Ah, Aix.

I'm back in France for a couple of weeks to finish up classes and to spend the days in France eating croissants and baguettes.  Spring has finally come to the South of France, and everything has exploded with green.  There is nothing like the diversity of plants and trees in the South, and I am trying to soak it all in before heading back to the States.  As it is getting warmer and warmer, more and more people are wandering the streets and parks.  Its lovely to finally see some color in the clothing, and, although it is not much, it is a huge change from the neutrals of the winter months.  

I had a wonderful time being in the States, but it has made me realize how much I am going to miss of France.  The food, the wine, the people, the croissants, the ridiculously small cars, the fact that I can walk all around town, the language, the diversity... I could go on and on and on.  There are a few things that I probably won't miss, but I'll think about those once I'm permanently back in the States. 

I had the opportunity to hike up Mont Sainte-Victoire the other day.  Aix is surrounded by many hills, but there is only one mountain anywhere near the city.  My friend and I took a bus out into the country, found a path, and then started climbing.  I had heard that its fairly easy to make it up the mountain, that is, if you choose the right path.  Per usual, my friend and I had chosen the wrong path.  We spent some painful hours scrambling up a few rocky paths before losing the trail and having to slide back down the side of the mountain.  After a few minutes of crashing through the brambles, we made it back onto the trail... And then went the wrong direction, not towards the mountain but towards where we had begun.  By the time we had figured this out, it was one in the afternoon, we'd been thrashing around for about four hours, and we decided to end the day with a three course meal at a restaurant at the foot of the mountain.  Overall, it was a lovely day, and maybe, just maybe, I'll have the chance to make it up there before I leave for good.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Elise