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!