Top of the Bastille 8/30/11

This is the view Isabelle and I had from the top of the Bastille this morning. Our apartment is to the left of the long boulevard that leads to the mountains.

These are the Calvin students who went up the Bastille 2 days ago using the bulles--see picture below. One more student arrived today from Ghana and the last student might not becoming because his passport was lost and taking care of logistics has become very difficult!


The bulles--bubbles, open to let you in. They are actually quite large, fitting 6 adults. As you go up, you cross a river and then "land" at the top. For some students this was a scary but totally safe adventure.

Grocery store and the Bastille

This "mini" mountain is called the "Bastille". It is just 10 minute walk from our apartment, and across the river. You can hike up it in 45 minutes, or like many locals, run up it for a good workout. The view from the top is, well, worth the climb!

My daily trips to the grocery store usually end here--in front of the pastry section. I don't usually buy any here, but take in their presentation and sometimes recreate them at home.

The baguette (long bread sticks) are plentiful, baked twice a day--a morning round of baking for breakfast and lunch, and another round of baking in the afternoon so that there is fresh baguette for dinner.

It is hard not to overdose on the cheese. These are different camembert cheeses, only part of the cheese aisle.

This is our apartment building. I took this picture early in the morning so the blinds are not yet open. We are on what looks like the 5th floor, but in France, is considered the 3rd floor. We have the two windows on the left.

Monday, August 29

This is our street--actually it is a place--a "square" with a parking area in the middle. I am just stepping out of our building. We are renting a 2 bedroom furnished apartment.

Our kitchen opens on to a balcony, equipped with a clothesline. This gives onto the courtyard of our building. On a sunny day, everyone's laundry is blowing from the balconies. Although you cannot see them in this picture, there is a chain of mountains to admire every morning. We are on the 5th floor (3rd floor for the French).

The dining and living room are combined. From these windows we see other mountains.

August 28, 2011

We have arrived. On time. Safely. Simple things for which we are very thankful.

We are in our same 2 bedroom apartment--exactly as we had left it in December, 2010! This is a very odd feeling!

First things first, Isabelle and I stocked up on some groceries--this will take awhile when starting from zero! I get excited going into a grocery store--all the things I like to buy in Grand Rapids that are either not available or incredibly over-priced.

So far 14 of the 16 students are with us. The last 2 will come early next week. We went out for pizza with them last night, all fairly jet-lagged. Our kids almost fell asleep as they waited for dessert.

Pictures will follow soon--once we are a bit more settled.