Paris

Bonsoir,

First of all, bon voyage Helen! a ride of 5 hours is quite long, you need to be patient!

As we are talking about riding or traveling, I'll try tonight to make you visit Paris by this two pictures! A friend of mine has taken it last year at the same period of time, it was before Christmas, the weather was really, really cold and for me, it's the best pictures of the Eiffel Tower. Let's have a short trip!

Then, just few words about a french habit! I've said at the beginning of this post "bonsoir". Maybe, if you have visited France, you may have been a bit astonished by all the expressions to say "hello"! There are "bonjour, bonsoir, bonne soirée, ..." and so on and so forth! You could also say "bonne fin de matinée, bon après-midi, bonne fin d'après-midi, bonne fin de journée, bonne soirée", in french everything is a question of "bon", of good. So, the question is "how to be sure to use the proper bon! After maybe 10 years in France, you will now the slight difference between all of thoss words. So, try to find out how to use the good words, at the right time!

Thanks for all of your remarks concerning my last post! I think that this episod of Cassoulet is really funny, and as it could have been seen by a lot of people around the world, it can be interesting that a lot of people can understand the joke. And yes, Waldek, tomorrow is the "Beaujolais Nouveau", another occasion to eat and drink a lot in France.

Well, the "Beaujolais Nouveau" is a real traditional party . It has been created in the Beaujolais region, which does really exist and is named like that. It's not really far from Lyon. Wine-growers, when grapes are mature, have little time to pick it up. At the end of the grape harvest, called "les vendanges" in french, they enjoy the new wine by testing it. And the third thursday of november every year is dedicated to Beaujolais. In general, this wine is not really good, as it is too young, too fruity! But, it's a symbol, because wine growers have a hard work and drink the wine is a kind of reward.

I really like this day, in spite of now I live in Paris. In fact, before this party becomes a commercial one, it was just celebrated in Lyon and I used to live there? First of all some few explanation about my moves in France.In previous post, I've told you that I've not lived all my life in Paris. In fact, I was born in a region, pretty close to Lyon, called Ardeche. If you know a little bit France, you can guess that it is quite the middle of nowhere. Nature is really beautiful: in fall for example, forests seem to be like in Canada. It's really colourfull, trees's sheets are red, orange! You can pick up chestnuts (hope that everybody knows it as it's quite difficult to describe it!) Well, it's a strange nut surrounded by an envelop which is like the back of a hedgehog! During fifteen years of my life, I've lived there and my childhood has been really peacy and calm!

Then, when I was sixteen, for my parents job, all the family moved and I discovered Lyon. I considered that town as the city of my heart. A lot of good memories are linked to this city! As I was a teenager, it was great to grow in one of the major cities of France, full of museums, concert halls, cinema, theater and... bars!!!! I like the atmosphear of this city, the people and especially the football team.

As I have said last time, I'm found of sports. Not only I like to practice it, but also I like to watch it. And the favorite sport that I like to watch is football, and my favorite team is the Olympique Lyonnais. When I lived In Lyon, I used to go to the stade to watch matches on live!

I have not still answer about my practice of sports. I used to do more sports when I was younger. It's the speech of a lot of people, but it's clearly true that when you get a job, and especially when you have a job and homework too, it's quite hard to find time to do your everyday sport time. No matter, I'm still trying to do one hour and a half every two days. So, as every girl, my mother wants me to make dance when I was a child, and in particular classical dance. In spite of I was not really found of it, it helps to have a good carriage of your body! Then, to help me unwind, I did some martial arts, like judo and aikido. I'm still really found of those sports, as it represents for me a way of life. It's not like boxe, it's not about being violent and give some punch to someone, you really have to respect your opponent. Aikido is also really nice when you are a girl and not really strong, as you have to use the strongness of your opponent. At least, now, I do a lot of jogging!

It's time to finish this post! See you soon and until, have fun!

Olfa

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