I can't say enough about how wonderful these folks are! During the hike, people would easily drop in and out of conversations; when we got to the picnic grounds, the two groups were as excited to see each other as kids coming back from the Summer; at lunch, we all passed plates and glasses to be filled, the air was full of jokes and happy conversations. Quite a few people traded off watching for stragglers (it was a huge group of more than 25 people). Many people happily explained various French phrases to me, and several offered ideas, names, and help in finding more practice venues. When we got back to Sète (quite a bit later than expected), I had probably missed the last bus home; no problem! They dropped me at my apartment - it was just a different route to their home :-)
It was a perfect day for it - cool, partly cloudy, but no rain or strong winds
We mainly walked along vineyards, on dirt roads; sometimes they were more like dry streambeds, and other times main roads where we had to watch for cars
There were ripe figs, blackberries, and (something like?) blueberries
One of my new words for the day: une capitelle, a "cabin" made from stacked stone, used by shepherds in bad weather
Our leader, counting his sheep after lunch ;-)
More words of the day:
We had 5 in our car, and passed a hitchhiker - we couldn't pick him up because our car was "plein comme un oeuf" (full like an egg)
During lunch, we got to "faire un canard" (to make a duck) - that is, to pour alcohol (like brandy) over a sugar cube, then eat it
Lunch ended with a cup of coffee; my neighbor downed hers all at one go; she "fait cul sec!"
When we were on a busy road, and a car came, we walked "en file indienne" (in a line like Indians, or single file). This is a uniquely French term, based on their love of old westerns!
And of course, I became reacquainted with all the "don't be worried" expressions: ne vous faites pas de souci, n'inquiétez pas, pas de problème !
I also "got" a couple of new words that didn't last! One is another name for the giant electricity-generating windmills - it's based on the Greek word for wings, so something like "ailette" (fin or blade) but more complicated*... Another is a different word for a water bottle (it could be "flottant"), that sounds a lot like what could also be water-wings - but in French, those are called bracelets for swimming, nothing like "floaties" :-\
~~~
See more photos here.
How we got there (10 cars full of people!)
Bédarieux Randonnée, 17 septembre 2017, Sète Escapade
Animateur GÉRARD ; R1, 11 km (6.6 miles)
* UPDATE: éolienne is a wind turbine :-)
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