Birthday on the mountain

After a long sleep and strong coffee I think my brain is ready to start recalling the weekend.

Did I say I love the French language? Did I say I have started speaking? My ears and tongue are getting used to this brilliant sound and are slowly reproducing it.

So. Friday. I had learnt we were going to spent the weekend near Grenoble, on the French Alps. The village was called Autrans. A car full of baggage - including camping gear - three girls and a dog. His name is Panda - with a French accent Pondah - and his eyes look like Freeda's.....

I was so excited to be with my friend, the new day was warm and sunny... It was just perfect!

The driving was great, the mountains green and shiny... Cows and horses grazing in the vast pastures below the forest, rivers flowing down... It was all so beautiful!

We had lunch at a friends house. Lunch for the French means cheese, salad and bread. I will surely gain weight if I keep eating all this wonderful food! All the people here are really hospitable and nice... I'm so lucky to have travelled here...

In the night, we would stay in an old camping site for children, now used as a DIY hotel. This meant we had to cook and clean up after ourselves. It was so cute to see all the little cupboards and little toilettes!

In the afternoon, everybody arrived with booze and food. Friday night was for the youngsters, parents would arrive the next day. Barbeque and a big fire. The sun went to sleep, the moon shone bright above us. A two day party was starting and everybody was in a cheerful mood!

I have already praised Clio in my Skyros posts and I have to admit that most of her friends are just like her. Witty, playful, handsome, motivated, funny....

We had a great night until sleep came upon us... And then the boys started the pranks and I was really glad they did not know me that well!

To be continued....