If there is one thing that I have definitely learned here in Switzerland, it is that NOTHING is free! And if it is, you have to take advantage of it. So that is what we did, Teresa and I, two weekend ago when the Chateau De Chillon was offering free entry.
After Mass on Saturday night we took a train from Geneva to Montreux to have a late night tour of this Castle. It was so cool! We arrived at around 10p and it was freaky! The atmosphere was amazing and actually, it was my very first time inside a real castle. And this one was old! It was first contructed in 1150 but was the subject of continual additions and improvements over the next hundreds of year. I told Teresa that it made me want to dress up in mid-evil clothing and pretend to be in pain. Her reply was simple, "I know Marie- I know."
We walked in and out of the many secret passages that they had, up and down corridors, examining the many bedroom chambers, bathrooms, the old kitchen, the huge dining hall, the quart yards, a light with burning torches. Men and women dressed in costumes in character appropriate for the times. One room was filled with people, dancing traditionally and enjoying live music (I can't really describe that part). Oh and in another room there was a bat (!!!!!!!!) flying around in a circle. This scared me so much that I turned around and basically plowed Teresa over. I thought this was funny, she did not. Then we went down to the prison. It was so creepy! We saw where people had been hanged, and the dark dungeon that was actually build around the huge rocks that jetted out of Lake Geneva. Even though we were above water level, the rocks and high walls gave the impression that we were actually below, which, to be quite frank, just wasn't that fun.
On the way home, (and this is where my title comes from). We met the coolest people. A really sweet girl name Kate, who is from England, along with another Brit, two South Africans, and an American. They were so nice and we had such a nice time talking to them. Before I even the chance to ask for their information, our stop was upon us, and we had to get off the train.
So there we were, Teresa and I, in Nyon, talking about how much we liked our "train friends" and how we should have just taken their information. At the same time, we didn't want to be freaky you know? "Hi! Nice to meet you! What's your phone number and ah... could I get that social number while we're at it?" Being the positive sort that I am, I expressed that everything happens for a reason and if we were supposed to see them again, we would.
The very next day, we were at Place Neuve, having a little birthday party for my friends Marios and Reshmi, when who did Teresa spot, weaving their way through the gigantic chess boards? But- Kate and Gemma! It was such a lovely surprise! Since then, we have been getting together with Kate (Gemma returned to England), and it just so happens that she just became a Christian and is basically wonderful! Oh how I love the way God works!
From Tallest to Shortest: Teresa, Kate, Gemma and Me :)
3 comments:
Oh man marie! you look so gorgeous in all your pictures! go figure :) i cant wait to see you! sounsd like you are having a good time! whenever you get bored just think of us doing flips on our rubber ball! :)
Lisa~i love you
Woohoo!!! That's me :-D I love that we both wrote a blog about each other and how it was God doing great stuff!! He is cool isn't he. I will put that pic up when I work out how, this is cool.
Marie, you are such a great writer!!! I've enjoyed reading about your adventures. You must be filled w/ all these new experiences and wisdom. I'm sorry about the visa business (I can relate) but I'm glad you will be coming home in July. Anyway, poke you later :)
Post a Comment