Sunshine and Cinema
Sunshine
It’s very hot in France. The temperature topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit for several days in a row, and I feel lucky to have rented a place with AC. Locals can be seen everywhere with hand fans and spray bottles filled with water. Despite the heat, les Toulousain(e)s are out and about, especially late at night when the heat is less oppressive.
I also feel supremely lucky to have been afforded the opportunity to escape to the mountains for two days, hiking in the Pyrenees with my new friend Jessica, who organized everything and even lugged a bottle of Bordeaux up a mountain. Our goal was to view the eclipse, and we were successful, finding a near-perfect viewing point spoiled only by some persistent clouds. But when the clouds parted, man, what a sight:
The hike itself was gorgeous. It was much cooler in the mountains, and although the trail was buggy, rocky, and a little hard to follow, we made very good time in securing a campsite and scoping out a viewing point. You can see the photo album from the hike here (note that the picture of me sleeping was unsanctioned but quite illustrative of the hike’s challenge). The uneven terrain brought me back to a certain pattern that I tend to follow whenever I’m hiking in difficult terrain. I call it “step-step-gawk.” You take two careful steps, eyes on the trail ahead of you, then pause to take a look around. Each look is a little different, a slightly changed perspective, and each step feels rewarding, progress in its most simple terms.
I’m so glad to have had my first slice of “type-2 fun” on this trip. For those who don’t know, “type-1 fun” is fun while it’s happening; “type 2 fun” is challenging but fun in retrospect, or something unpleasant that leads to something more type-1. It’s marathon running, being lost in a new city, learning a new language. It’s being seasick on the boat before diving in Mexico (as well as the jellyfish stings). It’s driving 10 hours to Virginia to pick up your new puppy. I’m such a proponent of type-2 fun because it’s the type of fun that changes you most.
Cinema
After the hike, and returning to the oppressive heat and humidity of Toulouse, I took a day and a half to really rest. That’s odd for me when traveling. I’ve sometimes taken a judgmental (and unfair) view on vacations taken only to relax - cruises, all-inclusive resorts, and the like. But I think it’s just a different perspective. Some people travel to pause their life for a while; others travel to live a different one. Neither is better, and I must admit that the 36 hours of respite I took allowed me to see myself a little bit differently - as someone really living in this city rather than just visiting it.
Earlier today, I saw two tourists lining up a very vacation-y photo - one person standing in a pretty doorway, arms spread wide, foot popped - the other taking the photo from a low, Instagram-worthy angle. I asked them, in French, if they would like a picture together (after all, most tourists in Toulouse are French). They responded in English (with strong Londoner accents) that they didn’t understand. I switched to English, and the look of surprise on their faces upon hearing my very American accent was absolutely priceless to me. “But your French is really good!” said one. It was the first time that I felt bilingual, and it felt really great. Now, I’m definitely not bilingual yet, but this tiny interaction brought me heaps of joy and confidence - a real Emily in Paris moment.
Last night, my new friend Alice treated me to crêpes followed by an outdoor film. Alice, a true Toulousaine, ordered off the menu: A plain crêpe with sugar and salted butter. I ordered the Fraise: A pile of strawberry sorbet, whipped cream, and Nutella completely obscuring the thin pancake underneath. It was pure decadence. The film, shown in a nice courtyard lined with hard plastic chairs, was the American classic thriller Se7en, which, if you’ve ever seen it, is an absolutely wild choice for a public event. I had expected something like Toy Story or even the French classic Amelie, but nope - a gruesome, disturbing, cerebral masterpiece. Gotta love the French.
After the film, which ended around 11:45 PM, I decided to walk back to my Airbnb - about 2 miles. I was so delighted to see how active the city was even late at night; people of all ages were sitting on terraces, cooling off by fountains, playing cards, laughing, celebrating the start of the weekend. It gave me a very clear sense of the identity of Toulouse. It’s vibrant in every sense of the word, full of type-1 fun.
Until next time,
Ethan