To Hike or Not to Hike

We do now have an Internet connection, but I'm having some trouble uploading photos to Blogger... we'll see how that goes over the next few days. (Nevermind, as I continue on with this entry the next morning, I am able to slowly, but surely, upload some photos.)

Yesterday was nice. We all got a decent amount of sun again. We drove about an hour-and-a-half outside of St. Remy to Mont Sainte-Victoire, a huge, beautiful mountain overlooking Provence. Kate and Tim had hiked half of the mountain last time they were in France and claimed that it was a fairly easy hike. Well, we started out with all intention of hiking to the very top; however, about halfway into it, Jarrett and I chickened out due to the sheer steepness. We've both had a fear of heights for some time, and this was a combination of that, rocky terrain upon which our feet kept slipping, and just the fact that the elevation and heat were making it hard to breathe... or maybe I'm just making excuses, I don't know. :) Anyway, on the way up you pass an old little house that Cezanne used to live in during his "Mature Period" (1878-1890) (one of his paintings of the mountain and surrounding area is here. Jarrett and I walked back down to the house while Tim and Kate ventured the rest of the way to the top. Apparently we missed out because there is an old church at the very top, and they said it looks like services still take place up there. Now that's dedication... a strenuous four-mile hike to church every Sunday morning? Maybe there is a secret route to the top that we don't know about. Regardless of the fact that we didn't make it to the top, though, the views were breathtaking.

Yesterday evening we accepted the invite and went over to Jean-Marie and Josette's (the owners') house for apertifs. They served us champagne and a sort of pizza appetizer (two types -- one with grilled onions, anchovies, and topped with an olive; the other had a tomato sauce, anchovies, and also topped with an olive... both were yummy), and we sat around for a couple of hours conversing with them and their son (their son and daughter are currently living next door to us). Josette and their son speak more English than Jean-Marie, but none of them are fluent, so it was fun to try to communicate (and, really, it was fun). Their house is awesome -- or at least the part we saw. There is a huge stone fireplace in the living room and the kitchen had those thick butcher-block-style countertops, pots and pans stacked on shelves built above the stove.

I'm just finishing my cup of coffee and need to get ready to head out for another day of discovery. We're going to head toward Marseille and visit the Calanques, which are steep, narrow inlets where creeks join the sea. We're heard there are hiking trails along the rocky coastline, and we may be able to swim.

Oh, and by the way, since I've been writing all about the food, Jarrett and I both had a most delicious mozzarella and tomato sandwich from a patisserie on the way to the mountain. It was on a freshly baked baguette, drizzled with vinaigrette. I could eat another one right now. And, Mom, I so wish I could bring you back a croissant. I've never even been the biggest fan of them, but the chocolate croissant Jarrett ordered yesterday was enough to make one a croissant fanatic.