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After neglecting my blogging duties for a few weeks (mostly out of lack of time and the fact that nothing particulary exciting has happened), I have finally decided to put fingers to keyboard again in order to bring you up-to-date.
The Saturday before last I was feeling particulary brave and adventerous and sensing that another dull weekend at home might drive me crazy, I decided to take a trip to the distant, exotic land which is not Alsace - Belfort. Why might you ask did I choose to take the trip alone? For one thing, there was no one around to come with me and secondly, it can be quite fun sometimes and I'm not one to miss out on doing things, just because I can't find anyone to do it with me.
So the adventure began with a quick cycle ride into Guebwiller, and from there I took the 45-min bus journey to Mulhouse and finally from there, I took the train straight through to Belfort - it was the first time for me to use the train since I've been in Alsace and I felt such excitement and exhiliration as I purchased the tickets on the self-service
machine, thinking to myself, I'm actually going to do this! And I'm leaving Alsace!
The train journey took about 30 mins and I amused myself by looking out the window at the passing scenery (memories of me doing this back in Wales made me think that I might actually see something of the French countryside but there wasn't a great deal to see and I soon resorted to the pages of 'Little Women'.)
Stepping out of Belfort train station, I noticed straightaway that I was no longer in Alsace and I realized for the first time how particular and quaint it is - Belfort almost felt like a completely different country, more like the sunny 'holiday' France that you see in brochures and travel agent windows.
A few seconds of panic followed as I tried to figure out in which direction the city centre was. I decided to follow the crowd and see what happened. My other first impressions were that Belfort was more of an industrial town like Mulhouse rather than a touristy town like Colmar so my hopes of historical sight-seeing soon faded and I browsed in the shops that I passed, looking at all
the summer clothes and incredibly unmodest swimsuits, wondering whether I would make it down to the South of France this summer.
As my exploration of the town continued, I discovered there was a touristy historical part but it was quite separated from the rest of the town and it seemed to have been taken over by a huge muscial festival so I didn't get to see much of it - it was once a fortressed town and the remparts are still there to walk on - I would have liked to have done this but the boiling weather and the fact I was alone put me off.
I spent most of the day walking round, doing a bit of shopping and taking in the freedom of being alone and somewhere that I'd never been before.
By the time I got to the train station to go home that evening, I was exhausted and very hungry (having not been able to find anywhere to go for my afternoon snack - something which has become quite a tradition in my life here in France) and forced to treat myself to a small 2-euro packet of Maltesers from the station
vending machine. It was with much relief that I finally sat down in the quiet yet full waiting area and munched rather loudly on my maltesers, wondering (yet not caring too much) if I was annoying the people around me with my loud munching sounds.
I felt quite proud of myself for having made it out alone and without any problems, except for some Asian guy trying to chat me up at Mulhouse tram station (and that was after I refused to give him a euro!)
The following Saturday me, Rachel, Vereena and Carolyn (two German girls who have recently joined the school) spent the day in Colmar together, chatting, shopping, eating and just being girls in all our feminine glory 😉
Vereena and Carolyn, both being very pretty, tall and blond attracted a lot of attention from other men, which only me and Rachel seemed to notice. And Vereena's extrovert and confident German attitude riled my more reserved British one a few times, especially when she spoke so loudly in the street that nearly everyone could hear her.
I was successful in doing some summer shopping (it is with much joy that I can announce
I've been invited by my French Pastors to go down to the South of France with them and their 18-year-old daughter), purchasing sunglasses, flip flops and shorts (and nearly a straw hat).
Being an international 'team' (and Rachel can speak fluent German), I found it quite amusing when we went into shops and flicked between English, French and German (I could only listen to the German, hoping one day to be able to understand it), no doubt confusing the people around us.
We ended the day, sitting in the park, surrounded by groups of youths and having a discussion about the Holy Spirit - I am still on a thirst-driven search to know Him more and since being in France, Caro was baptised in the Holy Spirit and is always eager to talk about it and we are hoping to get together to pray and share.
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