Vercors

So today we went to Vercors, which is a mountain range that makes up part of the French Alps.  We had lunch in this town called La Chapelle en Vercors (http://www.vercors-net.com/lachapelle)  in a really adorable, family owned restaurant/hotel called "Hotel Bellier" (see picture).  Ahead of time, we were given the choice between two meals: traditionally prepared trout (a plate they specialize in preparing on the mountain) and a vegetarian option.  Although I have tried to force myself to like fish many times, I really don't unless it's in sushi, so I chose the vegetarian option which turned out to be really good.  It was a squash/cheese casserole-type dish with a side of a cooked tomato stuffed with seasoned bread crumbs.  We also had le gratin dauhpinois which is a plate that the region of Dauphine specializes in.  It involves lots of cheese and potatoes.  Second, third, and fourth servings are difficult to refuse.  Desert was called profiterole, I think, but I'm not sure if I spelled it right.  The best way to describe it is an empty cream puff cut in half with a ball of ice cream in between, drizzled with chocolate...sounds disgusting, right? Ha. It was sooo good. Be jealous!

On our way up the mountain we also stopped at a little monument called "Les Pionniers du Vercors," which was a small graveyard which marked the graves of those who died in the Maquis du Vercors which was a battle between the Germans and the French resistants during World War II.  The French resistants had taken up weapons to deter the Germans from going on to Normandy and blocked the only possible route up the mountain only to be surprised by German parachutes and motor-less gliders.  The Germans raped and tortured the entire town.  A lot of civilians were killed.

On a happier note, we also saw Pont-en-Royans, which is a small town famous for its houses, which are suspended high above a river.  We continued onto the mountain's famous tourist site, Les Grottes de Choranche, or the caves of Choranche.  The caves are famous because they are full of rare stalactites that can't be found anywhere else on earth.  I think.  I should check my facts, probably.  It was about 30* cooler in the cave than outside, so I think that was my favorite part.  Also, I'll be sending you all postcards of it, so you can see just how pretty it actually was (gorgeous!) Speaking of postcards...I'd like to shout out to Erika, who is now my favorite friend because she sent me MAIL! Which I received today! Love you! And thanks for the celebrity gossip update, it takes forever to load on my BlackBerry!

So, on the bus home, this girl Ralanda, one of the like annoyingly obvious American people in our group, was preaching to the girl she was sitting next to about how gays shouldn't married because bla bla bla the Bible says so. And marriage is like, so sacred. Or whatever. Right? And then next thing I know, she's going on and on about her casual sex with some guy back home and how she hates him but she just loves having sex with him, etc.  I'm like, k so marriage is too sacred for gay people but sluts can partake in the misogynistic fun? Cool. But count me out!

Unrelated note... dinner was so fun today! The food was questionable (I ate a chunk of light pink sausage with strange texture) but the conversation was great.  And then Mme. busted out a couple pints of that liquor from Chartreuse which apparently is 50% alcohol.  Then she had us all doing shots toasting to our good health! It was hysterical.  I was obligated to whip out the camera.  Anyway, I'm about ready to go to bed.  La Bastille tomorrow! Finally.  Have a good rest of the weekend everyone!