Fall has arrived in Bordeaux, as the days are getting shorter and a little cooler. We’ve had a few days of rain. When it rains, it pours, and then it stops. Sometimes it feels almost abrupt. Honestly, we have found the weather app to be of little use as it is often so inaccurate, its better to trust your own eyes to scan the clouds and go with any gut feeling. The sound of thunder and lightning seem louder here. It feels like its amplified, down the long and narrow streets. I still get up and go to the window, fascinated. While at times inconvenient for sure, the rain, especially hard rain seems to clear and clean the streets, the air. I like to watch the water rush down the streets, toward the drains, as these paths have been carefully planned. Even the narrowest streets have a slight slant designed to help with the diversion of water…
French Polynesia has a special place in my heart. We went on our honeymoon to Bora Bora and in 2022, we spent a week in Moorea and another week cruising between the islands. Its a beautiful place. To see a celebration of its culture in Bordeaux was interesting. You don’t normally think of Tahitians living in France, but it was great to see this community pride in celebrating this aspect of France’s diversity. We had met a hotel manager in Beaugency after appreciating his tattoo and asked him about it. He came to France to find work. The relationship between Tahiti and the French hasn’t always been great. A side note on history (from Wikipedia): In 1842, Tahiti and Tahuata were declared a French protectorate to allow Catholic missionaries to work undisturbed. The capital of Papeetē was founded in 1843. In 1880, France annexed Tahiti, changing the status from that of a protectorate to that of a colony. In 1946, Polynesians were granted French citizenship and the islands’ status was changed to an overseas territory. It was heart warming to hear the drumming, the dancing and to see the familiar island clothing. They also had stands where you could get an island style tattoo and a massage.
For the past three weeks, all across France, there has been a growing group of student protests, decrying the conditions of public education. Many are joined by teachers and parents, university students and others who stand in solidarity and share the concerns of how teacher shortages, decaying school facilities, lack of financial resources and investment, and ill-preparation for university are impacting students and their future. Of note is also the disparities among the public schools, an indicator of how your zipcode can determine the level and quality of services. What has also emerged has been the police response that has been escalating. The protesters have damaged schools and property, thousands have been arrested, and many injured, some very seriously. That said fires have been set, tear gas has been thrown into the crowds and seeing police show up in riot gear has not encouraged anyone to have a conversation.
October 6, was named, Black Tuesday, where protests were taken up a notch. Authorities estimate about 900 demonstrations, blockades and related incidents were underway outside high schools (lycées), with more than 160 schools shut down across the country yesterday.
Closer to home here in Bordeaux, had headed out to do some shopping at the local market, about 6 blocks from the house, and was surprised to see paddy wagons and pairs of police officers at every other street corner in full riot gear. They were definitely preparing for an encounter. I later learned students set fire on Rue du St. Catherine, and as a firefighter showed up to put it out, a student threw an aerosol can into the flames, causing an explosion.
While the government is struggling to get a hold of the situation, this is no doubt going to be a very prickly issue for upcoming presidential elections. Public education, equity, law enforcement, civil liberties and more will need to be addressed. Coupled with politics is France’s financial pressures, as there is no money to address these issues, and the national debt is skyrocketing.
I will say it is impressive to see young students willing to talk to the French media, as well as the international media in English. Their command of the language is quite strong and their statements are articulate and succinct. The world is watching and France needs to get a handle on this.
A ten day adventure in Northern Spain, in an area called Galicia. Despite months of planning, it feels like this trip roared up to us as we were still doing last minute packing till the last moment. I could probably write pages (wait, I did in a journal!) but surmise it to say, it was an experience of a lifetime. Walking the Camino Ingles, while touted as the ‘easier’ routes, it was challenging for us. I feel we were provided the full pilgrimage experience – blisters, bug bites, sunshine, heat, and rain – as well as many of those reflective moments where you are in awe of the beauty around you, filled with gratitude and reminded of humility. The gift of shade, a cup of coffee, a friendly “buen camino” gives hope and encouragement.
We did know that we were not good candidates to do the albergue (hostels for pilgrams) so we made hotel arrangements and had a one bag-transfer managed for us. That said, these accommodations could be 0.75 – 1.5 miles from the Camino path, which added more walking time. Arriving at the end of day 3 into Bentanzos, all good humor had left me. We arrived into town on a very steep, cobblestone street… cross the bridge, over the river, only to find out our hotel was still another .75 miles, uphill and the sun was beginning to set. We found our hotel, and realized that the dinner accommodations that were part of our package was offsite, about another .25-.50 miles. 15 miles that day, I felt stinky and tired, and hungry. A quick shower energized me enough to run back downhill to a deli and buy a bag, ingredients for a chacuterie dinner and gourmet chips. Picnic on our hotel bed. We earned it, deserved it. Watching Big Bang Theory or Blue Bloods in Spanish or the BCC News (when available) was a way to chill out. We slept hard.
Midway, we had to have a down day. A day to rest our bodies, settle some upset stomachs and do some laundry. I was disappointed but realized that if we didn’t rest, we would likely need to quit altogether before getting to Santiago. Paul was starting a cold too. We found a laundromat nearby and what joy to have clean, dry clothes! These washers had an automatic detergent drop in, which I’m sure contributes to better maintenance and convenience for customers. I am convinced that the entire country uses the same detergent, as we could smell the same wonderful scent in the sheets and laundry hanging on the line. Folks seem to use washers all over Europe, and use the dryer sparingly, hanging out clothes for the final drying.
We saw so many fields of corn, fruit trees, (some fruit was even left out specifically for pilgrims) eucalyptus trees, hyacinth bushes and countless numbers of flowers, shrubs and greenery. The terrain was a mix of cobblestone streets, asphalt, to muddy trails, rocky, pebbly paths. Having good shoes, a hat was essential.
To compensate for the down day, we did have to take a cab ( 16 minutes!) to rejoin the Camino Walk. We started off again, rested and in a better place mentally, and finished in Santiago de Compostella mid afternoon, a few days later. Our eyes just welled up with tears as we passed through the black portal, the entry gate to the plaza in front of the Cathedral in Santiago. A bagpiper played in the portal, echoing, to encourage pilgrims to come. Pilgrims just sat, laid down, stood in shock and awe, that they had made it. We felt the same.
Coming home from Spain was a bit of hoof. We checked out of our hotel, headed to the airport with plenty of time, to encounter a delay. Our plane was late and we would miss our connecting flight. Paul hopped on the phone with Iberia Airlines (IA) and tried to find us another way home. It looked like we could fly from Santiago to Amsterdan, then on to Bordeaux…and then the phone line went dead. Someone had hung up. The boarding call for the now late flight had been announced. So we flew on to Madrid, only to find out when we landed that the Amsterdam leg had been approved! AUGH. Now we learn that our connecting flight was also delayed but they had already sold our seats. So here we are, stuck in Madrid till the next day, when the first flight is at 7am. So… 15 hours. Can we leave the airport? IA offered us a meal and an offsite hotel. While we ate the meal (offered at the airport) we pondered whether to go offsite. So much could go wrong going offsite, and we absolutely could not miss the 7am flight.
Luckily, Madrid airport has an Aerotel, an on-site hotel in the airport. And they had an available room. It’s literally 4 white walls, shower, toilet, bed and tv. There is access to coffee and tea. And its clean. Exactly what we needed. Grateful that while we didn’t get home as we had planned (we also didn’t have access to our luggage), we were safe, we were together and had a place to rest.
The next morning, we literally walked up the stairs, waited at the gate, hopped on a shuttle bus that took us on the tarmack to the plane. These short flights literally have you climb up steep stairs in the front of the plane. You can take a purse or a backpack in the plane, but all suitcases of any size are put in the plane’s hold. The plane, the seats , the aisles are quite narrow. Two seats on each side of the aisle. No drinks, no snacks. The suitcases are then pulled off at the end of the flight and lined up for you to pick up on the tarmack.
A “souvenir” we seem to have acquired from our travels is a cold or allergies of the worst kind. Now on its on second week, it endures. French mouchoirs (Kleenex) is rough and I’m missing the fancy Kleenex with lotion back in California. I pulled out of my French class after the first day because I didn’t want to get others sick and I really didn’t have the energy. Sigh.
Do you ever think about where your food comes from? I was curious to take a deeper dive into the produce at my local Aldi’s as I reached for end of season blueberries (myrtille) and realized they were coming from Zimbabwe! Avocados (avocats) from Kenya and pomellos from South Africa. Living in Europe, it wasn’t a surprise to see produce sourced from Spain, Portugal, other parts of France. Like the US, France is required to state where the produce is sourced, for ‘authenticity and quality’. Not sure exactly what that means, do you? But it is kind of fascinating to think about the path my bananas or bok choi has taken to get here. Interestingly, finding cilantro is not that easy to find. Only at Mexican restaurants, we are often asked if its okay to include cilantro (coriandre). So there must be a secret pipeline in order to get it. Jalapeño peppers are also a mystery – we have yet to find any in France… Can you tell I’m desparate for California Mexican food?
Early morning in Bordeaux is lovely. The streets have been cleaned overnight. Its fairly quiet…you can hear birds, a whiz of a cyclist, or a dog and his walker. The faint clatter of dishes, tables and chairs being set for the breakfast serving restaurants. And as August starts, the month has started a little cooler, and less smoky than July ended. the fires outside of Bordeaux have been stabliized, and many folks who were evacuated, are returning to their homes. The TGV has returned train service south of Bordeaux. We walked to the Farmers Market on the Quai this morning, and while busy the market felt a little sparse. A lot of fruits and vegetables come from Spain and Portugal and its likely there have been delays due to the fires. The river cruise ships are docked along the Garonne River, so tourists are coming in. Things will be back into swing shortly.
We have been working on fixing up the house and one of my projects has been to dig out grout, re-grout, and learn how to seal tile in the shower. Hard to believe I’ve never done this, but now I know how to use a caulking gun. While not a professional job, the tile looks significantly better. The process however has destroyed my manicure.
We have friends from the states coming to visit so we are in a mad dash to ready the house. While Amazon.fr has been relatively reliable in delivery (if not earlier than predicted), bigger items have been very frustrating. We had an 80 item order through IKEA that was ultimately canceled after two rounds of rescheduled delivery. Our washer/dryer is facing a similar limbo as we are now in rescheduled delivery week two. The delivery company alerts you that they are coming, and if they don’t, despite what the online company website says, it won’t tell you when actual delivery will be. Paul and I call it France time. This obsure, undeterminable time that no one in France seems to be bothered about. They shrug their shoulders and move on. For Type As this is maddening as hell. Trains seem to move exactly on time, but not deliveries. Fortunately, for the small stuff, some of the providers have a universal key to simply pop our packages into our mail box. (boîte aux lettres.)
We decided to take the afternoon off from housecleaning and setting up the house and be tourists. What are considered by the Bordelais as highlights? I’d never been on a Hop On, Hop Off bus before, so this was a new experience for me. I have seen these busses in Chicago, Philadelphia, DC and London. Essentially, there are ten spots where you can get on/off the bus to further explore an area. This model is used in many other cities around the world. The pass is good for 24 hours (you can have it extended to 48 hours) but designed for those tourists who don’t have a lot of time in the city, but want to get a lay of the land. They have a recorded guide share with you highlights in your language of choice; you simply insert your earbuds and dial up the language you wish to hear. As expected, we saw many familiar sites, but also learned some new things about Bordeaux. Its tourist season so you hear languages from around the world – German, Italian, Chinese, English, Spanish.
One fascinating aspect of Europe is the specialty stores. While there are cavists (wine merchants) and chocolatiers, honey and oil speciality shops all over, two that are particularly interesting is the canned food store and Picard, the only frozen items stores. The canned food store does more than fish and sausages; you can find canned vegetables, bread, full meals and more. The can designs are next level, showcasing what the product is, where its from, etc. You cannot bear to open the tins because they are so pretty. I’m puzzled by the frozen food store. Given the number of refrigerators I’ve seen with tiny freezers, I can only assume that some folks must have a separate freezer unit in their homes.
The Water Mirror. One attraction that we live near and see nearly every day is the “Miroir d’Eau”. Built over 20 years ago, it is as well known as the monuments near it, that are over 300 years old. Located across from Place de la Bourse and the 3 Graces Fountain, the very shallow pool, designed by landscape artist Michel Corajoud, alternates a mirror effect and a spray mist fog effect. 2 centimeters of water wash across a gigantic slab of granite, giving it a mirror effect when the water is still. Many photographers wait for this effect to catch the reflection of Pont de Pierre (bridge) It has been named a contemporary World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
According to the website, water is stored underground in a reservoir. Water is pumpled to the surface and distributed through hundreds of channels under the granite slab. A pre-programmed computer times the system of solenoid valves and releases water, then allows it reach the right temperature to activate the fog effect through 900 jets, which are in the center of each tile. This creates the fog followed by mirror effect, over and over. The Miroir d’Eau is operational only between April and October. While very cool to look at, and I’m sure they add a chlorinator or something to kill bacteria, but when I see the people, dogs, tricycles, etc running through it, I just can’t get myself to get in it.
We were delighted to host friends this week and chase some new adventures. Its always fun to see a familiar place through new eyes, and inevitably, you learn something new. We contacted our Uber driver friend, Ayoub, and he helped us plan out a fun day in St. Emilion. Some of the well known Bordeaux wines come from this region and we went to the vineyards of Chateau de la Riviera. (Something of note: any building that produces wine be called a chateau. Ayoub shared how disappointed some of his clients have been when arriving at a chateaux and not seeing the castle like structure!). This chateau, however, looked a lot like a Sleeping Beauty castle. A little outside of St. Emilion, you can see the chateau up on a hill, with the vineyards below. And the big surprise for me, was that it turned into a private tour for us!
The tour took us on to the grounds where there is a five -room B&B, looking on to the vineyards and huge swinning pool, and an underground cave where wine has been stored. Bottles of all sizes, ages, in the cool of the limestone caves. Its interesting to see markings in the caves – markings made in carving out bricks of limestone, storage and organization, anti- Nazi symbols or numbers indicating stored ammunition. The caves played an important role during World War 2; while the Nazi’s occupied the chateau, the resistance hid in the caves. The entrance of the cave doors was covered up to look like a grave site, with local villagers adorning it with flowers regularly and women praying in front of it. Its crazy to think how close they were to one another. After the tour, we did a wine tasting!
Then on to St. Emilion, the medieval village, where Ayoub shared with us the background on France’s famous cookie, macarons and scored us some samples. While we are used to seeing them as two cookies glued with cream or icing in a variety of pastel colors, the macaron actually started in St. Emilion as a single cookie. This box shows that the original cookie began with local nuns in 1620. The cookies are a bit rougher in texture, like a sugar cookie, tastes a like a vanilla/almond macaron. Just delightful. He dropped us off at the top of town and we walked down into the plaza for lunch.
After finding a cafe with moderate air conditioning for lunch, we headed to the Monolith Church, the largest church built into limestone. Literally carved out. The tour takes you through the hermitage of its patron saint, St. Emilion, an explanation of his miracles, and a chapel. Then down into the catacombs, and then the church itself. After hundreds of years, the church is in danger of collapsing and is shored up with steel girders. It was interesting to listen to the tour guide talk about the lack of evidence to support the claims of miracles or even the existence of St. Emilion, but legend continues. From turning bread to wood, then back to bread again to feed the hungry, giving sight to a blind woman and more, its hard to say if there wasn’t a different explanation. There is also a bench in the caves that is dubbed the fertility bench, as women who have sat upon it have proportedly become pregnant within a year.
We walked down to the river, and joined hundreds to watch the partial eclipse (97%) of the sun. Glad our special eclipse watching glasses arrived in time!
I am constantly impressed by how seriously France takes recycling. Outside Monoprix, a shop like a Target, there were these bins for not just batteries and lightbulbs, but razors, make up, toothpaste tubes! How cool is that? It does require one to plan ahead – you still need to remember to bring these items with you to recycle.
As we close in on the final week of August, we are preparing our backpacks to leave for Spain. After discussion for nearly two years, and one set back, we are off to walk the Camino Ingles. Much to my horror, I learned that I left my trail shoes at home in California. My precious Merrel Moab 3s. After weighing my backpack, we deemed it too heavy. Thank goodness for Amazon. While this breaks all the wisdom and advice given about preparing for a long hike, I had to get new shoes and a backpack. Its hard to figure out what you might need on a trip like this, even knowing that you will have one bag being delivered for you, from hotel to hotel. We tried to figure out every possible illness, malady, weather contingency. We don’t know how far stores might be, whether credit cards will be accepted. But that’s part of the adventure, right?
We know we have not properly prepared for this trip – we should have been training by walking with a weighted backpack for a few miles, a few times a week. So, we set our expectations to do the best we can. We will try and if its too much, we will get a ride/drive our way. We awoke at o’dark o’clock and are catching the first tram of the day, heading to the Bordeaux airport, first stop Madrid! Wish us luck!
Much has happened since mid-June! After the last post, we became French home owners in Bordeaux A home located in what they consider, “hyper-centre Bordeaux” and a UNESCO neighborhood. Built in 1830, the home really has that old world look on the outside, updated on the inside – but more on the house in another post. Not knowing how long the process would be (we had been warned that the French move at the French pace) we ended up signing on a Friday, moving in our few belongings, receiving our beds on Monday morning, and hopping on a plane to Amsterdam that afternoon. We were heading back to California to see our friends, family and our US neighborhood and home.
I really needed this trip home – I was missing my boys, friends, family and the familiarity of English. And food. First stop home was to Rico’s Taqueria. Followed by visits to Hajime Ramen with the boys; La Victoria’s tacos with the famous orange sauce catching up with a dear colleague, Stacks for breakfast, hanging with my buddy who gave me some yummy basics on Filipino food at Tapislog Bistro. Coffee with a friend in downtown Campbell, lunch at Sweet Peas with family, having K- BBQ with my college buddy. Coffee with my cousin at the Coffee & Water Bar. Yes, I ate my way across the Bay Area.
I hadn’t driven my car in nearly five months, and it felt good to drive and move at my own pace and not a tram schedule. There is something very liberating about loading up the car and getting several errands done all at once. I timed myself the other day to compare a visit to the pharmacy, the supermarket. 45 minutes at home, 2 hours in Bordeaux, which included getting a walk and practicing French in real world situations, and weight lifting groceries.
I also got a chance to visit my son’s work at a fancy restaurant in Saratoga. It was so heart warming to see him so busy and happy at this work, and to meet his very sweet co-workers. We were lucky to get a peek at his workstation and to visit the amazing wine cellar! I also got a chance to finally meet my older boy’s sweetheart!
One week in, we were packing our bags again for another adventure. Two weeks with our family and my brother’s family on a trip that we planned for months and wanted to do to honor our parents. Take their grandchildren to Japan. Unfornuately, June/July was the only time we could coordinate calendars with school and work – so we got the worst weather of the summer. Starting in Kyoto, we explored the old capital in the midst of two typhoon fronts. Rainy and humid, we’ve never sweat like this. My brother booked us a knife-making class, and we produced crude paring knives (that work) and very sore arms and shoulders. A look in the Shibori Museum to learn about the Japanese form of tie-dye. A visit with our cousin (first time we’ve seen each other in 20 years!)and then we headed to Nagoya to go to the mecca of Miyazaki anime lovers, Ghibli Park. Life size recreations of Howl’s Moving Castle and more! In Hakone, we took it down a notch for a slower, more traditional path by experiencing traditional Japanese foods and onsen (hot springs) at a ryokan.
We headed to Tokyo – and everyone ran as fast as they could to hit as many bucket list items as they could. Visiting the Imperial Palace, seeing national treasures and hanging out at a book cafe in the recycled book district, visiting Itoya (the ultimate of stationery products!)eating at one of the best Tonkatsu restaurants in an alley, having the creamiest okonomiyaki (like a savory pancake filled with veggies and meat), visiting Kappabashi – the chef and restauranteur’s heavenly shopping district and more. (More on Japan in a Ponderings) In a blink, the trip with all 8 of us intact, was over.
The World Cup was in full swing and we were heading back to California after the 4th of July. 61-66 yen to the USD. The UK in an uproar over the resignation of several cabinet ministers and finally the PM. And the US was still in a war with Iran.
Coming back to the US, we had a week to pull together our packing to return to France, and squeeze in more visits with friends and family. Loading up on those products we cannot get in France and stuffing our suitcases to capacity. This time the jet lag really hit us and we found ourselves needing desparately more sleep or tiring out pretty early. We remind ourselves that these are the “go-go” years, but need to pace ourselves too.
Back in Bordeaux, our home feels like a shell. Protective and functional but there is an echo as we are waiting for furniture to arrive. Fortunately, we have beds and silverware, two plates, two bowls, and a coffee machine. We will be getting to know our Amazon, Collisimo and La Poste delivery staff well. Some come on bikes, some in minivans, others seem to walk-up. We are learning new back alley paths to avoid the tourists, new processes and rules in our UNESCO protected neighborhod. Which side street to leave the garbage cans and when (we live on the corner)? How does one remove grout and re-grout? Oh, wait, can’t start that project till I have a vacuum cleaner.
While we wait for our washer and dryer to arrive, we are visiting the local laverie While you can use coins, its mostly run using your credit card. I have to say though, compared to many American laundromats I’ve used, this one was exceptionally clean and every machine was operational. Soaps and dryer sheets fully stocked in the vending machine. There were a few benches to sit on. What struck me was how kind the regulars were, offering to show newbies how to operate the machines, how to select the heat on the dryers and more. Everyone cleaned up after themselves. It was understood to be a quiet area, so people read books or scrolled their phones. They took their conversations outside, used earbuds to listen to music. Truly respectful of people’s space and sound.
I’ve decided to temper my French lesson expectations a bit and just float on Duolingo while I work on setting up the house over the next few weeks. I’m looking into another French school beginning in September, but given that much of France either takes the month of July or August off for vacation, I’m not sure when anyone will get back to me.
In the meantime, I’ve started my own course work on Khan Academy on art history and have decided to explore a certification in art therapy. Not to be confused with a masters in art therapy, this is more of an overview. Perhaps as things settle down, I’ll be able to teach or at the very least become a more patient person, better listener and encourager.
Something that has been running in the background of this, and now reached the forefront are the fires that raging in the Southwest area of Bordeaux (Sud Ouest)and have been edging toward the city. The fires are now partially contained about 10 miles outside of Bordeaux, on the airport side. Its about a 40 minute tram ride from our house. Smoke and ash have made the air unhealthy, so we are staying indoors with the air conditioning on to help filter the air. In monitoring the news, we learned about the mayor of Bordeaux considering the possibility of evacuating the entire city. That set us in motion to prepare go-bags, should we be told to evacuate. Tonight, while the fire is not out, they announced that they seem to have gotten it contained, away from the city. Fears remain that the hot weather expected in the next few days may whip up the fires again…but for now, we are safe and in our home.
Making friends as an adult is a slow process… they say it depends on proximity, frequency as well as finding a commonality. Right now, we are becoming more familiar with regular vendors, businesses… and while we want to explore of the city, there is importance in supporting businesses and people we like. We recently met a driver, coming in from the airport. A kind man, he followed our flight and despite an hour and half delay at 11:30pm, he waited and met us with a smile on his face. Truly an ambassador for Bordeaux! As we chatted on the way home, we learned about the launch of his new business as a tour guide/driver. We liked him so much by the end of the week, we secured him to be a guide for an upcoming visit with friends. Today, we ran into him again – completely by coincidence – and we walked away feeling, Ayoub, is going to be one of our local friends. We miss our friends Matt and Asli, who have returned to the States, but love to stay in touch. Asli once made a great comment that has she never worries about making friends. She knows she will find them, and they will find her. I hope to adopt that kind of positive thinking more… though, I’ll need to work through my shy, introvert nature.
I was walking down the street and took a moment to read this sign. I’ve walked by it countless times, but today. I read it and understood it! The French is starting to filter in… “Your voice, it is my preferred music.” How romantic is that? A long ways to go, but it gives me hope that I can still learn..
P.S. My lost sock at the lavarie was recovered. A kind soul found it and left it on the washer for me! Just more positive evidence of the kind community here.
Bergerac. 90 minutes outside of Bordeaux, we return to this somewhat sleepy little medieval town, revisiting an AirB&B near the Dordonne River. The heatwave has broken, the days are a slightly humid 70s, and our friend, rain, has come to see us again. Despite the cobblestone streets, buildings made of brick and mortar in centuries old styles, there is internet and cable to keep us entertained inside and connected to the rest of the world. What’s interesting is that on Sunday, many businesses are closed, and Monday is largely the same. Luckily, we stocked up on food, and had the great fortune to find one of the three Indian/Pakistani restaurants in the area open. We are in the old centre Bergerac, near the old bridge (that’s what the locals call it) crosses the Dordogne River. We walked across the bridge to find an even sleepier town on the other side. The bridge is adorned with bronze plates like this one with fleur de lis and dragons, and offers a very chill place to kick up your heels and take a snooze.
We decided to rent a car to do a little exploring. In theory, when I made the reservation, it seemed pretty easy. My email confirmation gave the location. Pick up the car at the train station. My expectation was to see a reception desk, office, or even a person with an AVIS sticker in the window. Not four lock boxes and a place to deposit keys to return the keys. We called AVIS, with the trepidation that someone would talk at us rapid fire French. Fortunately, between Paul’s French and their English, we were able to sort things out. We never had to see anyone. After emailing proof of i.d., we were given the key codes to a lockbox and a rental contract! Now to find the car. We had a description and the person on the phone did not know where in the parking lot, the car was left. We started methodically combing the parking lot, when the skies opened up. Raining ropes, as the French say. As we clicked the keys to set off the headllights, and find the car, it really started to pour. Yup, the car was at the very far end of the parking lot. We were soaked through, but managed to find our little Clio. Now parking the car was another story. In our end of town, there are a few parking spaces and payment can be up to 30 euros for 8 hours. So you can drive out along the quai and look for a spot, or drive out to a free lot about a 10 minute walk away. Thank goodness, it stopped raining by the time we got to the parking lot, which doubles as the the city’s tribute to community leaders of the past.
Just steps away from our apartment in Bergerac is the Dordonha Museum. It houses both an incredible bronze sculptures gallery by Costi and a history of Bergerac display. A Greek student in Paris, Costi took note of the works by Rodin and Bourdelle, embracing a classical style of sculture, but with more modern stances. I was surprised how close together the pieces were displayed but also so accessible. Unlike many museums I’ve been to, everything was so close, uncovered.. Honestly, this was one of the best sculture displays I think I’ve ever seen.
Going back thousands of years, Bergerac has had a vibrant history along the Dordogne River, which brought trade, slaves, religion and more to the area. Boats on this river needed to be flat-bottomed, and sails trimmed in such a way to best harness the wind. The town was dominated by Catholicism at one time, then Protestants took over, but it then reverted back to Catholicism. The French and English struggled for control.
The Bergerac crest includes the symbol of fleur de lis and a dragon. According to legend, a gigantic winged reptile with a huge mouth, horns, ears and claws, drank out of the Dordogne River, its tail reached the top of the Couze cliff. It attacked people and cattle, abducting them to devour them in its cave.
Legend says that the dragon’s colossal force is behind the creation of the dangerous passage known as the Saut de la Gratusse, where whirlpools and strong currents led many a sailor to his untimely death. The Bishop of Périgueux, Saint Front, saved Bergerac’s inhabitants by traveling up the cliff to confront the creature and chase it away with the cross.
One section of the musuem discussed the different building architectual styles in Bergerac. In order to keep the character of the medieval town, any changes to the exterior must stay in line with the period it was created. Windows, shutters, doors, roofing, etc. all must be approved and retain the style in which it was created. I can only imagine that there must be many artisans that are trained in how to restore all these styles. Very cool museum.
Our friends, Matt and Asli, came down for the day from Bordeaux. We chose to explore the middle of town, which included France’s only museum dedicated to tobacco. The Tobacco Museum was created in 1950 in a renovated 17th century mansion. The museum covers the history of tobacco farming and trade, the equipment used for harvesting and drying, and preparation for cigars, cigarettes and snuff. The importance of tobacco in different cultures is also covered, from being something used for religious and medicinal purposes, to its prevalence as a social activity or a quick buzz. There is also a whole floor dedicated to pipes, smoker’s tools from around the world, and the machines used to create them. From intricate ivory carvings to corn cob pipes, storage vessels for tobacco to decorative snuff boxes, the artisans engaged in this form of artwork had great imaginations. Honestly, some of the pipes were damn ugly and scary looking, while others were telling stories of heroes and beauty.
Chateau de Tiregand, is a castle whose history goes back to the 13th century. While its changed hands several times, even through the French Revolution, it endures as two properties, one is the castle, and one houses the wine tasting rooms. The castle has been partially restored and now hosts a self-guided puzzle solving tour, in the tradition of the fictional French character, Aresene Lupin. Lupin is considered a ‘gentleman thief’ and a master of disguise, While a burglar, he is characterized as a man for good. More on Lupin in a separate Ponderings. The four of us went through the several floors and rooms solving puzzles throughout, which were necessarily at times to make it into another room. It was great fun and an unusual way to see a chateau.
Eglise Notre Dame in Bergerac (it seems every town in France has at least one church with the name Notre Dame)is actually a very large church in the center of town. Among the many churches, I’ve seen in France, this has to be among the most impressive. It captures the sunlight so beautifully and the stained glass cast gorgeous colors across the floor. Twice a week, around the outside of the perimeter of the church is the town’s open air farmers market.
Between the largest juiciest tomatoes, long cucumbers and sweet berries, you’ll find honey vendors, fresh flowers, eggs, and an accordion player or two. You’ll hear friends call out to each other with their baskets full of their purchases, pushing bikes with baskets, pulling their shopping trolleys. You don’t really get to pick through the vegetables and fruit – its kind of like bad manners. Vendors will hand you a plastic basket to collect the items you want quickly, weigh them quickly and you pay with cash or card. Berries are pre-boxed, and they just pluck what is closest to them and sell you that basket. What is a little different is that you can buy just one stalk of celery or one leek. You respect the farmer and vendor, trusting that everything they are selling is good quality. You can tell those vendors with long lines have either great quality or cheap prices.
I think the idea is that one buys often, buys fresh, so just buy what you need. Refrigerators are not large, and freezers are tiny. Clearly not Costco kind of thinking. BTW, there are only two Costcos in France, and they are just outside of Paris. Per some bloggers, the French Costco does honor American cards and yes, they also have 1.50 euro hotdogs and an optical department.
Sarlat. We did a quick day trip. About an hour by train from Bergerac is another medieval town called Sarlat. The train station is on the far end of town, so we had about a 3/4 mile walk up the hill. Much larger than Bergerac, the streets are narrow, cobblestones. We arrived at the height of farmers market on a Saturday; bread, cheese, sausages, fancy olives, fruits and vegetables, clothes, dried fruits and nuts, wood carvings, nut crackers, and more on every corner. People have written about how crowded it gets during festival time and that it was useless to try to park a car.
This was an ordinary Saturday, and it was packed. A narrow passage or the church is the way to get away from people. We stopped to grab lunch at a bistro and the staff sized us up and handed us english menus before we could speak. Another tourist busy day for them. My tummy has felt off for the last few days, so I thought I’d take it easy and get an omelet. A porchinni mushroom omelet, that will be lasting as a food memory. Creamy eggs, generous amount of buttery and flavorful mushrooms. (Sigh)
We popped into the St. Sacerdos Cathedral. This amazing building was built back in the 14th century, and has that solid feeling that it has lasted a long time and will endure long after we are gone. I’ve seen a lot of churches now in France and they do start to blur a bit, but there are some that stand out. This one had side chambers, dedicated to specific entities: St. Bernadette, St. Teresa, St. Genevieve, St. Catherine, Holy Mother Mary, Gabriel the angel, Joseph, etc. (apologies if I’m calling them out with the right respectful titles). We lit a candle in remembrance of our parents. A lovely day trip.
Our short ‘vacanes’ (vacation) was interrupted a day early by notice that the SCNF (national rail service) was going to have a strike, which would impact our ability to get back to Bordeaux, so we hopped on the next available train back.
Knowing that Bordeaux is our French hometown, coming back seemed different this time. We hung out waiting for our haircuts with Said, who is always running behind and a little distracted unless he has his mood music. We have come to expect this and recently met one of his other regular customers ( or cousin?) who lamented the same. It was actually kind of funny in our Franglish to talk about how much we love his haircuts, but there is a price…but Said always greets us with a smile and a handshake. And then there is the Kapital Kabob.
Bordeaux has a large North African immigrant community, largely Moroccan and Algerian, and the kebab/shawarma tradition is deeply embedded in the local food culture. One of our most frequented food stops has to be Kapital Kabob. Imagine a 12″ circle wrap (like a tortilla) called a buckwheat galette. Inside is a mix of lettuce, tomatoes, olives, pickled onions, and tasty meats, shaved right off the spit in front of you. Served with a side of french fries with harissa and/or mayo dipping sauce, and a coke zero (or cola sans sucre). We are now recognized as regulars (as evidenced by our frequent galettes punch card). Over the last few months, we have come to smile, wave to the staff and they now smile back.
For months we have been walking past this storefront, Lucie – ultrafraise, which looked like an automat. For you young ones, imagine purchasing single servings of desserts, meals, salads, soups, etc. individually wrapped, lined up in a case. You select only what you want, pay, and go. I know there are vending machines that offer this, but this was like good food! Curry and rice, sushi, fancy salads, lasagne, sandwiches, friend chicken and more! Now here is the kicker. The portions are normal, the food tastes good and its very affordable. We shamelessly went in three days in a row to try different things and were not disappointed.
As the heat of summer has arrived in Bordeaux, we see lots of teen and tweenagers roaming about, especially on the weekends. Something we’ve noticed is that there are couples and groups of youngsters dressing either identically, closely matching or dressing in outfits to express the same theme. Boyfriends and girlfriends wearing matching or complimenting outfits, groups of girls dressing in the same color scheme. Some twinning fits’ are extraordinarily detailed – purses, jewelry, hair styles, shoes, etc. There are also many bridal parties in their matching pink t-shirts and the bride-to-be with a short veil.
Youth is a time when peer group identity, belonging is important. Dressing alike is a visible, public signal of ‘we’re together’, a social bonding ,reinforcing friendships. I do wonder though whether it also alienates, and isolates too. Its really not been my scene but to each their own.
Per Claude AI, style is taken more seriously as a collective social practice in France than in many other countries. The look is refined through how you wear it, not just what you wear. The French call the “twinning” phenomenon les sosies or les clones and much has been said about it particularly in Paris and social media.
Arsène Lupin is a fictional gentleman burglar and master of disguise created in 1905 by French writer Maurice Leblanc. What is a gentleman burglar? He is known for his impeccable manners, charm, and politeness in order to steal, often inherited wealth. He also does not revert to violence, but sleight of hand, camouflage, diversion. The steal is the thrill, which is often combined with correcting a moral wrong. A Robin Hood of sorts.
The character was first introduced in a series by Maurice Leblanc, in the magazine, Je Sais Tout. In 1905. Lupin is often described as the criminal counterpart to Sherlock Holmes, often encountering “Herlock Sholmès” in his own adventures. As the series progresses, Lupin becomes more than a thief, but a detective. The differences between Holmes and Lupin also become more definitive: Holmes wants to be seen and recognized, Lupin wants to be a ghost whose work speaks for itself.
I love this description from Grokopedia: “Beneath his gallant exterior lies a moral code marked by ambiguities: Lupin adheres to personal honor by keeping promises and returning ill-gotten gains when they serve justice or sentiment, yet he displays ruthlessness toward corrupt elites, such as confiscating treasures from murderers to punish wrongdoing. His chivalrous tendencies extend to romantic involvements, …with delicate gestures, prioritizing their protection and dignity over personal gain. This code distinguishes him …as a principled opportunist who navigates ethical gray areas with unyielding self-assurance. “
Leblanc was an inspiration for writers like Walter B. Gibson, creator of The Shadow, who cited Lupin as a key influence on the portrayals of elusive criminals who outsmarted authorities with flair and intellect.American author Sam Siciliano wrote The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – The Gentleman Burglar (2024), which casts Lupin as an unlikely ally to Holmes in a transatlantic treasure hunt. In Lupin III, the manga created by Kazuhiko Katō in 1967 in Japan, the titular character is imagined as Arsène Lupin’s grandson. My own introduction to the master thief came through the anime adaptation of the manga, and later through the Netflix series Lupin, starring Omar Sy.
It sure does rain a lot. Sometimes its just a sprinkle and sometimes its a downpour. Fortunately, it isn’t really cold, but it is humid. We have mosquito deterrents in a few rooms and have just purchased those silica gel packs designed to absorb moisture for the clothes closets.
International Chocolate Show. We stumbled on a poster getting off the tram that was promoting “Show-colat” – an international chocolate show! It was an industry show in the morning, and open to the public for tasting and purchasing in the afternoon. Amazing chocolates from around the world; amazing to see Vietnamese or El Salvadoran cacao beans made into chocolate in the U.S, the UK, Swtizerland, Germany, Venezuela and more. The buzz was in Spanish, Portugues, Italian, German and more. 70 stalls of truly some of the finest chocolate I’ve ever had, and some of the most unusual, imaginative flavors too. While I didn’t care for the carmelized onion, the bourbon was outstanding. Rooibos/vanilla was smooth and wonderful. Talking with the vendors was great fun too; almost all spoke English and many were proud family run businesses. All were eager to share how they source their beans, their process. I love seeing people who are passionate about what they are doing. They just love sharing what they love with you. And while the chocolate wasn’t free, the tasting and the event were!
On the Garrone River. Just blocks away from our apartment is the Garrone River. It was the artery that brought the outside world to Bordeaux, with ships from around the world. Churning and moving, the water is constantly brown. But at the changing of tides for a just a moment, the water is still as glass. Our TBM tram passes also work on the bateau (boats) that serve the Garrone in the Bordeaux area; there are three routes. May 8 is the French equivalent of Veterans Day for those who served in the World Wars, so everything was on a Sunday/Holiday schedule. Even with fewer boats were running , we were lucky to have essentially our own personal ride up and down the river. The sun was warm and bright, a slight breeze felt refreshing… just a glorious day for a ride on the river.
Just prior to hopping on the bateau, we took a short walk down a path that had these marvelous wonders. They are not flowers I typically see. Do you know what they are called?
Free speech. Paul were walking back from the tram stop, when we saw police watching a peaceful demonstration on the steps of the Grand Theater. The protesters are not new, but a coalition asking President Macaron to speak up for the Iranian people, raising their cause to the greater European community to help bring an end to the war. They shared photos of victims, those lost and those who have disappeared.
It’s a good reminder that there are many voices in this war that need to be heard, and have a right to be heard. Permitting a peaceful protest is essential for democracy. As I’ve observed the protests in the US – the No Kings rallies – I’m not convinced they influence changing policy, but having attended them, there is a sense of relief and community. You realize that others share your frustrations, your fears, your anger. You are not alone. That is an empowering feeling. That sense of agency keeps folks believing and hoping for a better outcome.
Housed inside a Christie’s Real Estate office, is a small art gallery. We were essentially pressing our noses against the window in such a way that the staff inside called us in. And am so glad that they did. The work is by Hannibal Renberg, a photographer, or more correctly, an iphone photographer. His work focuses on the every day lives of people he sees on the street. These two pieces really struck me. The two women remind me of some of the fun times I’ve had with girlfriends, and some of those times where we sat together and waited for a show to start, talked about how to manage a sticky situation, or shared a memory. The second piece, shook us a bit at first because it reminded us of how much we miss our parents. While we know its the glare of the window that creates kind of a ghost image, it makes you think about having a conversation with a loved one that has passed. You can see more of his work at https://www.hannibalrenberg.com.
In the category of trying something new, at the urge of our friend Asli, we tried pilates. Over dinner earlier this week she shared with us how pilates has been a transformative experience for her both physically and mentally. She shared feeling refreshed and less stiff – and now a reformer is now on her shopping list. With that endorsement, so we gave it a go at M Studio Pilates with Morgane, a charming bilingual instructor. Asli was right. We are feeling it now – but its that good kind of ‘enjoy the stretch’ feeling. Some of you may be too young and nimble to understand this yet. I’ve been telling Paul I need a stick to roll under my feet as my plantar fascitis has been taunting me; the rolly-thing we used under our soles gave me a tremenous release from the bottom of my feet. Sigh. I just ordered one from Amazon.fr. I’m going back next week. Maybe this will be my new way of exercising.
We got mail from America! We received our county voter information in the mail. While we are encouraged that the system (as of today) seems to be working, we already received ballots electronically and have already faxed it in and confirmed its receipt!
Our apartment in Place du Parlement St. Catherine will be a memory that we will revisit often. When we first arrived, we had been warned that we would need to climb four flights of stairs (no elevator). 72 steps. There is a hall light on a timer, so you do need to be mindful to get to the top before the light goes out. At night, it is very dark. We are at the very top of the building, and within the apartment is another set of stairs. The reward after all those steps is the view.
The building was built in the 1800s, and there are some aspects that seem to be from that time! The mosaic tile in the entry way is crumbling, and I can only imagine that a master craftsperson needs to be called in for repairs. The walls all have some kind of moulding and detailing. The stairs are worn, patched and uneven, but the railing is gorgeous. There are eyelet holes on each step, which were used once to anchor carpeting on the stairs. One might imagine that this was once one large house, and our apartment on top were the servants quarters.
There are 6 apartments. We share one garbage and one recycling bin. The garage pick up is 4 times a week, recycling once a week (does not include glass). No one person is responsible for taking the trash/recycling out – we all are. So its unspoken as to who does what when, so you just do it. If you take it out, you bring the bin back in the morning. Glass is actually collected in receptacles; there are two that are a few blocks away from us, The idea is that by separating glass only it makes the recycling process easier..
What we will remember is how we huffed and puffed up those stairs; how it shaped our shopping decisions (can we manage this much weight or the awkward shape of the item up these stairs?), how it made us plan ahead to make the most of every trip up and every trip down. We all also remember looking across the roof deck and seeing St. Michael’s golden spire, the bell tower of Gros Cloche, and the neighbors across the way who would open their paint-peeling shutters every morning and night. We will never forget the wooden floors that squeaked and gave in a little nor the wooden ceiling beams, that we needed to be wary of or risk finding them with our heads. We won’t miss the Spring Break revelers at midnight or the Brazilian drum crew at dinner time, hustling tourists in the plaza. While at times a little loud in our neighborhood, we were ok with it because it was the sound of people, who generally were happy, getting along, laughing and joking around. Sharing the joy of a well played futbol game on the big screen. No fighting, no shouting insults, or rough-housing. People generally picked up after themselves, waited in line, watched their children, helped the elderly, and were polite, civil and even kind to one another. I know. Sounds kind of utopian, doesn’t it?
A girly moment. I adore my hair stylist, Said. That said, he never keeps regular hours. I’m still intimidated to use my flailing French over the phone, so I try to drop by to either get a cut on the fly or make an appointment.. I was lucky to find him yesterday and made an appointment in person. I swear he is a hair magician. A wizard. We do our introductory Fran-glish (French/English mishmash), he offers me espresso, and then he begins. From the hair washing and head massage, to the strategic hair pinning, the hair twist followed by blade work, he gets in the zone. Of course with Algerian music in the background, you can literaly see him get pumped up. He kicked it up a notch this time, and did a keratin steam treatment. It is a hair straightener like device that pumps out steam-infused with keratin.
Holy cow. I felt like my straight hair was actually celebrated – usually hair stylists try to bend it, curl it, goop it up with product, determined to bend its will. He made my hair smooth, healthy, and shiny. He is the hair whisperer.
I think this is what makes Said special. Not only is he a gifted stylist, but you can see that he is focused on understanding your hair, make it shine in healthy ways, know that if you shake your head, the hair will return naturally to the way he intended. Don’t you love people with passion? Consumed with doing their best? While sitting in the chair, customers, cousins, friends drop in all the time. He greets them all, smiles and asks how they are doing? If he knows they speak some English, he introduces me as his American customer. There is this social networking that goes on and you feel privileged to be included. Honestly, its not very French to be so friendly so quickly, but it is a wonderful feeling to be welcomed.
And his prices are very reasonable. We look forward to haircut day.
Back to Back! Could you hear the cheers from France? Bordeaux’s rugby team takes the 2026 European Rugby Championships (6 countries, 24 teams in this league)for the second time! The city was decorated with the team’s colors and logos, and as we watched on television, we could hear every bar in the area cheer, groan and rejoice throughout the game. UBB won 41, to 19 against Leinster, an Irish team.
This morning we walked along the quai, shopped the open market for fresh vegetables, on a whim, thought we would check out the official UBB merchandise store just down the way. Well, others had the same thought with a small crowd waiting for the store to open. You could feel the community pride, camaraderie and joy in the store, in the streets. Proud Bordelais!
Pyquet, a street artist. (https://www.instagram.com/pyquet_art/) has artwork all over Bordeaux city centre. This artist clearly takes issue with politicians, oligarchs, bullies and social injustice (not just Americans)., but also that an understanding and protecting human dignity and decency needs a reboot. The three above are the latest in the ‘America’ series. He also has others that criticize Presdient Macron and other European leaders.
Allez, allez, PSG! It’s a joyous evening in France, as PSG (Paris St. Germaine Football Club) retained its status as the number one Premiere League European Football Club! The neighborhood erupted with fire crackers, honking, singing and folks driving around, honking their horns. It was an incredibly close game. PSG fought hard against Arsenal, an English football club from Northern London, with the game tied 1-1, even after two overtime periods. The teams were visibly exhausted, having played a 90-minute game, then an additional 30 minutes in overtime. And so, it ended in a shoot-out. I’ve never seen this before! 5 members of each team have a chance to kick the ball into the goal net, and hopefully break the tie. It’s an incredible amount of pressure on both the kicker as well as the goalie. PSG won, but truly, Arsenal put up a fierce fight.
I love watching the game but I also find myself tense up, as I worry about players getting hurt: the pushing and pulling, flipping, tripping and kicking that players sustain. It worries me. I feel concern about the stress and mental state a player must face, especially during a championship. I think about all the harsh criticism that a goalie must get. Why anyone would want to be a referee? The criticism, harsh words, (and probably threats) they must deal with would be very hard for the ordinary person. Not to mention their loved ones. I know, I know, they are all grown-ups, get paid and understand what the job is, so I shouldn’t care so much… but I do.
I recently watched a documentary, UK Untold: Miracle in Istanbul, which tells the story of how Liverpool FC (football club) transformed over the course of 9 months, to become the Premiere League champions. In 2004, the team was deep in the dumps. According to the film, the team manager quit, and a new Spanish coach was selected. The new coach, Rafa Benitez, seemed odd to the team. No motivational kumbaya mantras, no pep talks, and unusual practice and drills. One of their star players decided to leave the team and join a rival team. The coach then started to share his analysis of every player – their stats, their strengths, weaknesses, their likelihoods, their probabilities, and their habits. He also studied opponents. Slowly, the team started to transform and work together, their talents and strengths revealed. LFC worked its way to the UAEF championship, facing Milan. The first half ended with Milan 3, LFC – 0. Then LFC came alive and tied the game, overtime, and a shoot-out which led them to win. A miracle. I found the interview with the then goalie really interesting. Jerzy Dudek, a Polish player, had had a rough season, but truly in this game, he was able to shine and brightly. I did a Wiki search, and apparently he went on to have a good career. He had a special relationship apparently with then Pope John II, who as a kid had played goalie, and took a special interest in the fellow Polish goalkeeper.
