Bernay: Best Day Ever

Sorry for not sending this update sooner.  I got in really late last night and there were tons of things to do.

Paris has its museums and its historic charm, but Bernay, somehow, still has that quintessentially old-world French feel.  I absolutely fell in love with the city.  The view from my window was incredible.  I was on the highest floor of the Hotel Lion D'Or and had an unobstructed view of the city's sprawling rooflines.  All the pictures I took really could capture that...

I started out by taking in the weekly market that filled the whole mile stretch of road in front of my hotel and one of the major squares.  It was like something out of a book/movie.   All of the local farmers had there crops on display.  An entire table of strawberries, lettuce, hams, sausages, cheeses...and one cart, though I have no idea what they were selling, had a baby goat that kept standing up and looking at people.  And like any good bazaar, there were a healthy number of people selling tacky clothes, gadgets, and leather goods clearly made nowhere near France if you catch my drift...

After taking that in, I headed over to the Musée des Beaux-Arts, the reason for my coming to Bernay on account of their André Mare collection.  I got chatting with the person at the receptionist who was very engaging in conversation; she even let me in for free!  Fortunately, the museum was completely worth the stop and was really useful to see some of the executed works I had heard about.  As I was about to leave, I approached the same lady to ask about the name of the curator in the museum to get extra info for my thesis advisor, and she hands me a book (and then a poster) as a completely free gift!!!!  That was worth nearly 30 euros combined!  I was completely speechless.  They even gave me a tour of the connected abbey which had a display of French chairs from the 15th century to today.  Amazing experience!

I then trotted around town taking in the scenery and whatnot.  Found a really great bike path on the south end of town and walked on that for a while (and until the rain became prohibitive).  And, of course, before leaving, I popped into one of patisseries on the main square and bought a little dessert...the name of it escapes me.  Pralines and custard like topping with cocoa powder on top.  The baker wrapped it up in quite possibly the most elaborate and cute pyramid of paper.  Pictures will soon follow on Facebook, I assure you.

Grabbed the train without a problem, very sad to leave though.  Navigated through Paris and met the person who's loaning me his apartment.  Surprisingly, much larger and much closer to the main road than I thought it would be.  Unfortunately, the night finished off kind of sour as, despite being told they would be present, there were no towels.  At all.  or soap.  So I had to make a 10:00 PM run to one of the only Monoprix's a mile away that was still open.  I would have done it on Sunday, but most stores are closed then.  I'm pretty sure I'm using a fuzzing industrial towel now...but it'll have to do until I can get something better.

So taking today to settle in and get to know the area...since Sundays tend to limit options!

Interlude: Bernay

I'm writing to you all from absolutely the cutest and most quentessentially French small town of Bernay!

I started out my last day at Ardenne.  Absolutely beautiful (Fall-like) weather.  I got access to all the letters I had hoped to see my last day.  The cosmic irony of that though was that the handwriting of some of the (more important) artists was so messy I could barely decipher 1 in 7 words.  womp womp.

And alas, it was time to go.  I do hate goodbyes...one can never find the right things to say.  I exchanged emails with a couple of the researchers I had come to know over the past 4 days.  Networking in French...it's how I roll :)

Train station went off without a hitch.  I'm really a fan of how people walk with their dogs into the train station with no leash or anything.  Beyond cute.  A shame I couldn't stay on my train longer...it terminated in Rouen.  So much Art History there.  So much Art History...

But Bernay is far more than a compromise.  It is so quaint, I LOVE IT!  I'd say there are about 7 major roads and then a network of tinier connecting ones.  Tiny, respectful shops and restaurants.  I found a French/Italian mix restaurant  for dinner.  Interesting spaghetti à la Paysane (carrots, spinich, ham, one raw egg?) BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT I looked at the drink menu and Art History stuck out at me!  Google "George Braque Suze".  One of the pivotal moments in collage was when Picasso and Braque puts things that weren't paint on their canvases, like newpaper and wallpaper.  At one point Braque put the label of a bottle of Suze alcohol on a canvas and drew the bottle around it.  Signifiers and all, you know?  But much to my surprise, for the very affordable price of 3,50 euros I could get Suze!!!!  Very interesting taste.  Starts out like the sweetest honey I've ever tasted and then has quite the aftertaste and bite.  Quite good cordial actually.

K...I'm teh uber sleepy and have a busy day of doing nothing and everything tomorrow.  Seriously though, Bernay: rock on.