no indians here

Why go to Indian Forest if there are no indians? And, for that matter, why is the Indian Forest in France, a place where there are no indians? Well, answers to those questions I do not have, but I do know that I stepped straight into The-Swiss-Family-Robinson-meets-Tarzan-meets-The-Jungle-Book this morning with the boys.

We headed south to an oversized playground of obstacle courses suspended in trees, each one leading to a rickety platform that I was sure would collapse at any moment, leaving me disabled and eternally bruised with dirt from the steep and thorny hillsides far below . "Don't worry!" they told us in French. "As long as you are attached to the cables, you will not die. We have not had any casualties yet." Sure. They tell you that AFTER they get your 19€ ($30.00).

The melting sap oozing from the creases in between the chips of bark on the trees were the perfect garnish to an already sweaty corps, and I hauled myself from one plank to another, always making sure to keep attached to the cable. I even went for the geronimo plunge, an approximate 100yd. zipline, ending in a world of green mats stuffed with feathers to ensure a softer landing. The boys raced ahead of me on all of the 4 courses we conquered, and I slowly trailed behind, one clip at a time, filled with the excitement of an elderly woman who has just been given a new breath of life. I loved every minute of every this morning. The boys laughed until they could not breath while I tried to pounce from one swaying wooden plank to another, hoping that I would survive the next tightrope.

I can only compare the Indian Forest to a Ropes Course on steroids. It was a gloriously entertaining experience, one which I shall always remember.

The Swiss Family adventures of today were followed by my brilliant pizza-making skills this evening, and the 2nd round of the tennis tournament. Alas, the raging heat of the day extended into the night, and Stéphane was not on his game. The boys gawked in victory as they ran through the front door, Stéphane shamefully dragging behind.

Tomorrow, Wall-E hits theaters here, and I am off to the movies for the first showing of the day with the boys. We are headed to Laetitia's mom's house tomorrow for dinner and a swim, so I am looking forward to that. Laetitia's mom is a brilliant cook and has recently given me a bundle of freshly candied ginger to use (only I would be excited about that)! She has made me a special batch of this wonderful sweetly tangy spread, known as "citron" here, that all French people enjoy daily, and has the recipe waiting for me tomorrow.

Another great day, and even more to come.

current tunes: "To: France, From: USA," a special mix of great music that landed in the mailbox just the other day.