Photos
I added more photos to the Marseille photo album...check 'em out by clicking on the title "Photos" above.
The journey to France, learning French and the culture...and now including the journey back to Canada as I re-Canadianize myself, eh.
I added more photos to the Marseille photo album...check 'em out by clicking on the title "Photos" above.
Here I am at one of the Santons (Sahn-toe) booths, waiting as he carefully wraps them up. You can see the medium sized ones, people and animals. They also have very tiny ones and larger sizes. This is only one of about 50 booths, so you have an idea how hard it was to decide! Go to www.escoffier.fr for more of an idea of what some Santons look like. The site is in French so just click on "collections" on the top to see the pictures.
Wow, 2 pics of me in a row--cooking. Doesn't happen everyday, folks, that's why it's photo worthy. Who's afraid of the bird flu? Not me! Here I am, happily cooking chicken on the grill. I braved the elements (10C, with wind and darkness setting in--at just 5pm). No, really, it was cold! My ears still hurt from my walk home. I should have worn my toque (too-k, knitted winter hat.) It may not snow here, but dang! once that wind starts, it cuts you to the bone! I know, I know...winter on the Canadian prairies can't compare. But it's all relative. It's cold here...for here. Anywho...what now? I have 6 BBQ'd chicken breasts. I should make some Thai Satay. I just need some coconut milk.
Here I am at my friends' place helping them make hummus and couscous. We chopped veggies and mashed chickpeas for hours to prepare a meal for our church family the next day. Hummus is a chickpea spread, with lemon juice, salt, garlic, and tahini (sesame paste). You eat it with bread. Couscous is the separated grain of the wheat plant and can be cooked like rice. Which is what we did once we got everything set up in the church kitchen the next morning. (Did you know there's no traffic in downtown Marseille on a Sunday morning around 8 am?) We served about 25 people after the morning service. We had the couscous with the cooked veggie sauce, along with the hummus, bread and a mediterranean salad (lettuce, olives, feta, olive oil). Then we had coffee and sweets. On a bien mangé, as they say. We ate well!
If you've been watching the news about what's been going on in France, I just want to reassure that I am no where near any of the violence. It's been mostly in Paris and area. There's been a bit of trouble in Marseille but I live in a quiet suburb and am home well before dark. A few days ago it started to spread around the country, and now I've seen heard of some stuff happening in Germany and Holland.