David and I knew because we were told, that a special bike route existed to get from Chambéry to Lac du Bourget. We also thought we knew where it was. Well we were wrong and we followed some other sign that led us up a nearby mountainside (killing both of our quads, though permitting some lovely views of rural landscapes) and were nearly completely lost except for a last-minute bus sign with a map that allowed us to get back down the mountainside and successfully arrive at our destination. Other than that ultimately 4 mile detour, we were very successful at navigating the hikes in our book, and we visited two chateaux, saw a beautiful lake (for the second time but from a different angle and with much better weather) and had an absolutely splendid afternoon. To save time since you have also most likely read David's post, I will supplement with some additional pictures, and some same pictures with my own interpretation. Hehe.
While we were on our detour, we passed a lovely country farm and there was this donkey just standing there. We stopped just so I could take this picture, and two others actually, because I thought this dude was just too cool. Plus you can see how picturesque the landscape was.
I skillfully managed to take this picture of us while riding my bike and got both of us in the picture! Go me!
Sadly enough, while standing on of the bridges we crossed over, I couldn't even manage to take a very good picture of the two of us as I cut off some of David's head. But you get the idea. That was a really pretty river behind us by the way. And the bike path that we were supposed to take (and did take on the way back) runs alongside it for about 7-8 kilometers.
This is the entrance to the ruins of the Chateau Thomas II. There were in the process of being restored I guess, and therefore there was no way to enter. Oh well. We feel like we saw everything anyway because it seriously was just ruins except a cool tower from here to there and some archways.
We balanced my camera on the gate to the chateau and shot this picture of the two of us on our bike so we can remember them forever. Mine is #488 and David's is #582.
Mom I included this picture for you because this photo is definitely going in my "ensemble of 6" when I get back to the US. I find this to be the perfect swan picture, and on such a beautiful lake!
This is the second chateau that we saw today, and it is a privately owned masterpiece. Please notice the perfectly manicured vineyard growing around front. Unfortunately because it is privately owned there are no tours, but I was pretty proud of my picture none the less. Stunning location.
I also wanted to include the picture of David and I in the cave. This is another timed photo masterpiece, which was taken with my camera balancing on a boulder. Though the caves were quite small, we felt so lucky to get to see them because the tourist map in the city didn't mark the caves, and the path to get to theme was rather ambiguous itself as well, so I don't think we ever would have discovered them if it weren't for our little hike book.
There was a really cool boulder formation jutting out into the lake and I posed Egyptian style. I think the photo turned out quite nicely.
And this is part of our hike to get to the caves. The narrowest, tallest, most ancient-looking stone set of stairs I have ever encountered. They were beautiful, though admittedly you did have to use tree roots to descend that last part. It was such a quaint little escapade.
Overall I think I will summarize this day in two ways: 1) I feel great because we had such a wonderful day of sustained exercise and we got to do fantastic cultural things at the same time and 2) I feel ridiculously sore everywhere and I cannot promise any movement tomorrow due to the activities previously listed. I do not think I have ever biked 26 miles before. Ever.
A note about school to keep you all up to date. This week of vacation has been a wonderful break from routine, though hardly all fun. I have had quite a bit of homework for my XVIII literature class, and I am proud to announce that I have read the required play, and am even thinking of reading a supplementary play so that I can make more astounding comparisons. Apparently we have some sort of oral exam on Wednesday (our next lit class) and I want to be ready to impress. So I have a bit of homework there, so that I can prepare my observations, and in addition I am very busy trying to prepare some of my documents for transfer credit back at Miami. Let's hope that all of that goes well. It will probably be months before I know anything definitely, but I'll certainly be keeping you up to date as far as that is concerned. Other than that I have just basic coursework to keep up with, which I am actually not very "kept up with at the moment" so most of the remainder of this break will be spent doing homework. YAY!
Oh and a final update: David and I's heating shut off two days ago, and we have no idea why and I contacted the owner but he hasn't gotten back to me. Our first theory is that the gas has been turned off due to the construction below us (we are not exactly sure where this construction is but it does wake us up nearly every morning) and our second theory that for some inane reason they turn their heating off on February 15th. Needless to say it has dropped to a below satisfactory temperature in our apartment, but hopefully everything will soon be worked out. Much love from Chambéry!
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