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Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Five Dangers of Corsica

1. The Plants. Every single plant here would like nothing better than to stick your hand full of tiny, excruciatingly painful epingles (thorns). Even the most soft looking plant is likely to try and injure you. The worst ones have spines so persistent that you can pick them up with your arms without grabbing them because they have embedded themselves in your skin.

2. The Corsican Drivers. This is an island of mountains, mountain roads and no sidewalks. Unfortunately no one takes that into consideration when driving and tends to drive as though they are on the German Autobahn. Then they honk like crazy if you don’t dive out of the way (into the evil spiky plants) with enough vitesse.

3. Corsican. There is a dialect/language here that the people speak. It's not English, it's not French, it's not Italian, it's Corsican. Even the other WOOFer here does not understand it and she was born and raised in France. Unfortunately most people, especially old men, seem to believe that if they shout it at you, then you will know exactly what they are saying. Nope. Still don't understand.

4. The Giant Horned Pigs. Also called sangliers. Apparently they could come running out of the bushes at any time to gore you with their horns. I have yet to see one. I am more afraid of the plants.

5. The Cows. They wander the roads looking for food during the dry season (which is now). People here buy cows because to have cows means you have money. I have yet to figure out how they get any return on their investment as there is no way to find their cows most of the time. And where there are cows there are cow pies. They are everywhere, many of them fresh. I almost slipped on one while running today. Gross.

Other than that Corsica is amazing. Post pictures when I can.

Monday, September 20, 2010

September 20, 2010


Christine's house is the most beautiful place I have ever stayed. It's an old, huge French countryside-ish farmhouse on a hillside overlooking a small village (turns out it's called Moltifao). She owns the entire hillside and it's all one giant olive grove. It's just the other girl, Alexandra, and me staying there but Christine sometimes has guests who pay to stay.

The party was for her friends and people that live in the village and neighbors and the like. All Alexandra and I had to do was set up and clean up. 

Yesterday Alex and I got the day off from work so we hitchhiked to Calvi. Apparently hitchhiking is both safe and acceptable on Corsica. We found cars to take us after less than ten minutes each time. Calvi was beautiful. There are great beaches and the home (at one time or another) of Christopher Columbus. We saw his house. 

Today we took the middle of the day off to hike down the mountain and swim in a beautiful, clear little river. The hike down was enjoyable but the hike back up was long. We took a cow-path. Apparently they build paths here just for the cows to get around. Tomorrow we are doing something to do with preparing the olives: I did not understand exactly what.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

September 18, 2010


I have arrived on Corsica. When I first arrived, I was very disappointed...Corsica is not quaint nor beautiful at all. Then I realized that you cannot judge a place by the look of its airport, and I decided to give it a second chance.

I took a bus to the train station. And I still hated it. Not only was it ugly but apparently all of the railroad workers were on strike, and I was supposed to just know that and go find a bus. Eventually after standing there looking confused for about 5 minutes another traveler came with the same confused look. Together we found the bus and got ourselves to Ponte Leccia.

Here I waited for Christine to come qnd get me. After about an hour of waiting I realized I was one day early. Fortunately my French friend, Yann, was still waiting with me. He told me he would stay with me until I found a hotel. There is one hotel in Ponte Leccia. It was booked. So Yann said he would stay with me at the train station. In the morning someone came to get me. Not Christine, Alexandra, another Wwoofer staying with Christine and very nice.

When we got to chez Christine we were getting ready for a party. Lovely, just what I needed. It was an experience. I suffered through it with a smile (I hope).

Today we raked a hillside and picked grapes. We also visited the small village of Montfau (I think that’s where I am) and I got to go running. Turns out it’s just the coast in Corsica that is not beautiful, the rest is wonderful and Christine’s house is amazing. That’s all. Except there are ton of cows here who just walk on the side of the roads eating things.

Sorry about the weird story-telling style, it’s really hard for me to type on these keyboards:

Love, love!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

September 15

I found a cheaper hotel. I also got my debit card eaten by an ATM. I had to go into the bank to explain what happened and of course the woman working there was the only person to not speak English. Lovely. Well I got the card back but apparently Assoc. bank has shut off my card (and yes, I told them I was traveling). The only way to reactivate it is to call them, but my phone does not work in France. Oh well. I have 15€90 to live off of in the next 60 days. I'll be fine. Oh. And no one has seen my paycheck. Beautiful.

I did, however, get to walk around Montmartre and visit the Sacre Couer and the Notre Dame de Paris and that was fun. Oh. And Richard-I asked 3 crepe places if they had lemon for the crepes...I couldn't find any so I got a Nutella crepe. Also good. Tomorrow I leave for Corsica.

Au revoir!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

September 14 II

I just managed an entire day in Paris and only spent $5.40. I have to make up for this obscenely priced hotel room. I suppose it's easy not to spend money when all you want to do is lay down on some grass. I did manage a little sluggish touristing. I visited the Hotel des Invalides, former home of Napoleon turned military hospital. Then I walked down the banks of the Seine. I think I only managed to take 4 pictures today. One of them was of a tree.

The best thing that happened today was my long chat with old man on a house boat. He said that my French was good...for an American. I'm not sure if he was a gypsy but in the future when I tell people this story, he will be. Don't contradict me.

September 14

Adventures should not happen on very little sleep. I'm in Paris, not even entirely sure where, probably somewhere in the northeast. I paid entirely too much for a hotel room but I was willing to pay anything for the nap I just took. Now I'm off to explore my least favorite city and hopefully find a cheaper bed for tomorrow. More later.

Minneapolis to Paris