walking in vaugnery

Well hello, has been quite a productive (not) past week in the life of moi, as we have a week off for the holiday of "Toussaint" (all saints) in which I've done little more than sit on my arse debating whether or not I should tidy my room, which given the drastic state of my floor and lack of energy, of course ended in me deducing the latter...

Friday 23rd October

Last week I didn't go to many lectures as I couldn't be bothered (finally, it's starting to feel more like home :)) and because it was the week before the holiday and I just didn't see the point! This is a semi-lie given that we did in fact get up to go to a translation lesson on tuesday, but missed every bit of public transport known to man, and then took a "minor" detour which ended up being 6 pieces of transport, consecuently leading to us being late and opting for shopping 3 stops down; we didn't want it to feel like a wasted journey! Biggest Problem being we have a translation exam next week worth 50%, so, errrrm, yeh, don't think that's going to go all that well!!

At the end of the week we went out clubbing and got the first metro and funicular back at 5:30am as the the clubs here don't shut untill around 5. It goes without mentioning that this was after a ridiculously priced re-sobering "kebab" which was something along the lines of a taco filled with chips, burger, cheese and mayonaise....and 6.50 euros later.....

Saturday 24rd

we went out for a meal in Vieux Lyon, quite possibly our first serious step into integrating into french culture without relating to excessive drinking or dancing! I REALLY love the goat's cheese here and I'm quite liking the "isle flotant" which is kind of like soft meringue and pink crunchy sugar floating in "custard" but it's no match to apple crumble and custard, oh how I miss thee so! Puddings just aren't the same here!

We then (so classily, and in quite a contradictory juxtaposition to my first line under this subheading) sat on the steps of Vieux Lyon and drank alcohol. We then continued our bout of elwgance by walking in the rain to various locations around the city, (whilst still consuming the afore mentioned beverages) before concluding that we should go home and dry off our clothes. We got the 3am bus back, and I STILL can't believe I spent THREE hours walking and drinking around Lyon!

Sunday 25th

The Brasilians on my floor cooked for me and then we went to "Parc de la Tete D'or" which is kind of like a (very poor) retreat from the city with a mini zoo; we saw the animals, and then got upset about the aligators in really small pools :( but we consoled ourselves with pancakes, and by watching the lights on the merry-go-round.

Tuesday 27th

After having spent a rather dull week in the city, I decided to take a trip to vaugnery where I experienced a rather pleasant walk, and beautiful sceneries. It was so nice to see some countryside, the trees, the hills, the view-the GREEN view, the clear blue unpolluted sky, fresh air, villagers who say hello and don't barge into you. Just the sound of nothing but animals ratling in bushes, and the wind blowing the greenery. Earth rather than concrete beneath your feet. Oh my gosh, I'm such a geek; I should write for "countryside" magazine or something!

There was a pretty little stream, and tractors, and a beautiful village church. I think I could live in this village; they had a shop, a library and a cinema!! It was amazing, but it wasn't enough time there. I miss it. I'm now back in Lyon, bored, craving some outdoor goodness!!

This evening I went into Croix-Rousse for a drink and appératifs where I got quite tipsy after 2 glasses of (rather strong french) wine, and had to go home!

climbing in france!!!

Hey guys! I've finally got to do some decent climbing!! wooooo! This is mostly for the climers amongst you, I can only assume the rest of you will find it not so interesting...

Thursday

went climbing at the local wall with an italian I've met, and it was great! the grading is somewhat inconsistent, but it was amazing none the less. It was harder than the uni wall, so was at last able to enjoy a challenge :) though must say, ascending a 6a and finding large blood smeared stains on the wall isn't the most encouraging of things, but got to the top. Only did seconding, and top ropes. It's pretty expensive (like everything else here!), 12 euros after 2pm, n 13.80 euros after 17:30, but well worth it I think. I seconded the route to left of the guy in the white.

In the evening, I went to a spanish party with some spaniards, which was pretty cool. Got to speak spanish for the majority of the night (which was pretty refreshing, given that my spanish is significantly better than my french!) and got the night bus back!! the route 66 here is better than the one at home. There may not be a pole here, but I'm pretty sure there's a poole table...not entirely sure, I was a little tipsy both times I ventured into this club.

Saturday

went climbing about an hour north from Lyon, along the Soane. The crag was called "la grotte au écureuils" which means "squirrels grotto/cave" Got a fair amount of climbs in. Attempted a few 6as, but took AGES to do, lots of rests, and lots of attempts. My arms still ache, my fingers still sting, and my toes hurt; but this is how life should be :) I'm soo happy after spending a day away from the city!!

(It will probably amuse you to know that I was the only person to wear my helmet...again....)

AND, I would like to point out (to those of you that dissed my cardiac arrestor) that in France, it is quite popular to belay with a figure of eight abseiler. So here, my equipment is quite "a la mode" (fashionable)....shame I left it at home really!

It was really nice to be in the countryside, by trees, hills and crags. It was the first time I'd left the city other than to come home, so the break was nice. shame it couldn't have lasted longer.

Sunday

went into vieux lyon again in search for scottish food, but there was a match on and nowhere to sit. So we ended up in a little cafe with crepes, mmmmmm, thankyou jess!! good crepes!! I then thought it a wise idea to overdose on sugar by eating a very large meringue and glucose/fructose infected tart (sugar is very abundant here!). I then burnt it off by going for a walk down to francheville. I'ts really pretty; it's less than an hour from where I live, and you can actually see trees, and a really nice mansion/country house with a FIELD!! yes, grassy area!! I'm going to go there again soon I reckon, perhaps walk a bit further into a really well named place "Craponne"....Indeed, the French do like synonyms for the word "merde". Gota love French.

the condtradictory french

hello guys, just thought i'd keep you updated on a few of my views for this week. so here goes.

Today
The french cease to amaze me, I had to receive (yet another bit of) documentation today. I had to get a medical certificate to prove I wasn't going to have a pulmonary embolism whilst climbing(at the rife old age of 2o). The fact that I've spent the last month climbing on the uni walls without so much as a heart pulpitation, let alone a full blown cardiac arrest is far from sufficient to fulfil the administrative needs of the french population.

However, my desire to climb fuelled me to get half naked in front of a doctor whilst she tested my breathing with her stethoscope. Admitedly it doesn't take a promise of outdoor climbing to bring out the birthday suite, but this is neither here nor there...

She then weighed me, and decided to knock nearly 2kg off my weight because I was wearing jeans. Im pretty sure they aren't equivalent to 2 bags of sugar, but I'm willing to accept that as the reason why I couldn't bring many clothes in my suitcase.

I was worried about my dodgey knees and back, so when she asked if I had any problems, I said no. Except that I forgot the MINOR fact that she was a doctor, and does indeed know when the human body isn't quite as healthy as it should be....she found it. I continued to explain how climbing has in fact been helping my back and that stopping me climbing would only cause long term paralysis...(ok exaggeration, but you get the picture).

the nurse gave me a booklet with lots of information on contraception, family planning, gynaecology (the address and telephone numbers of GPs, emergency services and dentists were not as imperative). She then proceded to give me some free condoms, I took a few yet she insisted on handing me more. The french really like their contraception, she kept telling me to come back for more. she "always has condoms". Great, I now have a bag full of condoms and look like I'm a sex addict (but it's ok, she gave me the number for addicts 'R' us so it's all ok). Besides, the condoms will always come in handy when smuggling those drugs back into England. Gatwick seem to have an unnecessary infactuation with me, my feet and my bags, so I might as well add a stomach full of cocaine filled johnny's to their list!

so between them they checked my weight, height, exercised, post exercise and rested pulse, blood pressure, general knowledge on contraception, poked my stomach around, checked my reflexes and balance just so they could verify that I was healthy and I could climb more safely, then I go to my climbing class (mostly full of people who have only been climbing for a month) and after a 5 minute brief, they had to lead climb without a helmet, and belay someone with the hope that they didn't fall because they hadn't been taught how to catch someone. My point is why go to all that effort of making sure I'm safe and healthy, when you're just going to throw health and safety out of the window!

my teacher tells me not to bother putting the rope through both karabiners at the top too; "one is strong enough". He's right, but it's bad practise. Try explaining that to the FFME if that one krab comes out of the wall...

Saturday
toga party, pretty standard, but obviously not accepted outside of the residence, so we opted for normal clothes and then a jolly old jaunt to the irish pubs. On the return home, I was asked If I knew any clubs where he could have sex, then continued to offer me sex. (hmmm, he must have seen my bag full of condoms) funnily enough mate, NO!!

Sunday
Spent the day in the outdoor shops in the local area, and found the sleeping bag I want for more than 40 euros more than in england. Bad times. I asked one of the guys who worked there loadsa questions-until he told me he didn't work there. (what is it with me and asking people questions in shops!)

Went for an evening jog along the Rhone river; it's very pretty at night.

drunk in lyon

My first really drunken moment in France (had to be done really, I am a student after all!)

dearest friends, it has been a while since I last wrote, but I forgot my password because I am special :) and I continued to be even more special when I couldn't understand the password reset email...

The latest news is that I am a little pissed (so much so that it took me 5 minutes to find the massive blue button saying NEW POST right in the centre of the page!) we were making so much noise and drinking far too much that the funiculur driver actually STOPPED the carriage half way down the hill. One of the guys sat behind us told us that they had never stopped it before...us english do like to make an entrance, be that with guns trying to envade countries, or with drunken youths. myself of course being the latter, though i'm sure Gatwick customs would disagree...

but I have to say it was quite pleasant last night, as we went into an irish bar in vieux lyon where drunken oafs are more accepted, well that's what we thought until half the pub disappeared....I spoke to countless people in french, whose names I can in no way recollect, though I did have to ask them each about 3 times their names, after which I felt I would be letting the team down to continue this repetetive conversation topic, so opted for drunken french jibber jabber. I feel my french is better when im pissed, either that or I think it's better because im pissed! I'm probably just repeatung the same thing over and over, so the pronunciation is getting better, not the language!

we then, after much drink, chatting rubbish and a few minor balance issues decided to soak up the alcohol with food from a place that is open 24 hours a day! This is rare thing in france.

next we opted for another pub, whose location I could not tell you, all I know is that it went left and we got told off for being too noisy (the french do not like noise, which is surprisng given it is a massive city with hustle and bustle, but nope. 10pm hits, and bouncers have bouncers to tell you to be quiet. If you're unlucky, they'll tell you in english so you can'e even play the "but I didn't understand" card, which in all honesty is becoming my get out of jail free card for pretty much everything.

Anyway, there was another british speaker at the bar who was taking part in a debate about the rude french, until his (french) girlfriend came over where he mysteriously changed sides...I think I MAY have offended her, but I was trying to say "it's not you, it's me. I don't hate France, i just hate the culture shock, and that's something that I have to deal with" but I don't think I conveyed the messege well. I spoke again with her later, where she decided to tell me she agreed with me and doesn't like France either and that she was indian, I think?? hmmmm, I think she was trying to just get rid of me as I'd spent the majority of the evening following her around trying to appologise...

As you can see, my participation with french culture is going well (irish and scottish bars, stupidly telling french people you don't like france, drinking cider and black...)

I now have to find the energy (or more the cure for drunken stupidity) to go climbing tonight. I am really excited, but am worried I will still be pissed, oh well, sweat it out as they say!

Sunday

On a lighter, more pro-french culture note, there is a little french market outside our halls every sudnay and we go to it and buy a fruit and veg, roast chicken and roast potatoes (ok, so not ENTIRELY french, but more french than telling people you don't like their country whilst inebriated with english concoctions.)

we also went to the cathedral in vieux lyon where they have the oldest clock and the biggest Bible I think I have ever seen. Quite pretty inside, though shame about the drunks who sit on the church steps outside, and not as amazing as Fourviere.

then we saw a film called "500 jours ensemble" which is the american film 500 days of summer but with french subtitles ;)

Monday

the weather is getting wetter now which pleases me, it reminds me of home :)

I'm in the process of joining the uni climbing club, but it's proving difficult as, as is usual with France, I have to obtain a medical certificate from a doctor to say I am fit and healthy to partake in rock climbing, irrespective of the fact that the teacher has seen me climbing for the past 3 weeks without injur or danger. However, I must also have a vaccination certificate, which I do not have, which further causes problems....

Tuesday

climbing class was good, I did a few 6a and 6a+ but the grading here is SOOO easy, I don't reckon they're 6a at all. which is why I want to go to the local climbing wall (not uni). I'm now in contact with an Italian who does it, and said we can go next week together to the wall. but its nearly 200 euros "abonnement"...."subscription, MEMBERSHIP" for 3 months, so I don't know, I think I've accepted I'm going to have to sell a kidney to climb in France, but then I'd probably fail the medical....

Wednesday

The strikes are finally over and this makes me very happy as the 46 "direction perrache" is running! (yes, I am now a public transport geek!)

I read out loud in french translation the other day and got stumped by the number 44,500, but said it in the end. Linguistically I think I'm improving slightly. But its difficult when alot of my classes are in spanish and the french ignore English people.

I went for a jog along the river and really enjoyed it. It's about the closest thing to nature within bus or walking distance!

PS. i've just seen pictures and am remembering lying in the road, having foam on my face and going behind the bar in the pub....im starting to feel hungover now as opposed to just plain pissed.

first weeks in lyon

Dearest friends, I have finally entered the 21st century and discovered the world of blogs. So this is what has been going down in the city of Lumières-Lyon

First week
Well, things started out well when we left home late and I got to customs and they decided to touch me up because my 2kg B3s were too heavy to put in the hand luggage so had to be worn on my feet on the flight. Apparently boots that big need to go through the X-ray machines, and female staff have to touch every inch of your breast to make sure you are bomb free.

After acknowledging that I was not in fact going to blow up the plane, they decided to send me to the wrong gate, so 20 minutes before take-off, I had to run 32 gates away-being the other side of south terminal, with rigid boots, a now undone bra strap, a ski jacket and a bag full of heavy miscellaneous items crashing against my laptop; the wireless hasn’t worked since....

Also, quickdraws are not allowed in hand luggage....

There was a milk strike, but this didn’t bother me as I don’t particularly like milk.

We had to sign a billion forms to get into our accommodation with no oven, 2 hobs, a washroom the size of my wardrobe...I swear filling out forms is a national sport here, they must have hands of steel! No wonder they needed so much help in the war too busy filling out bloody forms:

Sergeant pierre: Hello Sergeant Jones, its world war 2 and we were just wondering if you could help us out with a bit of German bashing.
Sergeant Jones: indeed, but why were you not prepared for this?
Sergeant pierre: well, we had so many forms to sign, Hitler invaded and we had to sign a form, he had to sign it, his x-mother in law’s friend had to give a photocopy of her passport, birth certificate a urine sample and get her leg amputated before SHE could sign it....

We realised we didn’t have internet for another 2 weeks, and were not impressed as had to choose our course units via it, and set up a bank account using it, and sorting out housing benefits....

Second week
My first major linguistical error: I was in Decathlon and wanted to try on some shorts but couldn’t remember (or didn’t know in the first place) the word for “changing room” or “try on” so I said the next best thing (without thinking) to the man: “puis-je utiliser le chambre” which roughly translates to “can I use your bedroom”. He said something (which I didn’t understand) and I just laughed. He probably said something along the lines of “stupid English girl thinks she can chat me up at work...”. well, whatever he said, I just agreed with him!

We went to a sweat fest of a night club, and came out dripping wet and then got splashed by some half naked guy splashing around in a Lyonnais cultural monument/pond. So I was ill for the next few days.

I was told I wouldn’t be able to do Mont Blanc by somebody from the city club-this did not amuse me.

Public transport went on strike for a day but wasn’t bothered as I didn’t need to use it that day.

We went to the amphitheatre and climbed on it. Apparently climbing on a historical and cultural monument of Lyonnais culture is not allowed...I later found out it was also a UNESCO world heritage site....

Week 3
· We have internet!!!
· We went to the musée des beaux arts and molested some roman-esque statues.
· We went to the club called the loft which is pretty awesome! In fact amazing!
· Courses started and classes are difficult

Climbing classes started and the teacher didn’t seem to like me too much. There wasn’t much climbing as they told us how to belay etc...I gave a guy my number and asked him to call me if he went climbing anywhere. He couldn’t quite understand how I wanted to climb in winter, but I was trying to explain to him how England is rarely dry and warm, and if you drive 200miles, you wana climb! My climbing vocab is broadening, my climbing not so much

Public transport had a major strike for “social reasons”, next to nothing was working. Yes, third week, third strike. This DID piss me off as uni is an hour away via 2 forms of transport, but now was 1.5-2 hours with 4 bits of transport.

I went home to collect the many of things I’d left at home (because I decided that my climbing gear was more important than my French dictionary...) and shoved my way onto the last strike tram of the day. In fact, I didn’t need to shove, the French shoved me enough that they just carried me on. Everyone is best friends at the tram station, but when the tram doors open, it’s every man for himself!
On my return from the UK, I was again stopped at customs (I must just have a suspicious face!) and they completely emptied my hand luggage and tested it for what I can only assume was explosive substances. That, or they thought I was the kind of age to be trafficking cannabis, and were testing for drugs. Wonder what it will be next time....

Week 4
Climbing class was better this week. My teacher made me climb up a wall with no hands, he’s really pushing the technique. Apparently I have “good balance of weight” or some such, I can’t remember what he said. And he said “super” when I did some 5+ and a 6a. Though I think he grades them a little too easily as I found the 6a quite pleasant, which is unlike me!

I can subscribe to trips on Monday which I’m very excited about, though (as is usual with France) you have to get insurance from the national mountaineering and climbing federation (ffme) and get a medical certificate to join. And I have classes at that time
Week 5
I still haven’t got my courses sorted, I only have 15 credits when I should have 30...I’m not going to enjoy the rest of this week L; I have to get my form signed by Wednesday. Extremely mauvais temps! I have to adhere to this climbing excursion, get a medical certificate, get (yet more) forms signed, get my Erasmus form stamped and send that home.

Additional facts
The public transport is actually very good when it works, there are 2 funiculars (which I can now spell!), 4 metros, 4 trams, buses and a few electric bus lines.
National sports here include:
· Watching people run for the tram and guessing if they’ll make it or not
· Xenophobia and staring at foreign people
· Signing forms
· Charging extortionate amounts for cheese
· Being miserable
· Having ridiculous opening hours (eg EVERYTHING is open 9-12, 2-4. But banks are closed on a Monday, and open later on a Thursday, but close earlier on a Friday! Things close earlier on a Wednesday...24h doesn’t exist here!)
· Carrying baguette visibly in your bag
· Snogging on the streets.
· Being impatient
· STRIKES!!!! And protesting
Things Lyonnais frown upon:
· Foreign people
· Skirts above knee length
· Smiling
Good things the Lyonnais do:
· Give an old lady a seat on buses
· Press the “open door” button if somebody is running for (and nearly at) the tram

location

I live on top of a hill and the city is in a valley with 2 rivers. There is a really lovely church at Fourviere no more than 3 miles from me and you can see Mont Blanc from it on a clear day.

Today

went for a jog, went to take part in an anti TCL (transport for lyon) strike, saw some lego men and giant pringle pots then went to the musée du cinéma.