Days 25-26: Arrival in Annecy and the best Birthday/Independence Day ever

Thursday 13 July 2017

The view from our Airbnb

After class I was so tired I went home and took a nap. I took the bus to the Grenoble Gare and it was so busy that time of evening there was standing room only.

On the TER many people also had to stand. Luckily I got a seat but there was this weird guy sitting next to me with the skinniest legs. His girlfriend treated him like a baby, holding his head like an infant. She was also pouring water on his head. Possibly he was sick. So many people were putting their luggage in seats, and acted miffed when asked to move it so people could sit down.

When we arrived in Annecy, we found the bus to the Airbnb easily. On the way we bought baguettes and jam for breakfast. I had the sandwich my house mom made for me for dinner. After we’d put down all our stuff we enjoyed the view on the balcony.

Later that night we walked down to the Lake Annecy and saw the pre-14^th of July fireworks (France’s Independence Day) over the water.

View from where we had lunch

 

Window shopping

Friday 14 July 2017

A birthday and Independence Day that I don’t think can ever be topped. In the morning we took the bus to Chateau d’Annecy. We walked through corridors of cobble stoned streets lined with shops and restaurants.

me, Katrina, Kayla, and Anthony

Walking the streets

This castle had so many nooks I just wanted to curl up in one of them with a book.

The museum was underwhelming and had weird artwork that I didn’t understand. The chateau part was the best, reading nooks everywhere, I wanted to play hide and seek in the chateau. The toilets and fireplaces were really interesting. At first we couldn’t figure out what these weird corridors with holes in the seats were. Eventually we realized they were ancient bathroom stalls.

There’s this picturesque river going through the town and each side is lined with shops and restaurants and flowers. We ate at one of these restaurants right next to the river. We had crepes, feta, bacon and egg, and tomato and egg crepes, we tried them all.

Then we rented a pedal boat. Pedaled out to the middle and swam. Our boat had a slide, I felt like a child, it was wonderful. The lake was so blue and glassy and warm, it was a perfect day for swimming.

Then we got gelato, my flavor was Amarano, best cherry flavoring ever, was totally real no hint of artificial flavor.

We walked back down to the beach and swam some more. Green water, cold at first but perfect if you kept moving.

Laid in the sun for an hour and read Virginia Woolf A Room of One’s Own listening to Jazz music outside of this grand hotel, which let us use their very nice restroom.

Walked back to the apartment, the grocery store was closed so we bought quiche from a patisserie/boulangerie and I got something called 3 crocs? Came back to the apartment ate dinner, and showered.

Swimming in Lake Annecy

I couldn’t help smiling all day. It was the best day. I’ve never smiled so much in my entire life. It was a smile for the love of being alive, the love of food, the smells, love of water, the sun, the sand, stones, the ancient, the love of being alive.

View of the lake from the courtyard

Went back out to see the Bastille Day fireworks. I couldn’t help comparing the fireworks to the objects they looked like in the sky. They started small as they always do with the tails of golden dragons bursting near the ground and rising like Napoleon to conquer the low sky. As the tails sizzled bombs began to burst above. The explosion of a willow tree with its vines rained down before they faded followed by a burst from which purple fairies were spewed falling through the sky to take refuge in the faded willow branches. Green saucers flew rapid fire following the purple fairies leaving a trail of gold glitter in the air. My eyes were drawn back down to the dragon tails which bended and folded extinguishing themselves in the water. The smoke clouds blew west and the crowd clapped magnifique! Super!

A hotel with a rose garden near the lake where we sunbathed and dried off.

Sunflowers in the park where we saw fireworks