Again I hopped on the metro and wizzed along into the city centre, I got off at Capitole which is the main square next to the town hall, (below).
The square had quite a few stalls and I ended up buying some bread which was delicious though hasn't lasted overnight even after putting it in the fridge! I also bought the most delicious butternut squash raviolle that I sort of haggled for in French! I'm not sure how successfully but I managed to get about a euro off! The guy seemed good humoured! I also had a startling realisation of how obviously I must look like a tourist! I got hassled by a woman in the market who said she was collecting money for disabled children, she said at first it was a petition I was a bit suspicious and kept checking behind me to make sure I wasn't being completely duped! Then she wanted money, i kept saying "je suis desolée je n'ai pas beaucoup d'argent!" "Mais c'est pour les enfants!" "Je comprends mais je n'ai pas beaucoup d'argent." Ultimately I said I could give a little, two euros, she immediately said non, non, you can give more than that and I had had enough then and walked away a little shaken! She was very pushy. I'm so used to stuff like that in London and yet it's rather harder to deal with when it is all in a different language and I guess i have a new sympathy for foreigners in London. Someone else tried the same thing on me later, he walked right past me, then clocked me and started following, as soon as he caught up he started talking quickly and said he was in a crisis, I didn't give him time to engage me in conversation this time. I guess I'm wising up!
The second market was also lovely, covered, and I tried some delicious free cheese samples, was very tempted to buy some but I thought it might stink a bit if I kept it in my bag all day! It was also a bit pricey. But I bought some clemetines and some vegetables. Then I wandered back through the streets to a creperie I had spied yesterday and that my flatmate had recommended on the beautiful Rue de Taur. As it was quite mild and the sun had come out I sat on a table outside and ordered a coffee and a camembert galette "sans le jambon"!
Mon galette au camembert.
It was really lovely and I started to relax, watching the passers by, and reading my book. Sat next to me was another solo diner, a girl, not much older than me and after a time she struck up conversation with me. We talked for the rest of the meal, in french which was really exciting, I really love having the opportunity to practice my french! It turned out she was an architecture student from Mexico on a year abroad studying in Paris, she was visiting Toulouse in order to see some of the rest of France. Because Paris is not the same as the rest of France. We talked about music, and art, and being a foreign student abroad and it was really nice. I felt very content and completely relaxed by this time. The food was also delicious and I followed my crepe with 'une boule de glace citron' (lemon ice cream) it was yummy! We parted ways exchanging email addresses and she said that if I come to Paris she will happily show me round. I don't know if we'll stay in touch or not but it's nice to have another contact in France and it would be lovely if we crossed paths again.
After that I planned to wander to the river but allowed myself to be distracted my a pretty side street and wandering down I found the most amazing bookshop, I lingered in there for over an hour and could have spent even longer, it was an enjoyable and gentle way of practicing my french but mostly I was attracted by the enormous number of beautiful and really high quality illustrated books, some children's books, some graphic novels and comic books for adults, I just became completely absorbed, which was such a nice feeling. I was half tempted to buy quite a lot, particularly when I discovered the original french versions of books by one of my favourite graphic novelists, Guy Delisle, who is either French or a French-Canadian and writes travalogues about the strange and sometimes less than wonderful places that he has visited. However I decided not to spend more money for the day and that I will be here long enough to spread out my book purchases without too much problem. There is no rush. I also found Tamara Drewe in French! Another book I was tempted by was book on Japanese Aesthetics, again containing some beautiful understated illustrations by someone called Nicolas de Crécy. The book was written by Pierre Bergé and called "Esthétiques du Quotidien au Japon", again I decided it was book for another day, perhaps once my french has developed a bit. For now, it is quite a relief to have a nice light english book to read.
Photos taken from the banks of la Garonne
After I finally decided to leave the bookshop it was almost coming up to 5 o'clock and I decided to have a little walk around the river before heading back to the flat. It was a beautiful late afternoon sky, quite dramatic, and the river was a buzz with people. I took lots of photos and almost thought about sketching the view but ultimately decided I was a bit tired by this point. Here are some of the photos I took.
I walked from opposite les Abbatoires, the museum of modern art here, under the Pont Neuf, which is the oldest bridge across La Garonne to the Pont St Michel, I then headed back to the metro ( I have to try very hard not to call it the tube!)
Felt very tired when I got back to the flat a little homesick with tiredness, but again skype helped and I had a lovely quiet evening, eating my raviolle and catching up with friends and family back home. This morning I woke up and didn't feel quite so nervous about filling the day. As it is Sunday today and I still feel quite tired I had a lie in and read my book but I am going to go out in a minute, as it's nearly two and I don't want the rest of the day to slip away too quickly! I think I am going to go to try to make it to an art gallery inside a power station! The guide book says there is also a nice view of the river from there. I am intrigued to see what it will be like. I may have lunch in a cafe, all the shops close on a Sunday and cars are stopped from driving through the town so i think it will be strange going into the town centre today!! I'd better get going. I hope today will be as enjoyable as yesterday.
Will try to be better at keeping this up to date. Has been nice to sit down and reflect. I feel like I've experienced so much and haven't really finished taking it all in yet!
I'll write again soon and will try to put more photos (and drawings hopefully!) up here.
A bientôt!
Bisoux.
Laura xxxxx
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