French food really is that good.

French food really is that good. Yes, that good.

By that good I mean that Monday became Tuesday, Tuesday became Wednesday, Wednesday became Thursday, and I really will leave tomorrow!

Spending time with my friend Guillaume and his family, whom I haven’t seen in almost two years, has been wonderful and I think a delay in my departure day to Spain was meant to be. We’ve gotten a chance to do some fun things – hiking, cycling, walking around the historic center of the city of Annecy, meeting interesting people, and most importantly, eating every traditional dish from the Rhône-Alpes region. He is one of my best friends and I am glad to have people like him in my life.  After I finish my hikes of el Camino de Santiago and the GR7 in Spain, I will be returning to his house in France to spend Christmas.

According to an unscientific survey conducted within the past week in the Rhône-Alpes region of France, the most common stereotype of Americans is that we get home from work in the evening, sit on the couch and watch TV with a Big Mac in our right hand and a Budweiser in our left hand. Then, when we're done, we go and eat some more. I’m not sure that this really captures American culture but it doesn’t seem so far off from your average Joe Six Pack or Joe the Plumber to me. At least our refrigerators smell better (there is no reblochon, tomme, camembert, or the worst offender epoysse French cheese to contend with!)

Did you know that in France roads are less wide so they make less impact on nature, there are 300 year old houses that are not even conserved and just left to live in, there is the most awe-inspiring 360 degree radial view atop a mountain 20 minutes from Bloye, everybody here wants Barack Obama to win the U.S. elections, French people actually do shower on a regular basis but do not believe in drying their clothing in machines and prefer to leave it on racks, and that Brigitte Osterberger is the best cook in the entire country? ;-)

Tomorrow I depart for Saint Jean Pied de Port on the border of Spain to start el Camino de Santiago. Given that I am hitchhiking the 925 km, I am not quite sure when I will arrive. SinceI speak almost no French and have never hitchhiked such a distance, this experience may be almost as big an adventure as the hike itself! Guillaume assured me that sticking out your thumb in France is not so taboo as in the US and that cars are happy to pick up smiling, clean-shaven young men. Supposedly even older people hitchhike and nothing is thought to be wrong with it. He helped outline my route and made me signs. I will be passing through the cities of Annecy, Grenoble, Nimes, Montpellier, and Toulouse on my way to the Spanish border. ">You can see my hitchhiking route here in Google Maps. 

May the games begin :-).