Au Revoir Bordeaux

I have visited very few places that I did not love.  That does not mean I yearned to live there; it simply means I appreciate each place and its uniqueness.

Bordeaux is a lovely old city.  Its center is filled with historic buildings, plazas, fine museums, churches, oh lots of churches, and plazas.  While a lot is going on here, the city is much more laid-back than larger cities like Paris.  The people seem happy here.  They work, shop, go to school, and get things done. But they take time to enjoy life too. All hours of the day, people sit at shaded outdoor tables with friends over one tiny cup of very strong coffee and feel no urge to rush.  The restaurant staff feels no need to shoo them away.  They bought coffee, therefore the table is theirs until they decide to leave. 

Our apartment hosts, Dennis and Maryse, confirm that yes, people do cook at home but goodness, they eat out too.  Restaurants are everywhere.  We’ve never seen so many and they are all full of patrons.  But make note, if you plan to eat mid-day you must order before 2 pm.  Beer, wine, juices, tea, and coffee are available but no food. Most kitchens close at that time to prep for the evening meal beginning at 7 or 8.

Only a few cars are on the streets.  The most common forms of transportation are trams, buses and electric scooters, bikes, skateboards, and motorbikes.  The land is flat so people easily zoom on bicycles or scooters. Walking is popular too but clearly very few people drive cars.

The weather has been hot with low humidity while we’ve been here. Even locals are having a hard time dealing with the heat.  It is not typical but thanks to global warming, it may be the new normal.

I’d love to say that Bordeaux is clean but it is not.  The area that makes up the historical city center is tidy but neighborhood streets are a bit littered, and weeds grow in the cracks of the sidewalks. A good general power wash would not hurt.  And in places where there are many, many people like the train station, litter bins are overflowing every single day.  Trash collection service simply cannot keep pace with the discards from the thousands of people passing that way.

Is Bordeaux beautiful?  It is without a doubt one of the grandest cities we’ve seen.  It is absolutely wonderful. The limestone used to build building walls lend an impression of strength and stability while the architectural detail, a mix of Italian and French makes each building a little unique. My favorite buildings are those built in a wedge between two streets — like a pie slice. A person could have one view on one side of the living room and another on the other side.

To say that Bordeaux people are helpful is an understatement.  They go out of their way to be cordial, often offer their seat on the tram, or help in any way they can.  And most speak English!

I’m always thinking about travel and what it may mean.  It’s not just the sights, the beaches, the museums, or the grand check-off list of what to see when and where.  Yeah, it’s all that but the sweet reward is meeting people.  If we’ve learned anything in our travels it is this:  people everywhere are the same.  Everyone is just like everyone else. We are all made of the same stuff. We all love our pets, children, and parents; we laugh, cry, dream, work, and worry.  Yes, our languages may be different, and we may look a little different, but our desires and our hearts are all basically the same.  We have found it so easy to connect with people from other countries.  We are not sure how it happens but when it does, it is absolutely a God-moment.

The new sights we sometimes see are astounding and miraculous . . . think about the ancient buildings we have photographed, the elaborately designed museums, the cobblestone streets, the cliffs overlooking the ocean, and the dunes in Gran Canaria!  We have so many memories and photos!  But here’s the funny thing.  Sometimes as we travel from town to town, the countryside views look just like some you’d see in Arkansas, Missouri, or Georgia.  There are fields and farms, horses and cows, houses with backyard above-ground pools, junkyards, and pine forests.  Sure looks like home.

We’ve learned there’s another common thing.  Every country has its problems.  Most people all over the world are unhappy with their governments.  Some are worse than others but across the globe, people generally feel their governments do not manage their country well or represent them adequately.   Every country has its share of poverty too and wealth . . . but there are lots of us in-between who keep things going.  Every country struggles with the sad, frustrating fact they have homeless people . . . everyone ponders a way to help or fix it – can it be done?

Here’s the really nice thing . . . every country in the world has the cutest, most beautiful kids ever born. They are our most common denominator.  Wow!  When we see kids on the bus or tram, we always give them a smile and a little wave; sometimes they wave back and smile, and some just look at us like we are green.  Children are the greatest symbols of hope for the world.  No, better said, they are our HOPE.

Pau, France is our next stop.  We are heading there today.  Farewell Bordeaux.  I love your churches, your trams, your restaurants, your food, and your people. And your kids!