Après-midi à Dijon

Before I visited Dijon, France, my first thought of the word "Dijon" was to think about the dijon mustard that my family eats at dinner sometimes. Last Monday I visited Dijon with my host father and two host brothers. My host dad comes from Dijon and grew up in the city with his two parents and a brother. It was a holiday on Monday, so no one worked. It was about a two hour car ride and the wind was cold, but the sun was shining. It has yet to snow in Lyon, but I have heard it happens only two to three times in one winter. Compared to Iowa's harsh -20 winters, this will be a piece of cake.

After the car ride, we went into the home of my host fathers parents and talked for a bit. Then, we took a stroll around the center of Dijon. It is known for its "historically medieval" look. I could tell with the structures and the style of the churches and buildings that made it feel so authentic. All day I was told about how Dijon is a "small town" with about 150,000 people, when in reality it had such a "big city vibe" to me because of where I am from in Iowa.

After a little loop through the main center, we were at the front steps of the restaurant that we would eat at for lunch. By now, I know that on weekends, we eat big family lunches that have taken up to 5 hours before. My host father recommended the frog to me as an appetizer. I was down to try anything in the moment and to my dismay, it was not bad at all. I also tried escargot for the second time in my life and now I feel like a true French person.

For my main dish I ordered fresh pasta that was so delicious. I couldn't even finish the plate because it was so big and rich, but my host father and older host brother ate the rest of it for me.

The beautiful weather had passed by the time that we left the restaurant and it was sprinkling rain. We did another loop through the center ville and then returned to the home of my host fathers parents.

This is the "magic owl" that when touched, grants you luck. We all touched the owl and are now waiting for the luck to set in. The "Owl de Notre Dame Dijon" carving is situated on a corner of the oldest church in Dijon. It is on the "Rue de la Chouette" -- translating to Owl Street.

I would love to return to Dijon in the future, not just to try the mustard, but to get an in-depth feel of the city and explore more. It has so many charming features that are worth multiple visits.