swiss planning and french shopping

Yesterday morning I went over to Lindsey's house (way up on Fourviere hill). I have decided I want my house to look like it does (big French country house on the outside, eclectic art and colors on the inside... and you can't forget the amazing view they have). Anywho, we sat ourselves down at the table in the kitchen (equipped with a very old, but refurbished, wooden refrigerator, a really cool clock, and chalk board covered cabinets (with notes written on them... in chalk). Lindsey and I got out our guide books and started booking trains and hotels/hostels for our 5 day, 4 night trip (we're going to Geneva, Interlaken, Lucerne, and Zurich from Dec. 18-22). We booked everything but the trains we're taking in Switzerland because we have to do that through the swiss train system (and they don't let you buy tickets until a month before you go, so we still have a few days).

Lindsey's host mom, Sophie, was around and about and ate her lunch while we discussed our pre-christmas trip to Switzerland. She was funny... she had never even heard of Interlaken, and they are so close! She was more familiar with the part of Switzerland that speaks French, of course:) Then, Sophie's husband came home for a bit (not sure why, but he did rake some leaves while he was home) and he said that Switzerland was very very clean.... a little too clean if you asked him haha. (I have a feeling I'm going to like Switzerland a lot!).

After we ate lunch and watched Glee on hulu (the host dad wasn't very pleased that we were watching American tv... guess he thinks we should totally immerse ourselves and only watch things in French hehe...on the other hand, he did enjoy when the boys did a mash-up with a Supreme's song and he sort of sang along in English) we went to the Part-Dieu Centre Commercial, or mall. It is a huge mall, with everything under the sun, including, but not limited to: Bata (where I got a cute pair of shoes), C&A (a store that I want to go back to), H&M, Claire's (of all things lol), Texto (shoes), Levi's, Gap, Sephora, Mango, Lacoste (but of course), Zara, NafNaf, Adidas, Foot Locker, FNAC (kind of like a Border's), and Galeries Lafayette. I only made one purchase (the shoes), but I plan to go back now that I've seen the lay of the land (and maybe after I've been paid again...). It was also packed yesterday, and very hot, which, if you know me, I don't like being hot... so we got out of there after only about an hour of shopping. I guess since everyone has today off for the Commemoration of the Armistice of 1918, or Veteran's Day (the French refer to it simply as the onze novembre), people took work off early to go shopping yesterday afternoon? Anyway... I'll be back!

Now, I'm going to go get ready for a run around the Parc de la Tete d'Or. It's kind of a hike to get up to that part of the city, but it's a beautiful day and I haven't exercised in a while. So... wish me luck that I don't get too many ugly looks on the metro for wearing my work-out clothes:)

Reste Cool:)