I was able to nap for a bit on the coach, and then we stopped off at the Chateau Fontainebleau. This used to be a royal palace, but today I think it houses a school and is just a neat place to stop off and explore. The town around it was really cute, too. We had about an hour to explore and managed to munch on a really yummy baguette in the process.
Unfortunately, there was a long line for the restrooms as we were leaving, and Danielle and I got back to the coach a couple of minutes late. Because of this, I was subject to a punishment - signing karaoke! The Contiki tour runs on a tight schedule, and being late for the bus meant you were left behind (which was a lie, nobody was ever left behind) or had to sing karaoke in front of the bus. I guess it was lucky for me that I was first - I had no idea what to sing, but I had no one else to be compared to yet. I also wasn't feeling my best so I almost didn't care.I sang terribly. Several other people who had been late sang after I did. It was hilarious. I was crying at times I was laughing so hard!
After a service stop and a long drive, we arrived in wine country. The area was just beautiful - lots of hills and countryside. We were spending the night at a chateau owned by Contiki, and there is a winery on site. The chateau was beautiful on the outside and had lovely grounds, but the inside was very basic and the rooms were very small. We actually had shared bathrooms with the entire floor, and they were co-ed. It was kind of awkward.
The views from the chateau were beautiful!
After we got settled in, we headed down to the winery for a wine tasting. They explained how they make the wine, and we all got a glass to taste/sip. The wine was quite good - they had it for sale, but I didn't want to bother shipping it home.
The winery had an old wine barrel that was no longer being used, so there was seating inside of it and we could climb in and check it out. The walls of the wine barrel had a lot of sediment - it was kind of neat. It also offered a good photo opportunity.
The door leading into the wine tasting room
Cheers from the inside of the wine barrel
The sediment on the inside of the wine barrel
A toast from inside the wine barrel
After the wine tasting, it was time for a group dinner and then a Black and White party in the basement "cave" of the chateau. There was another Contiki group there that night so it was a party to mingle with them and dance. It was fun - the other group was definitely more of a party group than ours, and it made me glad I was with the people I was with. They were very loud and seemed pretty drunk early in the evening, before we had even thought about drinking.
It was to hang out with everyone, have a few drinks, and get some dancing in. We ended up being really warm inside so most people went outdoors at some point and mostly hung out and chatted. It was a little chilly but a beautiful night to sit and talk under the stars and take a walk around the property.
It was to hang out with everyone, have a few drinks, and get some dancing in. We ended up being really warm inside so most people went outdoors at some point and mostly hung out and chatted. It was a little chilly but a beautiful night to sit and talk under the stars and take a walk around the property.
Danielle and I dressed up and ready to head into the Black and White party
Kris, Danielle, and I - I think we were outside getting air at this point
Blogging is an odd balance of telling my story and avoiding putting things out on the internet that cross a line of privacy. It feels disingenuous to leave out details of my journey "restarting" aspects of my life on a blog that is specifically for that purpose. But it feels kind of inappropriate to put some of them in and disrespect privacy of others and share things that are too personal.
I go back and forth about what to say so I think I will leave it at this - I had a very nice evening with one person in particular, and I do feel like this was a step in the right direction for me in moving forward in my divorced life. It was the first night in a long time where I felt like it was possible I might meet someone new who I could have a blast with and feel something for. It has been a long time since I had a crush on a guy - since I have met someone new that made me think "Huh - I'd rather hang out with this person than hang out alone". I also tend to be the type who can chat with and get along with anyone, but I don't often connect with people on any real level, especially people of the opposite sex. This night with this person, it seemed like things clicked.
In some ways I feel very fortunate that I'm so independent and don't mind being alone (it certainly has made becoming single a lot easier!) - but I often have this nagging worry that being alone isn't really the best way to experience life. I haven't felt the need to be in a relationship since ending my marriage, but I guess this experience made me start thinking that maybe it would be nice to date someone casually - assuming they were as fun and interesting and easy to be around as this person, at least.
Ultimately, what happened that night only led to friendship. In another time and place (and if he was actually continuously into me - I'm unclear if that was the case) it may have been more, but in this time and place it was a lovely evening with a lovely person under a beautiful starry night in the French countryside.
No comments:
Post a Comment