A couple weekends later, Hayley and I went to Uzes, which is an awesome little town not far from Ales. This is a preview picture, I'll write about our awesome day trip there later. I am out of time now... 

The next day, we (Hayley and I) decided to go to Janets house. We walked a ways, hoping to hitchike, but no one would pick us up. Finally, after yet another car had passed us without stopping, we heard a honk and could see that the person had pulled over to pick us up, about 50 yards ahead uphill, around a corner. So we ran to her car and got in. She asked us where we were going and we told her, it turns out it was only about two km further, but the ride was nice. We got out and Janet's house was about another two km walk, but on the way we passed a house that had donkey's in the front yard! We stopped and called them, and, although they were at the opposite end of the field they were happy to visit with us. They walked up to where we were and pigged out on the grapes Hayley had picked from a vineyard that we were walking past (for us to eat! Donkeys have no manners and big mouths!) We rubbed their faces and I talked animal talk to them. They were so cute! When we got to Janets house, we went hiking in the Cevennes. I didn't take many pictures because it was a VERY intense hike. Probably the most physically intensive hike Ive ever been on. Straight up the side of a hill. It was really pretty though!

The exhausted chefs, at Tim's apartment after the dinner. 

Group photo! taken by Karens boyfriend, Gabriel, visiting from Germany. Clockwise from the left, we have Janet (USA), Claire(UK), Howard (USA), Gabriel (Ecuador [not an assistant, but one of our friends...we went to Spain with him]), Karen (Germany), Rocio (Chile), Pili (Spain), Hayley (USA), Tim (Ireland), and me (USA). 

Uh, sorry, I forgot to mention, that last picture was Hayley surprising me with the camera as I was making pumpkin pie from scratch! Here are Hayley and me working the pumpkin pie together. Taken by "le frigo qui ne marche pas bien..." AKA the fridge that doesnt work very well and gave me SALMONELLA! 

Hayley had an absolutely brilliant idea - we should have a Thanksgiving dinner on the Friday night after Thanksgiving. Complete with Turkey (though we couldnt find a whole one as the French usually only eat whole turkeys at christmas), stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn bread, sweet potato casserole, salad, and of course, PUMPKIN PIE! Hayley and I made the pumpkin pie (from scratch! we couldnt find the pumpkin in a can stuff,) Hayley managed the turkey, I made the mashed potatoes, we both worked on the stuffing (again, from scratch! It was so damn good! I will never eat stove top again,) Rocio made the salad, Pili made some flan (wich we were too stuffed to eat,) Janet made the green bean casserole, Hayley made the sweet potato casserole, and Tim and Howard made the corn bread. Then, because Hayley and I thought it would be cool to be Pilgrims and Indians, but didn't have time to execute our plan, we got Janet in on it, and she made some hats for everyone. Somehow, it turned out that everyone's hat fit their personality just right.

The tea house had a palm tree living inside. 

Aix has a similar feel to Portland. I felt very at home here. We went to an Indian tea house where I drank the most incredible tea I've had in my life, and we all smoked flavored tobacco out of this hookah. Me, Hayley, Karen, Tim, Howard, and Damien. We sat around talking and playing Djenga, and making funny faces at each other with playing cards. Whoever took that picture of me should send it. 

This is at Aix-en-Provence, taken just after we arrived. I love Aix! It is such a neat city. I didn't get very many pictures of it because it was raining the entire time we were there, except at night. 

This is near the stairs at the Marseille train station. 

The train station at Marseille is on a hill, and these are the stairs that lead down into the city.  

Captain USA, if you are listening...err, reading...I was thinking of you when I took this! If you want a physical copy, I can procure one for you. 

Wow, I've been doing a lot of not-posting. Well. I am back in the good ol' USA, and I still have a bunch of pictures to post. So. This photo is of the harbor in Marseilles. I took it when a group of us were on our way to Aix-en-Provence for Hayley's birthday. We had to change trains in Marseilles, so we walked around for a while, got a sandwhich, stopped at a cafe where we were ignored by the staff, so we left and went to another cafe, where I had...a cafe. I really wanted to steal one of the spoons. It was shiny and heavy. But, my conscience got the better of me, and I didn't. Damn! I wish I had that spoon!