May 8

Tuesday, May 8, 2007
I am going to Switzerland tomorrow! I decided today that there is really not another 3 days of stuff to see here, so I looked up prices and train travel times to both Geneva and another close city in Italy…but going to Italy would take about twice as long and cost about twice as much. It is only a 2-hour train ride in both directions to go to Geneva. So off to Geneva I go!! I printed off some pretty good maps and tourist information so that I know what I am doing in my 7 hours that I have there! I am quite excited!!
I got up and went for a really long run (again, for me)…but I was gone for a good hour and I didn’t even die! I ran to the next town and around the agriculture section (special roads for everyone but cars) and back again. It was great. I can run pretty well when it is cloudy out…it is kinda funny (and all mental, I realize). Made me happy!!
Oh! And as I was just leaving a little boy ran past me and was speaking English! It made me do a double take because I understood really well and it took a moment to process that it was English. Really funny how the brain works –It actually felt like I was using a different part of my brain! Anyway, because Grenoble is like the Silicone Valley of France there are a lot of international workers here…the company that Françoise works for, for example, is a Japanese company that is based out of England and her office is here…and there are at least 15 different nationalities that work in the office! Sooo…to continue my story. I talked to the father and found out that they are from Scotland and live in the house that is in the front half of the lot where this house is located (all the houses are Brian and Dee’s style of subdivisions). So that was kinda cool.
Today is May 8 – the day the Second World War was finished…and they celebrate it here. So everyone had the day off and most of the stores were closed. It was a nice little holiday. When I was walking around town this morning after my run, I stumbled upon a marching band with a long trail of people at the end of it. I watched them go buy and then I joined in at the end so I could see where they were going. They ended up at the cemetery (where I had just left!!). There was a nice little ceremony with the band and (I think) important people giving little speeches and a couple of seniors that were holding flags from (what it looked like) the war! It was pretty cool to see. Why don’t we celebrate the end of WWII?? ‘Cause we don’t, right??
Friends came over for lunch so we had a nice and long meal! We started at noon and ended at about 3:30! I guess that is why dinner is at 9pm! They were really nice people, who, like these guys, had been to Canada about as much as I have! It is crazy how everyone who is part of OSEF in some way has been to Canada so many times. We had nice conversations about the Stampede, and Grandville Island, and Niagara Falls. It was pretty funny to be able to talk about home and have everyone know exactly what I was talking about. We also had a nice little coversation about the US…I quite like talking about the US with the French because it makes me seem like I know something about politics (which, I really don’t)…but I know enough just from living in Canada to give a decent opinion – and the French have pretty strong opinions about the US, so it is always a good time!
We had….Pringles…pour an appetiser! Is that not the funniest thing ever? Except here, they put them in a bowl and end up eating about 3 chips each…Then we had salad with fried potatoes on top…then some species of meat (I don’t know which animal…but it was good). Then, strawberries for dessert. (Yesterday, on the way to the pool, we stopped at a little farm and bought 50 Euros worth of milk, yogurt, veggies, and strawberries. They were the most amazing strawberries ever! With the best flavour I have ever tasted! )
This afternoon I had a great nap…I basically didn’t want to get up…I have such a bad cold and this going to sleep at 11:00 doesn’t help the situation at all!! Afterwards, I planned out Switzerland and then did some cooking with Françoise. It was really fun. She’s got this antique-looking stove and oven, which add to the Frenchness of the kitchen. We made about 15 flans for a group of people she is having over tomorrow. Then we made a cake (also for tomorrow) and finally a mustard tart…which we ate tonight for dinner…it was totally awesome and so easy. It was basically a quiche shell that had been covered in mustard. Then, on top we put Gruiller cheese (sp) and then a can of whole tomatoes that we crushed with our hands. It was cooked in the oven for a bit and voila! It was pretty good…
And the best part of the day is that it is currently 8pm and we’ve already eaten dinner so that I can go to bed. Yeah!! I’m working on getting better.
Night
-Allison