Last weekend, I went to Grenoble again to spend some time with other English language assistants. We spent our Saturday on a hike to, and then beyond, The Bastille. It was foggy in the city when we left and the hike was not looking promising, and when we reached the Bastille we were in the middle of a cloud. Grenoble , which is in the department of Isere, has a rich military heritage. The Bastille is the home of the French Mountain Troops. Grenoble and the department of Isere were particularly active in the French Resistance against the Nazis during WWII, and they even have a museum dedicated to Grenoble's role in the Resistance. The picture here was taken by the memorial by the Bastille and the sign says Paix - Amitie, which means peace and friendship.
By lunch, we had hiked above the clouds and had an amazing view of the surrounding mountains, which included the Chartreuse and Belledonnes ranges. You could even see Mont Blanc from where we were (I live right next to Mont Blanc, and it's a three hour train ride to Grenoble...).This hike reminded me of two things:
1) the view is better when you've earned it
2) if you don't like where you are, keep climbing
We could have spent all day Saturday soaked in fog in the city, but instead watched a sea of clouds creep beautifully between the mountains. I am thankful for the reminder that obstacles should not mean resignation. In fact, they should inspire motivation.
You look beautiful and happy, Amanda!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the picture!