Winter Vacation

Mitch and his mother came to visit and travel with me for the past two weeks. I could have made some really great blog posts each day I was with them, but I was too busy having fun and actually living my life! Now Mitch has left, and I am back to my little French town, and so I have nothing better to do than stare at my computer and wish I could use it as a human transporter to take me home. I am not really living, it's more like surviving and getting through while trying to live in a cyber-world. But as everyone has reminded me, "only a month!" Actually, it is two months until I can return and try to commence living in a real way. Or I could use my paycheck to leave...

But anyway, enough of that, what I really want to do here is share an account of my fabulous vacation and some vacation photos:

We started in Paris. It was rainy and cold. However, we did ride up to the top of the Eiffel Tower! That was a first for me. I learned Mitch is afraid of heights. I was wondering why he wasn't pretending he would throw me off or something--it was because he felt as wary as I did about being that high up. :) Another highlight was the Louvre--it still hasn't gotten old for me. Well, it is the largest museum in the world after all.

Mitch at the Trevi Fountain

Colosseum

On Tuesday, we flew to Rome, to spend a week in Italy. We had a lot of good coffee, bad pastries (compared to the French), delicious pizza, and things with eggplant and zucchini. We did the typical Roman tourist things, like the Trevi fountain, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Colesseum & Roman forums. We did some Italian shopping. We took a tour bus to Naples and Pompeii. We went to Sunday mass at St. Peter's Basilica. We also saw some great Christian historic sights like San Clemente, St. Cecilia in Trastevere, the Catacombs of St. Callixtus and Quo Vadis on the Via Appia Antica, St. John Lateran, and St. Mary Major. It was really awesome to see all of those things-- Rome is an impressive city, and our time there was very enjoyable.

On the tour bus -- we passed the Abbey of Monte Cassino where the Benedictine rule was started

Naples

In Naples, in front of the "Egg" Castle - the isle of Capri is back behind us somewhere too.

In Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius behind us

In front of St. Peter's, Vatican City

Interior of St Cecilia's in Trastevere, Rome - sculpture by Maderno, beautiful altar thing and mosaic!

I was so sad as we flew back...it meant a return to France and it meant the time with Mitch & his mom was quickly coming to a close. But before the end, Mitch and I left to visit Lyon and have my birthday there. I really enjoyed Lyon! It was sunshiny and bright, people were friendly, and the food was spectacular. I loved having my vacation and loved being with my best friend and amazing boyfriend.

In Lyon, with Fourvière Hill (the "hill of prayer") behind me - do you see the Basilica on the hilltop? 

Facade of the Basilica on Fourvière

Birthday dinner in Lyon at "Le Nef des Fous" 

A view of Lyon at night: looking up at St. John Cathedral, the Fourvière Hill with basilica, and the "metallic tower."

Yesterday morning, I said goodbye to Mitch and his mom at the airport. I knew I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to my host family (and getting the rest of my stuff), so I journeyed back to Mourmelon.