Today, because of the really hot weather we have been experiencing we decided to start out early and hike by the Atlantic along the "Cote Sauvage". So much for the weather report that said the showers would be inland. Within 3 minutes of leaving the house, the sky opened up, accompanied by thunder and lightening. So, our hike was out of the question but we decided to push on and explore the city of Quiberon which is at the end of the peninsula along this particular coast.
Because of the weather, the town wasn't particularly crowded. So we meandered around the town, entering different shops that displayed items of interest. We also visited a few art galleries as we strolled through town. And, of course, we stopped in at the Tourist Office so that I could practice my French with someone on duty. Americans really do have a horrible reputation for not speaking any language but their own or perhaps just not French. I'm getting used to the left-handed complement, "You speak French really well for an American." Or, after I say something in French, they respond to me in English. And I reply, in French, ""I am here to improve my French, so I prefer that we speak in FRENCH". At this point, I have usually made a friend and I do get to practice. If you've ever studied a language, you know that you've got to practice it all the time if you really want to become fluent.
One of the stores that we passed was a bakery that had two young men outside in the pouring rain offering samples of the Breton products that were being baked inside the bakery. One little taste of their Kougin Amann (a buttery,sugar, flour concoction famous in this region that we love) and we had to go inside! They were offering samples of just about everything they made and we had to resist the urge to fill a huge sack with a box of each!
The rain had let-up a bit so we sadly left the bakery, said au revoir to the young men and all most bumped into two armed soldiers who were walking down the street with their fingers on the trigger of their machine guns. There were two others walking across the narrow street, dressed and armed in an identical manner. My first thought was that something was wrong. But, as they proceeded systematically down the street, it was obvious that they were on a routine patrol!
Is this what we have come to? When in a lovely tourist town, on a rainy day, it is necessary to have armed soldiers patrolling the streets, the world has certainly changed. And I was also horrified to hear that certain members of Congress tried to forbid CNN and MSNBC reporters and the press from waiting for them in Congressional office buildings without an appointment. And, others want peaceful protestors arrested.Is this what we have come to?
