As I went out to meet some other fellow assistants on Sunday, typically the laziest day of the week in France, I had no idea that I would be witnessing a Christmas celebration unlike any other I have ever seen. The day started innocently enough, with me inviting a few friends to share a coffee before we all went on our separate ways for the holidays. So around 2:30, we met down by the port, and searched for a cafe to relax in.
This was where the fun began. Normally, Sunday is a quiet day here in Vannes. Few businesses, if any, are open and the streets are quiet. However, this being the Sunday before Christmas, it was not your usual Sunday. Already, I knew something was up as I walked to the port. When I passed city hall, there was a large outdoor ice skating rink that had been set up and was slowly melting away under the heat of the sun and the hundreds of children skating over it. Down by the port, the holiday festivities continued, with a makeshift putt putt course, various wooden children's games such as a form of wooden air hockey, and Christmas carolers. But the best surprise of all was a giant wooden, mechanical camel, some twenty feet tall, that paraded through the streets with Santa on his back. Now, I don't know if the French missed the memo about Santa's reindeer, but whatever the case may be, this camel was certainly big enough to haul Santa's sleigh all by himself.
The rest of the day was spent fighting through the crowds, as it seemed every resident of Vannes had made their way to the port to get a glimpse of this monstrous camel. Along the way, we passed multiple puppet shows, an ice sculptor, and eventually found ourselves waiting an hour in line for a taste of "chichi", which is basically a funnel cake type doughnut. And it was totally worth it. If you have ever had chichi, or funnel cake for that matter, you understand. So what commenced as a simple afternoon coffee, turned into a full day of Christmas miracles!
As you can probably guess by now, I am officially on vacation and have been since my last class on Thursday evening. I was tempted to post right when I got home, just to brag about finishing my work, but now I am glad I held off so that I could share this experience with you all. Unfortunately, me being the genius that I am, one who always learns from his mistakes, I failed to bring my camera with me to the port on Sunday. So I cannot visually share this day with you as I would like, and it is up to you to use your imagination to picture this camel. But it's good for you, imagination exercises the brain.
Tomorrow is my last day in Vannes, and then I am off for a big ten day trip for Christmas and New Years. First, I will be heading to London to spend Christmas and Boxing Day with my sister, Gabe, brother-in-law, Dave, and his family. Afterwards, I will be taking a bus to Brussels, where I will stay with my friend Ophir for four days and ring in the new year at his home! So with that, I will be leaving you until 2012. Have a safe and happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years! Till next year.
Tommy
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