Merveilleux Mercredi

Wednesday's are my day off so since it was a beautiful day outside (I was wearing a t-shirt) I decided to take a hike to the Natural Park which I thought was called Rochetaillée and assumed there was some kind of castle along the trails. Well while walking next to the winding road that climbs the hills I finally figured out that Mont Pilat is the National Park with trails you can walk through and that Rochetailée is a small town about three kilometers further. But I was in a walking mood so I continued the six kilometers from Saint-Etienne to find a village that I could only dream of having a home someday in. Actually there was one beautfiul house that I took a picture of which had a sign on it saying "sans souci"'-no worries. And I saw the children in the house were watching me and starting waving. It was really windy up there in the hills and the castle was closed so I decided to eat in a restaurant café across the street with a view of the forest covered hills. It was the best crepe I've ever had, crepe du Mont Pilat, with basilic tomatoes, goat cheese, lettuce, and bacon. On the walk home I decided to take the trail along the highway; one to not get hit, two so the angled road didn't hurt my ankles (like when you walk along a sandy beach) and three to see some nature. Since it was a bit higher up the view was even more gorgeous and once I came upon a pretty little dandelion growing out of the slate of rock. I will have to go back once the leaves change colors because I'm sure that would be so pretty I would wish I was an artist to paint the image forever in my memory.
Then the day got even better when I saw Corinne's place in Talaudiere, just East of Saint-Et. I fed ducks with her daughters, Alice and Chloe, and once we got to her place I got a house tour and then they put on a puppet show for me (Le Petit Chaperon Rouge-Little Red Riding Hood). I would never be able to explain on here the little moments that make me smile while here in France, but especially when I am around kids and they have that innocent joy about them I have to have a good time. Plus how can I not laugh when Alice asks me in French if we have animals in America and then later thinks I'm from Africa. Later that night Corinne and I went to a Chinese dinner where my BTS students were so excited that they got to speak with me without being forced to speak in English. I have found the Stephanois really live up to their tradition of being from the patron saint of the happy people; welcoming , friendly, and an all-around good time to be with.