February 15, 2020
One of my favorite things about Europe is how easy it is to cross a national border. In the U.S., the procedure is a lot more complex, but so far in Europe, I’ve crossed into France a few times without even a passport check.
That ease is also how I ended up in Annecy, France for not even a day-trip, but for half a day. After more obstacles that I had originally imagined (the bus was over an hour late), I enjoyed a casual conversation with the kind Australian man who sat next to me on the bus. It always surprises me how open people can be, even with strangers, and talking with him made the trip fly by very quickly.
Once there, it is easy to realize why Annecy has been called the Venice of France. Canals sweep through the Old Town, leading into the lake on the edge of the city. With no specific plans for sightseeing, we ended up wandering the cobblestone streets.
We successfully managed to get crepes (after several unsuccessful attempts) – and in the brisk wintry breeze, the warm Nutella crepe I got was fantastic. With a rather large group, we splintered off into pairs and trios – exploring the small shops that lined the streets and taking our time to walk by the beautiful lake.
We regrouped for dinner – Italian food! – and ate almost-buffet style, with everyone sharing their dishes. Having eaten enough that it was unthinkable to immediately sit on a bus, we wandered around the darkened streets until we reached the lit canals, and eventually, the lake that was illuminated by the streetlights.
