I’m wearing a turtleneck.

I never thought this day would happen.

Perhaps I thought it would never happen because I never dreamed I would recover from my second grade school picture where I was dressed in a turtle neck underneath a button-up Mr. Rogers-esque sweater with little Scottie dogs all over it.

People don’t forget, mom.

Yet here I am. In France. In a turtleneck.

There was once a time in my life where I thought that turtlenecks were the anti-Christ of fashion. Oh I was so blind but now I see. Turtlenecks are absolutely GREAT. I can’t believe I was so adverse to this wonderful garment for so many years of my life. Especially in this cold, biting air -- which is apparently very atypical for Dijon this time of year -- turtlenecks are the perfect armor against that.

They’re so great in fact that I bought two just the other day. One in black and one in camel…which also happen to be two main color staples of the French wardrobe.  I’m tellin’ ya, if you’re a fan neutral colors, France is the place for you.

Anyway, my turtleneck and I, along with some other exchange students, traveled to Beaune and Noray today. Both villages were positively stunning. Beaune is primarily known for it’s hospital, wine, and mustard. And is actually a bit of a rival with Dijon in terms of its wine production.

The hospital we toured today has now been turned into a museum, which I had a field day with. I’m completely infatuated with history and facts about places. My mom teases my sister and I because we both often spit out random facts during conversations that we have tucked away in the corners of our memory. 

Speaking of which, Katie, any good Dogs-101 episodes on lately? What about Ancient Aliens?

The hospital, Des Hospices Civils De Beaune, has a beautiful design very much influenced by Flemish architecture. A man and his wife who had ambitions to create a place for the sick that had low incomes originally constructed the hospital. Wealthy individuals could also check into the hospital too, and were kept separate from the poor in more exclusive and individual rooms.

What I found very intriguing about this hospital is that it had such strong ties to the Christian church. And the founders believed that physical health was directly correlated with spiritual health as well.

And I have to say, I can’t say I disagree with that notion.

In my Nutrition courses we discuss the seven areas of wellness:

1.) Social wellness

2.) Spiritual wellness

3.) Occupational wellness

4.) Physical wellness

5.) Enviornmental wellness

6.) Emotional wellness

7.) Intellectual wellness

All of these areas are interconnected and interdependent with one another. These symbiotic relationships are very important in achieving an overall state of well-being and I can appreciate the fact that even hundreds of years ago, people were starting to realize the importance of that.

There was also an incredible little farmers market that was going on as we were there in Beaune as well.

There’s not one thing I don’t enjoy about a farmers market.

Food is meant to be social and fresh and made with love. And farmer’s markets epitomize all of those things. Not to mention the colors of the produce are breathtakingly beautiful. Which was great to see, as the days have been very grey, and it was refreshing to see some pops of color.

AND THE CHEESE. Oh the cheese. I could write epic haikus and poems about the cheese…

And don’t even get me started on the bread.

I’ve never been a proponent of a beige diet, but I swear-to-God I think I could live off of good bread and cheese for the rest of my life and die a happy woman. With some wine too of course, to ward off the scurvy…