Despite the drive, we've been lazy, even too lazy to blog.
We drove from Dinan to Bourges in about five hours. There were some tense moments. First, it was a Sunday so none. Of the gas stations had an attendant in the he caisse, and our dumb American credit cards won't work in there machines. They lack the 'pouce' that French cards have. Apparently, we are getting chipped cards soon, but not for this trip!
Second, we got off the main route due to some misleading signage. We were headed for the A11, so we took the first sign that directed us there. We should have stayed on the route we were on and taken the second sign to the A11. So we have to drive for about 30 minutes extra through some French horse country to get back to the A11. On the main route, we found a station that would take our cards and everything was lovely.
Bourges seems like a really solid, sleepy town, though getting there on a Sunday helped with that impression. We checked into our lovely hotel and then took a stroll around town. Its cathedral is world famous, dedicated to St. Etienne, and it was lovely. It features five naves and really soars. The stained glass was some if he best I've seen, with complicated patterns that reminded me of Persian carpet, and some if he the most intense blues possible.
We sat in the Garden of the Archbishop, had drinks and watched the local burghers dancing to a oompah band. There were two dance floors and at any one time about 65 people dancing. Occasionally, the band would strike up a familiar tune and everyone would start line dancing. It was a fun scene!
Dinner and lunch have been pretty pedestrian. We've both been interested in simple food, Ira because we ate a lot in Bretagne, and me because my stomach felt a bit queasy. (All better now,) So, we've been doing the brasserie thing, eating in the little squares and having pizza and chicken and frites and watching people walk by.
In any case, most of the fancier restaurants are shut down for their annual break until tomorrow. Among the tourists, they seem to mostly be French, English, and German, in that order. People seem surprised when they find out we're American. I don't think they get many Californians here.
This morning we visited the house of Jacques Coeur, an important trader who made a fortune, established a network of treading posts--particularly in the he Middle East, and eventually became treasurer to Charles VII. I didn't get the whole story, but his tenure ended badly, as positions with kings often do. He ended up calumnied, imprisoned and had his fortune stolen. After three years in prison he escaped to the Italian states, reestablished himself there but died in a trading mission in Greece. (The king forgave him and allowed his sons to inherit whatever was left if the vast fortune.) Fascinating story, and his house is a fine example of medieval architecture, particularly notable as one of there few palaces built by a civic person, not a nobleman.
After that, we strolled around town and visited a lovely garden. After a dinner at a brasserie, we're ready for bed. I had a baked Camembert and sliced meat. Ira had the fish and chips.
On to the south!
No comments:
Post a Comment