Quaint Collioure

Saturday the 23rd, my Thursday evening English conversation crew took me down to Collioure, a small picturesque Mediterranean village about an hour south of Narbonne (and about 10 minutes north of the Spanish border). The weather wasn't really cooperating (grey and rainy), but, hey, I have limited time left here so we decided to proceed quand-même!

These women were dressed in traditional outfits because the bishop was doing a blessing down at the cathedral.

seagull perching on a tower at the Château Royal

pretty characteristic colored buildings

Collioure was favorite place for many artists, including Matisse & Picasso, and prints are displayed all over town.

the beach & Notre Dame des Anges, the church which was converted from a lighthouse

the beach & the Château Royal

See the tiny chapel in the background? It's the Chapelle Saint Vincent, just chillin' back there. Can you imagine how peaceful it would be there, surrounded by the ocean? I'm a sucker for the sound of the ocean, if you didn't know.

Imagine climbing these bad boys everyday. Now imagine climbing them with, for example, groceries.

Note the gargoyle-ish rain gutter, fairly typical for the south of France.

The restaurant we went to, Les Templiers, with original artwork that the artists used to pay for their meals back in the day.

Goat cheese pastry salad... the French sure know goat cheese. And pastries.

also... MOUSSE.

view of the city from within the Château Royal

Danièle, Gilbert, their friend who hung out with us for the day, Odette, me, Marie-Émilie

view from the castle window

Note the mist/clouds over those mountains in the background. Mysteriouuuuus.

Ducks! We stood and watched them go out into the ocean. Adorbs.

Just donkeys. Nbd.

Then we headed to the nearby Port Vendres (even closer to Spain, practically in Spain). Most misty mountains.

Bwaha I thought this was funny. Scooby-DOUX (soft), and it's a dog groomer.

I really feel so lucky to have this precious group of "students," who have been more dear than I ever imagined. It's funny, because the entire point of the lessons was that Gilbert and Danièle wanted to prepare for their mission trip to the Philippines in February, and I figured that we'd be finished at that point. But they called and asked if we could pick lessons back up... just because they want to see me! They've now taken me on two day trips, treated me to lunch, and given their time to showing me more of their region and culture. On this day, when we went to their friend's house for an aperitif, Odette introduced me as "Notre chère Kate, qui a illuminé notre hiver." ("Our dear Kate, who has illuminated our winter.")

Seriously. I can't even write anymore. Just... that. The best.