Lost In Limoges

From the sheep-dotted pastures of France's underpopulated Southwest, Limoges rises in all its grey glory. The city's claim to fame: fine porcelain. The half-timbered houses of the Medieval center are surrounded by strip malls and McDo. Land-hungry Brits descend with flailing pocketbooks (thanks, RyanAir). The weather is remarkably cool year-round. Sure, I live on rue de Nice, but this is NOT the Cote d'Azur. Welcome to Limoges, "the middle of nowhere"-- or as Pierre says "everywhere"-- France.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Pretty-People-Watching in Lyon



Arguably, there are more pretty-people in Lyon (check out the babe posing in the picture!) than in Paris. (Definitely more so than our Limoges-- where the demographics, dictated by occupations, etc, are of course, very different.) Inside the Musee des Beaux-Arts, there is a magical little garden, full of statues and fountains, where one can picnic in peace for free, and people-watch to your heart's content.

And across the street in front of the huge Hotel de Ville, there is an even better people-watching venue. In the middle of the place des Terreaux is a landmark statue, forged by the same sculptor who created the Statue of Liberty-- a massive chariot pulled by horses, representing four rivers charging towards the ocean. The effect at night is incredible, as steam seems to billow from the nostrils of the horse, saliva frothing from the lips. The rest of the square is marked by countless small fountains, erupting from the pavement, where couples and kids alike delight in jumping and walking.

I spent hours working at a cafe there, watching pretty people partake in noon salads and evening kirs.

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