Last days in Rouen

Two more sleeps and I’m off to Paris! I’ve spent the last few days in Rouen visiting some of the familiar places.

I have so enjoyed the months here. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to live in a different city, explore a different culture and learn a new language (no, still no results from the DELF). I’ve met people from all over the world – literally. Australia, Korea, Japan, China, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Columbia, England, Ireland, Holland…and, of course, France.

The history here is incredibly rich. They speak in centuries (12^th century, 16^th century),while at the same time try to live within all the complexities of today: the reality of immigration, gender issues, faith/religion questions, generational differences, political turmoil. All things we struggle with as well. Yet in the midst of it all life is pretty normal. I’ve seen parents caring for their children, children caring for their parents and grandparents, strangers offering something to the homeless, young (and not so young) men and women showing affection for each other.

What I’ve gotten more use to is this side-by-side of the old and the new that is a constant here. For example, I went last week to hear Mozart’s Requim at one of the gothic-styled churches. The timing of the concert was especially fitting because it was just days after Corporal Nathan Cirillo was assassinated at the War Memorial in Ottawa. The orchestra, choir and soloists were excellent. I thought to myself that this work would have been played in just such a place when it was composed. No mics were needed, the sound reverberated through the building. Later on I went to mass at the church I attend close to my apartment and it was one of the parish music groups leading the music. The members were of African descent and they played the drums, keyboard, and guitar. The music was lively and everyone sang. I even recognized one of the acclamations from back home. (Note to the liturgy police: France hasn't got the memo yet about the "correct" posture and revised acclamations. Not quite sure how kneeling for the consecration is going to catch on here with cold stone floors and old arthritic knees.)

One of the last events that has started this week is the St. Romain Fair (Foire Sainte Romain).

It runs for a month at the quai where the beach activities took place this summer. There are all the things typical of a fair:

Rides:

Haunted houses:

Ferris wheel:

Games:

This one was a gambling casino. There were some pretty rich prizes. I watched a young couple put in a ton of tokens hoping to move the pile closer to the drop and score big. Don't think it happened.

And, of course food. There were the familiar hotdogs, hamburgers and fries. But also a few things I haven't seen at a fair recently.

There were three different locations on the fair grounds that had this type of barbecue. I counted 25. One location alone had 16 of them.

 I will have to come back for lunch before I leave here. Can you imagine the soup that would be made from this? Yummmy!

I took a couple of close up pictures in case some welder I know wanted to make one for his backyard.

There were also kiosks making and selling nougat and hard candy. The French take their food very serious. You get to see them making it.

And you can special order the flavours you want.

In addition there were lots of outlets making crepes, waffles and churros (deep fried squiggles). 

 

That is one thing that I will miss here – the food. For the most part, I’ve eaten very simply at home (rice, fish, chicken, veggies). Yet, I have treated myself to a meal out a few times, especially to try the local specialties or a different pastry.

I read somewhere that it was in Rouen where Julia Child first tasted authentic French cuisine when she had the sole meuniere (sole fried in butter)  at La Couronne, a restaurant in the Old Market (Vieille Marché) in the same square as St. Joan of Arc church.

That created the desire in her to learn the French cuisine. I have learned to make a few different types of dough and I’m looking forward to the cooking classes in Paris.

Final preparation. I've check google maps so I know where I'm heading when I get off a train (Paris, Avignon, London, Swansea, Worcester). And I decided to buy another suitcase. This one is also a backpack. Traveling around it will hold my current backpack as well as the books I bought here. The idea is to only have two suitcases for traveling. There are no weigh restrictions on the train. If you can carry it, you can take it. But for the plane from London I will have to repack and make sure the weight restrictions are followed. The extra suitcase will come in handy there.

Off to explore the fairgrounds one last time. It is a beautiful day. I'm going to miss this when I'm gone.