After finishing what seemed like a tortuously long history class Saturday morning, break officially started for me on the 17^th of December, and these past two weeks have been full of amazing adventures, experiences, and sights.

Monday morning my siblings and I hopped on a train headed for Lyon.  Four and a half hours later we were greeted by the parents of my host mom, and I got a mini tour of Lyon where they live.  However, Augustin and I did not stay long as after lunch we headed to the house of a family friend where we stayed for five days.   

We spent those five days with friends and cousins visiting Lyon, the third biggest city in France.  Lyon is heavily influenced by the Roman architecture as it was once inhabited by the Romans, so a lot of artifacts can be found around the city and viewed. 

After going back and forth between houses and spending time with my host grand-parents, on the 23^rd of December, Colette, Augustin, and I hopped on another train to Sainte-Etienne. Of course with it being the holiday season however the trains were hectic and busy with travelers seeking family.

We met my parents at Sainte-Etienne, and we stayed at my dad’s mom’s house.  Sainte-Etienne is a very small town, so small there are no metros, just buses, with very narrow cobblestone streets.  We spent Christmas Eve here, and my “aunt” has a restaurant which was closed for the night so the entire family could have dinner there. 

It was bizarre not seeing my family from the U.S., but I was able to call them after dinner and wish them a Merry Christmas.  

In France, only the real little kids believe in Le Pere Noel, so we did all the presents Christmas Eve, (I also learned that the French don’t leave cookies out for Santa).  Overall, I noticed Christmas isn’t as commercialized.  It’s not as much about Santa, as it is being with family.

Christmas morning I woke up in Sainte-Etienne only to travel back to Lyon.  We visited my mom’s grandmother, had lunch at an aunt’s house and then dinner at my grandparents.  It was a lot of travel between family members, but it was necessary to see everyone.

A typical Christmas dinner in France would include turkey (like we would have at Thanksgiving), marrons (chestnuts), and for dessert la bouche de Noel (The “Christmas log” – a chocolate cake).  However, Christmas day, we had venison cooked with chestnuts, a purée of celery, vegetables, a big cheese platter, bread (there’s always bread with French meals), and for dessert a spice cake with a caramel sauce.  I must say everything we have eaten on this vacation has been absolutely delicious.

After Christmas, we packed up the car and headed to the city of love, the city of lights – Paris.  This was my first time visiting Paris (before it was just the airport), but this time we stayed at a friend’s apartment for five days.

The film industry puts an image of Paris in my head of this perfect, beautiful city dazzling with lights, crowded with couples, and the view of the famous Eiffel Tour from every angle.  My visit confirmed the beauty of the city, as Paris is simply breathtaking, especially at night; however it tainted the image in my mind because it forced me to come to the realization that Paris is inevitably a city, just like every other.  Paris is like a mix between a French city (like Toulouse) with the Parisian architecture and streets, and New York with the stores, crowds, and commotion. The place is alive at all hours, and lights are ablaze even in the late hours of the night.

My birthday was the 28^th, and I got to spend it at the top of La Tour Eiffel.  After waiting in line for what seemed like eternity in the cold, we climbed the three stories, boarded the par ascenseur (elevator), passing the restaurants, souvenir shops, and an ice skating rink, to witness Paris at le sommet (night).

Everything was visible: l’Arche de Triomphe, Le Louvre, Notre-Dame, Le Grand Roue, Les Champs-Elysées. . .  incredible.  I don’t know a better way to spend my holidays and my birthday (this is one I will always remember). 

On our way home from Paris, we visited the incredible Château de Versailles.  Tonight, I will celebrate New Years in Toulouse at a party with friends and school begins on Tuesday, January 3rd. 

Happy Holidays everyone, I’ll see you next year!