Weekend Spontaneity: Lyon! .....and Geneva!

When my host mother asked me how Lyon was, I informed her that I also day tripped to Geneva, and she looked at me shocked and said, "T'es folle!" I can't help but agree.  I went for the weekend to Lyon, and I ended up just taking a train to Switzerland, for kicks and giggles, just because I could. Overall, the weekend was a great success, despite the colder temperatures in Geneva.  Here we go, I will outline some events and then add some photos, the usual....

My travel companions were: a good friend from high school (who is studying in Madrid), and 2 Californians from my program (good friends as well, just for the record.)  We came in 3 waves, my high school friend arriving a full day ahead of me.  One of the Californians went before me, but after my friend from high school, and the other travelled with me.  It was all a little bit of an adventure.

Day 0.5:

Getting to the airport.  Our flight was delayed, so we were worried we would miss the last bus from the airport to the hostel.  We decided to take a taxi.  It was expensive, and the taxi driver was a little bizarre.  He was the kind of guy that tries too hard at a bar, is a little greasy, a little slimy, and just a little too insistent.  During our 40min taxi ride, we heard him call the same woman 5-6 times.  Each time it ringing a few times and then going to voice mail.  He also was texting her.  Because I'm terribly nosy, and trying to decipher his texts was a very good distraction from his terrible driving, I decided to snoop.  After 4 calls or so, he received a text that said "laisse tomber." Meaning, "drop it." To which he replied, "I want to see you.  You haven't mentioned where you are.  Please, call me." (but, en français, biensûr!)  And then he called her again; 1 ring, then to voicemail. Ouch. Then he texted again "I'm about to drop off some clients, then I'll be free.  You still haven't said where you are. I want to see you. Call me, now."  And then he dropped us off, so, yeah.  It was pretty weird, though because his phone was hooked up to the speakers, so we heard him repeatedly get rejected.  We made it to the hostel, though, it was on a hill, and the view was spectacular. 

Day 1:

Walking. Rain. Sunshine. Bao.

The weather was not so awesome at the beginning of the day, so we promptly headed to the Musée des Beaux-Arts.  Pretty things, and shelter from the showers.  A win-win.  Also, it was free for students! WIN.  It had some really pretty paintings, and then some really weird paintings, but also, there were a ton of school group tours there.  Some of them were teenaged kids that really didn't want to be there.  And then there were ADORABLE elementary school aged children that had to wear bright neon yellow vests.  I wanted to steal them. Slash, I wanted that curator's job:

  

ADORABLE. (I love this picture! It makes me über-excited to be back at UCLA working with children)

After the museum, we had a really tasty lunch. (Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France!) The place we ate at was super adorable, and the owners were really nice.  And when we came out of the restaurant, there was sunshine!  And we walked around, saw the rivers, and went to Notre Dame de Fourvière, and then walked around looking for coffee.  We found a Chinese café with "Asian patisseries", like, brioche au porc lacqué (aka char siu bao or also steamed pork buns).  They were delicious.  We ate them quickly and in silence in the sun by the quai.  The silence was punctured with happy food noises, and then after finishing, one of my friends giggled, and said, "I just ate a bao!"  It basically sums up that experience.  It was so unexpected, but so very cool. It was authentic and tasty and perfectly reminded me of home.  After that, we went for coffee, and then we walked along the Rhône, then sat along the quai listening to a jazz band.  It was all very picturesque and beautiful.

A view of the Saône, and a bridge

 Le Cathédrale St. Jean, right at the base of the hill to our hostel

 Notre Dame de Fourvière, at the top of the hill past our hostel

 Me in front of it.

The beautiful interior

 A closer look at the ceiling

 A view of Lyon, taken just outside Fourvière.

 The infamous, ever so tasty bao.

 A view of the quai on the Rhône.

We were sitting here, listening to the jazz, enjoying the sunshine, it was fantastic.

Day 2

Geneva. So we actually bought our tickets to Geneva on a whim the first full day we were all in Lyon.  It was all very spontaneous and spur of the moment.  We were all super excited. "We're going to SWITZERLAND, guys!" But then, moments after buying the tickets, the wave of spontaneity subsided and we were faced with a few thoughts/questions:

1. Does Switzerland use the Euro?

2. Is Switzerland a part of the EU?

3. What even is there to do in Geneva?

We scurried to a book store to browse the guide books.  And here's what we found:

1. Switzerland has its own currency, the Swiss Franc.  But, because it is surrounded by EU countries, most establishments accept the Euro. (This is true, but it doesn't mean things aren't expensive.  Also, all prices are listed in Swiss Francs, which are not equal to the Euro, so, yeah, math abounded.)

2. Switzerland is not part of the EU.  (There were a lot of swiss flags everywhere, and there were also a lot of Chinese flags on this one bridge.  We aren't quite sure why, though....)

3. John Calvin did a lot of things in Geneva.  There is a Protestant Cathedral in Geneva that John Calvin frequented/was at the middle of the Protestant reformation.  Also,  like in all of Switzerland, there is chocolate and watches.  Geneva also has a lake with a large jet d'eau, the second strangest town emblem, after Manneken Pis.....

We ended up walking around and sheltering ourselves from the misty/damp conditions, but there were some nice photos. And we went up the tower at the Protestant Cathedral (aka Cathédrale St.-Pierre), the views were amazing.

A view from St. Pierre Cathedral, jet d'eau and all

After coming back from Geneva, we had an amazing meal at a very cute restaurant.  It was artist-themed, the menus were on paint palettes, and the servers wore smocks.  The food was really tasty, and they gave us free champagne!  After a lovely dinner, we walked around Lyon at night and took a few awesome night photos!

A bridge in Lyon by night

A photo of Cathédrale St.-Jean (foreground), and Notre Dame de Fourvière (up the hill more)

The façade of Cathédrale St.-Jean by night

Overall, an amazing trip!  We all left wanting to visit again and potentially live there in the future.  It was awesome. More to come! Lunch time now.

there are always those that don't come home...

A post with a little insight, a little culture, and a little funny....

As I told people that I was going to study abroad in France, everyone was excited, and assured me I was going to have the time of my life.  This is so true.  And some would get this dreamy look in their eyes and say, "There are always those that don't come home."  Laughing, I would say, I still want to graduate from UCLA and would have to return.  This is still true.  In fact, I am pretty excited to be back in the States with familiar faces, customs, and menu items, but for now I'm loving being abroad, and away and adventuring.  

This last weekend, I went to Lyon, and took a spur of the moment trip to Switzerland!  We were in Geneva for 6 damp hours, but it was pretty fun.  More on that later.  The very un-serious reason for this post is the following Text From Last Night (TFLN).  

"(704): It's true- you can buy beer at McDonald's in France. I'm not coming back to the States."

I am an avid reader of TFLN, they are funny, sometimes terribly disturbing text messages that refer to last night's events (duh!)  Usually centered around binge-drinking and substance abuse, the messages are not always the most appropriate, but they usually make me giggle.  This one in particular.  Not only can you buy beer in McDonald's in France, you can also buy beer in the University cafeteria.  It's pretty amusing, really.  But, don't worry, this is not incentive enough for me to stay.  I can't wait to be home and share more stories with you! 

Warm weather! (more sun, please?!)

So, I think I should have been more specific when I said warm weather......

That's the temperature in Celsius...  It's 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit.  I have been over the moon about these high temperatures! (Yes, I have completely changed my weather outlook, 60 degrees is WARM. Seriously, my feelings about the temperature are a big indicator that I'm not in Los Angeles anymore.)  I don't have to wear a wool overcoat, boots, wool socks, and 2-4 layers on a daily basis!  I was so excited, and I was just hoping it would continue to be 17-25 degrees....I also should have asked for the sun to continue.  So, yes, yesterday I sat outside, in the sun, tanning.  Today, I was able to sit in the sun for a while, and then the heavens opened and it started to rain. Heavily. Then came the thunder and lightning... Hmmm.  I must remember to be more specific.

Brussels: A feast for the stomach, perhaps not the eyes

 For the weekend before my 21st birthday, I decided to celebrate with a few friends in Brussels.  As it turns out, Brussels is a pretty eclectic and quirky place.  Some pretty things, but mostly a place for eating/drinking.  It's the city of beer, chocolate, waffles, and french fries. (why, hello, weight gain, sclerosis, and heart disease....)  On the map given out for free to "young and hip tourists", written by "young and hip locals" there was a section on "How to act like a local" the advice was not always awesome, but it was amusing.... here are the top few quotations....

1. "Drink the real sour Gueuze beer. Tourists say it tastes like vomiting beer instead of drinking it, but they don't know anything." So, I did not follow this advice.  I would prefer not to taste things that tourists thing tastes like beer-vomit.  I am a tourist, and I want a pleasurable experience.  I did, however, have another Belgian specialty....fruity beers.  As my friends and I found out, they are "special-super-tasty-only-for-adults-fun juice."  Like, really, had I not ordered it at a bar, where they serve 2000+ types of beer, I would have thought that it was soda.  Kriek is the cherry beer, and a Belgian specialty, and very very good.  Nice and refreshing, not too sweet..... (and yes, I was drinking before my 21st birthday, but seeing as I am in France/was in Brussels, and the people next to me in the bar were still in high school....)

2. "Brussels is ugly, and we love it." This is pretty true?  There are definitely pretty parts....Victor Hugo thought that la Grand-Place was the prettiest plaza in the WORLD.  It was pretty spectacular.  And then, near the Palais Royale, there were pretty things...But, then, the "emblem" or "mascot" of Bruxelles, Manneken Pis, is kinda strange.  And they really really like him, and he is EVERYWHERE and on ANYTHING....which, yeah, I  just don't know.....

First, la Grand-Place

Some shops in the Grand-Place

A museum/Cultural center in Grand-Place

The Hôtel de Ville de Bruxelles

And there was also some pretty things near the National Royal Library, and the Palais....

Skinny shops

Looking into Centre-Ville, Nat'l Library on the Right, tower of the Hôtel de Ville in the middle

Looking towards the Royal Palace from a park

Architecture in the Parc Cinquantenaire

Manneken-Pis

There are also magnets, chocolates, notebooks, t-shirts, ANYTHING that could have a Manneken Pis on it, does....

Public Urination=totally cool in Brussels.....

3. "First eat, then drink...'tapissier l'estomac' (carpet the stomach)" I just really enjoyed that advice. Yes, friends, this is always a good idea.  It's recommended by people who "drink starting at 13!" That is according to a Belgian friend I made at Delirium (the bar with 2000+ beers, yes, they have a World Record)

4. "Brusseleirs take eating and drinking very seriously, so also look for specialties like...steak américain (cold minced meat with raw egg)" Ummmmm.....NO!  No, no, no.  This was in all the Belgian restaurants/cafés....I have no idea where they got the idea that americans eat their meat cold, raw, minced, with a raw egg.... NEVER.  EVER.  EEEEWWWWWW.  I have no commentary besides that. also, I saw someone eating a nice plate of cubed sausage and cheese with beer at a café.  That wasn't so weird, except they put pepper and mustard on their cheese....a lot of pepper and mustard....I guess it's like a sandwich? I dunno, seeing people eat that with toothpicks was a little disturbing....

The waffles were really good, though.  They have little sugar crystals in them, and they are served piping hot off the griddle.   YUM. Also, french fries were AMAZING and CHEAP.  But, of course, fries are usually amazing... fried. potato. what more can I say?

So, yeah, those are the biggie pieces of advice from the silly tourist map... Also, it tells you when to drink what beer, so you don't look silly....

I also went to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles where they have Jacques-Louis David's "Marat Assassiné."  My friend and I went on a wild goose chase looking for this painting, and when we saw it, we audibly gasped.  I had to restrain myself from touching it.  I had just studied it in class, so it was super exciting.  And we got to sit in front of it, and stare, uninterrupted for many minutes.  Art history major heaven.

I was over the moon.

The museum was pretty too.... Here's the main lobby/entryway.....

To end, I flew Ryanair.  A discount airline based in Ireland that flies places for very very low prices (9.99€ to Morocco!).  They are also kinda shady.... There are TONS of hidden fees, and the landings are the WORST EVER.  The whole plane let out a collective sigh of relief and applauded when we finally stopped bouncing down the runway....  Oh, and if your plane arrives on time, you get to hear a trumpet fanfare and a cheesy announcement about them being awesome.  If you watch this video you will find a Ryanair bumpy landing at 0:40 (note the thud, and then also, mine landings were FAR WORSE), and then the lovely jingle at 1:20.... Also, as I looked up recordings of the noise, I found that one of the most searched Ryanair things is "Ryanair crashes"....good. NOT.  Oh, discount travel, sigh.....

This weekend I'm traveling to Lyon. (On easyjet, another discount airline).  Apparently, it's the gastronomic capital of France!  I'm super excited.  A bientôt!

quick rambling

It's the weekend before my 21st birthday, and I'm going to Brussels.  It seems to be the land of beer, french fries, waffles, chocolate, and art.  My kind of town.  I'm really really excited. 

Also, because it's my birthday and the postal service is inconsistent, I have already received some packages from California.  They are amazing.  THANKS SO MUCH.  Though I am having the time of my life, it's moments like this when I wish I could be home and just give you all huge hugs.  Of course, it would be better if everyone just came and visited me in France!  Also, I would have to "faire des bises" when I saw you because I'm really French now. (but not really at all...)

And, I am really really really enjoying my classes at this point.  Though sometimes very frustrating, I really like sitting in class and actually comprehending the French, and listening to the sayings and the sentence construction.  The only thing is that my hand is cramping, because I want to write exactly what the professors say  (to make sure I know the correct sayings) but it means every class I use 5-8 pages of paper front and back (which causes my hand to cramp)!

One of my favorite distant relatives passed away this week, so here's thinking of you Sister Malachy!  She lived to be 103 years old, and truly touched the lives of many people.  Just a little story, she was a sharp wit with a kind soul.  I would come and visit near St. Patrick's Day and dance for her and the other nuns at the convent.  She was always so excited and would bring us around to everyone and we would dance and have the best time.  My favorite story she told was of her days before becoming a nun.

She would always pull me close, and whisper in my ear, "I used to have boyfriends, you know.  I would always tell them, 'I'm going to be a nun' and they always said, 'No way!'" And then she would pause and giggle, and continue, "75 years later, look who's right?! I told them so!"  She was an amazing woman and I am so grateful I had her in my life.

Also, this marks half way through my program!  Though I won't be home for quite some more time, I will be done with school in the next 2 months!  All for now! Brussels review upon my return!

Weekender: Salamanca, Segovia, and Madrid

I am fresh back from Spain and I had a fabulous time.  If ever you need a place to stay, go to Salamanca and stay with Maxie.  (actually, just stay with Maxie wherever you are, she is a great host!)  It was FANTASTIC.  We had amazing food adventures, and met great Spaniards and Americans alike, and it was FAR CHEAPER THAN FRANCE.  (pastries, coffee, clothing, everything.)  Also, Maxie introduced me to the Spanish way of living, which is at least 2 hours behind the French way of living.  Literally.  This is all because Spaniards love to party, and the Spanish nightlife rises to the occasion.  Especially in a student-filled city like Salamanca, the clubs don't really rev up til about 1am and they stop around 6am or 7am, just as the sun rises.  In fact, if you have yet to have your fill, there are "after party clubs" where you can continue til about 10am.  I was informed that breakfast is served in some clubs, so you can eat before you go back to sleep.  I was shocked, and didn't believe it, but it definitely happens.

So we had a whirlwind adventure I will give a brief itinerary/summary, and then continue to explain with photos.

Day 0.5:
Travel to Madrid.  I stayed in a really friendly hostel, Way Hostel, and it was really nice and trendy.  Then Linden and I went to have tapas.  They were super tasty!  And then, I went to bed incredibly early (not very Spanish) to prepare for the weekend ahead.

Day 1:
Travel to Salamanca.  Linden and I were on the non-express bus, which took 4 hours and stopped in every tiny pueblo of Salamanca.  After Maxie picked us up at the bus station, we went back to her apartment and cooked lunch.  In true Spanish fashion, we ate around 3pm.  (Luckily, we had bought pastries at the bus station, so my French appetite was able to make it.)  We then went to coffee and lounged during siesta time, and then went to the Cathedral to see Salamanca.  It's gorgeous and gothic, and the tower provides a great view.  After looking around, we went back to the apartment and started to get ready for the night.  Maxie's friend came over around 10pm, and we made dinner.  And then, around midnight, friends started showing up to hang out before going out for the night.  Around 1:30am, we went out on the town.  Some how, I was still standing, which I couldn't believe, because everything in France closes by 2am, but I was able to stay out quite late!  After a long night, I fell asleep quite quickly.

The outside of the Cathedral

Looking in on the chapel from the upper story

Looking at the top of the chapel from the upper story

A view looking out from the upper story

Day 2:
Bakery, siesta, exploring, recovery.  We woke up early by Spanish standards (10am) to get started on our day.  Maxie had an amazing recipe for French toast with a strawberry syrup, so that's what we had for breakfast along with tea and fresh squeezed orange juice.  Then we went to the bakery where Maxie is learning to make Spanish foods.  We helped them make pastries, and then they showed us how to make paella.  It was all very tasty.  And then we went inside the Cathedral of Salamanca, then we had coffee, then we explored a little more and walked to the river (breathtaking), and went home.  We all went to bed really early, because we were so tired from the night before. But Maxie's apartment-mate went out again, because she has truly adopted the Spanish lifestyle.  She didn't go to bed til 7am the next day!

Tasty Breakfast

Tasty Paella

A look up at the dome from the inside of the Cathedral

The organ

A look at the Cathedral and the sky reflected in the river.  Yes, this actually happened, and it was GORGEOUS.

Day 3:
Segovia.  Maxie was able to get us on her program's trip to Segovia, known for the very well preserved Roman aqueduct.  It was quite chilly, but we got to see the sights.  It was a day trip, and we returned home in time to bake some cookies, and see the Plaza Mayor at night.  We went to the Plaza, took some photos, and then ate tapas.  I had a tapas with what I thought was calamari, but turned out to be baby eels.  (Linden apparently knew this when I ordered, but didn't tell me til I had tried some and decided that I liked it.)  It was really really good, though.  After that, there was much girl talk and bonding, and then early to bed.

El Aqueducto de Segovia

The romanesque cathedral of Segovia

The gothic cathedral of Segovia

El Alcazar, a castle/fortress of Segovia, we climbed up El Torre and there were great views

The view from El Torre

The view from El Torre, a little closer, to see the mountains and cathedral

The Plaza Mayor of Salamanca by night

Day 4:

Madrid.  Maxie put us on a bus early in the morning, and we made our way back to Madrid.  Though the ride back was also not express, it was much faster, and we made it back in 3 hours.  Linden showed me her favorite plaza, and then dropped me at the Prado, where I wanted to spend the rest of my day.  Unfortunately, the museum is closed on Mondays.  So I had to go shopping.  (My life is so difficult.)  I ended up with cardigans and shoes. (Like I really needed more, but they were so cheap!)  I would like to say that I learned enough Spanish over the weekend to ask for shoes in my size, get the check for a coffee, order pastry, and not look like a total space cadet.  It was pretty sweet.  I then hopped on a plane back to Bordeaux.  I was able to get a seat with no one next to me, so I slept comfortably for an hour and a half, and it was all very pleasant.

A view of Linden's favorite place in Madrid (the name escapes me)

A view of the cathedral and garden next to the Prado, where I sat and had a tasty bocadillo

Alright.  All for now.  More to come!

you met me at a very strange time in my life...

Everyone says that going abroad will change you.  I mean, because I'm experiencing it, I really don't know or notice it, but I guess it has?  Also, it's strange because the people I met here have a very different sense of me from those who knew me from college, who still have a different sense of me than people I know from other times.  But here's a little list of changes (and not changes) I have noticed, and for those who read this, depending on your connection to me, perhaps you will find it interesting.....

1. French language skills

I am definitely more confident in my French.  At the beginning of this, I hoped to be completely fluent and AMAZING upon my return.  I feel this is/was not a reasonable goal.  BUT, my comprehension has increased in leaps and bounds, and I have much less fear about speaking.  (Slash, I have just come to terms with the fact that I will make many mistakes.)  I feel that by the end of this, I will be able to understand French movies without subtitles, which is still pretty amazing.  OH, and I am now fluent in franglais, a strange mélange of French and English.  Unfortunately, English skills are deteriorating.....

2. I now eat cooked carrots.

I feel so awkward at the dinner table, because I don't know all the names for the foods I'm eating.  Especially, the blended vegetable soups.  Being that I really will try anything once, I have just been eating what they put in front of me, like it or no.  I also don't like to complain if we eat something I prefer not to eat.  Like cooked carrots.  Despite their constant presence at our holiday meals, I have always passed that plate without taking.  But, here, cooked carrots are in everything, and they are eaten frequently at dinner.  Though I am still not the hugest fan, I will eat them.  Which was not the case before.

side note in dietary changes: I'm now obsessed with goat cheese, and will probably continue to eat yogurt as dessert upon my return to the US.  

3. Still love shoes and scarves.

My friends from the program probably have seen much of my vast scarf collection, but the shoes have been basically the same very sturdy boots since the beginning of this program.  I cannot wait for the weather to warm up, because the flats will come out and I'll be really excited.

4. I will not die when it dips below freezing.

The other day, as I walked in the 40 degree Fahrenheit brisk, sunny morning air, I noticed: My what a beautiful day.  I was such a weather wimp before France.  I also refused to wear clothes sufficient for temperatures below 70. (I was in LA, why should I have to?!)  Now that I have had to live in it, and know how to dress, I am prepared to go back to CA and never be cold. (Barring terrible temperature changes due to global warming,) California winters, BRING IT.

5. New found appreciations
For the most part, France is a totally developed country, but there are things that just aren't the same, and make me really appreciate basic amenities and practices in the US.
a. Toilet seats (or lack thereof).  At Bordeaux3, and several cafés/restaurants, there are no toilets seats.  They have been stolen, or something.  I don't know why you would steal a toilet seat, but it's the thing to do.  And now, when restrooms have toilet seats I'm insanely happy.
b. Dog poop on the sidewalks.  Yes, it's everywhere.  I liked it better when people actually use the bags provided for them. (Like in the US)
c. Internet.  Now, this might seem dumb, but I have never really appreciated the internet as much as I do abroad.  I am painfully reliant on social-networking sites (ahem, Facebook) and also chatting mediums including googlechat, facebook chat, skype, aim, anything really....  Also, the internet in France is a bit sluggish and oddly slow and poorly-functioning for a modern country.  This makes the internet all the more wonderful at home, where it's wireless and everywhere.

Alright, I have been compiling this list for days, and really, I'm not sure about how interesting or amusing it is, but there you go.  I promise more interesting things to come....I'm going to visit Salamanca and Madrid this coming weekend, and I hope to have fabulous photos and stories.  My first trip outside France!  Wish me luck!

A Weekend in the Pays Basque: Biarritz and St. Jean de Luz

This weekend ended up being the most low-key and relaxing weekend, with several hours spent on the beach (without shoes or jackets!), staring at the sky and the waves and loving life.  It was amazing and beautiful, and I loved every second.  The trip started in Biarritz on Friday, then we went to Saint Jean de Luz (10 min by train) for Saturday, and returned to Biarritz Saturday evening, and hung out there, til Sunday afternoon.

The people were SO NICE.  Everyone spoke to us in French and were glad to help us.  It was just friendly, everywhere we turned.  Also, being a beach community, there was AMAZING seafood.  I was able to have a little paella, and some moules-frites, as well as basque specialties including Bayonne ham, gâteau basque, and basque cheeses, including this one.  It was fantastic.  We slept a lot, watched the waves (so therapeutic) and were able to avoid the deadly winds that whipped through southern France and northern Spain.  Because of the winds, we did not visit the Vierge de la Roche (which was a HUGE missed opportunity, according to my friend's host dad), but, we also didn't get swept into the sea.  I consider this a WIN.  I was just really really glad our beach-side little condo survived and Bordeaux was also in tact upon my return.  So those are the updates, I'll now let the photos make you incredibly jealous.

Here is a view of Biarritz, looking towards the light house.  The large white building touching the right side of the photo is Biarritz's swanky casino.

Here's a look at the waves crashing against a wall, and l'Eglise Sainte Eugénie

A view of the water, looking out towards Spain

The Grande Plage at Saint Jean de Luz, where I walked barefoot, and sat in the sunshine.  GLORIOUS.

Me, soaking up the sun.

The sunset at Saint Jean de Luz, the clouds and sky were SO BEAUTIFUL.

And a last photo of Biarritz from the last day of travel.  The water after the wind was such a bright and vibrant color.

It was an amazing and relaxing trip.  I didn't even mind that everything came back sandy!  And I bought a WONDERFUL cotton scarf with a very pretty pattern and color-combination, that still smells like the ocean.  Overall, very happy.  Looking forward to later travels in Southern France!  All for now!