Recent Events...

Trying to get a decent pic of the awesome silhouettes of the Pyrenees on this beautiful day!

Bike-ride scenery!

Spring in public gardens beside my house.

Can't really remember... must have taken it on one of my bike-rides!
More trying to get Pyrenee silhouettes. :)

Scenes of Saint Gaudens

Market in central Saint Gaudens.

.Cheese stall (I bought some) at market in central Saint Gaudens.

Market day in Saint Gaudens.

Place National Jean Jaures: the main town square.


Rue Thiers: just off town square

Looking down rue Thiers back to Collegial church in main square.

Marmite sandwiches looking over the Pyrénées.

Playing the Tourguide in Saint Gaudens: Day 4

Day 4

Good weather... huzzah! Tessa braved it in a t-shirt (and so did I, at some points). We felt like
people were looking at us like we were a little bit crazy.
Re-did the mountain walk so that she could actuallysee the mountains. I was determined to have her see them from Saint Go! Lol.

By the time we returned from our walk, it was pretty much lunch time. Once again, a picnic-style one with bread, cheese, youghurt, pâtisseries and fruit. And mountain (/factory!) views.Here's Kingi with my pistachio micaron.


Then, I thought we should have a nosey inside the Collégiale church, since it's the symbol of the
town. Here's me in the cloister...



Once again, went wandering to make the most of the good weather. From then on, it was all go. Off to music again (orchestra this time) and then out to dinner with some teachers from the lycée.

Playing the Tourguide in Saint Gaudens: Day 3

Day 3

Today was market day... and also, cold, rainy weather! But the market was still there, so we had a good wander around.




Then went in a few of the free shuttles that run between Saint Gaudens and some of the (really, really, REALLY) small surrounding towns. Good thing to do when it's wet... except when the shuttle fogs up and you can't see much!







Went to the crêperie I'd been to with Sabrina for lunch. Great deal, actually. We got the meal of the day (a huge plate with several different kinds of meat, and a salad), a dessert crêpe and a drink for 10E!

For the arvo, went in a couple more shuttles and, later on, I dragged Tessa with me to my music practice. ;p
When we arrived, Wilfrid started taking off his sweatshirt and saying 'look, look!' Lo and behold... something very photoworthy!

That's (My) Life

Brief snippets of life atm.

• Invited to have dinner with an English teacher from the lycée... Very nice evening. I ate so well, and probably drank more in that one night and following day (as I ended up staying) than I had since I arrived in France (not that it would take much as, ironically, I've been almost teetotal!). Also listened to old classic French songs, and some créole stuff too.
• Days that start at 0 degrees, but then get to about 17 in the afternoon.
• Random bike-rides... I set off in the hope of finding somewhere I haven't been to before (preferably on the flat, as my bike doesn't have gears). This often fills a couple of hours. And, forcément, my camera accompanies me. So I probably spend about as long taking photos as I do biking, but who cares?
• Trip to Luchon with people from music school to listen to a dude talk about composing music for films/tv series. We were kinda disappointed that it was more about him and his life than how he goes about the composition, but never mind.
• Once again, chiming in on a family dinner chez my bike owner... and wussing out on trying oysters.
• Getting the train to the next town on a whim, and spending the morning wandering about in the sun, with sweet mountain views, taking photos, and checking out the cute chapel there.
• Promising to lend my 'Great NZ Songbook' CD to the PE teachers here so they can listen to NZ music for PE. One teacher then started planning how they could get all their students to do the haka as a warm-up!
• Monday nights which have suddenly got really full: rock climbing at the collège, and then choir. I'm really popular at choir because they like to see young people coming along. Teehee, it's great. I'm not fully convinced that I'm meant to be a soprano, but I'm happy to stay there 'cos it's an easier part to learn.
• Listening to cheesy French pop CDs that a teacher lent me. Kids, if you haven't listened to Claude François, then you probably should. (Especially you, Lorenz, if you are reading). Even if you're not a French speaker, you may recognise some songs...
  
• Feeling really lazy 'cos Xavier, my flatmate, keeps speaking to me in English, and then I switch into English mode and keep responding to him in English.
• Trying to read a book in Spanish, which results in me occasionally getting confused with French. Eg, the other day étudier became éstudier because I was thinking of estudiar.
• Receiving a combined email from 3 of my friends in NZ, who were drunk at the time of writing. Gold.
• Trying to arrange a way to stay in Europe... this weekend, I meet up with someone about a potential au pair job. So, watch this space (again).

Musical People in Saint Gaudens

Photos from jazz improvisation workshop on Thurs and jazz orchestra on Friday nights!

Mountain Views from School

Capturing France

Trying to make the most of the time I've got left here, and seem to have become addicted to biking. So, basically, good times with the bike and the camera.



This is about 5 minutes from my place. I always take pictures when I see things that correspond with the image of France I had in my head. I told that to one lady when I was showing her photos and her response was "You've got France in the 60s in your head."



Near one of my fav Pyrenees-viewing spots on the outskirts of St Go.



Kingi and me posing with the Pyrenees.




Couple of pix taken on a casual Saturday-morning bike ride. Flatmate Xavier suggested this route... it's an established one that runs through several towns so, if I ever got really ambitious, could probably make a day of it!



My bike's owner invited me to this mosaic and patchwork display. Teeny town, expo at the town hall/post office (as you can see, it got a bit crowded), the mayor even made a speech.


2 Kiwis in Toulouse (Pont Neuf in the background). Kate was doing the 'biker gang' face a photo early, I think...


St Go looking gorgeous...

It's Really Happening in Saint Gaudens...

I return from Sens on Sunday night at about 10.30pm. Xavier emerges from his room.

Me: Did you have a good weekend?
Xavier: You're the first person I've spoken to since Thursday night.
Me: You didn't even go out to do your shopping?
Xavier: Oh, ok. The shop assistant said 'Good evening. Would you like a bag?'