Day 2 Sunday 9/11/11

I am sitting in the garden, enjoying a cup of coffee and a buttery croissant.  It is quiet except for the hum of the grape harvesting truck harvesting grapes on a local vineyard.  I passed this vineyard on my run this morning.  It was so peaceful to run down these winding country roads, past endless fields of grapes all dangling, ripe on their vines.  Past the old 14th century church of St Quentin de Baron.  The sun had just come up, but was partially obscurred by some low clouds.  "Cheese" the cat greeted me as I unlatched the gate out of the courtyard.

Today we plan  on heading to Bordeaux to a large Brocante (Flea Market) held there, take in some of the architecture and history of the city, and maybe just people watch, while sitting in a café.

Our German friend and his wife at the marchee aux puces

So, while on our way to Bordeaux, we came across a Marché aux Fargue St Hauille Petite Puces;  (community yard sale).  What a find!  This was such a fun experience.  I found some neat jewelry and small ceamic items.  Tami found a placard of a Bordeaux street sign.  In this particular stall we met a nice old gentleman and his wife.  We took a photo with them.  The man was from Germany (originally) and he showed us a picture of himself as a 20 yo soldier. (There were other military items in his stall)  The couple were so nice and they took their time trying to explain things in French so that we understood.  In another stall, while looking at some handmade lace doilies, a women next to me picked up a pair of women's underwear (with an opening in both the front and the back) for the wearer to "do her business" without having to remove her garments.  This woman and I had a good laugh over them.  She told us that she had travelled to San Fransico in 1978 and would love to return someday.  We also met another woman who had a disability (in a wheelchair) who's stall benefitted a mission in Africa.  From this stall I purchased an egg cup shaped like a chicken and a small cermic condiment tray.  As we were wandering our way through the stalls we met another woman (at least we think was a woman) who was selling comically shaped incense burners.  Realizing we were from the US, she asked how we were doing because of September 11th.  At first Tami and I did not understand the reference until we realized that today was 9/11 (and it was the 10th anniversary)  This woman went on to say that she would have killed the men responsible by cutting their throats with a sword (motioning to a nearby stall that was selling swords)  We then got a laugh when she and I both made a slicing motion much lower on the male anatomy.

In Bordeaux we went looking for the brocante but couldn't find it.  Instead we travelled around the city on a Tram and on foot. We went to the old part of town (Quinconces) and took pictures at a fountain commemerating the military men of Gironde and their sacrifice.  The fountain was beautifully carved!  We went to St André cathedral and the Tower of Pays Baron.  From their we went to have a drink in a bar calle Sweeney Todd's to people watch.  I had a delicious Irish Cider beer.

For dinner we stopped back at the 8 à huit and bought some groceries and I cooked Chicekn Cordon Bleu with a salad and wild rice that Tami prepared.

Now, it's time to prepare for tomorrow and then bed!