I woke up in Bordeaux this morning to a crystal blue sky above the rooftop view from my room. Easter morning. Alleluia! There were birds singing and as I took in the view a lone pidgeon had come to my windowsill to drink water from the ledge catch basin. The city was quiet this morning. France rests on Sundays.
My traveling comrade and friend, Ramona, planned to attend Easter Mass and I decided to join her at the Cathedral Saint Andre. It was 4 blocks or so from the hotel, an enormous, grand cathedral. This is a view of the pipes of the organ.
It was standing room only, high mass, and of course all in French. I sat there in awe that I was celebrating Easter in an ancient church, in a far away place, with the music bellowing about the stone and stained glass.
We realized that in this Easter day Jean Pierre Cardinal Ricard was officiating the service. Perhaps that explained the standing room only but none the less it was a grand occasion. 
After the service we took to yet another devine lunch, this time at le Cafe Francais.
We packed our bags, boarded the train to La Rochelle at 5PM and arrived to a thunderstorm and some much needed rain.
And so begins the natural dye symposium in the morning and another old city to meet this week as the days pass to nights.
Bonne nuit.
