Chartres, Acum 6 Ani

Ma rog, acum 6 ani si vreo 20 de zile dupa cum imi spun informatiile din poze, eram in Franta, Erasmus la Nantes si am decis sa fac o mica plimbare in vacanta dintre semestre. Frig rau, ca si acum, crunt, dar cum toti prietenii erau in vacanta si eu nu, am ales sa plec la drum.

Si am ales foarte bine, am vizitat un orasel simpatic dominat de impunatoarea catedrala Chartres. Catedrala se vede de departe, aflandu-se pe un fel de promontoriu deasupra orasului, terbuie doar sa ridici ochii si o vezi de peste tot. Oraselul in sine e simpatic dar nimic spectaculos, stradute pietonale, cateva atractii de genul o casa acoperita cu bucatele de sticla colorata, un rau cu parcuri pe maluri, dar nu am poze asa ca tebuie sa ma credeti pe cuvant.

Cum va spuneam, se ajunge usor la catedrala, trebuie doar sa ridici ochii. Asa ca de la gara, fara harta, fara nimic, cu fulgii de nea care dansau in jurul meu, am purces spre tinta mea. M-am oprit bineinteles la Oficiul de Turism unde am luat o harta, o brosura cu hosteluri sau hoteluri pentru ca aveam de gand sa raman peste noapte si o brosura cu locuri interesante de vizitat in zona. Interesant este ca Oficiul de Turism se afla pe o strada mai speciala, in sensul ca inclinarea aparenta a strazii nu este cea reala. Apoi am purces spre catedrala.

M-am simtit un pic precum un pelerin, dovada fiind si inscriptia din fata catedralei si pe care am intalnit-o de-a lungul timpului in mai multe locuri de pe traseul pelerinilor si am fotografiat-o aproape de fiecare data.

 

Apoi am intrat in catedrala si am reusit sa obtin o vizita ghidata cu un specialist care s-a ocupat de renovarea superbelor vitralii. Mai jos aveti cateva imagini, rozeta este imensa, nu stiu daca se vede prea bine cat de mare este catedrala, te simti cu adevarat mic pe langa, ghidul ne-a explciat ca asta si este scopul.

Catedrala a fost mereu un loc de atractie, daca acum turismule ste laic, cu sute de ani in urma se chema pelerinaj si lumea se ingramadea sa vada relicvele sfinte. Relicva de aici era o bucata din camasa sfanta a lui Iisus. Cum adapostea una din cele mai importante relicve, numarul de vizitatori era mare, si catedrala trebuia sa fie pe masura, de unde si usile imense.

 Interiorul este si el impozant, detaliile sunt mirifice. Desi imensa, catedrala pare ca se ridica spre cer datorita elegantei sculpturilor gotice.

 Pelerinii moderni sunt atrasi de labirintul de pe podea, probabil ca nu era neaparat o atractie acum cateva sute de ani, dar astazi, multi pelerini il parcurg ca un simbol al calvarului lui Iisus.  Imi amintesc ca in zilele acelea citeam o serie de carti in care un element predominant era un labirint.

Am zabovit un pic in catedrala, dupa vizita, sunt multe simboluri si legende asociate catedralei, din nefericire am uitat multe din ele dar am acasa o carte, scrisa de cel care a fost ghid atunci, si toate sunt explicate foarte frumos. Mai multe informatii gasiti si aici, nu uitati sa faceti o donatie din cand in cand :)

 Cum v-am spus, catedrala este imensa, impozanta, am facut un tur pe afara si mi s-a parut parca si mai mare. In varful acelei cupole verzi este o statuie a Arhanghelului Mihail caer mi-a amintit de Mont St Michel.

La sfarsit am luat pranzul meu improvizat, o salata de ton adusa de la Nantes, in parcul din spatele catedralei, cu vedere spre oras. Pana la urma am decis sa nu raman peste noapte (deh, buget de student), dar tare mi-ar placea sa mai trec pe acolo candva, am vazut multe catedrale si biserici, dar aceasta este unica.

Pornic, o felie de primavara la mare

Stiu, stiu, le cer scuze fanilor mei, adica celor 17 inscrisi la feed si probabil 3 care pica pe aici complet intamplator, stiu, nu am mai scris de mult. Asa ca ma revansez cu poze de la mare. Sau mai bine zis de la ocean, poze de acum vreo 6 ani (doamne, ce a trecut timpul), cand eram Erasmus in Franta si cu niste prieteni am facut o plimbare pana la ocean. Cum locuiam in Nantes, aveam de ales intrer mai multe statiuni si sate si imi amintesc ca am vizitat vreo 3 cu acea ocazie, Pornic, Pornichet si La Baule.
 
Pornic este un orasel linistit, cu port, castel si mutle stradute labirintice prin care sa te pierzi, urmand mirosul de clatite si vata de zahar. Ca mai toate oraselele de pe coasta bretona. Si ai mereu impresia ca vei da peste un pirat adevarat. Sau peste Barba albastra (Gilles de Rais care a servit drept inspiratie pentru acest personaj, a avut resedinta aici).
 

In aceasta zona sunt multe golfulete ascunse privirii. Nisipul este aici inchis la culoare si fierbinte. Cand ne-am plimbat noi pe acolo nu era foarte multa lume, fiind primavara tarzie, insa vara sunt destul chiriasi in rulotele de pe faleze si totusi te simti retras de lume.

Pe drum spre La Baule ne-am oprit la fortificatiile de la Prefailles - St Gildas, un pic de istorie recenta, ramasite al celui de-Al Doilea Razboi Mondial, acum doar urmele fortificatiilor de unde turistii privesc peste Ocean, spre New York.

Nu am mai gasit fotografii din celelalte locatii si tare rau imi pare. La Baule este o statiune foarte chic, pentru protipendada. Aici gasiti cea mai lunga plaja din Europa (12km, e lunga rau) dar si cel mai bun sorbet de fructe de padure. Ah si hoteluri in castele, e de vis.

Si cu acestea va las sa munciti si paote sa visati. Pe aici e zapada si totul e colorat de iarna dar sper ca v-am adus un pic de nisip intre degete.

Samaritaine*

It wasn't the first time she saw him. But this was the first time she really noticed him and his spaniel.

She glanced back. Yes, he was there, still smiling, a tall, brown haired man, wearing sunglasses in this weather. She could see his green turtle neck from under his beige Mac. The dog looked wet and a bit sad, maybe he wanted home already. She felt her own dog jerking the leash to turn around. The guy's dog must be male.

How bizarre, she thought, there, on the bank of the Seine, under the pouring rain, these two strangers decided to walk their dogs. There was no one else around, no passerbys. Was he following her? She knew she'd seen him somewhere else but where? Maybe in the park,but now she really saw him : tall, taller thant her but just the perfect size. Where did that thought come from? He was quite good looking, square chin, brown hair, but she chouldn't see his eyes.

He was comming towards her, she could hear his footspteps on the wet pavement. And there was no one else under the rain. She was intrigued. Strangely enough it didn't even cross her mind to be afraid, she was actually fascinated by this guy and his dog.

The man's smile didn't falter as she half turned towards him. She started walking towards him then. He stopped. He was now looking at her with his brown, soft eyes, still that smile on his lips as if he knew her. She wanted to ask "Where? Who? Why?" but she found herself smiling as well.

She was now looking straight at him. She did know him, she'd known him for a while now. He also lived on the Rive Gauche, perhaps somewhere on the other side of the square from where her flat was(why it was called a square when it was round, she didn't know).

She'd seen him in the street, probably going to work, always fashionable, sometimes in a hurry. She knew he was French, but she never knew his name. How many times did they cross eachother in bakeries and tailor shops? How many times did they walk the dogs in the same park, sat on the same bench, at different hours, different days. How many times did they almost meet?

"Bonjour"

"Bonjour, vous"

"On se connait?"

"Maintenant, si"

*Samaritaine is the name of a famous Parisian Department store, bigger than La Fayette and Le Printemps, it was the place for fashionable and expensive shopping before it was closed for "rebuilding" in 2005. Actually it was a move to restructure the personnel and transform it into office and apartment building so this fashionistas' paradise never reopened. These pictures were in the window of the shop in summer of 2006.

I (heart) Paris

You already know I’m a bit of a control freak when it comes to planning my travels. The high point of my obsessive-compulsive behaviour came in the summer of 2006 when I went to Paris with my best friend. Below you have proofs of that (the trip and the OCD). If any of you out there are visiting Paris, maybe this can give you some ideas.

Many more pictures under the cut and click to enlarge(it doesn't work yet, but this evening I'll take care of it).

The trip was planned as one last week in France, at the end of my Erasmus year in Nantes (insert sigh here). I had had a wonderful year in Nantes (sigh) and I regretted to leave it but the last week in France was truly awesome.

We found this nice hotel near Montmartre and I came one day earlier (I had booked my tickets one month in advance, got them half price, because I was obsessing). So I had time to do some sight seeing of my own before my best gf came and the rest became history. Montmartre soon became our favorite spot in Paris, we had discovered interesting things, such as the vineyard on the hill and it seemed like we were transported through time.

The weather was crappy. Like London rather than Paris, but we managed to have fun. If you are wondering, yeah, we did about 95% of what was planned. Maybe some extras too. We took so many pictures that our main problems were split into: a) me running out of memory or b) my best friend running out of battery. Luckily we had a way to fix it so now I am looking at almost 2 DVDs almost full of pictures and movies.

We did the usual things when going to Paris: going up the Tower, spending one (long, very long) day in the Louvre (and I love Egyptian art and lots of painting styles and painters, but that was too much for one day). We had our lunch under the tower, on Champ de Mars. We met with gypsies, the usual.

We went to Versailles and Disneyland (Magical, any child, no matter the age, 8 or 80, has to go there at least once). We were goofy, trying on funky hats and buying souvenirs and we went on almost all the rides twice (despite my initial fear and the line of people).

Nothing, no list, no plan, no book, nothing, prepared us for the little unusual discoveries that are ours alone. Like the old man playing violin in Place de Vosges. Or the wonderful colours of the sky while we were taking our ride on the Seine. Or that we would fall inlove with the little Trianon and not Versailles.

There were so many wonderful moments: the ducks on the pond in the Tuilleries or the boats in Luxembourg garden or the colours of the stained glass in Saint Chapelle. But I'll stop at this image of Luxembourg garden under the rain.

My boy being French will not agree with the title and although Paris is to crowded, busy, not necessarily the best place to live, this city was magical for me for some other reasons.

This trip was the embodiment of a dream we've had since high school. It came at the end of a great period in my life, and another one was starting. I will tell you more stories from my Erasmus days, I started with the end but rest assured, I went on lots of trips, and once I get back my photos, I'll take you on a journey with me.

P.S. I didn't forget to write about my boating trip, I still don't have the pics and I guess that's what you're interested in.

"I like eggs with my ham, when starting on a journey: fried not poached, and mind you don't break 'em"

Said Thorin the dwarf, before the start of the amazing journey that would lead to the discovery of the Ring, in Lord of the Rings. My breakfast won't be this big tomorrow morning as I leave, very early, for my internship in the Czech Republic.

I'll travel by coach, with Eurolines, the same that took me to my first experience abroad, as an Erasmus student in Nantes, almost 4 years ago (seems like an eternity). This time, the trip we'll take a day, departure at 5.30 am from Bucharest, arrival in Prague the following day at 7.30 am. The ticket was about 80€, a lot less expansive than the plane, as there are no direct low costs going to Prague. It's a bit uncomfortable but still manageable.

Once in Prague, in Florenc bus station, I'll have to take a train from Hlavni Nadrazi, the main railstation, that will take me directly to my destination, Bakov.

So right now I'm packing, only the basic, but already my suitcase weights 20 kg, and I'm not finished. For 6 months, I'll need a lot of clothes and stuff, some that I'll have delivered to me, some I'll take with me in my suitcase, backpack, and laptop bag. Another plus of traveling by coach is that the weight limit is 35kg and the extra charge is a lot less than for planes. And I'm taking advantage of it.

Next, i'll talk about my actual trip. Stay tuned, there are more advnetures after a short pause. And boy, some adventure it'll be.. Bye for now.