On My Own Again

Hiking in Switzerland

Yeah as Christina said our month was very busy. Two of my best friends were getting married. That meant seeing all of my friends and partying till the sun came up. I already miss it, but I know that if I went back it would not be like that. Everyone has grown up and moved on to bigger but not better things because what could be better than when all of us get together. They would say that I am being uncharacteristically emotional. Either way congrats to all of their spouses because they are now part of our friend group.

I am back on the road by myself. It had been a great two weeks with the family, especially Natalie. Then a week in Granville with Christina. With the family it was an eating marathon with small breaks for churches and picturesque views. I have to say that I loved France with the exception of Paris which I found hot and crowded. I did have the best duck at Le Petit Canard there. Maybe if I was going back I would fly into Paris have a lovely duck dinner and then catch the train out to the country. There life is slow and our days in Granville where filled with bike rides, walks, and finding out which bakery had the best bread. I am sorry that my family missed out on this, but St. Malo and the neighboring towns are not so bad either. I mean Cancale is the oyster capitol of France, St. Malo is a beautiful city that was destroyed in WWll and rebuilt exactly like it was before, and Mont Saint Michelle is a famous pilgrimage site. I think that is nothing to scoff at. Though maybe Mont saint Michelle should be visited earlier in the season or at night to better appreciate the place. When we were there it was crowded and a bit like a religious Disneyland.

St. Monte Michelle

Disneyland size mob to get into St. Monte Michelle

Natalie checking out the view of the salt flats from the top of St. Monte Michelle

The place was haunted

Granville coastline

Granville

Riding bikes through the countryside around Granville

Chaucey Island

Me and our friend's new baby, Juliette

In Granville we stayed with a friend we met in Ecuador. She hiked with us for four days and she promised us great cheese if we came to see her in France. How can you pass on that. She was a great host even though she had just had a baby and was exhausted. She is a great cook and her mother is even better. I want to go back just for the Sunday lunches at her parents house. Her brother took us fishing for shrimp and crabs right outside their front door. We had a great time netting shrimp and grabbing crabs along the rocky coast. Even better was the fact that right when we got back his mom cooked up the catch. Fresh seafood with real mayonnaise can not be topped. Or maybe it can, I had the best macaroons in a little bakery in Granville called salon d'the, I think that was the name. I could not tear my eyes off of the macaroon display. Then for another outing we went to Cusey island just of the coast. It was really beautiful although I found it a bit strange that the path around the island went through peoples backyards. We were walking ten feet away from a family having lunch in their garden and five feet away from two girls sunbathing on their patio. Everyone seemed to think it was perfectly normal and when talking to our friends about it they said that is just part of vacationing on the island.

Yeah no comment...

Our feast of Crabs!

Our Intrepid Guide

Yummm

Now I am in Geneva with a couchsurfer, Ali. She is funny and really helpful. Yet, It is by far not my favorite city. I went to the united nations building yesterday and tried to go to the red cross museum but it was closed till 2013. Instead I went to the botanical gardens. They had a poisonous plant exhibition. All of the signs telling the names of the plants had a little skull and crossbones. I think it may be more expensive than Ireland which is very expensive. Another couchsurfer told me that it is just Geneva. I am hoping that the mountains will be better. Her roommate has the fattest cat I have ever seen. She loves to lay on my chest and stare at me until I pet her. She beats Tico (my cat) by miles in size and laziness. I will be heading to the German part of Switzerland in a couple of days. Switzerland is divided up into three parts the French, German, and Italian. Geneva is in the French part.

Fat Cat

Lula

P.S. I have to say that I was surprised at how many people read the blog. Thank you Mrs Diane. I really appreciate the time you take to read about our silly stories. That goes for everyone reading this. I heard several times while at home that maybe I should decrease my drinking or at least decrease the amount I talk about it. Just so people do not think that I have a problem I feel I should explain. While I was a nanny I felt it best not to talk about what happened with the family since that is their personal business. So I did not have much to talk about other than the occasional outing to the local pub or concert.