Montpellier (Part Un)

So while I'm in France I am living just outside this really beautiful city named Montpellier. Currently better known as last year's French League futbol champions.

Montpellier is a very interesting city because it is one of the only city in france without Roman heritage or Greek foundations. The city was a main port for trading on the Mediterranean where Muslim and Jewish populations flourished. Montpellier is also home to one of the oldest Universities in the world!

I haven't had a chance yet to visit museums and other such things but I have had several chances to walk around the town. I really love Montpellier because it has everything you expect from a French town; beautiful windows, narrow windy roads, cute boutiques, quaint alleys, historical architecture and many cafes, all without the huge amount of tourists.

When walking around Montpellier, you really don't feel like a tourist. You feel like one of the locals because it's not over run my tourists like some other French cities.

The shopping in Montpellier is very satisfying with all the huge staple stores like Zara, small cute boutiques, inexpensive trendy clothing, or specialty stores such as my favorite, The Tin Tin store :D

 I am a big fan of archetectual arches... I have no idea why. But I was so happy to see one right here in Montpellier. La Porte du Peyrou is a beautiful arch that stands on the outside of Montpellier's old city. It is beautiful in it's own regard. the detailing and the beautiful carvings are breathtaking. The arch then leads up to La Place Royal du Peyrou where a huge structure (I have no idea what to call it) stands which is absolutely beautiful. The pale yellow of the stone just gives it such a richness that I love. France is just full of history, it really makes you realize how much more swag they had in ancient  times compared to now. We don't even compare when it comes to ballin' out.

Place De La Comédie is sorta like the center of it all, normally a landmark used to meet up with people "Place De La Comédie? at 12:00? By the fountain? Cool?" On several occasions I've showed up at the Place De La Comédie, looking for people I have never met before, and have only seen on facebook. Great place to meet! La Comédie is the Oprah center that stands on one side of the plaza. Then off to the side there is a carousel. French people love carousels, they are everywhere! This plaza also branches out to all the different streets a couple leading you into the old town, another leading to the train station, and then others leading to shopping malls and other places.

I can't wait to discover more and more of Montpellier, I am hoping to head into the city more often to hit the museums, and maybe some tours, where I can get a better understanding of the city and it's history.

Clermont L'Herault (Part Trois)

This past week Marianne took Me and Carlos out for a walk to see this amazing little town called Villeneuvette. This town is about a five minute drive from Clermont L'Herault. We drove up and parked outside this small inclosed town which seemed rather private. The hike began and ended at the town. As we walked through the trail Marianne once again explained to us about the landscape, the plant life and certain structures we came across.

This town was particularly interesting because the town used to be a factory. From what I understood the factory produced wool. They created a really cool water system that ran through the hiking trail we were on. We first came across this huge basin that Marianne explained collected lake and rain water. From the basin, they created these tunnels/channels that directed the water all the way down to the village.  into this beautiful fountain where they would collect the water. Once again I'm so impressed by the simple yet amazing technology that was available at the time. Reading about these things is so much less impressive than actually seeing it for yourself and the complexity of it all. 

During our walk, Marianne showed us more of the plant life and so I got to do one of my favorite things in life which is trying new fruit. YUM!!! We came across these little red ball looking fruits growing on the trees, named Arbouse (Arbutus). I really like the taste, it was very sweet, seemed like a fruit that would be good as a jam. When I came home I read up a little about it and it seems like it's not a commonly eaten fruit and although it needs modern investigation it doesn't have much nutritional benefits. Along with the yummy fruits the landscape was quite amazing! Absolutely beautiful! The mountains, the greenery, and the fog just went so beautifully together. Really makes you appreciate the beautiful world we live in! 

At the end of the hike Marianne took us into the small town to show us a little bit around. We ran into one of her friends, a 70ish old lady who used to be a professional ballet dancer! She invited us into her home which ended up being a blessing because I took one step into her home and died by it's gorgeousness. Literally my dream home. I immediately began taking photos  in hopes that one day I can have a home that looks the same. The pictures bellow do not do the home justice but you can get an idea as to how beautiful this home is! And to imagine this isn't even the half of it!

This community is very unique in that it's almost completely unaccessible to tourists and is unaccessible by car. All cars were parked outside the community. I didn't know this but not having drivable roads in a neighborhood makes it that much more beautiful. The roads and alleys are much more well maintained and the absence of parked cars just adds to the charm of the town. Definitely an ideal place place to live. I now have a reason to pursue a life of wealth.

Clermont L'Herault (Part Deux)

My landlord, Marianne, is this amazing, older woman (I have no idea how old but I would guess 60s) she has been so kind in trying to show us all that this small town has to offer. Yesterday she asked my house mate Carlos and I if we wanted to go for a walk... I had no idea i'd be going for a two and half hour hike up a mountain.

The views from the top were beautiful. You could see all the villages that lay below. As we were walking, Marianne explained that at the times of Shepherds, this trail and mountain were a common route and area to keep sheep. Through out the trail there were these little stone huts that still stand, where shepherds would come to rest, lay out tools and or do whatever shepherds do. They are really cute and cozy, but we noticed that on this warm sunny day, that these little huts insulate cold air very well. Marianne then told us that during the winter time she would come here with her children and the huts were nice and warm and protected them well from the cold. It's crazy that these little huts, from their simple design could be so versatile, makes you wonder about how much energy we put into making all these complicated machines when simple design can generally do the trick.
 

Throughout the whole mountain there is so much wild plant life to see. Whenever I travel I'm always so envious other countries that have fruits, veggies and herbs, growing wild anywhere and everywhere. You just don't come across that living in a Toronto suburb. As we strolled, Marianne showed us all the olive trees, that Clermont L'Herault is famous for. Wine and Olive Oil are Clermont L'Herault's two biggest industries. Along with Olives, we saw thyme growing everywhere, fig trees and other various plant species.

From atop the mountain we were able to look down on all the little villages that surround the H'erault area. In the picture bellow, I'm standing right above the town that I am currently living in. Marianne, was able to point out exactly where the house is but I can no longer make out the different homes. 

I am really beginning to fall in love with this little town. I've always preferred big, busy cities but I am developing an new appreciation for a small town kinda life. I am very lucky to have Marianne and her eagerness to show off her village. This town that I thought would make me feel trapped is getting bigger everyday! 

Clermont L'Herault (Part Un)

So I'm gonna talk a little bit about the town I'm currently living in, Clermont L'herault. It's a small town in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of Southern France. It's a small town of just over seven thousand, and is about 32.49 square kilometers. Clermont L'Herault is an ancient city dating back to... I'm not really sure, but the church dates back to the twelfth century which means this town is really old!

The tiny red dot is Clermont L'Herault

The town doesn't have much but definitely ideal for those who enjoy living a simpler life. The other day my roommates and I went to see a film at the local movie theatre which consisted of once viewing screen, and two vending machines as concession stand. The film we went to see was quite nice, it was called La Vierge, Les Coptes et Moi.. which means " The Virgin (Mary), The Copts, and Me... The film is about a young Christian Egyptian film maker who decides to go back to his families town in Egypt to create a documentary about the sighting of the virgin mary that occurred decades before. While there he becomes attached to his family and the rest of the villagers. While there he decides to make a film, recreating the sighting of the virgin mary, with the help of his family and the other villagers. The movie was very very cute and very fun to watch.

Je Suis Arrivé

After I left Nice I had a long journey awaiting me. I had about four hours on the train to Montpellier. At Montpellier I had to take the tram to the bus station where I caught a bus into Clermont L'herault!

While in Montpellier I had my first run in with the Romani people of France a.k.a. Gypsies a.k.a Esméralda. I've been warned by many that they steal and put curses on you so you could only imagine how exited I was to finally come across the people I so much wish I was a part of! Then I got to the tramway in Montpellier I approached one of the ticket machines and before I could even read the instructions I had about six Romani kids surrounding me bagging for money and hitting buttons on the machine for me. I was so sure that the next minute I would look down only to find myself naked with all my stuff gone. Luckily that didn't happen. Instead the little girl... or boy, helped me get my ticket and earned themselves a nice little tip. I'm excited to learn more about Romani people and will post what I learn soon!

After the tram, I took the bus into town where one of my new house mates was so kind to pick me up. My house mate's name is Aymeline and is from New Caledonia which is a little island east of Australia. It's technically part of France but it has it's own currency, government and citizenship. Another blog topic I plan to tackle. 

When I arrived to the house I was more than pleased with what I saw. I really lucked out. The house is absolutely beautiful. The house dates back to ancient times. The kitchen still has the fountain and oven that would have been used in ancient times, although we do not use them anymore. The house has several floors. The first has the kitchen, the living room and the entrance into the garden. The garden is then two floors, the top which is just like a little patio, and the bottom which is a full garden with a little shaded sitting area. When you head upstairs, there is the middle floor where I and my two house mate's rooms are. Then one more floor for my landlord.

Along with Aymeline I will be living with my landlord Marianne and a Spanish Language assistant from Mexico named Carlos. They all are very sweet. Marianne made it pretty clear that she wants us all to feel at home.

I was the second person to arrive to the house so I got second pick of the rooms. I decided on the nautical themed room. It's ultra cute, has french door windows, sailboats everywhere and a cute little desk for me to do all my blogging. I really like my room and it didn't take long for me to start making it my own. I got wonderful plane letters from my even more wonderful friends, so I put all those up. As well I brought a few polaroid pics from home so I could always feel at home. I really love the house that I am staying in and I'm very thrilled to get to know all my house mates. I don't know what the next eight months have in store for me but at least I know that they will a cozy few months. 

NICE!!!! (Part Deux)

After my stroll down the beach front I headed back into Old Nice. Through Old Nice I entered Le Parc de La Colline Du Château. This is a beautiful park that overseas all of Nice! The views from the top are to die for. I just kept thinking how beautiful it would be to have a wedding here.

The walk around the park took me about an hour, taking in all the views and enjoying all my fellow tourists. After the park I headed back down to Old Nice again but this time it was little more exciting because it had gotten much busier with tourists, vendors, and shops. The sights and the people in France are delightful. Everything seems so incredibly cliché yet at the same time so pleasing. I am so excited to discover more of France if this is what it has to offer so far! 

NICE!!!! (Part Un)

Today I got to spend the whole day in Nice, from wake to sleep (except I'm still awake)

I began my day ultra early at 8:00am. I had to pick up my train ticket for tomorrow and buy a my Carte 12-26, which is a card that allows you to travel on French trains at a discounted rate, and since I had already bought my ticket claiming to have this card, it was essential I actually got one.

After the train station I walked down Avenue Jean Médecin. It's this long street that the tramway runs through. There are no cars and much of the street is filled with pedestrians, shops, department  stores, restaurants and cafes. Along the walk I came across the beautiful Basilique Notre Dame. I got to see it both last night and during the day. Both times it was just as beautiful.

Basilique Notre Dame

Walking down Avenue Jean Médecin lead me right into Vieux Nice (Old Nice). This part of Nice was by far my favorite and I could only assume it's also the favorite of most people. Everything from the narrow streets to the decorative windows to the markets just made me fall more and more in love at every step. There is a road named Marché Aux Fleurs which turns into one of the nicest food markets I had ever seen. Beautiful flower bouquets for as little as 10 Euros!! So many delicious fruits and veggies! The biggest figs I had ever seen, loads of Olives and one stand that had the most delicious looking candies and dried fruit!!!

 After Old Nice, I headed down to the coast to walk along the board walk which was beautiful. The water is a brilliant shade of turquoise, and the coast line is stunning with all the Mediterranean homes. It was weird to see the beach not have sand, but instead a pebbly shore. There were quite a number of people out sun bathing but I found it odd that they didn't think the huge pebbles were uncomfortable.

Toronto To Nice

So I'm going to tell you guys about my journey from Toronto to Nice. My flight was scheduled for 8:00pm but didn't take off until about 9:50pm. My flight was pretty easy, I watched MegaMind which was pretty funny, then I passed out until we landed LOL.

We landed at 9:40am which was and hour and a half later than we were scheduled for. This made me very nervous because I basically had thirty minutes to get off the plane, go through customs, at one of the busiest airports in the world, claim my baggage and get to the bus stop to catch my shuttle. I was literally running through the airport pushing old Indian woman out of my way. Luckily I made it to the bus stop right on time and did not miss my shuttle to Gatwick!! When I got to Gatwick I was quite relieved and only an hour later was I on my way to Nice. The flight from Gatwick to Nice took about two hours, which was spent by me sleeping. I was so tired and so happy to have finished my flying for the day!!! When I arrived to Nice, I hopped onto the 98 down Promenade des Anglaise (Avenue that runs down the coast) and before I knew it, I was checking into my hostel and finally getting to rest my butt! 

à bientôt

It's 1:17 am September 24th, the day of my departure. I have a very long journey ahead of until I'll be resting in my room. Let me take you through what will be a long ass journey alone!!!

I leave Toronto, tomorrow evening. I arrive in London Heathrow early morning. At Heathrow I have to go through customs then head out to my shuttle that will be taking me to Gatwick for my connection flight, which I have exactly four and half hours to catch from when I land in London. Then I'm on a two hour flight to Nice, my semi final destination!

In Nice I will be spending the next two nights at a Hostel, one that I'm told is quite good. I Get to spend a whole day from sleep to sleep in Nice. I hope to explore the city visit the Matisse Museum and get my cellphone sorted out. 

After my second night in Nice I have to catch an early morning train to Montpellier. Once I get into Montpellier I have to catch the tram to Clermont l'Herault (My city of residence!!!!!) Where I will go to sleep for a few days and hopefully wake up fresh faced and ready to spread some Canadian English Love!!!!!!

I am sad to be leaving behind my friends and family, I'm nervous about things going wrong while I'm alone, but most of all excited to see how the next eight months of my life sort out. 

I am open for everything and anything, I want to meet people, see sights, live like the French, shop all over Europe, get experience in teaching and grow more as a person -- 
and then come back to my bedroom to looking the exact the way I left it!

Good Bye today, Bonjour tomorrow!

A week today...

So... as of today I officially enter my last week countdown. My week is packed with work, friends, family and goodbyes. The realness is starting to sink in, the excitement is escalating and my nerves are more awake than ever.

The worst part about packing is seeing all the clothes I know I have to leave behind. As of right now my suitcase is nowhere close to closing but I am confident in my packing skills. What makes this time so much more difficult is the need for warm clothing. The city I will be living in has mild winters but I plant to voyage up to Sweden for Christmas and New Years, which requires proper winter gear. Thanks to my handy vacuum, I was able to vacuum seal my winter coat which saves loads of space but does nothing for weight.

Today was a good day of packing progress but there is still a huge way to go. I  still need to pack up books, accessories... and cut down on some of the clothes :(

This next week is gonna go by faster than ever, I just hope I can keep my head from spinning right off!