#20 - FRENCH POODLES & A FACE LIFT

FRANCE

DAY 20

           

To:                Montepellier 

Climate:        23C - 75F 

Hottest day so far on the trip...

Distance :      Day of walking

FRENCH POODLES 
 & A FACE LIfT

MISSING FOR A WEEK....

Hi. I am back!! By any chance have you missed my blog? Wondered where we are? If we got lost or what could cause me from going silent for almost a week? 

Ah... well something unusual but you will have to wait a few more blogs to find out. Stay tuned - it does get quite interesting.

A FACELIFT ?

Yes!Well not quite me but.... in between the silence I gave the blog a facelift. 

Do you like it? Let me know...

MONTPELLIER 

France is divided into 27 regions 

Five are out of the country such as Guadeloupe and Martinique. 

So far we have traveled the Midi-Pyrenees and now the Languedoc - Roussilon.

CAPITAL

Montpellier is the capital of the Languedoc- Roussilon region. It is the 8th largest city in France and one of the few without Roman influence. 

It is located on the Mediterranean with a population of over 600K. 

OLDEST UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD

Bob and I have already visited Montpellier several times and happy to return - why? It is a vibrant, upbeat University Town. Youth always brings life to any city. And the youth of Montpellier adds plenty of charm to this city known to have one of the oldest Universites in the world dating back to the Middle Ages - 1160!!

Click and enjoy the video clip I took of some local street music by students.Lovely!

           MONTPELLIER'S 

World Renowned Medical and Law School

Medical school founded by an Italian

Law school founded by a Spaniard

Snack time....

A TASTE LIKE NO OTHER

So imagine this... buttery flaky fresh warm french pastry.... with apricot and creme. And that doesn't even begin to describe the experience we had eating the below apricot pastry. It was the best we ever had in our lives. Yes! Our lives! We must have spoken about this extremely tasty delicious sweet for about 45 minutes. 

BRIOCHE DOREE- learn more

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HOW EUROPEANS ADVERTISE
All throughout Europe the best way you can find out what is happening in town is not by newspaper, radio or internet - it is by checking out the adverts stuck on planters, sides of buildings, and anywhere else they can glue the paper showing the concert, show or event.

FRENCH GRAFFITI

Do you remember a couple blogs ago when I was so overwhelmed with the surreal paintings on the side of the building in a small village?
Well I thought that was a -one off thing -to now only find it here as well. To see this by the naked eye is so deceiving. You may even just stroll by it thinking it is actually a building face... and only when you look at it carefully do you realize it is a painting on the entire building.It is so beautiful!!!
Everything you see in these two photos are actual paintings.
Below is a stunning one with a cafe in front of it.
Look at the detail carefully..

HOLD YOUR BREATHE!!
CAUGHT IN A STINKY SITUATION


So what do French Poodles have to do with Montpellier? Hmm a not so nice story but I am going to tell you anyway.

I was busy looking through the camera to take a photo for you... when I started to slip and slide.... OH MY!! OH NO!! I looked down and my show was covered and I mean covered in brown wet French Poodle doo doo....
I hope you are still holding your breathe because I had to as I frantically searched for grass, water of anything to remove the Poodle from my shoe...
FYI - While the French adore their dogs (they even allow them in restaurants) they do not adore picking up after them. 


GOD BLESS THE USA
God Bless the USA for having city laws for owners to pick up after their precious animals.
Until this law goes global.. keep your eyes down - just in case


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
REAL ESTATE RENTALS 

Are you sitting down? You will need to be for this next piece of info....
190 sq feet ( 19sq meters)
$600 or E400/ monthly rental price

Less than 200 feet for $600!!!
And this is during a recession - well that's what they say this is.. a recession but I haven't seen any cheap prices to either rent or buy in France.

TYPICAL STREETS OF MONTPELLIER

In France - EVERYONE carries French Baguettes. 

The main square-  Place de la Comedie

ART ON A WALL

 and A PARK 

Modern day transportation in the city  / Main center - PLACE DE LA COMEDIE

Montpellier has a river Lez and the Med along side of it with marsh lands.

Lunch on the go!! No time for a long sit down meal today.

LEBANESE FALAFEL.... very tasty

STOP!! ARRET!!
Now you have to close your eyes and imagine this part...
Earlier in the day we had those delicious pastries I mentioned - which were the main part of conversation for the rest of the day.

NOT JUST A STRAWBERRY
Later in the day we decided to drive down by the sea - there on the side of the road was a typical French Fruit/Vegetable stand. We quickly pull over and to our delight they were selling very very fresh small strawberries..
Now here is the tricky party -

1. Imagine them so sweet you're convinced a bag of sugar was poured all over them. 
2. Imagine them bursting with flavor in your mouth with the sensation of sweet strawberries which practically fall off their delicate stems
3. Imagine it is the best taste you have had in your mouth for years.. that you rush back and buy 3 more cases and eat them within minutes before starting the car
4. Imagine that for the next day - all you can think about were how delicious the strawberries were.. and start to crave the same taste again

That is only a mild description of just how incredible these strawberries were...

I wish I could send you some to taste to enjoy them as much as we enjoyed them here..

For those who have never seen a fresh fig or tree... Still green but looking good!

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that in most supermarkets in Europe you have to pay for the plastic bags?

Did you know there was a new law past recently whereby smoking is not allowed in most buildings? Finally ... for us non smokers!

WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW?
 #1, #2, or #3??
Guess?

Ah.. and the winner is #2

St Guilhem le Desert. 

30 km NW of Montepellier

We were advised by the locals to make sure we visited this special Medieval village. 

St Guilhem le Desert.

FACTS:

• 1987 listed as a French Historical Site 
• Listed as one of the most beautiful villages in the country
• Most preserved Medieval village  in France
• Town is named after one of  Charlemagne chosen French Medieval Knights
• He was the grandson of the Duke of Aquitaine
• He fought against the Muslims in Spain
• The Abby contains an original relic of the True Cross given to him by Charlemagne
• He turned towards religion instead of battle and erected a Monastery in 804
• He was buried there in 812 and later canonized 
• Because of the relic the Abby became a main pilgrimage site in France
• Parts of the Abby can be found at the Met Museum in NY
• He is considered a hero

In the 11th century the village started to be built around the Monastery.

All of the stores in the town are dug out from the mountain to form small caves for the small boutiques. Every so lovely to see part of nature so exposed.

Population of only 250 people with many tourists

If you remember awhile back while we were in Spain we discussed the CAMINO DE SANTIAGO and the incredible amount of pilgrims who come to walk to Santiago de Compostela. The Pilgrams used this Abbey as  a staging stop on the way to Santiago de Compostela.

 On the 5 December, 1998, it was classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO as part of the "Paths of Saint James" - the pilgrimage routes of St-Jacques de Compostela.

The Abbey in the center
Presently the "Carmel Saint Joseph" monks occupy it
In 1987, the Abbey of Gellone was classed as a French Historical Monument

NOT QUITE DONE YET!

It was a busy two days. 

No rest for the weary... off we go again and finish the day with a drive to a lake nearby. 

The hills are unusually red soiled...the lake large and the winds strong - makes for wonderful sailing.

A very common yellow scrub growing.. I can't remember the name.. but so bright, so yellow and so hearty.

France is lovely for so many reasons and one of them is 

history is everywhere. 

Almost 400 year old cross... hanging on the side of a building on a side of a street...

TIDBIT: Did you know that the French write checks in restaurants? Check writing in France is widely accepted ...

I hope this you enjoyed this visit with us today..... and most importantly I hope you missed the Travel Along blog.
Right now I think everyone is asleep in the back sleep because it has been so quiet ... Bob and I thought we were alone... send comments.. they keep us awake while we drive

Join us for the next stop  - which will not disappoint... and most likely be a place most have heard about... especially in Religion class...

night night...

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