Pt. 2 & Pt. 3

Pt. 2

We are in Bayeux!!! Correctly spelled now.  It is adorable!! I love it. It is a very medieval town. So adorable.  We are staying in Hotel Mogador.  It is absolutely beautiful! took some pictures.  Bayeux is just the neatest little town. 

Pt. 3

The Bayeux Cathedral (I think that's what it's called…) is just stunning! Really made me gasp.  It's surprising thinking back to Paris and seeing the Notre Dame.  I was very underwhelmed by it all, but the Bayeux Cathedral was just gorgeous-well, the outside anyway.  The girls and I didn't go inside, unlike the guys. We thought it would be closed, but they went inside, a tiny door apparently, and it was pretty cool.  I think I would have gotten that feeling that I have had like in the York Minster.  Maybe, just maybe. But what do I know.  

This town is so medieval and kick-ass (for those of you who don't know my Ultimate Frisbee team award was "Most Likely to go Medieval on your Ass…haha).  The streets are tiny, most of the architecture dates from either the Middle Ages or from the 18th century, lots of cobblestones and churches, the water ways are filly with medieval stuff, and the staircases and wood beam ceilings are just spectacular.  We walked around Bayeux a lot today, trying to find a place to stay, but it was definitely worth the walk! I don't think I could find my way around as much as I did in Paris, but I tend to not look at streets signs in a place that has so much visible old history.  

The drive up to Bayeux was beautiful…well from what I remember.  I slept most of the way, but overtime I briefly woke up I would see rolling hills, green hills, sprawling forests, and then, to me, the most magical thing happens as you are driving along Europe-there will be nothing but fields, forests, and hills, and then all of the sudden, over the tree-top horizon, you'll see it.  The very tip of it.  The tip of a spire, or steeple if you will.  You just see the top fixture, but you know what it is.  Slowly the rest of the structure is revealed, bit by bit.  You see the ornate sculptures, the pointed (or rounded) arches, the faint colors of the stained glass, the stones, and the little tiny details that might be too far away to notice, but you can just sense their tiny presence that make the building spectacular.  That was my favorite part of the day, and why I am so excited about this trip.  If you are really really lucky, a castle will come out of nowhere, and this thing of power just captivates you.  You can get lost thinking about the history that occurred there, what battles and drama and love took place there.  Same with the churches.  And not just medieval stuff as well, but all historic buildings.  They all tell a story.  The history of the architecture seems to be much more appreciated here than Paris, but the same vibe seems to be given off towards the timber medieval structures-just  a shrug or a disregard.  Nothing too spectacular to the Europeans, well at least to the French from what I can make out.  

We haven't seen that many sources of water here, which is interesting.  Unlike England, where I feel like I saw little streams and brooks everywhere, I haven't seen any here.  Although we did see a rather large river and lake thing today, which I haven't really seen to that degree in England.  I really miss England.  Most of my observations of France have been in comparison and contrast to England.  I love England.  I want to live there.  As soon as I get done with Taize, I'm going to go to England, maybe even leave a week early and just spend time in England.  I really want to be back there.  I think a big thing has to do with the language barrier (and the food-the French really eat a LOT of bread.  Like I would say 80% of their diet (ok so I might be exaggerating, but you notice it a lot more when you can't have it!!)).  I have been so privileged to have been given the opportunity to have gone to England, now this summer, 5 times.  It has become a little home.  Like Bath, NC almost.  That magical feeling you get when driving over the bridge, over Back Creek, and seeing the sail boats…well that's what it feels like in England too-seeing all of the rolling hills, the churches and small villages, the sheep and cows, and just the whole feel of the country.  I really do love it.  Tonight we got cider at dinner (the dinner was delicious-onion soup, duck, and creme burle!).  It wasn't like English/Irish cider, but had a differently taste to it and was treated like wine. Interesting.  It was good, but just different.  Idk. 

Ok confession: I consciously possibly glutenated myself.  I do this a lot at home sometimes when I really want a food and don't know 100% if it is gluten free, but there is no bread visible or anything like that.  Well tonight there was.  In my onion soup there was a big piece of bread lying on top and covered with melted cheese.  At first glance I though it was just the cheese, but no. I was lying to myself. It was bread. Gluten-filled bread.  I tried to tell myself, "why don't you just not eat it? People will understand?" But no.  My mind said instead, "just eat around the bread and you will be fine.  Don't be that ridiculous girl who sends back her food.  You don't need to freak out that much over gluten."  I don't feel too glutenated now, but I know I ate some on accident.  That's right folks, I ate some gluten and I liked it.  The taste of it's cherry chapstick…wait…(sorry I've had Katy Perry stuck in my head all day).  But really, that soup was dank.  I'm going to try much harder not to eat any, but it really is everywhere-not exaggerating.  

Another thing I forgot about Europe because it is so far up north, it is 10:30 right now and has just now started getting dark outside.  If only it was like this when I was a little kid going to bed and watching my friends still play outside, while my siblings and I went to bed with the sun.  Sigh.  It is nice, but strange because the French stay out later (well, at least in Paris, I haven't been outside since 9:30 but that's what I'm guessing from the sound of people outside our window).  This is another contrast that I keep making with England.  On the weekdays the pubs close (well from what I remember) at 11, but here it seems like nothing starts until 11! In Paris it seemed as if they started eating at 9 and then went out at 11. Ridiculous.  Another thing I hate about Europe in general (sorry this is really negative I'm just getting used to France at this point): SMOKE. I HATE SMOKING.  It just smells so bad.  I tend not to mind it over here, but when the room smells like smoke, it's just not something I want to sleep in.  

We are going to go see the Bayeux Tapestry tomorrow morning and then Carnac!!! I'm so stoked! There are just thousands of megaliths there. PUMPED. Well, I guess I'll just update later. Oh and I still haven't set up my phone yet.  Whoops.  I'm bad, but I just want to do stuff and read.  SIgh. I'll do it tomorrow…maybe. 

Cheers!