21 décembre 2008

SUNDAY

Becky and I took the bus, C1, into town

(there are two buses that makes "circles" around Montluçon, the C1- counter clockwise and the C2- clockwise; there are seven other bus routes that make up the Montluçonnais bus system)

Once arriving in centre-ville I was surprised to see how bustling Montluçon was for a Sunday or any day for that matter. It was wonderful to feel the Christmas and holiday spirit while walking about.

20 décembre 2008, Christmas dinner

SATURDAY

19 décembre 2008, beautiful evening in Montluçon

FRIDAY

Montluçon's marché de Noël

18 décembre 2008, back to Montluçon

THURSDAY

17 décembre 2008, Clermont-Ferrand

WEDNESDAY
Outside Dispensaire Emilie Roux, which is where I got my lung x-ray done.

The university on strike.

Jardin Lecoq

16 décembre 2008, to Clermont-Ferrand

TUESDAY
After teaching this morning, I took an hour and a half train ride from Montluçon to Clermont-Ferrand. The trip to C-F is mostly business, as I have a scheduled medical exam, which is necessary for obtaining my French residency card.

snowy fields from the train.

Place de Jaude with a large Christmas tree and ferris wheel.

I walked through le marché de Noël (Christmas market). It was in Place de la Victoire, located near Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Clermont-Ferrand.

I wanted to make gingerbread cookies, though molasses could not be found in Montluçon, but I was told it could be found at Le Comptoir Irlandais. There are forty-two of these stores around France selling authenic Irish goods. I did indeed find molasses, though I had to ask for help because it wasn't in packaging that I recognized. It is Lyle's Black Treacle, the word "molasses" was in a very small font at the bottom of the tin can.

15 décembre 2008

MONDAY

Due to the snow, le Jardin Wilson was closed.

14 décembre 2008, la neige

SUNDAY

Today, I woke up to snow out my window. It is the first real snowfall of the season in Montluçon proper. The city received about two centimeters, though the surrounding hills I believe got around five inches.

view from bedroom ___________view from kitchen

The palm tree roundabout covered in snow.

Walked through the Saint-Paul Sunday market, I was surprised by how many people there were.