la direction de l’université a demandé l’intervention des forces de l’ordre pour évacuer les quelques personnes occupant l’amphithéâtre et décide, de la fermeture administrative du site « route de Mende »  jusqu’au lundi 25 octobre 2010 au matin.

En conséquence, les cours sont suspendus et le personnel du site n’est pas tenu de se rendre à l’Université.

Un conseil d’administration extraordinaire se tiendra la semaine prochaine pour décider des mesures à prendre et des modifications du calendrier."

The general sense of it is that authorities have been called in to get rid of these students, the university is unhappy about this interference with academia, and will meet next week to decide what measures will be taken. More updates to follow! Thank you for tuning in to News with Marisa. Until next time, stick it to the man.

Perturbations, manifestations, et grèves. Oh, my!

Ladies and gentlemen, we are under siege. Retreat to the safe house, recon, and wait for reinforcements. In the meantime, somebody set up watch at the perimeter to monitor the enemy.

Ok, ok. So I've watched one too many war films in my young life. Not-at-all-serious melodramatics aside, France is so totally on strike. And not just a "hello, let's march a bit, chant, let them know we're here and go home" kinda deal, but the whole country. And what's it about? Retirement, people! Read all about it here on the world socialist website: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/oct2010/fran-o15.shtml

Interesting read (English, too), but the jist is that Sarkozy's upping the minimum retirement age for full pension by two years, and people are totally up in arms. Aside from that big demonstration I mentioned a few days ago, there have been more. And more. No joke. The tram lines are constantly being interrupted and redirected by random masses of people (manifestations), there's probably going to be a gas shortage if oil workers continue to strike, and train services are becoming sparser and sparser (they're "perturbed," according to French jargon- oh, the new vocabulary!). I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this. As long as I'm not caught in the middle, I continue to be mildly amused. It's almost like watching some kind of sideshow.

Like, for example, I took the tram this morning to go to my appointment with immigration. I, being the prudent person I am, got on extra early, figuring I'd get to my appointment way ahead of time and get out quick. The tram services have been in and out all week, which I've noticed as I ride merrily by on my bicycle (haha). As it turns out, I needed that extra twenty minutes, and I arrived at my appointment just on time. Halfway between Point A and B, the tram is forced to a halt by a solid mass of young people just standing in the way, and all around. Trying to understand the method behind all this madness isn't entirely working out, but hey. Pas de souci (no worries!).

I did have plans to take the train to Marseille for the weekend, but they got derailed. (Ha ha, get it?).  There are trains departing and returning, but they're a lot less frequent than normal and at cruddy times. And the last thing I want to do is get stuck, so here I am. Disappointing, but why complain, right? It's not like I'm the only one inconvenienced by this, and I'm here for nine months. That old French city on the coast ain't going to get up and move anytime soon. If it does...well, then, life just doesn't make sense anymore.

So we'll see what happens in the weeks to come. There's a chance of classes being canceled at some point next week due to all this mess, so perhaps a mini vacation is in order. Who knows? Until next time, fight the power.

Out of order: updates on life!

Okay, so this past weekend I enjoyed happy hour crêpes and went to Sète, a cool fishing village 15 minutes away by train, but since the internet here is quite awful I can’t upload any photos now. I realize that I'm sounding quite like a broken record, but they will come! Promise! So you’ll find out about Sète as soon as I can. Maintenant, here’s how my week’s been so far.

 I am apparently miraculously accident prone. Within five days, I injured both somebody else and myself. How do I accomplish this? I don't know, but I find it rather amusing. It's a good conversation topic, though, I find. I mean, I was absolutely mortified when, while I was dancing up a storm one night at la soiree latina, my ring apparently hit my partner's hand at just the right angle to cut it. Yes, I made a guy bleed. I'm dangerous, man. Stay away from me. Of course I can laugh about it now (the guys I were hanging out with find it amusing to me moquer about it, all in good fun of course), but at the time it was quite the embarrassment. I'm glad I didn't count how many times I apologized. Combined with the fact that my French comprehension is garbage in clubs, it was all one big, hilarious mess! How do I get myself into these strange situations? More important, I suppose, is that I always manage to goof my way out somehow.

So what else is new? Ah, yes. Since I've been here, France has had not one, not two, but three (!!!) national grèves (strikes). The stereotypes are true, people. They don't typically bother me since I'm pretty chill and have a bicycle, but it's constantly amusing to learn exactly who decides to take the day off in which administrative positions. Can a doctor really go on strike? Apparently so, I've been told! But what interested me most was as I was bike riding to the Comédie to take care of business and buy my youth train card (cuts all your train prices in half! Oh happy day!!), I found myself facing down hundreds- yes, hundreds- of people. It was overwhelming. There was singing, chanting, drumming, and tons of people walking who knows where. Apparently they were such a big crowd that for a little while they actually halted the few trams that were still running. Fight the power, man. Me, I think I'll leave the demonstrating to the activists. Something about a crowd of demonstrators that big with all the noise frightened me a bit, so I gawked very briefly and silently wished them well as I slinked through the crowd to do my shopping. Really, it's hard to describe in words. Quite a sight. I've never seen anything like it in my sleepy Alabama town. Love it or hate it, it's very much a part of French culture to demonstrate about just about anything semi-regularly.

I've adapted surprisingly easily to constant, unexpected inconveniences. For example, through random chance, I find out while on the way to the latin party tonight that it's canceled. Having waited 20 minutes for this tram (strike, remember?), I wasn't keen to get off. So, we ended up meeting for a drink at a hole in the wall bar and had some excellent conversation as well as a cassis-flavored beer. So, I know actually know what cassis is: it's the French word for blackcurrant (thank you, Wikipedia), a tangy berry that made my drink quite fruity. I felt so feminine drinking it in comparison to everything else I've had here, but it was amazing.  On a side note, I've seen beer here with 11.9% alcohol content. I think I'd have to pass on such an adventure, but talk about something that'll put hair on your chest, eh? If it tells you anything, the beer was Dutch. They must have some really hairy chests.

So, after that? As is typical of the centre ville, at the tram station while waiting another 15 minutes/indeterminate amount of time, we ran into some more friends who were also on their way home. These fabulous ladies happened to be from the same crowd who typically goes out dancing Tuesday nights as well, so we said hello, ont fait des bisous (kisses on the cheek!), and suddenly we were instant friends and laughing about this one slightly crazy but harmless gentleman singing on the tram. Nothing says bonding like giggling in bemusement over the characters you meet in this town. Two of the girls live at Vert-Bois, so I had more company on the way home. We jammed to some tunes on one's Blackberry, and the evening ended marvelously. To top it all off, I got high praise from my expression orale professor on my exposé today, which made me happy since I practiced a lot to make it sound coherent and clear in front of the class. So give me some credit, here. I am working. =P

Until next time, sorry for the absurdly long post of nothing but words!

CHOCOLATE. SOMEBODY STOP ME.

Okay, so this is incredibly late. Quite sorry, everybody! But thanks to my dear new friend who saw a poster around the city, this past Sunday we went to the beach town just outside Montpellier, Palavas-les-Flots, where you saw my previous ocean pictures. Here are a couple more:

 

Quite grey, don't you think? But still cute. I feel proud of the seagull I captured in the top corner. 

 Don't have to tell me twice!

 Moi et mon nouvelle amie, Paloma. Elle est super gentille :)

It wasn't exactly beach weather (grey and windy), but that was just fine because the five of us were on a mission: the Salon du Chocolat.

Oh, yes. Yesssss.....

It's a grand chocolate expo where, for 4 Euro, you can enjoy considerable amounts of dégustation (tasting) and get the opportunity to buy all the chocolate you want. Now I have to say, the vendeurs were extremely friendly and fun to talk to, especially when you ask them questions...I'm incredibly curious, and hearing how somebody became a chocolatier is always a treat. Plus, on the interesting side, I appear to be reasonably good at fooling people into thinking I'm European...how bizarre, since I really don't actively try to do this, but I continually appreciate the sentiments! I've gotten Spanish, Italian, and Polish so far when it comes to specifics...I don't quite think I look like any of those, but considering I am a very uncommon mutt, I think I just look a little "unusual" and hard to place. I think it's the nose. =)

Okay. I got off track...where was I? Chocolate? Oh right, I was about to say how I got my money's worth of the tasting before actually buying anything. I came home with these:

 

No, not these...here are some nice verres du chocolat

 

No, not these solid blocks of chocolate either...though I did try my fair share, tee hee. Blanc au caramel, chocolate au riz, du lait, noir du cerises/orange/menthe, au poire, etc... I even tried one filled with a sweet substance made from olive oil!

No, not these either! (I'm so baaaaaad, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for tormenting you so.)

Okay, here we are. Finally!

I bought a chunk of nougat (not this one, this was prettier for picture purposes) which is absolutely divine...these in the photo are a bit more ornamental and more exotic in the flavors, like tiramisu, fruits, chocolate peanut, etc. Mine was traditional. Egg whites, sugar creme, almonds, honey (it was miel de lavande!!!), pistachios. Somewhere between soft and chewy, and to die for. But don't worry... I wouldn't leave without buying some chocolate as well.

 

 No, I didn't actually buy this. Just kidding. Someday...

We have a winner! Bon bons, with cream on the inside...I bought mocha, rum, and hazelnut.

But the day was nice, spent in the company of some wonderful ladies. I'm glad I got to experience the artistry that is French chocolate. These chocolatiers take their work very seriously, as do the French with much of their native food. They are the ultimate chocolate snobs (and this as a total compliment), and anything less than the best is just not worth the time. Did that mean the chocolate was pretty pricey? Oh, sure, but this was a luxury I was willing to go for just this once. I tried so many things, but not taking some home would be a travesty. I even rekindled my love for caramel. There were vendeurs selling small jars of spreadable caramel in tons of varieties, which made me seriously want to die of joy.

After seeing these photos again and reliving my chocolate dreamland, it was SO worth it. One of my favorite elements of the day was, oddly enough, bonding with the fellow chocolate lovers there. It's the universal language of females across the globe, I'm convinced. (Okay, maybe this is an exaggeration, but I was in good company!)

 

Cheezin. Us and the chocolate. Good day. Until next time!

How do you solve a problem like Mari(s)a?

Alright, everybody! I'm baaaaaack. I had a smashing Monday evening out dancing at the Australian bar with the girls. It's become a weekly thing. I've even made friends with the bouncer. (I know, look at me go, eh?) Tuesday night was the latin dance fiesta again, and it was also fabulous! I'm continually floored by the skill of some people there, but give me a month or two and I'll finally feel like I know what I'm doing. Needless to say, it's a roaring good time and there's people from all over who come to this. My only problem is trying to communicate. When you can't hear people to begin with because of the music/noise, I've noticed that it becomes incredibly difficult to comprehend others when they speak to me in French. I try to laugh about it, but it honestly makes me feel dumb. Ah, well. I guess, as with dancing, the only solution is to practice, right? (And to hope that people don't think you're too slow). I guess that will be my final "test" to pass for French proficiency: be able to converse easily in da club.

Okay, but enough of that. Would you like to see more of what I did this weekend? It involves video AND photos! Fancy! Come along:

All the shops and restaurants are built into these old, small-style rooms. These things were built to last!

 The little town square. Take away those few cars and the tourists (i.e. me) with cameras and you're in the 1700's!

Our guide took us on a tour of the village, pointing out the neat sights and explaining a bit here and there about the history (there's a lot of it!), from the shells you see on all the fountains to the gentleman who named this place. He founded an abbey here, which isn't surprising giving its location of perfect isolation. The landscape is essentially a narrow, tiny valley with nothing but UP all around.
 

Inside the abbey. Shhh...(literally. Silence is required. Can't say a word!)

 Ah, in a country where it's the norm to be Catholic. You understand me, France. =)

So, we were asked to bring our own lunches that day to picnic. Not everybody did, which is ok since you can find sandwiches anywhere you are. However, I didn't have any sandwich materials at home so I brought whatever I had: which turned out to be pasta with butter and garlic, raw green beans, and a tomato (Yum!). Folks seemed mildly amused at me eating a tomato like it was a pear or something, but I still can't get over how good they taste here. They're seriously a requirement every time I go to the grocery store. If I have to choose between pain au chocolat and tomatoes at the Carrefour...well, let's hope I'll be this good for the rest of the time I'm here! At the very least, perhaps I can have a balance system: for every pain au chocolat/croissant I eat, I must consume one tomato? Ah, who knows. I feel pretty healthy so far, though.

But up next, what do I do when I see hills? I want to climb them, of course! I started out with friends, took plenty of pictures, etc...

Hi, mom!

Looking down on the village.

After awhile, though, I decided to abandon the more leisurely pace of my companions and really hoof it. I was aiming to make it to the top before we had to leave (we were running a little late). I probably could have done it if I wasn't so photo crazy, but it would have been such a shame not to capture some of it for the memories. But it was very serene, and so nice to run through those hills, twirling in circles, singing "The hills are aliiiiive!" (Kidding, of course. Or am I?)

Going up!

Meeting my fellow travelers, snapping a sly photo. 

It is customary to say "Bonjour!" to anybody you pass, as I quickly learned. They were very amusing gentlemen. They said if you put your ear to the rock you can hear the mountain speak (or something like that; I just giggled). Luckily for me, it was a trick. He said once you put your ear there, if you want to play a joke you can smack the person aside the head. Oh, people are the same no matter where you go. =)

I'm so not a photographer (stare and press the button is all I'm capable of), but I like this one!

Why hello, little caveman. (His parents were close by, don't worry! I'm getting good at surreptitious photo-taking)

Taking time to enjoy the view.

I went up a little farther after this...I really wanted to make it all the way to the top (and check out those ruins on the left of the above picture), but the path is a lot longer than anticipated.  I'd say I climbed for 40 minutes, with breaks to stop and take photo/video. I actually had to mountain goat down the hills (okay, not a verb, I know) in half that time to get back ten-fifteen minutes late for the bus. But I actually arrived about two minutes before Soumiya, one of our ISEP hosts, so all was good, and I was well exercised and ready to sleep like a rock that night. (And oh, I did!)

Stopped jogging long enough to snap a photo of this on the way down. :)

 Passing through the village on the way out of town!

 Potable or nonpotable? Ah, better keep moving!

I have lots more photos, but I tried to select my favorites for you who may not have access to my facebook album. The commentary is better in my blog, anyway! In conclusion, The mountain/hills/whatever they are were absolutely wonderful, and I will be going back soon to conquer them for real. My next post will have my videos, with Marisa's Goofy Commentary on the climb up. Buyer beware; I'm awful with the camera.  I need more practice. Until next time!