We dropped our bags off at our accommodation and our host kindly gave us a tour around the old city, where she kindly pointed out the most hopping bars. We politely nodded and filed that information away for the next time we wanted to go to a club. She did however give us one of the greatest gifts ever by telling us about the best ice-cream in town. Our eyes lit up with love and telepathically I think we agreed to go there that afternoon. We left Aurelie to do some more walking about town and the lake.
Like I said before, Annecy is stunning. Picture crystal clear water that shine cobalt blue with mountains that tower over one side. The side we were on was a town where little canals from the lake ran through under bridges and next to houses. There were flowers everywhere and the boats and benches were all painted bright beautiful colours while the lawns were perfectly green. It was idealistic! We wandered around for a bit with our jaws dragging on the ground and went and got ice-cream.
Best ice-cream I've ever had.
And that is saying a bit as Amelia and I have sampled ice-cream from every country we've been too, almost every city. It was so good that the next day we went back despite the temperature. But I am getting ahead of myself. We ate our ice cream in a garden surrounded by beautiful flowers. This garden also happened to be the edging of a path, so I have a suspicion we looked a little strange. While eating our icecream a group of French guys coming walking along. When they see us they start talking in French, shooting one phrase at us with laugh. With my great skills in French I have translated it to either: "you are two beautiful roses in a rose garden" or "look at those strange foreign girls". I'm inclined to take it as a pick up line and label myself as a French heartbreaker. It helps me sleep at night okay?
Good food was eaten, sleep was had and then; the next day came (crazy times I know). We had already established that we wanted to hire bikes and ride around the lake, stopping to go for a swim somewhere and we were determined to do so! The next morning we check the temperature and weather forecast to find out that it was going to reach a steamy 15•C and that there was 90% chance of rain. How do you say yay in French? Nonetheless we were determined! So we dress really cutely (at least that was my intention) with our swimmers underneath and go off to hire bikes. We hire bikes (for cheaper than we originally thought; thanks French man ;) ) and head off on our grand adventure. At this point we're both still feeling pretty snug. Croissants for breakfast by the lake was perfect and then hop on our bikes cheerily and start off around the lake. And then the rain gets harder, and harder. Still we go along our merry way laughing at how wet we were. We make to half way around the lake when we decided we don't want to ride any further that direction. So we lock our bikes up and sit next to a beach along the lake. It was raining please understand, and by this time we were wet and cold. But we ate lunch under some trees sitting on Amelia's poncho and tried not to think of what we were planning to do next. To paint the picture image a lifesavers hut, with 3 lifesavers sitting in front of a computer watching a movies rugged up in the jackets. Then there is Amelia and I in our swimmers ready to go swimming. And in we went with the lifesavers looking on as if we were crazy people, which we were if the truth be known. The water wasn't bad actually a whole five degrees warmer than the air outside. The problem lay in getting out. I also had the problem that my towel (which is more like a tea towel) hadn't completely dried from the morning and I may have accidentally left it in the rain. So I didn't even have a nice dry towel to wrap myself into. I want laughing so hard now as my teeth chattered. We awkwardly changed behind the hut and then decided to head back to the city. I was so cold... and off we go breezing down hills on our bikes my body slowly turning into a giant icicle. By the time we have ridden back however my body had warmed up, my clothes had dried and the smile was back on my face. We continued around the lake the other direction now and the paths were easier and we were warmer and it was just brilliant! After an hour an a half we decide we should turn around and head back again. Then the rain started again, but I'm not talking about lovely, refreshing, light rain but intense torrential rain! I think I would have been drier if I had gone swimming. We push through and about half an hour out of town the sun opens up through the clouds and there is bright blue sunshine ahead of us! We finished our ride only racing an old gentleman once who I believe got so competitive that he left his wife behind. We won.
We had more icecream, ate burgers and headed back to our accommodation. We decided to watch a movie but as we were still thawing out from our day we decided to close the door that led out onto the balcony. This meant that we had to move the cat litter inside. No problem, until the cat lets rip the most putrid, disgusting excrement we've ever smelled. Gagging we wrenched open the door to get some air in before we passed out. We survived, but it was a close call. Giggling therefore ensued and we finished our movie (which Amelia cried through a per usual). And that was our Annecy experience. We left the next morning for our next stop:
L'Isle sur la Sorgue
Au revoir!
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