On Saturday, Frederique, Gabriel and I walked a few streets past the apartment to the 2nd largest flea market in France. It is held once a year, for only one day. And it is intense. I wish I had brought my camera, but it wouldn't have captured the massiveness of this flea market. We walked up and down streets, turning right, turning left, always walking and occasionally stopping when something caught our eye. We were there for over 4 hours, and we didn't even cover the whole flea market. Can you picture it's size now? We went from city apartments to city houses, spreading farther from the center of Rennes. It was incredible. And to answer your questions, no, I did not make any purchases. I was looking for something particularly French, particularly different, but the differences between our cultures are deeper than the style of one piece of clothing, or the toys children play with. I'm starting to realize that it's the smaller things added up.
On Sunday, after the family went to church (they're Catholic), Bernard, Frédérique, Nathanel, Raphaelle, Gabriel and I piled into the European-sized minivan and drove to the seaside. I wasn't sure how the day would go. I had only been with the family since Thursday, and being trapped in a car, and then at the beach with them with no escape from social-awkwardness? I didn't know how it would end. The car ride there we listened to Michael Jackson. The B's LOVE Michael Jackson. You should see Nathanel and Gabriel dancing to his music.. That deserves a post of it's own, though.
The town by the seaside is this small, gorgeous village. The houses and buildings are roads have the antiquity and crookedness of a fairytale story. The cobblestone roads wound through narrow streets until it was all gone and you were left with the seaside. I say seaside instead of beach, because they seem like two completely different things. Seaside gives it a different feeling, a different look. And it was different.
The seaside.
At the seaside, we unpacked our Croques Courgettes - delicious sandwiches. They are made on crustless bread (they sell it here!), with both sides buttered and toasted. Then a creamy something-or-other is added, then cooked zucchini (the courgettes) and then ham! So good. After eating our packed lunches, Raphaelle and Gabriel proceeded to wrestle in the sand, and I was just plain uncomfortable. You know the feeling, where do I go, what do I do, I definitely can NOT participate in this? Yeah, that. And then Raph, Gaby and I went on an adventure. See those rocks over there on the left?
Now you see them?
It was decided that we would climb to the top. So it first started as a walk, and then a leaning walk, and then a full-on climb. And these rocks? Covered in barnacles or something. The bottom of my feet were being ripped up, but I did not say a word. This was my initiation test. We climbed to the top, and when we got there.. We climbed back down. We reached the bottom, only one toe was bleeding, I would say mission successful. And then, right as we start heading towards Frédérique and Bernard, Gabriel throws a handful of sand at me. And that was my invitation. We chased each other down from one end of the beach to the other, with the sand moving around making running so difficult, kicking sand and tackling each other in the end, with Raphaelle close behind. For the rest of the day, we ran around and played games, communicating silently and in mixed languages with each other. We piled back into the van later in the afternoon, caked in sand and smiling. I was accepted.
From the beach, we drove to Saint Malo. Saint Malo is this gorgeous, old city (basically all of France is gorgeous and old, get used to it) on the coast, with high stone walls surrounding the city. We walked around the city and just took it all in.
Raphaelle on the bottom right.
And Nathanel is the small boy on the right!
We walked through the city, too, and got ice cream. French ice cream is different than American ice cream. It looks different, it tastes different.. but it's good.
You see?
It's a cup AND a cone!
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