"Mal"

Spring is creeping in

 

Just a heads up--my photos today have nothing to do with the text.

Something is flowering along the Aude

 One of the things I have noticed about the Carcassonnaises-- they love to form groups, associations, clubs, and then get together and talk.  Some of these meetings involve food, but a surprising number of their gatherings do not; it's the talking that draws them in. I went to one such discussion last night.  The subject was, "Bad-What are its Origins?"  

 Now for many people this would be like watching the proverbial paint dry.  And in a foreign language no less.  But I do find the subject interesting, and listening to these people speak also helps to improve my French. 

The format was simple: the first person gave a position. The second person spoke from the exact opposite position.  Then the members of the audience got their turns to weigh in. This was sponsored by the Protestant Church here in Carcassonne, and while there were the expected arguments about God, there was also the position taken by someone that there is no God.  The only "rule" was that people had to be respectful.

And you know what?  They were.  Nobody interrupted anyone else. Nobody got ugly or insulting. There were widely divergent points of view expressed. Members of the audience came prepared to and did quote Augustin, Aristotle and Voltaire.  Some came with prepared texts to read.  Some just responded to points made by prior speakers. Some, like me, sat quietly and listened and thought.

Does anyone know what this is?  Poke? 

My French is still inadequate for me to get up and speak.  But I was able to understand almost everything that was said, as long as the speakers used the microphones. I don't understand what I can't hear.  But I came away chewing upon a great deal of food for thought.  And I felt a little uplifted from the normal slog of everyday news, and badly dubbed cop shows.  I am glad I attended and would do so again.

Olive tree in the Jardin du Calvaire.  Here and there a black olive on the ground among the stones.

Pleasures and Joys

Galen at Place Gambetta, in front of the art museum

Sharing Carcassonne with friends gives me great pleasure.  My friend Galen Brooks arrived on Sunday from Washington, DC after some minor travel glitches that he weathered beautifully. He is settling in, I think, and getting used to a new address and pace of life.  We explored a tiny bit of the Bastide yesterday, just enough to get him oriented and show him which boulangerie to use for his bread purchases. We walked for a few yards along the Canal du Midi--it was such a beautiful day.

Along the Canal du Midi

This morning, we went to the Tuesday morning market and while I came home and cooked and had lunch at home, he is out exploring. I am proud of his spirit.

 

I have to share this with someone--the headline from one of the outlying villages section of the newspaper read, "Tequila Enlivens Tea Dance."  I guess so!  

The band that led us through the streets

I am still trying to process the things I witnessed during Carnaval.  I think that I just don't know enough to evaluate what I saw.  I suspect that some of those dances, rituals, whatever, go back centuries, and maybe even have their roots in pagan cultures. It certainly gave me plenty to think about.

Today a number of happy things happened to me during my marketing.  First, I got recognized by someone I know on the street.  I cannot begin to describe the way that makes me feel...to have made myself a place in a foreign culture and language.  Secondly, I had great conversations with several of the vendors at the market--the man selling vanilla beans and the man with the organic farm (he extended an invitation to visit) who sold Galen some Incan potatoes. While telling us how to prepare them as chips, I mentioned putting salt on them and he promptly told me that salt wasn't good for my health!  Okay, then. 

But the best thing of all was that Michel, my butcher, offered to sharpen my knives for me.  Oh my God, it was almost as good as if he had asked me to dance!  He knows the way to a woman's heart, that's for sure.

A little chocolate/hazelnut birthday cake for Galen on the day he arrived

Lunch at Chez Felix at Place Carnot. 

Carnaval

Horns opened the festivities

There are some definite disadvantages to living and trying to sleep within earshot of the Dome and the Carnaval festivities.  Oh to be young again.....sigh.

Color and movement

So I find myself at 1:40 in the morning awake and unable to get back to sleep, even with the soothing rhythmic pounding of the drums a barely a block away.  So, I thought maybe I could make up for missed time.  I have had some technical issues which started out as intermittent and then got worse.  I think I may have to have a new laptop when I get back home.  I actually looked at one here, but the keyboard is French and that will never do for an old gal who long ago learned to touch type.  My issues still don't seem completely resolved, but let's hope all will be well until I get back to tech support.

This guy led the singing and chanting

Enough about that....today was Carcassonne's Carnaval.  And as the paper advertised, watch out!  I have never been to a Carnaval before, growing up in Protestant-land.  We surely didn't celebrate it in Thurmont.  I don't know what I expected, but I am still processing what I witnessed.

Part bird, part cave person, totally disguised

The confetti flew

I found confetti even in my shoes when I got home.  

A touch of the pagan?

It was colorful, full of movement, interesting costumes and vaguely disturbing.  I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Candies in the chamber pots

I wondered about all of the balloon-bosoms.  Then I read in the paper that the "theme" was the ambiguity of gender.  That explained a lot.

These characters were most intriguing.

 More antics from the bird beaks.

Creepiest float I have ever seen

There is a cremation at the end of the parade through the streets.  I honestly didn't feel like staying for it, but here's what I think happened.  Mr. Carnaval is accused of various crimes against the populace, is tried, convicted and gets torched. I think this float is burned up.

Notice the senorita

This was the back of the float--full of greenery, and dolls....

Great use of dryer vents

Old friends

A young Mozart?

These guys accompanied the creepy float.

Carcassonne Rhythms

The flower beds have been cleaned and turned for planting

One of the greatest advantages of spending time in a place rather than visiting multiple sites in the same time period is that I have gotten a sense of the rhythms.  Just as some of the great Impressionists visited the same place at different times to capture different moods and light, I have been able to view the same spots over and over again and see the rhythm of their breath.  

Maybe not such a good spot for a nest

The Aude, which last week was still enraged, is calmer now, less opaque and less swift.  Bits of ground that had been inundated are coming out of the water.  Wicker man's arm has not yet been repaired--it may take the advice and skill of the artist who created him to undertake that job.  The flower beds in the park have been emptied and the soil turned, awaiting spring planting.  The trees at the boules court have been cropped short.  

Pruning accomplished.  I am in the lower right hand corner.

No good photos of the Cite today--the light was not right. But I am terrified that I will forget, so I am taking pictures every single time I go out, even if I have photographed it before.  The light and time is different today, so it's new to me, really.  I have learned that--it is one of the greatest lessons of this adventure.  

Just across the Pont Neuf and worlds away from everything

I found the prison.  Even without the sign over the porte, I would have known what it is.  It's no "Slammer by the Sea," that's for sure.  

 

This garden wintered nicely

 

The sun was warm today, and there was no wind, so I probably didn't need my scarf.  I am grateful that the sun is shining and there is no rain falling from the sky. But, I didn't smell that drift of warming soil that hints of spring's arrival.  It's close, but not here yet.

Now this is what I call a mural.  What's real and what tricks the eye?

Choices, choices!!

My Caprice, indeed!

I just read another article in the paper about an upcoming weekend activity here in the Bastide.  A local activities group is teaming up with students of the local beauty school for "Operation  Sortez Votre Art Contre l'Isolement"-- loosely translated as get out your art against isolation.  They are having two days of gatherings, music, art, the students will be offering their services to retirees, there's a bagged meal....I quote one of the participants. "The idea is to mix art, with an exhibit of paintings by Arlette Mouton, with beauty care, with music, with a range of people and generations....our wish is that people who are isolated and those who want to mingle can find one another." 

Now how cool is this?  Thursday, Friday and Saturday .  They are going to make a video, have poetry readings, singing, writing sessions in which they hope that people who are alone can form some bonds with other people. I plan to attend at least part of one of the days.  

The Aude is still running high.  The footbridge across is still covered and has snagged a tree trunk,

In addition, there's a free lecture about the Albigensian crusade, the "tactile concert," Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and a round table talk about the economy and unemployment organized by Christians in the Rural World.  I am interested in ALL of it....How could anyone be bored?

Workers getting the flower beds prepared for spring planting. Love the flat top trees.

Bouleversee--Upside Down

 

Have been a little "out of it" for the past several days.  Feeling somewhat better today. Carnaval is coming--I bought my mask.  

Then I went out to buy my paper, and Marie was completely out of La Depeche, the paper I read every day.  My addiction.  I had to "settle" for L'Independant.  Marie thought I could look upon it as a new adventure, and she is right, of course.  But I still feel turned upside down.  Je suis bouleversee.

 

My normal working spot. 

Today is spectacular-warm and full sun. It rained hard last night, and everything today is scrubbed clean.  I spent some time doing my housework this morning.  Laundry, soup making, sweeping and dusting and the kitchen is immaculate.  This afternoon I am going out to find a bench, soak up some Vitamin D, and do some writing.  Then I have a spreadsheet to work on.

I am so ready for spring, and it hasn't even been a bad winter.

Carnaval in Limoux has been going on for several weeks now.  The paper had pictures of last weekend's costumes-- the women dressed up as items found in crepes--there was a whipped cream can, another woman dressed as a bottle of Grand Marnier.  I am saving my trip there for when company arrives, so I can share the experience.  

But now--the outside is calling. The sink is clean and the lunch dishes can wait. The sunshine can't.

Camels at Carnot

Just a little to the left of center, you can see the camels' humps peeking out of their overcoats

I was nearly finished my marketing this morning--there wasn't much, I wanted some fresh eggs and some spinach--when I heard quite a commotion.  I looked up to see camels, wearing splendid red overcoats parading by.  Then there came an elephant and the whole menagerie was accompanied by ring-masters wearing the traditional red coats. The mini parade caused quite a stir. The circus is in town.  I tried to get some photos, but camels and elephants walk faster than I do.

Marie and I talked at some length when I stopped in for my daily lesson, er, newspaper. Neither of us are very fond of circuses and the jury is still out on zoos and aquariums. 

Carnaval is coming.  It's already begun in Limoux.  I stopped at the mask store--yes, there is such a thing as a mask store--and made my selection.  I needed something that would still allow my progressive lenses!!! The proprietor and I shared several good laughs on the joys of aging.  I have never been to Carnaval before, and I am sure that this one is on a more human scale than the big ones--Rio, New Orleans. That suits me just fine. There will be a parade, then festivities with refreshments at the Dome, around the corner: confetti;  judging; a masked ball; dancing; food; and revelry. Intrigue, romance--oh wait, that's in a movie somewhere.  There is a cremation--I don't know exactly what it is they will burn, since all of these Carnaval customs are new to me. But I expect to find out.  I hope it's not a heretic!