Sunday, December 18, 2005

from france: final fireworks

Yesterday -- the last day. Morning spent walking through the rich countryside of central France; the afternoon -- in an ostensibly sleepy cathedral town that was not so sleepy on the last shopping Saturday before Christmas. Dinner at le Cheval Blanc. And it’s over. This morning we head back for Madison.

Here it is, a final burst of fireworks from a day that had it all:



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is this any way to start the day?




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Yvoy le Marron: village chat




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he gets around (but why not through the chimney?)




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la vraie campagne (the real countryside)



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the sun comes out




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the ducks play



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forest light



Later, in Bourges:



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here as well



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first stop: pastries of course



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dare I order the big one?




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no, two small ones will do (Ed shares)




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crowds come out on this last Saturday before Christmas




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but at dusk, in the shadows of the cathedral...




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it's not all about shopping -- a Christmas fair: colorful scarves, beautiful voices




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at the fair: a dreamer



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hot stuff




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on stilts: working the crowds



And back at the Auberge du Cheval Blanc:


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the best meat dish of the trip: terrine with onion confiture



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scaling back: only 4 this time




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the best rendition of that oozing chocolate indulgence