BASTILLE DAY AND BAYEUX

As most of you know, this past Sunday was French National Day, Bastille Day, in France.  This is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, a turning point of the French Revolution.  Today it is celebrated similar to our Fourth of July with fireworks and parties.  There is always a big celebration at the Eiffel Tower where thousands of people spend the entire day at the Champ de Mars picnicing and socializing waiting for the concert and fireworks later in the evening.  Not one to fight crowds and living soooo close to the Tower, we had dinner with friends at  20 Eiffel , a Michelin-starred restaurant across the street from our apartment.

Not a great picture but it's just a neighborhood restaurant

This was my "starter"-pretty, huh?

They always close off our street to traffic so as the evening progresses people are standing all over the street to watch the fireworks.  We had a reservation for dinner at 9:00 outside so we could see the fireworks when they began.  We did end up standing in the street after finishing dinner for a better look at the Tower.  It was a wonderful way to spend a pleasant and quiet Bastille Day.

We thought last year's fireworks were better but this was still pretty cool

That was Sunday.  Tuesday we had decided to take the train to Bayeux northwest of Paris.  The Normandy beaches are there,  and we'd been on that tour several years ago but didn't get a chance to really explore the city.  That visit it was September and cold and rainy.  Not a great day for outdoor sightseeing.  Tuesday it was mid 70's, clear and sunny.  A perfect day to stroll this cute little town, lunch outside, shop a little and visit the museum housing a 1000-year-old tapestry depicting the events leading up to the Norman conquest in 1066 of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy, and Harold, Earl of Essex, later King of England.

Our morning started early 😪, not my best time of day!!  We had breakfast (of sorts!) at the train station.

Not my first choice but it got me by!

Similar to my favorite, Egg McMuffin, but on a croissant.  Not quite as good, but it was fine to start my day.  In all, it took us about 2 1/2 hours on the train.  Though I've made no secret about missing having my car, it is a wonderful thing to have such a nice way to get to surrounding cities and sites and not fight traffic and just relax and read (I finished the book I was reading on the way back!).

Our first stop was a little antique shop where David, on a previous trip to Bayeux, had seen some copper saucepans he thought I'd be interested in.  As always happens, he didn't get hold of me early enough and the shop had closed.  So one of our main purposes this visit was to see if they still had the pans.  And, voila, they did!!

Not a big shop but it had what we wanted...

...and here's what we wanted!!!

As we sold all our cookware when we left Texas, we will need new things when we return.  This is the beginning of our purchases.

Our next step was the beautiful cathedral for a brief walk-through and a stop to light a candle and offer a prayer.  Though this is certainly not a faith tradition I grew up with, I have always loved the peace and reverence doing it gives me.  For me, it's not about the saint or apostle that may be placed there, but the quiet moment where I reach out to God..Him and me.  I just like it.

Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux

A moment to pause...

After the cathedral, we found the little cafe where David had lunched when he and his brother, Mark, were here.  It's very casual and we ate outside since the day was so beautiful.  After my so-so breakfast, I decided to get an omelette not knowing what the sides would look like!

Who eats lunches like this????  Luckily, we'd planned a very light dinner at home

In France always the "frites" (French fries) and salad.  David was more than happy to help me with the fries!!!  And for beverage (I usually just drink tap water) I ordered lemonade.  As I expected, it was in a bottle and was carbonated (not my fav but I was just in the mood for something besides water).  Then it was on to the tapestry!

David and I were both impressed how organized the tour is to see the tapestry.  Once you have your tickets, you have an audio guide (included in your ticket price) and each section of the tapestry is numbered so the story is told in number order explaining what you're seeing under each number on the tapestry.  It's such an efficient way to move people through and not get bogged down by slow walkers (of which right now I am one!!!!).  As you know, I'm not the history buff in the family but this was really very interesting, easily understood and amazing to see when you consider the workmanship that went into it.    The tapestry is 230 feet long and 20 inches tall and is composed of about 70 scenes embroidered on linen with colored woolen yarns.  It is believed to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo, Williams's half-brother and made in England in the 1070's.  It's been in France for 950 years but President Macron announced in January, 2018, it will be loaned to Britain for public display at the British Museum in London but not before 2020.

Following the tapestry, we had quite a bit of time before our train back to Paris so we strolled the streets of Bayeux and came across this little shop where I found these cute, glass bowls and a brush for cleaning vegetables.

More to add to our "take back" stash!!!  The bowls were on sale and are very heavy.  What can I say...I'm a sucker for dishes and bowls.  I admit it!!!  My mother-in-law would have been proud...she, too,  loved dishes.

By this time, I needed a snack!  As we had entered the city I had seen a little place with ice cream (of course!) and shakes.  We went back there and I got this (not to share, I might add!!!!) to hold me over for the 3-4 hours before we would have dinner at the apartment.

I had already begun drinking this when I remembered to take the picture!  It was really pretty and full then

There was a nice area with benches in front of what looked like some sort of office building.  We sat there to have our shakes and watched the comings and goings of people.  After we finished, David was walking around the "courtyard" and noticed a labyrinth.  So he started walking it while I looked on....

...and then there were three!!!

These little girls followed David through the entire walk and stayed right behind him.  He was like the Pied Piper!!!  It was really cute.  When they got to the center, they all held up their arms in success!!!!

Next to this courtyard was a stream with a water wheel and lots of blooming flowers.  On the corner was a little shop called "Boutique Coquelicot"- Poppies Shop.  Everything in it was poppies and I couldn't resist.  We had earlier purchased a "William" fabric Christmas ornament at the museum but we really prefer glass ornaments.  Here I found a white glass round ornament handpainted with red poppies!  Perfect for our next Christmas tree and a reminder of the lovely day we had in Bayeux!

This was so pretty!  To the left of this building was the Poppy Store