Monaco, Money, Many Steps, and Marathon

How quickly summer is fading to fall here in Lyon. I ride to school with a sweater on, but usually in the afternoon it is warm enough for just a T-shirt, but I fear those days are soon to be over. I had the pleasure of watching the US Open over some good cold beer and very good French wine with my host Dad here. The time difference made for some late nights, but my very enthusiastic tennis loving host Dad has tennis club membership, and full access to their TV with the Tennis Channel, and fully stocked bar, so we enjoyed the splendid matches indeed. If you didn't see "The Shot" by Federer, check it out.

Marc and I have been up to much mischief these last couple days. Monaco was our excursion last weekend. As interesting as a country as it is, it has simply become a very very expensive retirement home. True, Marc and I caught it at the end of the busy season, but aside from the facade of glitz and glamor, Monaco is a one day trip if you ask me, but fun nonetheless. Marc and I were able to contribute (and for Marc take away from) the local economy via some blackjack. We were very amused by the somewhat confusing signs beckoning "Jeux Americains" to the casinos. Even the chips had the phrase on it (photo attached). We happily obliged. One piece of advice, don't waste a single minute on slot machines. They are rotten, too confusing to play, and simply steal anything will place in their filthy metallic money jaws (and I'm only bitter about ten Euro).

Good times were had, and we ran into one of our first non overly bureaucratic European officials! This Monaco soldier (one of only 112 according to Wikipedia) gladly took a photo with us after explaining in French we were American soldiers, but he made sure we did it "quick like" as to avoid anyone else asking for a photo, not S.O.P apparently. Marc and I have noticed an alarmingly common bureaucratic mentality among our European comrades. What do I mean you ask? Take the gentleman who insisted on sitting in "his" train seat right next to a couple trying to play chess. The train was near empty, but if his ticket didn't match the seat, his head might have exploded. He made the couple's chess game uncomfortable, was not comfortable himself, and gained nothing. But his ticket matched the seat, therefore, that very left brained overly bureaucratic sense of order was pleased. Not world ending, but I'm beginning to understand why it takes a legit Revolution in this country to get much done. As my teacher said, "We French don't believe in evolution, only revolution."

This past weekend Marc and I ran in the Half Marathon in Lyon. It was a great race and we both walked/quasi limped away very pleased with our results. I hit my goal of 1:30-1:40 with a 1:38, coming in 709th and Marc took 30th overall (probably better but the times weren't synced with the runners) and first in our age group with a remarkable 1:19 . Out of 3416 runners, that's not too shabby. After the race I contently rested in my bed, listened to Rob Bell and Garrison Keillor podcasts, and couldn't think of a better way to spend a Sunday. We're running in the Athens marathon in November, so this was a good gauge of where we are, and where we need to be. The hills call. So off I go! Be Safe. Do Good work. And keep in touch.

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