Paris

some snapshots of the first few days discovering the city.

Rennes

 

A trio of performers at the Rennes Saturday Market.  Really great sounds! The woman in the black top is playing the soprano sax, and there is another woman playing a tall drum I think south american origin, and a woman sitting in a chair playing accordion

 One of the biggest saturday markets in France occur in Rennes.  It was really cool.  Bought some figs, and garlic, and a pork saucisson(a picnic sausage).  They had alot more organic vegetables and goods at this market compared to Laval.  Also many bread makers and chinese, moroccan and crepe food stands. 

                                                                     Homards for sale

Rennes Opera House

Tile work display at Brittany Museum

Not as famous as hollywood, but trying to make its mark on the world.  It's been almost a month for me here, and I've really enjoyed getting to know this town.  Yeah, the weather is not sunny everyday, but you sure do appreciate the days when you get them.  The river Mayenne always puts a smile on my face whenever I cross one of the five bridges in town.

  I have gotten a library card so I can check out books, but also check out CD's, songbooks and dvd's from a pretty good selection of french, and local, jazz, blues, rock, etc. 

Tom and I had a drink at a cafe recently, and one guy tipped me off to a great musician named Maxime Le Forestier .  So I was able to check out his CD this way.  It appears that he's pretty influential in France, looking at his home page.

My french is very minimal, but the other day I was looking for a public restroom after taking a walk along the river outside of town, and  I asked a lady in french where the nearest one was.  We were close to her residence and she allowed me to use her restroom.  I gave her the biggest compliment and thanks I could in French, and was just stunned by her kindness.

Loire Valley Castles

The Villandry Gardens in backdrop.  Cold, chilly morning start to the Loire castle tour

Fall Bounty

Azay-Le-Rideau

Azay-Le-Riddeau resident cat

Chenonceau

Chenonceau window

Chaumont with a couple on same tour

Chaumont- enormous hunting lodge built by early french king

Angers

Tom & I visited Angers, a city south of Laval this past Saturday. The big draw for us was the castle and the tapestry collection of the story or Revelation. Popped by a couple of other museums for sculpture & fine art.

Food in France

At the Laval Samedi(Saturday) Marche(market)

A bread shop that Tom & I love.  Not the closest boulangerie, but the best so far

The sell cheeses of all sorts at the marche

A cool seafood window display

A simple lunch of smoked mackerel, salad with strawberries and vinagriette, cubed cooked beets and bread that is so good you don't need butter.

Moules(mussels) et Frites(fries).  Our dormitory had a feast for the residents which was delicious, and we got to meet some of the people who live here

My first baguette 

Tom waving from behind a sculpture of a lion attacking a tortoise

At the top of the castle in Laval.  Our guide told us some of the wooden beams are super old

 

This was one wickedly tight staircase.  I did not make it down very far with the camera.  Needed both hands