"Wilson! WILSON!" -Tom Hanks, Castaway

Best day ever today. It was my last day with the group and my last day in Southern France, so I did a little research to plan the perfect adventure so we could go out with a bang. Here's what I came up with:
Kelli, Brittany and I took the train into Cannes. Hoo-eee that place is rich. Even the water glittered. Gorgeous. We spent a couple hours just hangin on the sandy beaches looking at fancy people. Then, we got on a boat and travelled out to this secret little island. On the island, there is a prison fortress where the real-live man in the iron mask was held. Very cool and creepy. I had no idea he was a real guy. He was a prisoner held there in the 18 hundreds and only two people knew his identity---King Louis XIV and the prison guard. The prison guard was recorded as saying that he was very proud to care for the man beneath the mask, whoever he was. I was fascinated, naturally.
 The island was incredible. It was exactly the way I imagined the island in Lord of the Flies. It was small, but hilly and covered with a pine forest. We explored the island for a little while, talking about Alexandre Dumas and other things. We found the most amazing little place. A beautiful, secluded, cove where we swam in warm, crystal clear water. It felt so poetic there. So peaceful. I couldn't have even imagined that place if I wanted to. I was sitting on a rock with my feet in the water thinking "no one knows where I am right now. I could do this forever. Just sit on this little rock in this little cove on this little island." But I did decide to move on with my life. We had dinner at a yummy little place in Cannes that Tammy recommend called "La Pizza." It was right on the port with a bunch of shmancy, rich, yachts. Holy Yacht. We walked to the Cannes film festival palace and saw a bunch of idiots taking pictures of themselves on the red carpet (I didn't take one, only because I didn't look very good after swimming.) We walked along the boardwalk, and wouldn't you know it ----I found Angelina Jolie's handprint. Our hands are exactly the same size. I hope that means something.
I have to leave the apartment at 4:30 in the morning. Wish me luck.
See you in one week!

Dinner Group

Cannes- Cinema Palace on the right

Get it?

Ile Saint Marguerite (St. Margaret Island)

At the fortress prison

"I try to be like Grace Kelly." -Mika

Spent a few moments with the fabulous as I passed the day in Monte Carlo. It was just a small bus ride away--- a bus ride on a cliff over the Azure coast looking at some of the most beautiful views I have ever beheld. Upon arrival, we hiked up a big hill to go see the palace and the big Cathedral. A guide told us that this cathedral is the place where Grace Kelly was married and buried.One person asked “wait did you say married or buried?” I made a marriage joke that went like “aren’t they the same thing?”---but apparently it was not the time nor the place. Anyway, love Grace. She was beautiful. Pretty flowers on her tomb.

Monaco is gorgeous. Selena Gomez must have had some fun here. 

We walked around looking for James Bond, finally found a gorgeous sandy beach to hang out at. We swam out to the floating platform at the end on the other side of the bay and sun bathed (and pushed each other off of it) all day. 

Perfect day in Monte Carlo. 

Saw some nice cars, not sure what they were, but I took some pictures for some boys to tell me. 

“I believe in the sand beneath my toes, the beach gives a feeling--energy feeling.” -Third Eye Blind. 

whoa

sup, monte?

the palace

the Cathedral

Casino Royale

Monaco Yacht Club

"But my life, my lover, my lady----is the sea." -Looking Glass

Nice is nice! This place is beautiful. The beach is pebbly and not sandy, but I sure don’t mind because it’s a beach. I am rooming with Amanda and Chloe. The first day here we decided to start a little dinner group (because we have kitchens) with Char, Brittany and Kelli. We emptied our suitcases and then rolled them down the hill to the grocery store where we bought enough food for the week and then wheeled them back up to our apartments. Chloe moved the table out onto the patio and Saturday night I made Cuban food for us to eat, last night we all made spaghetti, and tonight we are going to cook up some fish. We have class here still, but it is so much more relaxed than Paris. This feels like a vacation. After church yesterday a bunch of us went to the Matisse museum which was great because I love Matisse. His drawings are so simple and childish, and I think that is why I love them. He spent much of his time here in Nice. We also visited the Chagall museum. I loved his surrealist stuff--with flying goats and brides and stuff. He also painted depictions of the Old Testament which I really liked. 

Char, Chloe, Amanda and I (rather than taking the bus) decided to walk back to the apartments. We walked through the windy streets of Nice until we reached the beach. We walked along the beach and I saw more naked boobs than I’ve ever seen on the Sabbath. Right now there is a crazy, Mediterranean thunderstorm happening and I love it. Windows are thrown open, and there is no greater sound. 

Spent the afternoon basking in the Mediterranean Sea. 

We took a sunset walk into old, downtown Nice. I know I use this word a lot, but it was so charming. It used to be Italian, and it did feel a little bit like Italy. Narrow, winding streets--window boxes with red flowers, and laundry hanging to dry between buildings. 

I feel Meg Ryan best expressed my sentiment as she walked the streets of Nice in French kiss, when she stopped in her tracks and shouted: "BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS, wish you were here."

Med Sea

A second trip to the grocery store

Old Downtown Nice

Triple scoop of gelato

"I don't really like sports. I love animals." -Tad Hamilton. Win a Date with Tad Hamilton

Today we saw the Blois castle, which I like to call the Blah castle. Just kidding, it was really neat but I am getting sort of castled out. Our tour guide told us every little detail about the place. It has four architectural styles and is marked because it’s design spans centuries of style. Gothic, Flamboyant, Renaissance, and Classical. After this we saw a giant giant giant hunting lodge/castle that smelled so much like campfires. Man, what a bachelor pad that place was. Definitely decorated and inhabited by men. Beautiful woods surrounding it. Emily and I had fun walking around and saying “wow, that piece was totally chosen by a dude.”

We made our way back to Paris tonight. Had to throw away a lot of things to make my suitcase light enough to pass for the flight to Nice tomorrow. 

Eternal Bachelor

Fran asleep on the bus.

"Your house is so nice." -Cady Heron. "I know, right?" -Regina George. Mean Girls

Today we saw more castles. Three of em. The first was called Azay. It was small, but very charming. It is called the fairytale castle of France because it sits in water and it has beautiful gothic towers and we walked around the gardens, including a cool hedge maze which fascinated me because I could feel like I was in the Triwizard tournament for a few, brief moments of my life. 

Next castle was the coolest. It was called Chenonceau and it sits in a river. It was big, and grand, and beautifully decorated on the inside. Big, vast hallways with black and white checkered tile, and giant kitchens with beautiful copper pots and pans--which I was slaughtered for photographing using a flash. Seriously, the guard walked up to my friend Matt and said “you tell that blonde friend of yours that we will take her camera if she uses a flash again.” I will post a picture of this castle from google because I couldn’t get a good enough angle to show you how amazing it was. 

Next castle was Amboise. In contrast to the others which were in the countryside, this one was smack in the middle of a little town. It was nice and all, but the neatest part was that Leonardo diCaprio was buried there. 

Oops, I mean daVinci. No need to cry.

We have had some of the most amazing food on this bus trip. Veal, roasted chicken with apples, crème brulée, yummy veggies, things I don’t recognize, avocado mousse with parmesan crust. I mean, wow. 

I’ve been sharing a hotel room with Amanda whom I love.

Azay

Chenonceau

They must have known I was coming.

The price I paid for this photo...

Me and Chloe

"And I'm soaking through and through." -Dido

Got up early to take a shower in the communal bathrooms at our Formula 1 hotel. No towels. But the bathrooms were conveniently equipped with body dryers (just like a hand dryer, but for your whole body. Obviously.) 

After breakfast we set off for Angers where we visited the big fortress there. It was really cool, very old. Walked up along the ramparts and looked out over the city. I also saw a really neat and seriously old tapestry which illustrates the book of revelations. Bizarre. 

Next stop was the old castle in Langeais. This is the place where king Charles VIII married the 14 year old Anne in a secret night-time ceremony--after kidnapping her--- in order to unite Brittany and France. Pouring pouring rain. But that just enhanced the experience I’m sure. The bus drive along the Loire river was beautiful. Reminded me of the river and countryside in Pride and Prejudice. 

Sorry for some boring posts that have to happen, but this blog is part of my grade and I have to talk about every one of the sites we visit, even if I have no seductive anecdotes from the day. But in the end, no one forced you to read this.

We had the most delicious dinner here in Tours. Dr. LeBras orders everything in advance so we have no choice about what we're eating. I love it. Half the time I don't even know what I'm eating but everything has been very tasty. A strictly don't ask don't tell policy. Yum yum yum. 

"One if by land and two if by sea." -Paul Revere...or something

First stop today was Mont St. Michel. I’ll be honest, when I have heard people talk about that place I had no idea what it was. I think that might have made my experience there more magical. I had no idea what to expect. I cannot impress upon you the majesty of that place. Emily and I got lost on the way up because we were wandering in a field singing “Castle on a Cloud” from Les Mis. We had a guided tour of the Abbey and when we were on top looking out over the foggy coast with the crispiest, chilliest, saltiest breeze blowing in our faces, I had to pinch myself. I was humming the soundtrack from How to Train Your Dragon all day as I walked around.  I wish my sister Bailey was with me. 

We drove through the beautiful French countryside and along the enchanting coast of Brittany to reach our next destination. My face was pressed against the window trying to soak it all in. Listening to the Lord of the RIngs soundtrack on my iPod and having a hard time believing there was just a thin piece of glass between me and what I was seeing. 

We stopped in a little fortified town that was destroyed during World War II (and then rebuilt) called Saint Malo. We were meant to go walk along the wall outside the city, but I hit the beach instead. So incredible. It felt like being in a Nick Drake song. Foggy, gray, warm and quiet. Nothing like a salty breeze blowing through your hair.