Took
about one and half hours to get to Vannes this morning, should only
take about forty minutes. Had to keep stopping because of the car
overheating. Laura kept telling me she could smell burning. I think
she probably wonders why I don't buy a new car!
Laura
decided we should look inside the Cathedrale
St Pierre.
The doorway is interesting, built in the 16th century in the Gothic
style, it's lined with niches containing statues of the apostles
which, apparently, is a Breton tradition. The interior of the
Cathedral is also in a Gothic style.
Walked around Place
Henri IV,
a square in the centre of the old town surrounded by 15th and 16th
century half-timbered houses.
Laura wanted to find a particular house
covered with animal carvings. I had to ask a couple of people before
we finally discovered it in the next street, Rue
Salomon.
I
suggested walking the city ramparts but first Laura wanted to look
for a skirt. She seemed disappointed at the lack of large clothes
stores and kept asking if there were any like Next or Monsoon (I said
I didn't think so, but really didn't have a clue what she meant). She
followed me into one shop. Four women were standing at the counter
talking. They stared at Laura blankly as she attempted a few words of
French. She then she gave up and asked if they spoke English. They
exchanged smug glances before the youngest one sauntered idly over to
a rail and pointed. Laura smiled gratefully, grabbed several skirts
and fled into the changing room. (Her French is worse than mine! It's
just her pronunciation. But, of course, she doesn't live here). She
emerged wearing one of the skirts and I assured her she looked nice
in it. However, the assistants smirked. Laura retreated back to the
changing room and we finally escaped the shop ten minutes later.
When
she mentioned looking for fridge magnets I suggested it might be
better to wait until we visit Carnac where there are plenty of
souvenir shops. However she seemed determined to carry on searching,
so we arranged to meet outside the Cathedral an hour later.
I
enjoyed sitting outside in the old part of the town watching all the
tourists go by. Got to the Cathedrale to meet Laura five minutes
early. After fifteen minutes with no sign of her I phoned her mobile.
She said she was lost and didn't have a clue where she was. I asked
her to find out the name of the street but she couldn't see it nor
any landmarks. I was still talking to her on the phone when I glanced
behind and there she was, coming towards me. She had got completely
lost.
She
said she was in desperate need of a coffee. (It was another twenty
minutes before we finally made it to the ramparts).
Vannes
was once totally surrounded by these walls, two thirds of which
remain intact today.
Part
of our walk overlooked the gardens, laid out in what used to be the
moat, and a group of old wash-houses which were still in use after
WWII. We passed several towers, including the Tour
de Connetable,
built in the 16th century, which is the highest in Vannes.
This
evening we went through more of our interview. Laura told me about
some of the authors who send her manuscripts, one who always writes
the same stories and gives her characters ridiculous names like Teddy
Faunterleroy-Huntingdon Frobisher
for example.
Gave
the garden a good watering.
