Holidaze

So, up to this point, as I live for the weekend, my starting point is usually Aix-en-P. I love the people there so much--they're always out and about & doin' stuff. So yeah, I've made friends, it's just rather inconvenient that they are about an hour and a half away, by car. (By bus it's a whole other story, but I abandoned bus travel a little while back). With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas on the way, I am still reminding myself to be thankful for the people in my life--the loved ones I left behind, as well as the great people I've just met.

I have lost count of the weekends spent in Aix at this point, even if only to stop over there for a night en route to my weekend destination. Here's some shots of Aix adventures as of late--

Jenny and I got really excited about the Christmas decorations when they first went up

Meow=Miaou

When my Dad came to visit we met in Aix, where we hiked around Mt Saint-Victoire with our canine companion.

A few of my Aix accomplices: Leah, Lauren, Anne! I have crashed at all three of their places; sometimes I feel like I just pass myself around the Aix crew...

And, even on gray days, Digne can sometimes be worth a picture or two as well. I run along the river a few times a week (as long as it's not too cold, dark, or rainy), and it's really a beautiful scene.

the running path, along the river

But guess what?! I am far from both Digne and Aix--currently sitting at the airport in Paris, awaiting a flight to Hamburg, Germany. It will be my first time in Germany and I am terrified, considering that I speak not a word of German. That's a lie--I can say "danke!" and "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" Hopefully that's enough...I am coming off a couple of nights in Paris. I was dying to see the city at Christmastime, and it's beautiful with all the lights and what not, but honestly, there were too many people for me. It was infuriating. The whole city was jam-packed; it was literally impossible to escape crowds.

Rough itinerary for the remainder of this glorious 2-week vacation: Hamburg, Rostock, Berlin, Cologne, and Dusseldorf if I can fit it in, because I like the name. My vacation goals are as follows- learn a few phrases of German, eat sausage & shnitzel (sp?), and learn how a German Christmas is celebrated.

I am so lucky to be staying with Couchsurfing friends. It means that I will be surrounded by family on Christmas, even if it is not my own family. It still means a lot. I am kind of frustrated by the holidays this year because they are making me miss home and wish I could be back in DC, which is madness, because I should just be taking advantage of living in Europe without feeling that melancholy pull of homesickness. I just keep telling myself that I'll have many more Christmases at home, and probably very few in Germany! Better to discover the world than play it safe. Right?

Let the adventure begin!