Today we roll out of Toulouse on the via Arles route of the Camino.My back is still a problem but it is better on a bike. Our plan is to go slowly with lots of breaks. We passed our French level(A2.2 if that means anything) and we are now legally qualified to order a coffee in France. We were dumbstruck with surprise to discover that ... Read More
ToulouseTomorrow is our last French class. In three weeks I think I have learned quite a bit. I am far more comfortable speaking in the past and the present. It has been really fun getting to know our classmates too, even though we are at least twice their age. Fortunately our maturity level puts us on an even footing with them all. I don't know ... Read More
Gord and I are now the proud owners of two shiny new bikes!!! We gave them a test run on the Canal du Midi this weekend and they seem fine. This Saturday we will head off on the Chemin de Arles.
Toulouse is a city of bikes. They have velo stations everywhere and for very little you can pick up a bike, use it, and return it to any station when you are done. Since my back has loudly suggested that I not walk at all for a bit, I have become a velo enthusiast. The convenience for urban riding is amazing. You never have to ... Read More
I love how the French take to the street en mass! Today there was a general strike in France in opposition to Sarkozy's pending legislation that changes the retirement age from 60 to 62. After class, equipped with our new labour vocabulary, Gord and I hit the streets to find the demonstrations. Unfortunately we found them a little late, and most of the workers had ... Read More
So much for being unique, yesterday Gord and I went out for a mid-day meal with Ruth M. McDonald. No seriously, this is a small language school and there are two of us! Ruth is from Ireland and it was a blast to compare things including how she signs her name, to what our parents are like. When we first arrived at the school I ... Read More
We had a very tough homework assignment today. We are to prepare a Canadian specialty for the class to try. Easier said than done… So what is Canadian cuisine anyway? We thought Nanaimo bars would be good because we only have a hot plate to cook on, but even the Carrefour, a large super market, didn't carry graham wafer crumbs or powdered sugar. They did ... Read More
Painting by Henri Martin in the Hotel de Ville, ToulouseI am getting into the rhythm of living and learning in Toulouse. We spend four hours in the morning at our school Langueonze and then have the afternoon to explore the city. The school also offers a variety of cultural programs. Today we went on a tour of the old quarter and tomorrow we learn how ... Read More
The view from our apartment.ToulouseWhat is it about teachers and September? Here I was convinced that I wouldn't darken the door of a school for at least a few more months and now Gord and I are starting school tomorrow. We have our notebooks ready and our pens picked out. We both bought 2 and 3 euro t-shirts so we would have at least one change ... Read More
September 10, 2010Larceveau - Saint Jean Pied de Port 19kmL'Esprit du CheminToday was one of the most beautiful days on the walk. Soft rolling hills slowly turned into bigger climbs, with the wall of the Pyrenees right in front of us. Saint Jean Pied de Port is another fantastic medieval town. It is suddenly a much more international place. At dinner in the Gite we ... Read More