so this weekend was crazy. saturday, got up (albeit johanna didnt wake me like she said she would) at 7:45, just late enough to miss the 8 am train to marseilles. the 9 am train doesnt run on saturdays, so i had to take the 10:30. so i took my time getting ready and eating and whatnot, and was overwhelmed by french at breakfast. almost cried in my cereal. so took the train and met up with two girls, anna and mary, from IAU on the train. they were going to cassis (the calanques- a remote, very trendy and beautiful beach), so i said, what the hell! and went with them. long story short, after two missed trains at the st charles station in marseilles, we got there at 1:30. GORGEOUS beach, which isnt really evident in the pictures because it was so crowded. but it really is amazing. the mediterranian waters are SO clear and blue! so we sunbathed all afternoon- i personally went european style. when in rome! evidently, there arent a lot of pierced nipples around. but oh well. so, at 4 i went and bought a pint of heiniken and a can of pineapple rings for lunch, enjoyed it thoroughly, and then decided to leave at 4:30 to catch the 5:30 train at the cassis station. so i took a (rather expensive) taxi back up the steep and windy hills instead of walking, and there was, to my surprise, a train in two minutes from when i got there!! so i caught that, and made it to marseille in time for the 6-something train. met some crazy backpackers who were going to nice, and took the train back with six 20-something frenchmen and one reasonable looking, but very shy, american boy. interesting ride.
got home, took a very long, cold shower, discovered i was slightly sunburned on the middle of my back. its not too bad, and it barely hurts. then, realized anne was packing our dinner to go somewhere. she said "something something something mayo something something." which, in translation means, "something something something grab your bathing suit something something" (which i learned after she made swimming motions in the kitchen.) so i grabbed that, my wallet, and my verb conjugation book.
we went about 40 minutes out of aix to manosque to see anne's older friend, we had dinner and drinks, and talked for quite a long time. discovered a bunch of crap that annes husband put her through and decided she's one of my heroes. i didnt know we were staying there, though, so i was completely unprepared and lacked toothbrush/paste/pjs. it was ok though, i improvised.
next day, woke up late and me, anne, and her friend emmalou all went to anne's aunt's (also named anne) house... which happens to be a castle. like, a real, live, four stories, bunch o' land, castle (moat sold separately). it was fun, but tiring. lots and lots of french being spoken. then, we drove out to another one of her friend's houses, which was far in the countryside, and gorgeous. we drove through tons of lavender fields: i think that if heaven has a scent, it would be the wild lavendar and wheat fields in provence. im seriously going to miss that smell. got carsick on the way there, but once we were there, it was ok. all the grown ups talked for forever, and finally, hours later, we left. but before we did, anne and i took a walk, as we usually do, and we met a goathearder, who had, as you might suspect, goats! they were SOO cute. i would like a goat, please.
so then, we dropped emmalou off at her place, and drove through the campagne (peasant countryside)back to aix instead of taking the autoroute (french equivalent of the freeway). ate wonderous omelettes and the rest of the little tarts we bought that afternoon. slept very well after a long, hot shower.
cheeses tried: more goat cheese.
drinks had: pint of heinie, 1 glass martini apperitif, 1 glass porteau, 5 glasses of assorted wine
cigarettes: none
new foods: tableau, red-vegetable quiche, chocolate mint pastry, almond pringle-looking pastry, red peppers, garlic omelette
french skills: listening (98%) and speaking (2%) to french for 24 HOURS. quite a feat.
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