The Corsica social life

We've been shopping and since everything (including petrol and vehicles) is shipped over to the island, the prices are astronomical. For just consumable-essentials we paid 194 euros at the grocery store, knowing we were only needing a week's worth! That and we forgot some things like dish soap, cleanser, and paper products since at the time, we were only thinking of our tummies. The realization that our venue was camping came when we opened cupboards and found there were none of the items one needs in a house, but one didn't think to bring in the carry-on luggage...matches to light the hob, toilet paper for the 'loo, paper towels or napkins, bathroom cleaner, washing up liquid--all had to be purchased and brought in. At least we didn't have to use an outhouse!

Matthew has been very successful socializing by chatting over the hedge. Sunday night we had an appetizer date with Erik and Sylvie from Bordeaux, then D (ever so much like his dad) noticed the little girl (also 6 years old) diagonally opposite from our site was talking in English, so has also made friends with her, and subsequently, M has introduced ourselves to her parents, both teachers in a very affluent 'public' school for boys in London. Ros teaches languages and her husband (8 years her junior) is the deputy head of the upper form and has a wicked sense of humor--we had drinks with them Monday night and laughed until our sides hurt. Here's a pic of D getting to know O his very own spice girl.


Monday was also the first day the boys went to Kids Camp, which is organized activities from 9:30 to 11:30 and 3:00 to 5:30 every day. The activities included swimming, crafts, hiking to the animal preserve as well as practice for the kid's spectacle which is scheduled for Friday night. Both boys refused to take part in these dance and skit routines, so kids camp wasn't as fun as it could have been if they had been fully "on board". Young M also was very put out that he had to go to "daycare" during his holidays, saying that we were trying to get rid of him, so was an archetype of a pre-teenager full of attitude and sullen comments the entire day, before, during (we heard) and after the time away. He's had us as his playmates from the end of June until now and resents that the adults might want some time to themselves (and we did!). I signed the boys up for all day camp on Wednesday which included lunch and extra activities so that M and I could walk into the town of Ghissonaccia--a steamy walk along an exposed 5 km road through farmland in 32 degree heat--oh did that chilled local wine ever taste good with lunch that day! here's a picture of one of our rest stops and M in the "absolute vodka" entrance way to a tumbling down shepherd's shack.


Later, our boys went to the animal preserve with Julie (the 13 year old part of the family from Tolouse--more about them later), across the road to feed the animals, and here are some pics of the animals that my oldest took:

Notice that this ostrich is rounding up her eggs so that she can sit on them...not like in this heat they needed warming, but perhaps it was to protect them from cooking in the sun...?


I think he's got a really good eye for composition, just like his dad! M. tells me that there were also black swans, boars, peacocks and various ungulates with horns in this area (adjacent to the camp and about 10 acres of fenced in areas).

Another advantage of the kids camp was that I was able to take part in the fitness activities available at the resort. I did aqua fit twice and pilates once while there--I feel like I've started something that I shouldn't let up--but then again...