Rule #6 – No selfies in a museum. Most of Europe is an outdoor museum, so I’m not likely to listen to that one. Consequences be damned.
We three decided on a slow, casual start to the day which gave me some time to swim and stretch my tired marathon legs. There has to be a word for this, but the lake here in Carcans has a coastline that stretches out about a kilometer and never gets deeper than ankle to calf in crystal clear water. After that, there are a series of channels for boating or swimming broken by more sandbanks for walking. If I event come back here I want to cart out a picnic table and chairs and a pile of friends and have lunch a mile out in the water. The sunrise was stunning and a welcomed treat to an early vacation rise.
Chris made Jean-Jaques and I one of his signature breakfasts simple food prepared with love and assembled to look like art and taste like magic. JJ commented that Chris’ superpower is to cook art so that you must eat it to feel the beauty inside you (or something like that)… ahh, the French. After a little rest and reading, we slumbered into the car and drove the hour to Bordeaux.
In Bordeaux, JJ showed us around, hosted us a cute out-door cafe called Karl, which he was introduced to by Alian. Shockingly it is on a plaza near a fountain where kids gathered to play while families and tourists enjoy the sights and sounds.
Today I did discover the progression of the selfie and PERHAPS stepped one picture too far.
- Step 1 – Sure, take a picture. You are following the rules.
- Step 2 – Oh, we need another one-that one didn’t come out great.
- Step 3 – Perhaps a selfie at a different angle captures the moment better.
- Step 4 – Really, another one?
- Step 5 – Ok, I’ve had enough.
- Step 6 – Perhaps you didn’t understand me.
- Step 7 – Go f yourself with that schtick shit.
- Step 8 – I’ve now growled at you. NO, I will not smile.
- Step 9 – You are dead to me. Soon you will be dead.
- Step 10 – Silence. Glare. Don’t push your luck.
The stunning sunrise of the day was met by the charm of an 18th-19th-century city benefiting from civic pride and good lighting. We walked the downtown and found ourselves at Plaza St. Micheal and eating at a cafe where (unfortunately) the backdrop was the best part of the dining experience.
Bordeaux is sweet. We would put it solidly on the must-visit list in Southern France, especially if you want to explore wine culture. But do leave time for that exploring. The city is on the smaller side, so more than a few days would need to be peppered by side trips or just some slow time sleeping in or grabbing a good book and siting in buzz of city life. This is a city I could explore through a camera or sketches if I had a week, but we now have phase 2 of our trip- exploring on our own and we have TWO MORE WEEKS! We planned ahead for a big trip. At 7 day now we are at the point most Americans head home. As for us, we are headed out to play another day.
randy marcotte - uncle randy writes here 