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France 2010
Day 9 - 11th October - Normandy: Mont-St-Michel, Lunch (Part 2)
More close-together stonework
Huge wheel. At first I thought it was meant to wheel stuff up but it was attached to a chain which seemed to move the drawbridge
Huge wheel and drawbridge
The chain going all the way down
There was a group of what sounded like Hongkies who interestingly were speakingin English, not Cantonese. Maybe they were from Canada.
There were 3 heated places in Mont-St-Michel: the Kitchen, the Scriptorium (where books were copied) and the Infirmière (for the infirm)
The meeting of 3 Dead and 3 Living
Chapelle St Etienne
The guide asked people to name the Seven Wonders of the World, but no one could name more than one. Victor Hugo said something about the Wonders and Mont-St-Michel ("Mont-Saint-Michel, said Victor Hugo, is to France what the Pyramids are to Egypt" - I think this is it)
Stair
Magnets: the middle is on global warming
Historical vocabulary for sign language
St Michael throws down the demon
Wall on side of Mont-St-Michel
Side of MSM complex
Side of MSM complex
Trying to get you to spend more money in the area: advertising museums showcasing the natural sights in the area
On the way down I saw one girl eating a Croque Monsieur with a knife, fork and plate (all disposable). This was quite sad.
"I ♥ Paris" condoms
I can tell
"Visite historique" - one of the houses in the village below the abbey with exhibits to con people
2 nice dogs
"Ker Saint Michel - Véritable Kouign Amann. Fabriqué en Bretagne"
Ironically, given this authentic Breton delicacy, Mont-St-Michel is not in Britanny!
A violation of laïcité (French separation of Church & State)
"English Bombards abandonned by the army of Thomas Scalles, 17 June 1434"
Kids blocking the fountain
"Washing of feet forbidden" - so much for the tradition of providing hospitality to weary pilgrims
Outdated No Parking sign
The bay of Mont-St-Michel, and photographer
The bay of Mont-St-Michel
The bay of Mont-St-Michel
The reality of tourism
For lunch, we went to Croix d'Or (Golden Cross) in Avranches, which the Rough Guide had crowned one of the Highlights of Lower Normandy.
25€ lunch menu!
Lunch ambience at Croix d'Or
Amuse bouche
Registering to use the wireless internet because of the anti-terrorism law
Butter is great served in these receptacles, but I can imagine it's very wasteful
Something with chèvre (goat's cheese) "pour dégustation" (for tasting)
Millefeuille de chorizo et lieu jaune mariné, huile de courge aux herbes fraîches
Important: this was not à Chorizo. The difference being à Chorizo means with Chorizo, but de Chorizo means made of Chorizo - so it was very salty
Soupe de poissons (Fish soup) with cheese and croutons. I didn't like this.
Pavé de cabillaud, bisque de langoustines, étuvée d'épinards et mousseline de carottes (Cod)
Filet mignon de porc rôti, sauce airelles, terrine de pommes de terre et fricassée de navets (Pork)
I finally got to taste real parsley. MFTTW insists in Singapore parsley has no taste and is just for garnishing. Real parsley tastes like grass.
A most impressive cheese platter
Neither of us was really into cheese, so I asked for only a little. This is what we got (we ate maybe half?)
In the first plate, of local cheeses, you start with the bottom right and finish at the top
In the second you start at the bottom and end at the top, and the other 2 can be eaten at any time
The cheese was served with raisin and nut bread which was crusty also.
Dessert menu. Notice all the sorbets have alcohol.
Poire et William (Pear and William) Sorbet
It tasted like a pear smoothie
Duo de crème vanille et mousse caramel beurre salé, noisettes caramélisées (Duo of vanilla cream and caramel mousse with salted butter, caramelised hazelnuts - the vanilla cream is inside)
I don't think I've had real hazelnuts before
The meal kept getting better (the appetisers didn't impress me) and the desserts were the best of all. It was the best or one of the best meals I'd had (and I told them so!)
Interior of Croix d'Or