Living in a monastery in rural France
I have to run to a meeting shortly so this is a tiny update.
Last night I went to a fancy dinner at a fancy hall de ceramique museum or something, it was very far on a bus.
This morning despite getting back from dinner at midnight I got up and went for a small walk around the local area, it is not as quaint as people would imagine. No idea if I will find time to add anything else tonight.
Also it is cloudy this morning, the first time it hasnt been bright sunshine. Here is 4 crap pics, including some clouds.
First, a field, its probably what most people imagine the French countryside should look like.
Here is the local village, so beautiful and peaceful, wonderful old houses.
Some beautiful flower arrangements in the village square.
All stores in France, post the bread futures market spot price on their window like they are trading gold.
Escaping the monastery through fields of wheat at sunset
I managed to escape the monastery.
After a long day of mainly looking out a bus window and being fed cheese, salted meats and various pastries, I finally cracked under the pressure and scaled the monastery wall, death rolled into the fields of hay and scarpered across a world war 1 battle field to the relative safety of the local Carrefour supermarket. Also I dont care what the spellchecker thinks, scarpered is a word!
The supermarket experience was as disappointing as the local village. Clearly I am in a poor people area, poor enough that the local monastery shut down. Many Carrefours are fantastic, even in China! This one was like a bi-lo (insert the local dented can supermarket of your country here).
After walking every aisle to amass more steps, I walked through the village, with an eye over my shoulder and my hands in my pockets. Soon after I found a nice dirt track through a field, google suggested it would link to a forest track and get met back to where I needed to be, and indeed it did. Along the way, I became aware that if a cloud would just move an inch, I would have great light, so I actually stopped and waited a few minutes for the clouds to part, and the hay to turn gold.
Which reminds me, on the bus earlier I was stuck in traffic, and the reason was, someone had flicked a cigarette butt out of a car window on a highway and set the hay field alight.
Thats all for now, tomorrow I predict there will only be a late evening update, I will be back in Paris for one more night then.
Here she is in all her glory, the local Carrefour supermarket. Its the town pump / village well, the only place with people.
Inside, people wander the aisles, wondering how a modern supermarket can exist without air conditioning and with every drinks fridge turned off.
Just past the edge of the village, a youth activity centre, behind large fences. Hoodlums without skateboards are hanging out on the skateboard ramp.
Now we start our dedication to fields of hay and the evening sun.
Clouds and powerlines go well with hay.
Shot of the day.
And finally, taking things too far.
Then I found a dark forest to walk through, and see if I could find the illusive French bear.
Eventually this became a park, with a nice tree. It was still daylight, but time for me to go to bed.