Postcards from Montpellier - 7

Oh it's been a tiring few days...I feel like I need to slow down and take a long deep breath and just relax!!! Let's see what can I say about the last few days? A turkish soirée, that I was too tired to appreciate fully, despite the fantastic live music belted out by my colleagues...finally managed to pick up gifts for my Bhabhi ( was getting worried coz I hadn't found anything till last week!)...an excursion to Agde-Beziers-Canal du Midi which included a boat ride and a visit to the Canal du Midi which is really impressive considering it was conceived in the 14th century and connects Bordeaux to the Mediterranean sea...

I visited the Musée Fabre in Montpellier on Saturday with a Sri Lankan colleague...and I will not be exagerating when I say that the afternoon had, for me, the best moments of my stay in Montpellier. It's a well known fact that I'm a big fan of Impressionsm, particularly Monet and when I found myself in front of Monet's "Japanese Bridge" and then the "Poppy Fields - Giverny" not only was I speechless (imagine that!) I actually had goosebumps all over due to sheer awe! I don't think even the sight of "Mona Lisa" will leave me as happy as I was on Saturday...so desperately wanted to call up Papa and share my joy with him; unfortunately heaven doesn't believe in telecommunication :-(

...and today I received the news that I've stood first in my DFA exams - since I was expecting around 75, to learn that I scored a neat 90 left me floored and thrilled as hell...yes yes I'm gloating and pretty much floating in 7th heaven right now ;-) Papa where are you? You should have been here to see my achieve all of this...

K arrives tomorrow...and the celebration starts to continue in Nice, Lyon, Barcelona, Bordeaux, Cologne and Paris!!!

Postcards from Montpellier - 6

Well the week gets more and more interesting...yesterday the day started off with a visit to the Jardin des Plantes in Montpellier, a garden maintained by the medical college of the city, which is the oldest existing college of medicine in the world and houses an incredible botanic treasure...the afternoon was a tad boring specially since I was very sleepy, but then in the evening we visited the zoo in Montpellier which is modelled on an Amazonian forest...super interesting even though there were too many reptiles for my liking (both animal and human variety!) Ended the day with a soirée at the the Parc du Peyrou where I learnt some of the traditional dances of the region...was looking quite good, even if I say so myself and managed to dance till my toes started protesting and I do beleive I'd mastered some of the dances by the end, but I guess thebest judges would be the poor men who had to dance with me and deal with my two left feet! Muhahah! After the soirée the cultural activities team invited us for a drink so we ended the evening at the Place de Jean Jaurès over café, vin et bière!

Have just returned from an extremely fascinating visit to an archaeolgical site that dates back to several centuries B.C...ah if the days continue to fly past with the same lightning speed, I won't even realise how time shall pass before K arrives!!! :-)

Postcards from Montpellier - 5

I wasn't feeling very motivated by my choice of modules this week, but then my choice of "Expression Orale" turned out to be a good one..and then on Tuesday in the module "Découverte du Languedoc-Roussillon" we visited the local market and had to question the vendors about their products etc...that turned out to be loads of fun and we even learnt some really interesting expressions that I'm dying to share with someone! Later we had a picnic in a park with wine, cheese and bread, organised by our prof...pretty cool eh?

...as if this wasn't enough, the excursion for the day was to Sommiers, where we visted the vineyards, the cave du vin and had a wine-tasting session! Excellent wine - I think I drank alot yesterday; my head was spinning by the time I got back to my room...goes without saying I crashed rather early! Hehehe!

Postcards from Montpellier - 4

A week that disappeared before I knew it - my mind is bursting with impressions of this last week! From the first signs of homesickness and insomniatic nights spent tossing in that ridiculously narrow bed, my ears tweaking at the slightest sound outside my dorm room...to visiting new places, exploring hitertho unvisited quartiers of Montpellier, evenings out with colleagues and shopping...I'm scared my budget for the month is going to be terribly strained with the shopping I've done this past week! Ah well, we only live once! ;-)

Visited Aigues-Mortes on Thgursday after class - yet another mediaval city, but not half as impressive as Carcassonne...what was impressive was spotting the pink flamingoes in the "aigues-mortes" (dead water...so called because of the high salt content in the water) and the beach that we visited later via the sand dunes shaded by pine trees...a pristine, gorgeous beach not far from the "naturalist" beach, and no before you ask I didn't go à la nature!

Bid adieu to my Spanish colleagues on Friday - dinner en ville, followed by a promenade en centre-ville browsing through books on sale (yes, at that time of the night since the Estivales de Montpellier is going on), listening to music and watching people tango...glad I met them and hope to stay in touch!

Saturday, 14 july, la fete nationale, I was at Avignon...and I fell in love! No, not with a français, with the city sillies! It's gorgeous..I'd go as far as saying the beauty of the city is sublime...the magnifique Palais des Papes, the humbling Cathedrale, the impressive Pont d'Avignon and the Rochers...yes you can see I was duly impressed! I wish I could have spent more time there, but well, there's always the next time! :-)

Later in the evening I was at Port Marianne to watch the fireworks organised for the national day - spectacular event, followed by drinks at Cubanito, a bar en ville with my colleagues! Returned late to crash in bed till late Sunday morning...spent the entire day at the beach (Palavas) and a café à la Saint Tropez...and I do believe I've tanned badly, but who's complaining? :-)

Was most amused at the sight of 40-50 year-ols sunbathing topless...20 year-olds I expected, but women of that age? Ahem...yes, I know it could be called cultural shock; it was nevertheless vastly amusing to see a swelte 50 something blond sunbathing topless next to a fat, out-of-shape, balding 60 something ;-)

A brand new week, with fewer people at the institute and vaguely interesting modules..I'm now counting-down to next Tuesday when K will join me...ah, for some real company!

Postcards from Montpellier - 3

A lazy Saturday spent in bed till I finally dragged myself out to hit the shops - it's summer sales and boy, is it tough to resist shopping till I'm broke! But I have a travelling extravaganza coming up and must be sensible..or so I tell myself ;-)

Am enjoying my solitude, much to my surprise and am very content with myself and my thoughts. Amen!

Sunday at Carcassonne, a delightful medieval city complete with ramparts, forts, castle and cathedrale. Gorged on Cassoulet, a stew made of meat, pork and beans; had loads of icecream, drank lots of wine and chatted with the other stagier(e)s..and yes explored the city throughly...returned to the Cité Universitaire to a light meal of fruits and juice (is it any surprise after that heavy lunch?), updated my journal and organised myself for the upcoming week...

....the perfect weekend, I'd say!

Postcards from Montpellier - 2

A gorgeous Mediterranean city with the perfect weather - a highly irritating Indian colleague with a tendancy to pick up pregnancy tests instead of toothpastes and writing love letters instead of complaints has been shaken off, so I can meander at peace in the delightful avenues and narrow streets of the city and stroll through the centre commercial, while munching on a croissant or pain au chocolat or pain aux raisins...

I've been out in the centre-ville daily, either strolling in the streets and getting lost, or sitting at a café sipping coffee and soaking in the sun or having crepes with my colleagues. Spent a lazy afternoon at the beach soaking in the sun, sea and sand...and another evening at a concert of Occitanie music.

Yes, the life is good!

Postcards From Montpellier - 1

A long flight later I landed in the magical city of Paris and though I didn't pay much attention to it; being with one of my closest buddies after a year, it was magnifique!! The train journey to Montpellier, though tiring, was inoubliable with the idyllic countryside, rolling green hills, vallyes dotted with sunflower fields and cows grazing on the slopes...as for the city of Montpellier, it is drenched in European culture and makes me pat my back for having chosen this center for my stage d'été :-)

It's just been two days and I've already logged in so many things that I can't wait to share, but it will have to wait till I get more tranquil access to a computer...

Until the second postcard, écrivez-moi!!