Claire, Avignon, and Cassis!

So my friend Claire is studying in Paris this semester, and came to Avignon to spend this past weekend with me.

It was marvelous. Although a new adventure is fun, it's always nice to have a familiar face around. Plus it gave me an excuse to do the touristy stuff here, like actually go INSIDE the Palais de Papes, which I had been in front of a gazillion times, but never went in!

So the weather here is gorgeous. It's the end of September and 80 degrees and sunny. I am indeed in the Mediterranean, and I love it. I went to the beach last weekend...........and I managed to go again this weekend! But I think my desire to run away to these little beach villages on the weekends, is because of how stressful the week is! For as small of a town as this is, goodness can it get crazy! It's just sooooo loud with cars, and people in the streets everywhere. Not to mention the added fun/stress of taking a full load of college courses in a foreign language, in addition to my internship! I guess this is all a good test of will for me. There are times when I just love it here, beautiful scenery, great food, the sunny weather, but other times, I'm truly surprised at how stressful it can be. But I guess this isn't vacation. This is study abroad. So I try to cheat a little, make vacation on the weekend, and not do any homework and escape to the ocean side! My friend Federico at the institut, who is originally from the Columbian Coast, is my partner in crime. He got some great advice from his host family on where to go.

This Saturday, Claire, Federico and I went to Cassis, and man, if I can afford it, that is where I wanna retire! It's about a 2o minute train ride from Marseille, which in total is about an hour and a half train ride from Avignon. Cassis was originally settled by the romans, and is the ulimate example of southern france beauty. It takes about an hour, walking from the tran station to reach the beach, but on the way you past vineyards, and beautiful homes. And when you make it to the port and beach, it's the unique smooth rock beaches, with crystal clear, bright blue water. It was divine. As long as the weather permits, I'm going to keep trying to go back to Cassis or to another town on the water.

And then Sunday, Claire and I had some local fun in Avignon. We ate a lovely, traditional provencal meal, on the shores of the Rhone at le Bercail restaurant. It was definitely a meal fit for royalty. Terrine of chevre and eggplant and tomatoe, roast lamb, salmon, pomme frites, lemon tart, and a full bottle of our local rose wine, naturally............
We left the restaurant in a food coma, which made our trek back across the Rhone, off of the Ile de Barthelesse alot longer and slower. But it was all good. We then went to the Palais de Papes, and spent a couple of hours exploring in there. Interesting history. Very cool.

*Oh and I left out the interesting factor of this weekend, which was that I was/am extremely sick. Luckily, the pharmicists here are like doctors and can prescribe you medication. So after buying nasal spray, cough medicine, and some sort of advil cold thing, I am feeling a bit more like a person. It was weird being so sick, in such sunny weather. But c'est la vie. It was bound to happen.........

And now it is back to reality. Time to write 2 papers, and a philosophy analysis! WOOT!