Surprise Day Out in Lyon

With it being holiday season in France, and there being a 2 day holiday every week, most of my french class have left Lyon and aren't bothering with the few days a week when we have lessons. Today only 5 out of 18 turned up. So instead of lessons today we did a mini tour of Lyon, in French of course. 

I have been in Lyon 6 weeks now, and i don't know nearly as much about the place and history as i should. So this was a good opportunity for me to fill some of those knowledge gaps. 

For starters Place Bellecour. I have been here many times and in the center of the square is a statue of Louis XIV. I knew this statue well, or so i thought, until it was pointed out to me that there are two smaller statues at the base of the horse. These are of a man and woman lounging with lions. These stature symbolise the two rivers that run through Lyon. The man is facing the fast, strong flowing Rhone and the woman is facing the gentler, smaller Saône. Humm, how did i miss that one.

Further along on the tour we stopped outside the Palais de Commerce, to admire this wonderful statue. Again the theme of this works is a male and female representing the fast flowing Rhone and the gentle Saône, the female Saône flows into the male Rhone, just like the Saône flows into the Rhone. This is so far my favorite statue in Lyon, if you can have such a thing as a favorite statue. How come i never seen this before? I've walked passed it over and over again!

Also outside the Palais de Commerce, is this red brick on the pavement. This is the site where in 1894 the President of France, Francois Marie Sadi Carnot, was assassinated by dagger. There is a plaque on the wall of the building, just above the brick.

More amazing churches. Every corner in Lyon there seems to be a church that should feature heavily in tourist literature, but does not, simply because there are so many of them. This is Saint Nizier, at first glance the front looks symmetrical, but as you look closer the two sides are very different. This church is also clearly unfinished, you can see where three statues were supposed to go (on the right) before they ran out of money.

I had passed these murals before, but i had not stopped to look closely. Actually i had only seen one side of them,and if i had bothered to walk around the corner, i would have seen the full extent of them. And no this cafe and bookshop are not real, they are all painted on. The bookshelves actually go up much higher than i could take on my camera.

Well that was just some of the tour, we also did stops at Theater Celestins, Place des Terreaux among others. We finished the morning in the courtyard of Palais de Beaux-Arts, followed by hot chocolate with my classmates.  Nice day out, thanks to my french teacher (second from the right).

French Course - Day 5 - Nice France

This was the last of my blog entries about my french course that i took, last year. I really wish i had kept up writing as now i find it so interesting to look back on. You store a collection of memories on a blog like no other. Between now and when i stopped blogging i have so many memories that i wished i had written about at the time, the details of which are now fading into the blur which is my past.

7th of August 2012

Well last night before going to bed I remembered I had not done my homework, actually I could not even remember what we were set, and so I did all the questions. I was not going to get caught out for a second day.

Today went a little better; I am starting to get to grips with verbs, enough for me to be able to get the right conjugation in front of the class. After a good night sleep, my brain is starting to function again. Yippee. About half the class are so far ahead of me, the other half are about at my level. It’s the last day for about half the class, so next week we will be down to 5, and luckily most of the really good people are off, so the lessons should be much more focused at my level. 

In the afternoon i went back to the park for more studying, but today i remembered to bring my camera. I have managed nearly a week in Nice, and only have only taken a handful of pictures, hence some of the poor quality photos. So back up to the châteaux for some more great views of Nice. I visited the Cimetière Colline du Château, which was amazing, there was no photography allowed in the cemetery, so i went next door and took photos in the cimetiere israelite (where i could not see an anti-photo sign). The cemetery is full of amazing statues and tombs, that you just don't find in the UK. The cemetery's are so beautiful and well kept and yet i saw know body else, which makes me wonder why? Its defiantly worth a visit if you want to get away from the hustle of the rest of the French Riviera.

It’s so hot today, I have just nearly about melted at the park. My walk back to the tram has taken me about two hours; I just kept stopping for ice-cream and cold drinks. So it getting late now and it seems like I have done nothing with my day. Apart form studying I am just seem to chat and chill with people in my dorm.

Links: http://www.alpha-b.fr/fr/home

French Course - Day 4 - Nice France

As exhausting as to day has been, and it has been exhausting. I've done french classes then helped a friend move, someone who has never heard of packing lightly (anybody else out there carrying around a bag of coat hangers?). I remember this day being worse, i really suffered in the heat and it took me all day to get over it.

6th August 2012

Wow, I started today by me at 33 admitting that I had come to school without my homework. I felt slightly stupid as I did spend considerable amount of time studying French yesterday, just not what I was supposed to.

Class was again very overwhelming, and I really struggled with all the verbal exercise’s I was given. My brain just wouldn’t process French fast enough. Actually today my brain had completely switched off trying to understand anything. I was looking at the teacher, but I could not understand a thing! I just watched as her lips moves; i usually understand at least a few words. I blame all the study in the park yesterday.

The air conditioning has broken in our class room and we all sat there absolutely sweltering. By the time class was finished it was all I could do to stagger back to the hostel. Now I am spending the rest of the day absorbed by the Olympics, sipping diet coke. C’MON Team GB!!””!!

Links: http://www.alpha-b.fr/fr/home

French Course - Day 3 - Nice France

Today i had a french test, did i pass? Hope so, as i am planning on spending the next month in Lyon studying more french, and don't fancy a repeat. But here is day 3 of my french course last year, when i wasn't worrying about passes or fails. 

5th August 2012

Ok I slept bit better tonight, it was still very noisy and the light kept on going on and off, but some of the noisier girls had left. hooray.

The class this morning went pretty much the same way as yesterday, except that I felt even more overwhelmed by French and some of the student seem to be following so much better than me. I left with a huge mental list of things that I needed to get to grips with before the next day:

• The verbs faire, amier, devoir, etc…..
• What are verbs?
• Loads of stuff to look up in our grammar book. Others seemed to have memorised it contents, I have barely opened it.

So I headed up to the chateaux park on the hill to find a shady spot to study in. Parks are my favorite place to study. When I was studying for my final exams at uni, I went to Barcelona for a week so I could study in Park Gould. I just don’t find locking myself away in a dark room, when it raining outside very inspiring. 

I got back to the hostel and made a bit of a stupid decision to go running (du jogging). I dumped all my stuff at the hostel and just took a small bottle of water and my travel pass. I decided to go down by the sea and I thought it would be cooler and it was. I managed a good 20-30 mins of running in before I got back on to the tram. The tram then had “difficulties technical”, and I was stuck on it for over an hour, already sweating and dehydrated from my run, the heat on the tram was unbearable. By the time I got back it was all I could do to eat and cool down watching the Olympics. Hooray we are actually starting to win some medals now.

Links: http://www.alpha-b.fr/fr/home

French Course Day 2 - Nice France

In August i started my first travel blog, it did not last long, i gave up after two weeks. But i did keep pretty good account of the french course and it is still pretty relevant, so i have decided to re-post the first 5 days of the course. 

4th August 2012

It turns out that backpackers and students don’t mix so well. I am now regretting my decision to stay in a hostel as the girls in my dorm did not go to bed, until 2am and thought our room was just an extension of the bar. I really thought about going to the kitchen in the morning and borrowing some sauce pans to bang, when I woke up at 7am just to get my own back. But I made do with deliberately walking into one of their beds on my way to the toilet, lame.

Ok a bit nervous about going straight into another class, I really hope that this is the right decision for me. There is a mixture of abilities in my new class, some people are about the same level as me and there are one or two who are like French dictionaries. My new class has a very lively teacher, Pricilla. She is so animated it is ridiculous, but this is good because she never breaks into English but I suspect she know how to speak it, each word that I don’t know gets an animated explanation in French. The class is much more intense than the one I was in yesterday. The words DIRE and VEUX are mentioned a lot and I am expected to know what they mean, I don’t. So I spend the whole lesson pretending so I can look it up at home. I manage to get out of the class without the hole in my knowledge being noticed. It turns out that dire is a verb meaning to say and veux from the verb vouloir, meaning, to have and to want.

After class I am exhausted, my head has hit French overload and I head back to the hostel, to catch up on some of the sleep I missed the night before. I then went swimming at Nice beach, and spend the rest of the evening revising what we did in class.

French Course - Day 1 - Nice, France

In August i started my first travel blog, it did not last long, i gave up after two weeks. But i did keep pretty good account of the french course and it is still pretty relevant, so i have decided to re-post the first 5 days of the course. 

3rd August 2012

So i am in France learning French.

The following is extracts from my diary about my french course, that i am doing for the next two weeks at Alpha B school in Nice, France.

Arrived on time, yay I found it quite easily. It’s only a short walk from the tram stop.

I was placed into a group of about 9 students. But only about half had arrived by the beginning of the class. The teacher started the class by going over some basics, introductions, dates and numbers. We were then tested on our basic oral and written French and placed into two groups those who knew something, and those who knew nothing.

I was placed in the group of students who knew nothing. I admittedly felt very bad about that as I had done 5 years at school, one years of evening classes and have been teaching myself on and off for years.

The class then started properly, and it was very clear to me that I was going to know all the content already. Others who had never done French before were struggling with the very basics; trying to remember how to say Je m’appelle xxxx. And I really wanted to be pushed. So I told the teacher at the end of the day that I though the class might be too easy for me and I was put into the upper group. Time will tell if this was a wise decision.

Lunch time I went to a local restaurant and tried to order in French. All the French I knew came out in gobbledygook English. The waiter promptly told me where to sit and handed me the English menu. So a fail for day 1 then.

In the afternoon the school organised a tour of Nice, which I joined. The tour was in French. So I tagged along hoping that listening might improve my listening skills. The tour guild Aurelia, was great. She speaks such clear French even I managed to understand some of it, and was happy to answer my stupid questions about shade and sunlight. I got to speak to other students on the tour. Most of them have been learning French for much longer than me and were doing more advanced classes, so kept asking me really complex questions in French, which I answered with a staggered silence.

After the tour my head was overloaded with French, so I headed back to my hostel for a nap, pizza and to talk some English with the other backpackers. The English came out in broken English and people have been asking me all night where I am from? Expecting answers like Finland or or Argentina or something. This is an unexpected side effect of French lesson I hope it passes soon.

Learning French in France

You know it is always said that if you want to learn a language you have to actually go to the country to learn. So this is what i am doing now. I am learning French in France and loving it.

I had taken french at school for 5 years, and had learn't how to say 'Bonjour', by the time i left school (in a very strong British accent). I also did a night school class for several months a few years ago, but only ever really learn't some words and phrases. Yet i have been meeting people on the road for many years, who all know how speak English and they have often learnt in only a couple of months. 

Through studying their 'English language' text books i discovered two things: theses books are all in English and most have very few pictures. This is in stark contrast to the books i had at school. Speaking to people about what their English courses were like, they were all in English. I had also been looking into Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and liked the way that these courses were taught, but ultimately decided that teaching would not be for me.

So i decided that i wanted to give this a try for myself. Find myself an intensive foreign language course which is taught totally in that language, preferably in that country. I chose french, as it was the language i was most familiar with. In August 2012 i tested that water by singing up to a two week french course in Nice, France with alpha-B. Could these guys teach me to speak french!!??

The course was amazing, i learn't loads. It was taught in a totally different way to how i had been taught in England. This is not to say i did not have problems thought, the British educational system has left me with out some basic knowledge, such as 'what a verb is'. This is something i am still trying to correct today sitting in yet more French classes, this time in Lyon, with Alliance Francaise de Lyon. Learning about adverbs, infinitives, nouns etc at home instead of doing my french homework.

In conclusion, learning french in a french school is by far the best way to learn a language, so i have decided to stay in Lyon a second month. As i feel that i am actually learning something, but feel it would all go to waste if i just gave up now. Also i now have a friend staying in Lyon, so it will be nice to spend sometime with her.

Back in August i started my first travel blog. It did not last long, i gave up after two weeks. But i did keep pretty good account of the french course and it is still pretty relevant, so i have decided to re-post the experience of the first 5 days of the course. 

Traveling and Crochet - My Little Etsy Shop.

I have been a little slow on the blogging front. I have been in Nice and now in Lyon and have rarely left my room to go sightseeing and have anything to blog about. So here is my explanation of sorts.  I have been studying hard at my French and working on starting up a little woolly hat making business on Etsy called KnottedRose.

Starting an Etsy shop selling crochet accessories was an idea i had back in 2011, but dismissed the idea, as i would have to put too many hours into it and get very little out. But i have come back to this idea now, because my circumstances and experiences have changed. This is almost the perfect little side line for me, now i am traveling/working intermittently. In the long term i don't think that crocheting hats and gloves is some thing that i could live off forever, but its a stepping stone to my larger goals for the future. I will get experience running my own little business, and hopefully make a bit of money to keep me traveling longer.

Crazy ideas come from crazy people and i know that this one is up there. Somebody in a hostel did try to persuade me that this is the wrong time, because i am traveling and my head is all over the place. I personal could not think that he is more wrong. This is the perfect time for me to do this, because starting a business like this, or any other requires time and effort. When would i ever get 6 weeks down time in a normal life, to do the ground work that i need do. I have never tried to start any type of business before, so everything is new to me. And i personally can't think of a better challenge than starting a woolly hats business in the European spring/summer, when traveling and looking for little side jobs. But in away this suits me.

Anyway, i still want to keep this blog as it keeps me focused on enjoying my travels, even when i am distracted by other things. And the thought i might be missing out on Lyon is just horrible, so i pledge to do some Lyon research when the weather is bad and go visit when he rain stops.

Getting Settled in Lyon, France

So i am in Lyon to study French. How exciting. When i chose to study french in Lyon, i was very unsure about my choice. I did not know much about this town, 1 month is a long time to be stuck in a boring city. I decided to come here purely because language courses and accommodation seemed to be cheaper here then elsewhere in France.  So glad i chose this place now as its such a beautiful city to live in. 

I've have chosen to study with Alliance Francaise Lyon, i did not know what to expect, because despite really good reviews of the school. The process of applying for the course and accommodation has not run smoothly, mostly thanks to my bank rejecting payments to the school. At one stage i was very worried that i was going to arrive and the school not exist. Well i am here now and my school and accommodation does exist, so one huge sigh of relief.

I arrived over the Easter weekend, so getting setting up in student accommodation has been a struggle. Unlike hostels and staff accommodation.  Here i have had to provide my own towels, knife, plate, cup etc... Also all the supermarkets were shut so finding food or any of the items listed above proved a struggle. Thank god for McDs. 

Getting WiFi has also been a nightmare  It has meant that i have had to visit the university accommodation office, which was shut for the first two days, then apply for a WiFi code, then wait two days while it was processed.  4 days without proper internet access, i have not known what to do with myself.

The accommodation is in Halls of Residences, on a large student campus. I honestly never thought i would revisit my student days and live in halls again. Nothing has changed, these halls are remarkably like the ones i lived in whilst studying for my degree over 10 years ago. They are very basic, but i get my own room and i am not knocking accommodation in a beautiful city like Lyon for 200 euro a month, a hostel would be more than twice, that. Oh i got my own room, hehe. 

Lyon was a little dead over the Easter weekend. I went for a walk and everything was shut except a few stores along the main shopping street of Rue de Republique. But i did find a Street Day festival on in one of the main squares, which kept me entertained in graffiti art and French Rap music for an hour or so. Though in truth this is not really my thing.

This city has some amazing places to visit though, I took the funicular train up to the top of Fourviere, where i found a massive cathedral the Fourviere Basilica, which is defiantly on of the most impressive churches i have been into for some time. You can download audio-guided tours for your phone, so i shall do that and revisit it at some point.

There is so much i want to do in Lyon while i am here, both travel, language and personal wise. Maybe my first assessment of a month, was just not long enough.

Ski Day at Domaine de Balme/Le Tour, Chamonix, France

I have been so busy recently with working, skiing and sightseeing that i have not have had chance to blog any of this, not to mention the computer issues that seam to dominate my life (4th computer in 2 years anybody!). 

Just over a week ago now i used up one of my tokens that i get free with my Les Houches season ski pass, to go up Le Tour. We chose Le Tour because, because the landscape is so different to that of Les Houches; more wide open spaces than the narrow tree lined runs of Les Houches. Now i have the day off i feel the desperate need to write all this down, before it joins the blur of the rest my travels.

Le Tour was perfect for me and my friend as it has loads of gentle blue runs. We needed it after months of skiing as we are both suffering from sore knees. The main blue run, Liaison Balme which runs into Les Esserts, runs for kilometers at such a gentle pace that you don't really have to ski, just take in the great views as you glide past.

Not all the blue runs were gentle though, some seemed to me to be a little on the extreme side for a easy blues. The Bechat slope for example really tested my nerve. It was a steep and long decent that just seemed to keep going. I had to take it pretty slowly and watched as my friend completely lost control and crashed at speed. Luckily she was OK. Bechat will forever more be known as The Death Slide.

For lunch we stopped off at Restaurant Alpage de Balme (altitude 1990). The restaurant is 'al la cart', serving traditional Alps style food, so lots more cheese then. We both chose a 'Croute' bread and goat cheese dish, which was delicious and very reasonably priced. I also went a bit greedy and had a chocolate fondant desert.

It was such a beautiful spot and a lovely restaurant that we spend a good hour or so there just smiling and appreciation the views.

The afternoon was spent taking in more beautiful views and just really appreciation how lucky we are to be living and working in such an amazing part of the world. I don't think either of us could imagine a year ago that all this could be ours.

Le Bartavel, Chamonix Mont-Blanc

Pleasantly surprised  - a lesson learnt

OK i admit i was not very impressed by the exterior or interior of this place. It was slightly drab, old and had these awful tacky blue fairy lights on the windows. Considering its surrounded by much nicer looking restaurants  they could have done better. I was somewhat dragged there by somebody, who wanted to save 50 cents on a pizza.

But wow, this is was definitely one of the best pizzas i have tasted in Chamonix so far, and i have had a fair few. So bad me for reading a book by it cover. We both had pizzas, i had the Frutti di Mare (seafood) and my friend the Tonno e Cipolla (tuna and onion), both were excellent, and the house wine was also up to scratch.

On the rest of the menu, they offer a range of salads, pastas, gnocchi... Looking at what was delivered to the surrounding tables, the food looked well presented, with good portions. I shall definitely keep this place in mind next time i am in town, and need to save myself 50 cents. Oh, they also do take away.

The service in the restaurant was good and efficient  We had a very friendly, kind waiter. The restaurant did not have WiFi, but waiter helped us out. How kind. He earn't a slightly bigger tip for that.

Le Bartavel: 26, cour du Bartavel 74400 Chamonix Mont-Blanc.