Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

French holidays

J’espère que vous avez passé un joyeuse Saint Valentin mes chéris!

R and I had a quiet Valentine's Day morning chez nous, each studying our own subject (him Cisco, and me my new Canon). Surprisingly, I was not as sore as I expected to be, a day following the 3.5 hour randonnée in Le Vuache. On Vday, gray clouds and lack of sun didn't deter us from going out for our daily walk. I felt a need to stretch out my leg muscles a little, not to mention my DSLR trigger finger too. For our walk, we chose nearby Grésin, where we had taken a fateful motorcycle ride last fall and gotten stuck in some muck and stones. This time, it was just our two feet that carried us across the Rhône onto le chemin des Espagnols (crossing the river via le pont de Grésin).

Friday, November 19, 2010

6 months abroad

On November 12, I celebrated 6 months of living in France! R and I took a ride to nearby Nantua where there is a lake with a little beach. In the summer, we came here a few times to sunbathe by the lake which is surrounded by mountains. On that fall day, it was unusually warm, so we took a long walk, appreciated the warm weather but wondered if the nice weather wasn't a sign of global warming, and ate kebabs while watching the sun set.

I've learned so much since arriving and altogether, it's been an eye-opening experience. But as Thanksgiving and Christmas draws near, I'm getting more homesick. Thank goodness I have a trip planned for Boston in less than a month!

Until then, I'm going to be a busy girl. Last night, R and I went to another Glocals event hosted by a Dutch guy...his event? Dutch spekpannekoekenavondsmulfeestje which means Dutch bacon pancake savoring party! Say that fast 3 times :)

It was a fun time; the only requirement was to finish at least 1 giant pancake. R and I brought 2 bottles of cider (2.5% alcohol) while others brought Dutch beer, Belgian beer, and more cider. I managed 2 ginormous pancakes while R had 3 and a half. So yummy and filling - not a diet food, but if you could have smelled the bacon and the apple. And to top off the pancake? Dutch stroop, or syrup. There was also confiture, sugar, Emmentaler (Swiss cheese). But the best part was the company...a group of 6 fun Dutch plus 1 Colombian woman and me. It was a good time and I hope to see this group again soon!

Today I'm going to another mushroom outing with the mushroom club while R gets new tires for the car. Sunday we're going to Geneva's Escalade parade which celebrates the defeat of troops sent by the Duke of Savoy by the Genovoise. And Monday or Tuesday, we are going to the NL via Luxembourg and Belgium to visit R's family and ailing aunt.