Hello from Toulouse! I arrived in the city around noon and went right to my hotel to drop off my gigantic backpack. I asked the woman if there was a good grocery store and/or bank close by and she said "oh yes! Everything may be closed, but try anyway..." so she gave me a little map, told me it was about 5 km and that I should get there in no time.
I am learning that the European concept of time is...off. I followed the map, but still ended up going in a huge loop around the entire city. So after about 2 hours of walking around (major highways, etc....a little sketchy), I finally found the correct road and popped into a pharmacy to buy some soap and ask about the grocery store. I got a "oh, yes, the grocery store...it is very simple. Only 3 km to the left".
After about 40 more min. of walking and 3 surprise roundabouts to navigate, I made it! The bank was closed (ah, siesta time) with no indication of when it would open again, but I got some groceries for lunch and dinner at the market and then headed back.
I'm a bit sleepy now, so I plan to blog, catch a "kip" and then see where the night takes me. I have an early morning tomorrow...Germany here I come!
A bit of reflection upon Blars:
One thing I keep neglecting to mention is the "Triangle Noir", of which Blars is part of. The Black Triangle is an area in France where there is little to no light pollution (and perhaps the least air pollution in all of Europe). This means that the evening/night skies were absolutely stunning. I have never seen so many stars shine so brightly. And the sunsets/sunrises looked like they were taken from some watercolor book. Ohhh, it was so beautiful.
Speaking of things that seem unreal, yesterday I rode the good ol' trusty bike to Saint Circ LaPopie...aka: Fairytale Land. Seriously, look at it:
...and once you're inside this majestic village, every corner you turn reveals something new and equally magical. It's a tiny artist community and there are a bunch of little shops and galleries, all run by the actual artist. I found a shop called "La Chouette" (the owl) where they had carvings/mini sculptures of countless owls (I got a mini one!), other animals, Buddhas, earrings, headbands, etc. Very cool. I was awe-struck and am so glad I had the chance to visit this mystical pocket of enchantment (weird bike gears and all!). To give you a little window into what I saw:
and...
oh, and...
If you ever happen to be in Southwest France, this place is a must visit! [the link I provided above has a great video and even includes a bit off footage from the prehistoric cave I visited last week]
From weeding the garden, to making jam, from baking cake to joining the local knitting group for a night (adorable, by the way...and I left with a good foundation of knitting knowledge, needles, and a spool of multi-colored wool), France has been good to me. I felt pretty relaxed the entire time and it was a nice period of self-reflection. Lindsay and David were such gracious hosts and I will definitely keep in touch with them.
Both Italy and France have proved to be pure delight...let's see what Germany brings! I can only hope for more of the same...
I know there are about 3 other volunteers there and in my fantasy world they are awesome English-speaking (or at least decent English skills, since my German language skills are nonexistent) travelers who become lifelong friends. Will know soon!
Just as a head's up, I don't think I will have much internet access in Germany. Blog posts may be sparse, or even held off until I am back in the states. We'll see...
Hmmm, well, I feel this nap setting in, so I am going to take advantage. Again, I leave a country happy, healthy, and in various ways a more wholesome, grounded human being. Thank you, thank you for these gifts, Universe!
<3
i insist...love
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