Toulouse first impressions

That first day in Europe when you’re zoned out from the flight but its 10 AM so your room isn’t ready and you walk around the city staring at stuff, but nothing hard like a museum cuz you’re all zoned out. You can find great pleasure in imagining the fountain sculptor chiseling an alternate title into the fountain: La Fontaine Get Zees Pigeon Off Ma Tête!

French fashions don’t seem to have changed all that much since I was first here 30 years ago: skinny jeans, scarves, boots, Chuck Taylors, “statement” accessories like orange shoelaces or wild glasses. You wonder… Is he always known simply as the guy with the yellow shoes?

Today is Pentecost Monday so all the stores are closed. People are out strolling around, big multi-generational meals. Biking and hanging out along the riverbank.

The wrought iron railings remind Lee of a recurring dream she’s had… she always thought it was New Orleans. But now? This city is full of ornate wrought iron, so maybe this is where she’s been dreaming of all along.

Amazing that the itinerant accordion player doesn’t have a hot blonde beside him and a much bigger bucket of tips… Life is cruel.

We (me more than Lee I suppose) were impressed with the generous use of bare-chested women as decorations on the carousel. The ghostly image of the attendant seems to be watching one of those carvings intently (he moved into the frame just as my long HDR exposure was finishing).

All before lunch… I love vacation.