Oh la la La Rochelle

Welp, I'm back again from another marvelous adventure...well...not so marvelous. All I did was go to the doctor's...but it was in La Rochelle...which is marvelous. Since, my appointment was at 9:30 in La Rochelle, I had to leave Bourcefranc by the 6:30 bus which took me to Rochefort where I took the train to La Rochelle. I arrived in La Rochelle before the sun did, seeing as how the sun doesn't come up until after 8 o'clock here in France. I walked to the Old Port, these massive towers that flank the entrance to the harbor. They are amazing! But I didn't get to go in seeing as how I arrived in La Rochelle before even the sparrows were awake. But I am definitely planning on going back. I finally found the doctor's office (don't worry...I'm not sick...You have to get a notice from the doctor saying that you are disease free before you can get your visa.) A little bit of awkwardness ensued...namely the french make you take a chest xray...and they don't give you anything to cover up with. Glad that's over with. Anyhoo, I met another assistant, Amelia, and we went shopping! La Rochelle has an Etam...my favorite store ever! La Rochelle also has a Galleries Lafayette (big french department store...come to think of it...the French invented department stores. Read "Ladies Paradise" by Emile Zola.) I was able to finally buy some lotion, because nowhere in the whole of Bourcefranc do they sell lotion. I've been looking for weeks. There were things that vaguely resembled lotion...but as I wasn't completely sure what they were, I refrained from buying them. Anyhoo, Amelia and I walked back to the old port and then we had lunch at a cafe. It was very relaxing. I decided to go back early, so I left Amelia and went back to the train station. I barely got on my train in time and I was on my way back to Rochefort to catch the bus back to Bourcefranc. Well, if you recall, I met a weird guy last time I was waiting for the bus. Welp, I met an even stranger one this time. He was openly staring at me as I tried to find out which bus to take. He then followed me to the bus stop, sat down next to me and offered me a cigarette. I declined and then he proceeded to light up less than a foot away. Did it enter his head that I might have declined because I dislike cigarette smoke in my immediate vicinity? I think not. Anyways, I tried to pull the "I don't speak french" card, but my accent is starting to get too good. It never works anymore. So...this crazy (did I mention he had a very scary unibrow...nothing against unibrows...but this one was worthy of praise) tried to carry on conversation with me for 30 minutes or so. Apparently we were waiting for the same bus. It wasn't coming, so he said something to the effect of "venez" and "chez moi" which means something like "would you like to come to my house?" Heck no! I told him that I would wait here for the bus come hell or high water. well...not exactly...but that's what I was saying inside. Well...this kind old lady took "la petite americaine" to another bus stop where I was able to finally catch the bus. I then had a pleasant conversation with the bus driver for an hour or so as I was the only person on the bus. So...all's well that ends well. But I am definitely returning to La Rochelle...so much history! Just think...Cardinal Richelieu was there! And so were the three musketeers! (I know...they're fictional...but La Rochelle is not!) So...until next time! Look for another blog coming soon about my excursion into the tidepools...well...more like our half mile hike into the low tide zone.