Sorry this is so long but I haven’t had internet for awhile. Family is obligated to read this but friends can just look at the pics
Lunch at the Professor’s was OK. His wife made paella. I didn’t like it. The salad was OK but I’m looking forward to American salads…American food in general actually. We of course had wine (rose, this time) with lunch. Then I went home, packed, cleaned, and finished “Lord of the Rings.” I just am not a fan of that movie (s). But at least it entertained me for over 10 hours.
I couldn’t sleep at all last night. I always get so nervous/excited about trips. I got up at 6am and finished packing and putting the house back together good as new. My roommate is on a retreat for 3 weeks. It was nice having the place to myself for the last 5 days.
The Profesor drove me to the bus station in Pamplona.
The gift I bought him - a pic of the UGA arch.
Then 2 hours later that bus dropped me off at the last Spanish train station before the French border. I hopped a 5 minute train to cross the border to the French train station. And here is where my traveling bad luck kicked in. I went to the kiosk to try to pull up my Rail Europe e-ticket. Couldn’t find it. Then I stood in line to have an agent help me. She couldn’t find my ticket either. And basically she said she didn’t know how she could help me. I was majorly pissed. This train ticket cost me $200. I had my reference number. But apparently they said the name I was entering didn’t register. B.S. She suggested I walk 500 meters down the road to an internet café to try to pull up my email confirmation. By this time, I had 27 minutes before the train left. I ran to the internet café. Closed. 15 mins and counting. There I was, in a country where I know next to nothing of the language. I was trying not to freak out (unsuccessfully). I stopped in a random business and asked the lady (in english/spanish) to use her computer. I explained my situation. She basically said no. French people. I then started running back to the station and walked into another business. This time, success. I shouldn’t have tried to ask for a favor from a female…gotta go with the males. He let me check my aol account for my e-ticket and even printed it out for me. Apparently he only listens to American music and is a huge REM fan. 10 mins. I ran back to the station. The lady used my receipt to try to find my ticket. It took a few minutes but she finally did. She couldn’t tell me why we couldn’t find it before. Idiots. I ran down the platform toward the train. 3 mins to spare. Dang.
Train rides are my favorite part of traveling in Europe. You can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery. Now I’m on my way to Lourdes. Too bad there are 24 obnoxious 9 year olds throwing food over my head right now. Patience, my dear, patience.
Woah, just passed a woman sunbathing topless in her backyard. I need a coke. I can’t decide if I wish I knew what the kids are saying or if I like that I can’t understand them.
Friday
I got to Lourdes on Thursday at 2pm. I walked to my hotel that I had selected b/c it was cheap and was listed on TripAdvisor. I hauled my suitcase about a half a mile up and down a couple hills. I was very hot. I got to the hotel, it was locked, and had a sign on the door that of course I couldn’t read. I’d already put a down payment so I couldn’t just get another room. I was standing there trying to figure out what to do when 2 young girls opened the door and told me to follow them. What other choice did I have? I followed them a few blocks to another hotel. Apparently my hotel was under renovations so I had to stay at their other hotel. Or at least I think that’s what was going on. It was all very sketchy. Anyway, I changed and started exploring the city.
Lourdes is a small city that pretty much solely caters to the religious visitors. Every store is exactly the same and sells the exact same souvenirs. It’s amazing how they can still stay in business. The city is very cute though with it’s winding cobblestone streets surrounded by the Pyrenees mountains.
The first thing I did was climb (i.e. take the elevator) to the top of a fort in the middle of the city. It was awesome b/c it gave me a great view of the city and surrounding countryside.
A real drawbridge!
View of the underground basillica (it's under the grass), the church, and the river running around it.
The underground basllica
I walked next to the area where the visitations occurred. You can cross the river by your choice of a few bridges. Then you have the beautiful basillica in front of you. There is also the underground Basillica of St. Pius X. It was incredible. Can you image an entire cathedral underground? It was incredible and absolutely enormous. Then I walked to the Grotto. I passed by the water taps that are said to have healing powers b/c the spring was created when the Virgin told Bernadette to dig a hole and all of a sudden there was a spring that has been providing water for over a hundred years. Then was the grotto. It’s a beautiful little indent in a wall of stone. Very beautiful.
The large cathedral with the grotto in the bottom right
The Grotto
I ate dinner on the patio of a restaurant. I also have discovered the most amazing beer in the whole entire world. It’s not a specific beer but a combination of a type of beer and another ingredient. I can’t wait to make it for all my friends!!! It was delicious! Then I went to see the Bernadette movie which told the story of her life and the visitations. I’m still not sure what to believe.
After the movie, I went back to the Basillica and the Grotto. It was surreal b/c it was raining and there was lots of thunder and lightning. It was breath-takingly beautiful and … holy. I can’t describe it but I just felt at peace.
Now (Friday) I’m on my way to Lyon. But today is going a lot better than yesterday because…. I am in FIRST CLASS! This leg of the journey only cost $5 extra to go in first class. My seat is huge and it’s so comfortable. Ahh, the life of the rich and famous
Monday
Sorry but when you’re in a valley out in the country in eastern France, internet is hard to come by. My cousins actually do have dial-up but it broke the day I got there.
Anyway, Friday night my cousins – Amandine (19), Manon (18), and Cinthia (13) picked me up from the train station. We did a little bit of exploring Lyon. We had crepes for dinner and dessert. We spent the night in their flat in Lyon.
View of Lyon from above
Saturday morning we drove an hour outside Lyon to a town market where their dad was selling their sheep cheese. My cousins live in a village of 30 people in eastern France near Switzerland and they make sheep cheese. Their father was at the market selling his cheese.
Then we drove to Valfin-sur-Valouse which is about 2 hours outside Lyon. It’s an adorable little village in a valley near the river Valouse. I spent an amazing weekend with them. I didn’t exactly help with the herding, milking, or feeding of the sheep, but I had a lot of fun petting them! Most of the adult sheep were scared of me but the lambs loved me! They wouldn’t stop baa-ing…I loved it!
I snuck them extra food too so they would love me even more.
Having been born and raised in Atlanta, I just can’t imagine what growing up in a small town (of 30 people) would be like. But this family is so close and they genuinely entertain themselves by talking and laughing together. It’s amazing. In my family, it’s hard to get 10 minutes with all of us together. I was very jealous.
In addition to the different surroundings, I tried a lot of different food! I tried sheep cheese which definitely tastes different than cow cheese. I also tried frog legs (tastes a bit like chicken), guinea (tastes similar to chicken), this flower fried, and fresh apricots (i.e. not dried). All the new food was quite tasty.
My view out my window Monday morning.
The girls drove me to the Lyon airport this afternoon (sending me off with a box lunch complete with a beer) and I’m on my way to Ireland now to meet up with my cousins on the other side of my family (Dad’s side). I love family! Au revoir!!!! Bon voyage!!! Merci!!! (the extent of my french).
