Bordeaux: Hot and Muggy

Bordeaux, An Afternoon to Wander:

I'm so confused. After checking in to my nice little hotel and answering emails and stuff, off I went to find that I'm in an area just off the sex shops and places like that, but far enough outside that I think it's fine and as I said, the place is ok. I walked along the river and into town...the river is very high and very brown. We never found the centre of town last visit, but I have this time. My body is still on Spanish time after all those weeks and off I merrily went looking for lunch only to find that at after 2pm the restaurants won't serve you. No luck any where along the river...and the prices! So I head into town and find a place full of young folks meaning cheap, but it's €20 but for a massive brunch...so I'm set. No need for an expensive dinner tonight, so I can a average down. The life of a pensioner! So far bread and jam with water, tea and a nice glass of white wine has founds it's way to my table, and there is promise of much more.

I'll be stuffed, but I haven't had more than a banana and granola bar this morning before the train, so I'm hungry. It's great! The only unfortunate issue is that all these young people, particularly the women appear to smoke. So much of that here...so deeply embedded in the culture...sad. 

It's very hot here, I'm surprised. And the humidity level this close to the ocean is high as well. Good news is the heat has little effect on me after all the weeks in it and I'm well tanned now, so less issue with the sun. I'm enjoying each day so much now that I've found my way into the travel zone. I realize home is on the horizon, but new adventures await and I know I don't have to wait a full year until I can fly again. I can go whenever it's time to go. Such freedom! It's great!

After lunch I'll wander a bit more and see what the centre of town holds. So far just lots of mono colour buildings which don't hold much interest. I think I'll have to get inside some of the buildings and see what I see, but that may not happen this visit. I feel like walking. Later I'll look for wifi and skype Annemarie who is going for dim sum with old friends. Then I'll find a gold drink and just enjoy some people watching. A nice way to spend a day.

That was excellent! Scrambled eggs with herbs, salad, real potatoes and bacon...it was after all brunch on a Sunday. Dessert is still to come. Funny how the world is the same all over. I have two tables of young women my daughter's age on both sides of me...a young healthy fellow runs past with just jogging shorts on, and all four sit up and say something like..."wow". We all laugh. It's a small world. 

Feeling much better now and this is a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon, I must say! But those who understand, know this is my favourite day of the week...and now every day is Sunday:) can't get much better than this...can it? This has been an excellent retirement entry, and looking back I had to do this journey. It's opened the door to so many other possibilities. I can see us living in Europe for a year as we have always planned. It seems so doable now. Having travelled more with Germans has opened my mind to travel in  that country, particularly Bavaria, something that has been closed in my mind since a depressing visit to Dachau in 1975. There are new generations in Germany now, with new ideas and and perhaps more open minds than in past, or perhaps my mind has opened? I found stereo types of each country during my wanderings, but was more impressed with the commonalities I found, particularly between the younger ages. I must be getting old!

Spent the rest of the afternoon just walking the streets being in the moment. Walked into three large churches, each different, and yet the same.

The Cathedral was pretty good I thought. A few photos, then more walking as I found my way through town with a visit to a food store...a good one. 

Then back to my little place to connect home and to write some more.

Hotel...

Pensioner's meal to average down brunch...oh and breakfast is in there somewhere too!

Neil, I really liked your story about your staff...it must have broken your heart. It would have been one of the most difficult things to leave behind from your journey. Thanks for that story. Was it here?

Had I known, I would have spent more time finding the location for you.

Today I've travelled the rails to Paris and I'm staying in a small flat that takes me back to my student days. Annemarie found this for me...not sure what I did to her? ;-) sure hope she is more happy than that to see me home on Thursday! 

Only kidding, the price is still too high, but it's Paris so the price is good on that basis and it's an amazing location with no check out time from my room. This gives me a full two days to wander aimlessly, my favorite way to see a place I've been to many times before. Just a couple of blocks to the Louve and the River. On Wednesday evening I'll head out towards Charles De Gaul airport where I think David fixed me up with a hotel room that has a flush toilet;-).  I can vouch for the comfort of the bed as I just woke up from an hour nap...massive lightening and thunder stormed all night in my tiny hot room last night, so I was awake most of the night watching lightning flashes on the walls and covering my ears. The run up to Paris was interrupted by a police incident for several hours. We sat in Poitier and waited it out...while I wrote onwards. My ear is tuning to the new language, not to much of a reach considering my travel companions the past four weeks!

It's 6:20, time to go out and find a bar to watch Neil's football team get a thrashing from the frustrated Spanish team...and have a glass of good French wine too...Mais oui!!