Take A Hike!

Yann, moi, et Jeanne :)

Bonjour tout le monde!

I've become quite aware that this blog has become a "what-I-did-this-week-end" sort of deal, but nonetheless, this is likely my last one, as I will be on Christmas vacation in 5 days & counting! Until then, I have three exams & I have to continue to pack up & clean the apartment, so this week is going to be incredibly busy. And you thought I just sat around and ate bread & cheese all day- ha!

Our hiking group!

There hasn't been too much of any particular importance this week as I've largely been studying (yes, occasionally we do that here). Last night Chelsea, Maarja & Stephanie (who also goes to Laurier) and I went for a last supper together. Unfortunately our preferred restaurant, Fuxia, was fermé (bienvenue à la France) but we went to La Scala and had some pasta. Afterwards, since the Marché de Noël unfortunately closed at 8, we went back to Le Univers and had a chocolat chaud and crème brûlée, because we could. The evening was a well-deserved reprieve from studying but I will definitely miss these ladies!

Today, bright and early on a Sunday morning, my French family picked me up to go hiking at Azay-Le-Rideau. They are part of a group that hikes together once a month. The first thing I noticed was that everyone was wearing a Santa hat! Jeanne handed one to me and said: "Voici votre chapeau de Père Noël- c'est obligatore" (Here is your Santa hat, you must wear it!). One particular lady had a hat that sang and danced (she was also adorned in tinsel and Christmas ornaments- LOL). We started off with a little snack of the most incredible hot chocolate I've ever tasted (it was so rich and creamy) and a sugar speckled brioche. We then hiked for 3 hours for 11 kilometres through all sorts of terrain (but mostly mud, lots of mud or boue). We came across 2 adorable and friendly donkeys and also saw several houses that were built into stone walls. We had a beautiful morning for a promenade and fortunately the rain held out until we got home. Now I've had plenty of exercise and my mind is clear, so I haven't any reason why I shouldn't get some productive studying in this afternoon (perhaps after a short siesta).

So au revoir for now, I might do one more post when I'm home from my Christmas break extravaganza to Strasbourg, Zurich, Geneva, Lyon and Paris! :)

Z <3

P.S. I apologize for how messy this blog looks! Blogger is being difficult *sigh* :(