After a delicious French meal at McDonalds, we happened upon a flea market. I couldn't get the car stopped fast enough. We had just been discussing how in the world we were going to get all the stuff we have purchased back home, but we just couldn't resist. Mom just laughed at us. She knows there's nothing she can do to stop it anyway.
We made a quick coffee stop at home then headed back out on another excursion. We saw the Eglise Allas, another ancient church, then drove past poppy field after poppy field to Commarque Castle in ruins, walking through what we like to call the enchanted forest.
Our daily bread, in more ways than one.
Scenes around Baran
What a blessed Sunday, full of adventures.
Updated: May 28, 2022
Another beautiful day started with rain as we shopped the street market in St. Cyprien. We were prepared with rain ponchos, so we didn't mind. This quaint market is quite different than the larger market in Sarlat. There were many more farmer's market type booths, selling homegrown produce. There were many flower booths selling cut flowers, no doubt from their own gardens.
Some of the colorful flowers were displayed in rusty metal cans. I have always appreciated that style. I love the juxtaposition of a fancy crystal chandelier raining down light onto a rustic barnwood table. Kathy said that the French really do know how to appreciate the little things, as do I.
At the market, we ran into our neighbor Margot, who is a former Dutch model. The people we have met in this area sure have led interesting lives. Her husband is a painting restorer who has work with Picassos. She was at the market visiting a friend who owns a shop that specializes in American collectibles, such as John Wayne memorabilia, The Simpsons, mid-century modern furniture from California and even bobbleheads. She had stopped by our house for a visit the day before, ringing our door bells. Yes, door bells. I had never thought about where the name had originated, but I loved hearing that string of rusty bells ring when she visited.
I love the simple rustic French country way of life. During her visit, Margot told us a little about their interesting lives, then described her husband's retirement as trading in working with Picassos for working in sheep "you know what".
After the market, we went to Redon Espic Church and had our own worship service there. There are no words to describe that experience so I won't try. Here are a couple of pictures and videos.
Outtakee! We had lots of those.
Kathy and Mom shopped in Sarlat in the morning while I stayed in to write. After they'd made their purchases, they swung by the house to pick me up and we all went back to Sarlat for lunch at an outdoor brasserie. Again, our meal was not what we were expecting. Our "well-done" burgers were completely raw inside. We have a lot to learn about ordering food in France.
Before leaving Sarlat, we stopped at a Coiffier to make an appointment for Kathy to get her hair cut so she can say she flew to France to get her hair done.
Outside an ancient church, we came upon a quaint fountain. It was a hot day and I bent down to take a sip. Kathy and Mom both gasped and screamed, "No!" It was too late. It probably wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done, but it was very cold and quenched my thirst.
We decided to find the brocante in a nearby town that our neighbor, Margot, had told us about. of course...Ferme' (closed) So frustrating, but we took down the phone number to make an appointment. Oh, how I am going to like this place. We walked around outside looking at the massive rusty iron gates and huge chandeliers that surely must have been in a castle at one time.
Then once again, we chose to have one of our wonderfully lost adventures, this time aided by our sometimes friend, the GPS lady. We asked her to search for nearby attractions and she led us to a couple of beautiful old churches.
We happened upon a lovely castle, high upon a hill with cows and sheep roaming around it. It was a privately owned home, so we appreciated it from afar.
On the way home, we stopped at a gift shop in one of the small towns. The shopkeepers were so kind, offering to take our pictures though they didn't speak any English at all. Through hand gestures and smiles, we strangers from different lands figured it out together. Just another sweet moment with the lovely French people.
Further along, we began looking for a restaurant. We saw a sign for dinner in a chateau and drove down the tree lined driveway. After parking our car, we walked through a large iron gate to enter into a manicured garden. After looking at the limited menu and seeing nothing that Mom and I could eat and with prices at $84 euros per entree, we decided to pass. We felt bad because several of the staff came out to meet us. We chose to eat in St. Cyprien at a pizza place that we had been told about. Delicious!
