November 11, 2010
Back in Bordeaux: Armistice Day
WEATHER: RAIN ALL DAY
During our leisurely breakfast we had a good chat with Gen and Thierry, filling them in on the details of our cycling tour. Thierry was home from work because Armistice Day is a statutory holiday in France. We felt like we were visiting old friends, and it was pleasant to be back in familiar surroundings after traveling to so many different places in four weeks. As we looked out at the rain, we were also quite happy to not be going anywhere on our bikes today. In fact, Al would be packing them later in their suitcases in preparation for our flights home tomorrow.
Not being a shopper, Eva had left buying small gifts for friends and family at home until the very last minute--today. Today being a holiday, many shops were closed, and we didn't relish tromping through the rain and searching through the few that were open for items not made in China. Gen to the rescue. She was sewing lovely carrying bags and purses to sell at a Christmas craft fair coming up soon. We were able to purchase genuine, one of a kind, made-in-Bordeaux gifts without even leaving the B&B.
We did go out for a soggy walk and another delightful lunch indoors at La Terrasse de Saint-Pierre--seafood salads for both of us. Our overall impression of Bordeaux has been quite favourable; the city has enough diversity and is not too pretentious, and to us feels more "real" than some other "gentrified" cities we have visited. In the afternoon Al packed the bikes up while Eva got the rest of our stuff organized for the trip home. Eva had hauled Abraham Verghese's book 'Cutting for Stone' right across France, and she had finally finished it. It probably weighed a kilogram. She gave it to Gen, who liked to polish her English by reading novels.
For our final dinner in Bordeaux, we went to a popular tapas place a few blocks from Cosy Corner, and had an very good meal of small plates.
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