Saturday, April 12, 2014

Montpellier


More photos of our two days in Montpellier, France. It was my first time back in France since I was here in the 70's with the Navy. Obviously things have changed in 35 years - more traffic and more people - yet the smells and history that oozes from every corner are still the same. The French language here is interspersed with Spanish and English and no one seems concerned about the loss of identity and culture as in Quebec. How utterly refreshing! In Montpellier we had the chance to hop on one of the colorful trams that circle the city and the downtown. There are few cars here and except for the noisy little scooters that are everywhere the city is designed for free movement of people on the wide tree-lined boulevards and pedestrian malls. I did notice that almost everyone had a cigarette in their mouth and it was hard to avoid clouds of secondhand smoke wherever you went. And though people like their bread and wine nobody's fat! Though I think we may have gained a few pounds....
Gws

Marie and fresh strawberries for 2 euros a basket

Montpelliere artist Andre Blondel


Tourist train

riding the trams




Waiting  for train to Marseille


Inside the Fabre museum








View from our apartment in Montpellier