Sushi

Today was another fabulous Sunday spent under the french sun. After a late breakfast, we all packed up lunch and went back to Gilbert's country house. A few days ago a guest math professor from Thailand moved in with us and will also be staying until the end of the month like me. Now, I though french was difficult to begin with, but add an asian accent on top of that and there isn't a chance of me comprehending anything. Fortunately my host people are just as confused so I'm not the rude american girl who refuses to respond when the professor speaks. Since no one can really understand her, no one has been able to grasp what her first name is. My host mom tried to figure it out but has now given up and refers to her as sushi (not to her face of course). I just want to make it clear that I did not come up with this name, but due to the hilarity, I will continue using it, probably even if I figure out her real name. Anyway...so since Sushi just got here, she wanted to see the country house too. We walked around the property and the town a little bit before having our lunch. I like sundays if nothing else but for the food because although the portions aren't huge, there are more courses than usual which means I get to try more things. Today we had bread with some olive pesto-type spread, tomatoes with olive oil, couscous with raisins, ratatouille, flan, and a very juicy peach. It was all of course fantastic. After we laid in the sun for a bit after we ate, we all got in the car an took a drive through the mountains. Sushi was freaking out because apparently there aren't mountains where she is in Thailand so, in typical asian form, there were many photo stops along the way. We stopped at two different ski resort towns buried in the mountain side and got to look at the quaint little buildings and babbling brooks. The second town we stopped at had a hill that was exactly like the opening scene in the sound of music, but unfortunately no one had any idea what I was talking about. After talking a little tour, we had a drink at a little cafe and listened to some music before driving back to Grenoble. It's really cute because Gilbert thinks that I look like Charlene the new princess of Monaco, so he keeps saying "ca va Charlene?" and then laughing hysterically. Tomorrow we head out to a chateau for a picnic with the API group, so fingers crossed I can figure out how to get to the train station...

Janine and Me

Gilbert and Me