Photos Post No. 2 - Montpellier!

As you should all know, Montpellier was the very gorgeous town that we all stayed in! Here is a random assortment of photos that I chose in an attempt to show you the best bits...

Montpellier's cute little streets - and gorgeous Christmas decorations!! (and Cyz of course!)

The Christmas tree in la Place de la Comedie - we all thought it was kind of ugly, but here is a photo anyway! Rue de la Loge at night
The Esplanade by night - pretty!

Rue Foch and the mini Arc-de-Triomphe. Rue Foch and Rue de la Loge made up the main street of Montpellier - leading from the Arc down to the centre of all the action - La Place de La Comedie!

The fountain - Les Trois Graces (i think), in La Place de la Comedie
The Piano Man - Playing on Rue de la Loge

The Carousel - we never went on it - very sad.

This interesting staircase in the courtyard of some building - one of the coolest things about Montpellier is that there is awesome architecture hidden all over the place, and many of these buildings allow you to wander in and have a look!

Louis - I think we decided some of the best chocolate croissants in Montpellier - and their other cakes, tarts, pastries were also very very good!The markets along the esplanade many days of the week. Fruit and veg, bread, clothes, shoes, underwear, bags, rugs etc. etc.Emma and Mia standing by the little creek in the park just in front of le lycee. The creek actually went over the path (there was a little bridge and stepping stones) and there was normally ducks - it was all very pleasant!

Photos Post No. 1 - My Class and School

So, here come the photos. The first lot is random shots of my class and the school we went to, Le Lycee Joffre. The school is the biggest in France - in terms of students and space. The Lycee itself had over 3000 students in the three year levels (equivalent to our Years 10,11,12). There was also a College adjacent (Years 5 - 9) and 2 years of preparation for Uni.

The walkway, facing as if you were leaving the school. It would be crowed every morning and afternoon. On the square blocks were written the Basic Human Rights - I think and so the walkway was named something to do with that?? Emma knows I think.

The main courtyard in front of the main buildings of the lycee, sometimes completely empty and sometimes so packed you could barely move! Our meeting place was generally by the tree, otherwise it was impossible to find people unless you were very tall!

People from my class in the 'student space' adjacent to the Cafeteria, before school, crazily cramming for a Geography test. Nothing changes - even on the other side of the world!

A photo taken of the class and myself, on my last day, kindly taken by the Maths teacher. Yes, the class is big! I think about 35 people. Apparently in the earlier years, the classes are smaller, but then they get bigger - seems to be the opposite in Australia?

Kasey and Cyz under 'the tree', which became the most popular meeting space, and was also a pleasant spot for sitting in the shade on warm days.

My class in English, unfortunately this photo caused the class to get very distracted and the teacher went a bit crazy - oops. Well it was kind of funny! The Classroms are all really plain and boring - nothing on the walls, all grey and icky!

Some kids waiting in the hallway, which is what you do before each class, when the first bell goes. They can get rather crowded! Very different to Eltham in that no one is ever late!

This is the terrace - I often met Mireille here between classes as it is between Buildings A and B.

Our first Monday of school, on the benches outside the Cafeteria, with Moniques host sister Marie and her friend.

Mireille and her friend Coline, playing 'Jeu au Go' on the terrace. Mireille and her sister's loved this game, but i was hopeless at it. I think its quite big in France but I had never heard of it.

Benedict and Mireille. Mireille has this squirrel on her shoulder, and before Christmas, she put a little tiny Santa hat on it's head! Everyone knew her by the squirrel on her school bag, which was quite humerous!

Benedicte, Coline and Mireille eating lunch. It became a bit of a habit to buy lunch at a shop in the Halles Jacques Coeur on a Thursday as the break was shortish and too late for the canteen!

Le dernier jour

So, I'm trying to organise photos at the moment, and once i have, I'll put some up for all to see!

Sunday, my last day, very sad! Woke up early to write thankyou cards, organise presents for my host family and finish packing everything into my bag. Then breakfast - as a treat we had chocolate croissants - Yummy! Mid-morning we headed off to Nimes, to the Pont du Gare, which is a roman Aqueduct, pretty cool! Here, we did a few walks to look outs, then walked along the river for ages to find a little beach, where we had a picnic. That was relaxing, and then we headed back to the car before heading home in the afternoon. Once home, well, read the blog from then. After that blog, i gave up waiting for Emma, and went for a walk - buying my last croissant (chocolate/almond) and trying to imprint the city in my memory.

Back home, showered and had a bit of dinner before finishing packing my bag. Then it was time to say goodbye to Laurent, Cecile and Lise, who weren't coming to the airport. It was sad, but there weren't any tears - I know, I am an ice queen! Then dragging my bag down all those stairs for the last time... When i got to the airport, Mia and Monique were already there with their families, then Kasey arrived and then Emma (it wasn't her fault she was late). The airport was practically empty, and luckily a really nice guy did our check in and luggage. On the scales, the bags all weighed about 2 kg less than they had at home, which was great, so no problems there. Then some photos and procrastinating about actually leaving, before the time came for goodbyes and going through security check. Again, no tears from me (its not my fault - I was sad, I just didn't feel like crying) and I think Mia's eyes also remained dry. Of course, I was the first one to go through security check, leading the way. At this stage, Emma was bawling and required a hug - she almost made me cry. Luckily the security people were nice, although the girs still had to take their boots off.

Then we were onto the plane - attempting to shove our bags under our seats as the overhead lockers were aready full thanks to the many business people around us who probably only had carry on stuff, commuting to Paris for the week after spending weekend with family. (Apparently this is quite common) Not long and we were up the air - crying had stopped and conversation began, we talked across the aisle (possibly kind of loudly because we got some glares from people around us) about how we really didn't want to leave!

Touch down in Paris, and as we knew we were pushed for time, we tried to get off the plane and through the rabbit warren quickly. Found our way out, through the baggage check (again shoes off for the girls in boots - Mia gave sleazy inappropriate guy biggest glare ever - go Mia!!) and followed signs to the correct gate - where we found Jacques - I think that was a relief! As plane was still boarding with big line, Monique and I hurried off the spend our last euros (on things edible of course!) before jumping in line and getting on the plane. Us girls were seated in the middle section between the aisles, in the last 2 rows of the plane. In an attempt to have Jacques sit with us (he was ages up the plane) i suggested we ask the poor guy sitting in the seat next to us if he would like moving. Mia had literally said only the words 'We have a friend...' and the guy was out of his seat, getting his things and following her down the plane to swap places with Jacques. It was quite funny - I think he was dreading the flight surrounded by us!

That flight began with dinner, Mia and I getting our before everyone elses of course - we are so lucky - and it was actually quite nice - vegetable risotto! After dinner, we generally dosed, as it was quite late - and the movies weren't on demand, which is kind of annoying! 12 hours seemed to pass quite quickly, a midnight snakc (icecream!) breakfast and then we were touching down in Singapore. The gate for our connecting flight was less than 20 metres away from the gate we walked out, so we took over a group of chairs, dumped our many bags and took it in turn minding bags/going for walks - we had about 2 hours. After freshening up, Emma and I went for a walk - we went into the Cactus garden - it was soooooooo humid! Unbelievably hot and sticky and we were only out there for about 2 minutes, glad that the airport is airconditioned! I also really like Singapore airport, it is nice and open and airy (well kind of) and easy to navigate (the complete opposite of Paris which has so many levels and tunnels and passages etc etc).

The flight to Melbourne we were sitting 3 and then 2 across, and I was on the end, next to a little kid - but she was ok - too old for crying thank goodness, althugh she did seem to enjoy kicking my legs or leaning on them. Alas. Poor Jacques was all alone about 20 rows ahead of us, but we dropped by occasionally to say hi and supply him with chocolate/lollies. For most of this flight we watched movies, or dozed, or chatted. We had dinner again just after take off - for Mia and I it was some weird pasta bake thing with vegies - also quite nice, and breakfast just before we landed.

Back in Melbourne - our first thought, that everything from the airport looked so dry after the green-ness of France. Passport control - so different to that in France - the guys were all chatty and wanted to know where you had been and what it was like - the guy that Emma and I had had been to Montpellier - but in the 80s "but you weren't born then, were you?" - he was funny! Along to pick up our baggage - this took a while to some through, but did eventually and then through customs. The customs guy wanted to look at my boots which was kind of annoying (everyone else was waiting and impatient) but told me i'd done a good job cleaning them. yay! Then through the doors and there were our parents, siblings, friends etc. After hellos whilst blocking the way, we spent a fair bit of time talking to everyones parents and sisters, before one by one we left, and finally we got to our car and began the drive home.

The thing that struck me the most since I've been home is that it feels like i have been away for no time at all - its almost as thought the last 6 weeks never happened. Weird huh? Photos and maybe some other random stuff about France coming later, but thats all for now. Next thought is that Montpellier is calling me back already - so maybe 2008 we'll be heading back! Who wants to come??

Before I finish this last official France blog - I would like to vote myself in for the best exchange blog award - Emma and Monique can fight it out for 2nd and 3rd, but I'm sorry to say that Sarah and Anna lost dismally!! Sorry guys!

Update...

So now I am home, but more about that later, first an update on the last days of our time in France. Again, please excuse my typing, i now have to get used to the Australian keyboard again! I think that I had already done Thursday...

Friday, in the morning I went to French with Mireille for an hour, then they had sport, so I met some of the others and we did a bit more shopping (now starting to rush around for the forgotten presents) and I returned to meet Mireille and Coline at school, and we went to the canteen for lunch. As we were early, it wasnt too hell-ish, but the only hot food was some cous-cous and cooked carrots - a bit plain, but edible so it was ok. After lunch, i met the other Aussies on the grass outside the school - it was really hot in the sun, and they had been chatting to all the English students whose class we had gone to on Thursday. The students were all really nice, and stayed around for a bit. Then we booked a restaurant for dinner that night (finally organised, had been a bit confusing) and spent the rest of the day wandering i think, it was so long ago!) Then everyone returned home to get ready for dinner, me included. I thought i would get a second wear out of my skirt!! We went to Piazza Papa in the Comedie for dinner, and it was the 6 of us, and our students (except Alix and Manuel couldn't come). Dinner was nice - I had a very cheesy pizza, which surprisingly i managed to finish. After dinner, the plan was to head over to Haagen Dazs, but it was closed, so instead we went to the supermarket and bought tubs of Haagen Dazs and spoons for eating it - Yum! With our icecream we wandered around the Place de la Comedie for a bit, before people started to head home, and I headed home with Emma because she was staying the night. At home, we watched the end of Monty Python with my family before heading off to bed.

Saturday (Saturday, Saturday) (That is probably only funny if you are Emma or Mia), my class was doing a test in Geography first thing, so, like the nice person I am, i headed out into Montpellier to pick up a few munchie for the class to share - lets just say that when I returned, I was very popular!! Then we had 2 hours of Maths, which wasn't too bad as everyone was attempting to chat to me whilst the teacher gave me evil looks. At the end of the class, we persuaded everyone to stay for an extra minute and I got a photo with the class. Then after saying goodbye to everyone, Mireille and I headed home for lunch.

After lunch, Laurent drove Mireille and I down to the Camargue, where we went on a trail ride. (Remember how I was talking about all the trail riding places - I'm not sure whether they read my mind (or my blog) or just decided it was a good idea?) I was assigned a horse called... I think it was 'tempete' - which means 'storm' in English. (I think that was it??) Anyway, i was kind of disappointed that he wasn't a true Camargue horse (he was chestnut), but he turned out to be a great little horse!! Anway, so we headed out, it was just the guy from the place, Mireille and I which was cool. Helmets weren't compulsary but I wore one anyway (it would have been cool to gallop along the beach with hair out, no hat etc. but anyway). The guy (forget his name) was riding this gorgeious horse - the stallion that the place was named after. He was 15, but he so didn't look it - unfortunately i didn't get a good picture, so you will have to take my word for it!! As well as stunning, he was also a bit playful, and so the ride was interesting, with him bucking his way along the beach in front of us! We rode for about 1 and 1/2 hours, down to the beach, then cantered along the beach, then back up and cantered along a dune before headed back. It was very fun and very relaxing and my horse was cool with an awesome canter, but he got a bit excited which made it all the more fun and kept me on my toes! After that we hung around at the stable place until Laurent came back to pick us up and we headed home.It was quite late, but I headed out for a quick walk around Montpellier, and took some pictures of Montpellier at night. Then home again, and it wasn't too long before dinner. After dinner... uh... can't remember? Maybe we played scrabble or Uno? Then i attempted to do a little packing, and headed off to bed...

trop bientot!

Am waiting for Emma to call back so thought I'd jump on the computer. Am all packed, but with a little wee problem!! My luggage weighs about 23 kg!! NOOOOOOOO!! so i was trying to call Monique to see if she had any space, but there was no answer. My carry-on backpack is full and weighs over 9 kg and I am trying to work out how i can disguise my handbag and another bag as one bag! It might work?? How long does it take Emma to have a shower (thats where she was when I rang!) I really don't want to leave!!! But i can sleep for ages on the plane - YAY - I am a little tired, woke up at 6 to write thankyou cards, organise presents and pack... Apparently in France they are really strict with the weight thing - I could prob get away with it in Melbourne...

Speaking of weight - you wont believe how much i weigh!! (Weighing yourself is neccessary for weighing your bag, i am not a weigh-yourself freak!) 56 kilos!! OMG!! Since generally I vary between 49 and 51 kilos - this means I have put on 5 or 6 kilos! scary stuff! This means that I will probably hve to do a tiny bit of exercise when I get home - sigh! Or I suppose it might drop off when I stop eating pastries??

La La La. Want to go out for a walk but waiting for Emma to ring... We are leaving for the airport at about 7, and so hopefully everyone else has the same idea about being uber early, so we can all check in together, sit together, sort out luggage without stress, that type of thing! Somehow we also want to try and explain that we want to sit next to Jacques on the plane, he is meeting us at Paris. Not sure how successful that will be, but we will try!!

Ok, bored now and Emma still hasn't called. Rrrrr. See you all after a very long flight!

Jeudi, Vendredi, Samedi

Eek its getting late, we leave tomorrow and I haven't started packing. I think I am taking it for granted that everything will fit and it will be under 20 kilos. i hope I am lucky!!

Having said that, i still haven't had a shower - maybe I should leave this post for when I get back??

Thursday quickly - Went to English and French in the morning, then had a crepe at a restaurant with Emma for lunch. After lunch we met Madame PC and went to her English class to speak about Australia for an hour. Then we all got her to correct our speeches (took ages but she is so nice!!) and rewrote them so they were readable!! Then I believe more walking around was involved before Emma, Monique and Jacques came back to mine to change shoes and return to school. The evening was quite nice - first the teachers said a few words, then we sang the Aus national anthem (thank goodness 4 of us can sing! - not me!!), then everyone sang the French national anthem. Then it was time for the speeches - they were all uber tres good - I went second last and was sooooooooo red by the end. (apparently I was also speaking fast!!) After that they bought out some food - quiche and pizza followd by various types of little cakes (i tried one of each!) and galette. That was thursday...

Eek, really must go or Ill be dead on my feet tomorrow! Goondight everyone!! Ill do a few huge updates and lots and lots of pictures when we get back to Aus and I am recovering from Jet Lag!!

Lundi, Mardi, Mercredi

So now you are learning the days of the week!!

Monday... Hmmm. In the morning we wandered and shopped etc. (Mireille had Maths and Spanish), then I went to Physics with Mireille, had lunch with her and her friends, and then went to English and Biology. After school I did some more wandering with Emma, she showed me the Droguerie - the shop full of beads (boring!!) buttons (so cool!!) and ribbon (also kinda cool!!) but there was a long wait for the queue so we will have to go back. I think then we had crepes inside a cafe as it was raining...

Tuesday... In the morning, wandered again as Mireille had Maths and Spanish again! Then I was going to go to Physics but it was a long class and we wanted to leave for iceskating at 12:15, so i didnt go. Then I waited for the others and we went to the iceskating rink, only yot find that although the rink was open; the place where you pay to o in was closed!! So very annoying!! So instad we went across the road to the cinemas and saw Eragon in French. It wasn't too bad and I was surprised by how much I understood. Then we went into one of those photo booth things and got a photo of all of us - but it is so much better then the usual ones, it sketches your photo!! Kinda hard to explain - someone scan it!!

Wednesday - thats today!! Met with Monique early to do a bit of shopping (the Sales/Soldes started today) (I didn't buy anything, and I actually got up early to go with her - now who is the evil twin??) before going to 2 hours of French and Biology with Mireille. Then returned home for lunch before meeting everyone and Alix took us to the zoo!! It was cool, but disapointing that the lions and bears had already gone to sleep. But we saw otter type things and rhinos playing; which was sooo cool!! And the monkeys loved us! Then came home and Emma and I wandered some more, and ate some things... Then home again and dinner, and a weird shower because the hot water service is broken.

Okay so that was a very short description of the last 3 days, it also included lots and lots of food and various other interesting things including a man who dragged a piano into the street to busk, and a man in the museum shop who wouldn't stop talking, days so hot it feels like summer etc. etc.

Can't believe we only have 4 days left - for going to school, eating, buying last-minute presents etc etc. Tomorrow i might go to a few classes, then do some more present-buying, then we are going to help a class with speaking English and then tomorrow night we have the dinner thing. Eek - and I haven't finsihed writing my thank-you speech. Must go do that. Hope everyone is well, and I will see you all much too soon!!

Samedi, Dimanche, hier...

So, continuing - I really wanted to go on a trail ride at one of the many trail riding places along the road, it would have been uber cool, but unfortunately nobody made the suggestion and I didn't want to. Alas. So our picnic on the beach was good, it was actually quite warm and the beach was a sand beach not a pebbles beach which was nice. After lunch, we drive to a town called Aigues Mortes, where there is a walled town. We climbed the tower, then walked around the wall then went for a walk in the little town. So that was Saturday!

Sunday, as I said, we were going to Arles. Here we visisted heaps of Roman sites including a theatre that was almost rubble, an amphitheatre that was all still standing and you can just imagine the bull fighting (poor bulls), and at one stage in history there was over 200 houses inside the amphitheatre!! How cool!! Then the church, where there was an exhibition of santons, but not your average ones! there were ones carved out of wood, glass, an eskimo and native indian creche! Then we had pizzas for lunch - the man in restaurant thought it hilarious that I wanted my pizza without ham! Then we went to a uber old cemetary, Alyscamps (there is that famous paintintg of it) and then the museum, which was actually kinda interesting and not too boring because we didnt stay long.

Cold is better, must go!! School calls...

Le plage

The Beach
(by the way, I hope all non-French speakers are benefiting by reading this blog, as I am trying to include useful (or not!) vocab!!)

So we left just before Midday to have our picnic on the beach. we went to a different beach to last time, this time we drove to the Carmague. This is the area where the river, The Rhone, creates a Delta, and there are lots of Camargue horses (they are white), the Taurus (bulls) (they are black) and birds such as the Pink Flamingo. (Flamang Rose)

Eek, will continue later. We are going to Arles today (like now) and I am not ready! eek!

J'ai une grosse rhume!

I have a bad cold!

So woke up this morning and it was worse. WHY!! I was so close to being perfectly healthy the entire trip! Alas...

Yesterday afternoon - we didnt actually end up seeing the movie. Ill tell you the crazy story: We were going to some far away cnema (i dont know why) so we took the first bus. Then we got off at a bus stop where we were meant to catch a connecting bus but there wasn't a connecting bus so we walked back the way the bus had come for ages until we found a map of all the bus and tram routes. Then we walked for ages (and this was no leisurely stroll; we were rushing!) until we got to a tram stop. Then we got on the tram and got off at a stop that was supposedly near the cinema. But from there, Mireille had no idea where th cinema was, we walked around a bit more, but couldn't find it, and as we were already late for the movie - we retunred home on the tram.

That would have to be the worst story in history - how many 'then's are there??

Then I wandered some more in the afternoon; had a waffle and some hot chestnuts before coming home. I didn't end up going out with Emma and everyone because even at 7 when emma rang I was practically falling asleep and felt awful, so i had a quiet night at home and went to bed early. (A tad depressing considering this is my last week here but oh well!)

Today we are going to have a picnic at the beach!!

Miss you all, see you in just over a week!!

Issy and Cynthia, have fun in Rome, and a good trip home and we will see you there!! And happy birthday for yesterday Cyz!

J'ai une petite rhume

I have a little cold.

So yesterday I had a little bit of a sore throat and then today woke up with a blocked nose, stuffy head etc etc. Hopefully it will go away quickly!! If I find out who i got it from... (looking pointedly at both Monique and Isabelle at this stage...)

Yesterday, after lunch, we went to the Grotte des Demagulones, which is a series of caves with cool stalactites and mites and stuff. It was pretty cool, some of the formations resembed scary forests, others cauliflower, and one giant one looked like an organ, another like a statue and one like a gargoyle.

After that we went straight to horseriding; we were very early but I didn't mind. I rode Galoalto, who was also very nice to ride - uber nice trot that was lovely to sit to! He was sweet, more interested in me than his food which was cute! The lesson was good - there was only 3 of us, so for once I didn't have to worry about crashing! Then I watched Mireille ride before we came home for dinner. (I was absolutely starving; hadn't eaten a thing since lunch at 12:30 until dinner at 9:00 except 2 soothers!!)

Today... this morning wandered and tried to print some photos for that photo frame. Bit of a disaster but I managed eventually and the lovely photo man spoke English! And I found that little shop that I saw some weeks ago and have been searching for ever since! (Montpellier is like that, there are so many little shops on little streets, that if you see something interesting, you have to write down where it is or you may actually never come across it again!) I also had a pastry for morning tea. i have decided that this specific type is my absolute favourite pastry - 'croissant chocolat aux amandes' - it is heaven!! From the rather large yellow boulangerie in that squares where the halles market is. It is a croissant (so light and fluffy), inside is just the right amount of chocolate, surrounded by the almond cream stuff, which is sooooooooooooo nice and then the tope of the croissant is covered in toasted almonds. Ahhh.

So this arvo Mireille and I are going to see a movie - the Australian one - 10 canoes, has anyone seen it?? And then maybe i might be going somewhere with Emma, Mia and Issy, because Emma rang before but it was a very brief explanation so I am not quite sure what is happening.

This is my second last Friday in France. :-( If anyone wants anything specific for presents or in general from France tell us now, only 1 week left for shopping, searching etc.

Miss you all, lots of love (Where are all the comments - Laura are you hibernating??)

Les vacances!!

Can you believe we have less than 2 weeks left in France?? It has gone so quickly!! Mixed feelings about returning - I would love to stay (another Month would be awesome) to better my French and meet more people and see more things and go to school more etc etc, but on the other hand, I cant wait to relax and chill in English when we get back home, to Summer and friends and family and normality. But 2 weeks is much too short!!

Ok, so Tuesday was a pretty average day. My watch had stopped during the night, so after breakfast, i went in search of a jewellery store and attempted to explain my plight - actually it was very successful and so I returned in an hour to find a working watch. (6€ , not too bad?) In that tie, I had a White Chocolate and Raspberry Tart and wandered a little. I found the cool chocolate shop that Emma was telling me about.

Then I returned home for lunch, helped carry the shopping upstairs (a big chore, like 10 of those ginormous bags and other stuff up 3 flights!!) and then we all had lunch. After lunch Mireille and I headed out to see a movie (the Australian one actually) but we had the times wrong so Mireille returned home and I continued wandering. And wandering... for the most part of the afternoon before returning home, writing some final postcards and then dinner and bed.

Yesterday morning I met up with Issy, Mia, Emma, Kasey and MoniQ at the fountain and we had morning tea. (I went halves on Apple Tart and Mixed Fruit Tart with Emma) Then... guess what - shopping!! This continued for most of the morning - I had to find a present for my host mum as it was her birthday. In the end I settled on a nice photo frame and I will sometime put in a nice photo of all of us. Then more shopping - Emma and I bought matching T-shirts (I liked it first!!) and we had waffles for lunch! (Savoury of course - 3 cheeses for me!) Then a hot chocolate from the cool chocolate shop and Emma, MinQ and I got on the tram to go iceskating. The line was literally out the door, so deciding we would try again once all the tiny kids were back at school, we headed back into the city. Here a little more shopping and wandering, some crepes for afternoon tea before I headed home.

As it was Claires birthday, we were doing a special dinner, so once Laurent arrived home, I helped cut up leeks and capsicum and set the table etc etc for our dinner. And we had champagne and the cake was a traditional Christmas log that Mireille had made and it was all very nice. (And i think she liked the photo frame?)

So that is the last 2 days. Today I think we are going somewhere (but not sure whether this morning or afternoon??) and no idea about tomorrow. Then the weekend - I have been given choices - where shuold I go?? Avignon, Arles, hiking, A town in Provence, Nimes... Those who have been please tell me which one to choose. I dont like choices!!

Must go, Miss you all but (unfortunately) will see you all soon!!

Bonne Annee Tout le Monde!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

So on Sunday we left again for the 2 hour drive down to the small village where Laurents parents live - it is just on this side of the Pyrenees and so really close to Spain (and also to the sea) so it was very cute and had a very Spanish feel! We had lunch there on Sunday with all the family (Christmas number 3) which was fun. For dessert was this cake called... something like cabbage... anyway it was litte balls filled with custard around the edge and the inside was filled with custard and cram. Yummy!!

Whilst the family had their siesta, my host family took me to a little seaside village - very cute and very spanish, even with those cute little coloured boats! Then we returned to the Cousin's house (they live nearby), Mireille's cousin Lucille who is our age and got ready for the little 'reveillon' - which is what they call New Years Eve Celebrations. I wore a skirt and my hair down - acheivement!! (and sadly no one commented on skirt or hair - very depressing!!)

So the little party consisted of us 3 girls and then 6 guys (friends of Lucilles). Some of the guys brought their electric guitars and so supplied the music, and there was a fair bit of alcohol involved (not me of course!). It was ok, but i got a bit bored - occasionally one of the guys would attempt to strike up a conversation in English but apart from that i sat and munched. At 2am i went off to bed, all the others stayed awake as I found out when I woke at 9 the next morning! But i was glad I slept, i didnt't want to be a wreck the next day!

Next day we got up and cleaned up before the parents arrived home, then Mireille and I returned to the grandaprents house for another lunch. Dessert this time was a 'Galette des Rois' - traditional for new years - with a little figurine hidden in it, and whoever finds it is King for the day! (Mireille's grandma found it) While Mireille slept, we went for a walk through a forest and then did a tour of a little church that was quite interesting (at least I understood because the guide spoke English - he was a monk - how cool!!)

The we returned home and that is the end of this post!! I hope everyone had a great new years indicative of the fantastic year ahead!!

Missing you all, see you soon!!