Ten months in Tours: A TOURSist weekend

I've managed to half revive my laptop- it works but it's painfully slow as I have to use an on-screen mouse-operated keyboard.
It's been quite a stressful couple of weeks, I don't remember the end of the winter term being this stressful at Rhul but maybe I'm remembering it through rose-tinted glasses. Either way this term is lonnnnnng.

So it was a welcome break/procrastination excuse having Jess to stay this weekend. I went to see her a few weeks ago in Meung-sur-Loire and this was her visit to Tours and my luxurious 5 star student residence. She arrived on Sunday, which at any other time of year would be very limiting in France, but because it's nearly Christmas there was a Christmas market and some of the shops were even open *gasp*. So on top of seeing the main touristy sites (Cathedral, Old Tours, Loire) we were able to get in a bit of shopping and a mooch around the markets aswell. We also had a little Rhul reunion with Lucy over lunch, and compared year abroad experiences. Then in the evening we went to see some more of the Christmas lights, bought some mulled wine (I managed to spill half of mine) and walked back to mine, stopping to go on the ferris wheel next to the Loire which was so worth it as we got a view of the city all lit up.

We had a pretty standard/British evening watching Love Actually and eating Spag Bol, but sometimes it's just nice to have some home comforts. Then on Monday we got up late, wandered into town, and had a look round the Musée des Beaux Arts before Jess got her train back. I'd been meaning to go back at a less busy time so it was nice. I think you're reminded of the things that are great about your town when you have visitors :)

And I'm just writing about that day because the others are a blur of stress and exams and not understanding anything.

I forgot my camera but here are some of Jess's pictures from the weekend: