I’m going to the market. Not a mentionable fact except that the owner texted us saying that Place des Lices is a well-known market. People come from all over the area to it. I am one that loves markets so, needless to say, I am not missing this one. Dean is. I head out alone. It’s Sunday and the streets are deserted. Almost seems set up for me to enjoy this town through my lens.
Here comes the blue door deluge. One I had not photographed the day before.
I reach Place des Lices in no time at all but find it as deserted as the streets. I peek in and in fact the installation is there but no people around.
I walk back and I see a couple with produce and baguettes protruding out of their bags and I ask them if they know about Place des Lices and they tell me that the market was on Saturday. I resign myself but also am grateful that it wasn’t on for there would have been hoards of people. This way, I got to enjoy the streets calmly.
At the turn of the corner I am reminded of my hometown.
I roam around a bit and see that Saint-Pierre Cathedral is opened. In reality there is a sign that says it is closed between 11 and 2 today but the door is open and I go in. Turns out it is closed for the public but open for mass. It’s only me and I’m pretty quiet so I tiptoe in. Right after me comes a Russian tour group. The leader seems unaware or doesn’t care about the fact that there is a mass going on and talks loudly to his group of around twenty. I cringe. But I am also technically ignoring the rules so I move around.
The inside of the church is being repaired. At the very end the congregations prays.
If a cathedral has a life of its own, this one is not trying to impress but does. It is dark and uses much wood in its decor. It almost imposes introspection and demands you to stay and pray. I don’t but walk as close to the altar as I can without disturbing the congregation. On the side aisles (I am sure there is a proper word for the passageways on each side) there’s darkness from the paneling and I get this desire to just sit and close my eyes.
The stained glass is beautiful though it is not the main attraction in here.
Before I leave I pass a little altar. The name of Lourdes catches my attention. My parents and I visited Our Lady of Lourdes when I was around 6, footage that I recently saw. I don’t quite understand what it says but I have the urge to light four candles here to the Virgin. 2 for my mom and dad and 2 for Dean’s Nan and mum. I am sure that they are looking down, protecting us as we go.
As I leave, I take a last glance – as I usually do.
I continue my exploration. This wall is not pretty but anything that was built between the late Third Century and early Fourth Century has to have my respects even if the expensive and expansive wall that surrounded the city was soon to be found almost useless.
Wall art / graffiti again reminds me of Los Angeles.
And what would this blog be without a little more on blue doors?
This little tabby cat comes up to me and follows me as I reach the main plaza once again. He gives up after a block.
I reach home and am greeted with a nice cuppa (cup of tea). Dean leaves to get a GPS for tomorrow we are renting a car for the next portion of our trip. First stop is Mont St. Michel.
I am left to explore our home. This place we got through airbnb (I know I am sounding like an ad but it has afforded us some incredible opportunities to stay at wonderful places and meet such interesting people) is certainly not the most luxurious though it is quite large and has really good vibes. The bathroom is fun. You have to go through a saloon-type door to take a shower.
Inside a sign that says its wombat crossing. 🙂 The owner has a lot of knick-knacks from Southeast Asia
and that already makes him way cool in my book. He also has tons of books some of the greats in Spanish literature. And how not love a place that has antiques
that remind me of my little store and one which Tutu has claimed for his perch.
He is pretty stubborn just like this collectible bull which is my astrological sign.
Outside there is a kiddie park
that is for exclusive use of the building we are in, and on the other side is the park we visited yesterday. In the middle some city work building and I catch a worker taking a break.
I would cover the same ground I did this morning again, for when Dean returns we go out to dinner. We settle in an Indian restaurant where I have a vegetarian dish of spinach.
It was delicious. We chat at length about the town with our Nepalese waiter. He tells us how he came to Paris first and is now in Rennes. How there isn’t much to do but he loves it here. I may have to agree with that!!
As Walter Conkrite would say: “And that’s the way it is.” Good-night.