La Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty)

Wow!  I can't believe this trip is finally underway!  

The city is located in South West France, on the Atlantic coast. It city is built on a bend of the river Garonne.  Bordeaux consists of "arrondissements" (districts) but people refer to them as quarters (quartiers).  Each has it's own name and distinct flavor.

First how about a brief (very brief I'm afraid because it has been around a loooooong time) history of Bordeaux?

Burdigala (the ancient name for Bordeaux) became a port around the year 100 AD. The Romans were the first to build facilities here, a tricky task since the Garonne can rise by over 5 metres (depending on the tide). In 1875, the Port of Bordeaux had more than 1,000 buildings along some 2,700 metres of quays! Elegant steamboats transported passengers downriver as far as Pauillac and upriver as far as Marmande. The city grew on the banks of the river and prospered thanks to it.

Okay on with the day.  Our lodgings will be within the city itself.  I thought about staying outside of town a bit but then decided that I would tackle this much like I do the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Stay in the thick of things then head out on foot!

Checking in at the Ecolodge des Chartons, 23 Rue Razé, was easy and the staff were very friendly and helpful.   The room is nice and comfortable and there is a continental breakfast in the mornings!  

 The common area is warm and inviting but.....

 The bed is comfortable and roomy!  Nice way to rest up.

I had no plan for the city of Bordeaux other then to walk out the front door of the hotel and head in a direction the first day.  The weather was beautiful and I set out with camera in hand.  Turning right I followed the Rue Raze until coming to Rue Notre Dame.  I've always liked the name Notre Dame so I figured why not?  I decided to turn left (what I thought was somewhat south) and ventured on until seeing a sign for the CAPC, musée d'art contemporain de Bordeaux.  I opted to hold off on museums until later and continued on Cours Xavier Amozan and ended up at the Jardin Public.  A beautiful, tranquil park that was lush and green. 

The entrance to the park was awesome wrought iron!

I spent the morning just relaxing in the park, wandering and taking many pictures.  My backpack held my camera supplies but I neglected to pack any munchies so wrapping things up at the park 

I decided to head toward the Bordeaux Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux).  It is a Roman Catholic Church and was consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1096.  Only a wall in the nave remains of the original Romanesque architecture but the Royal Gate is from the early 13th century with the rest of the building dating from the 14th to 15th centuries.  "Old Stone" to say the least!

Awesome Old Stone!

Exiting the Church I ventured next door to Tour Pey-Berland, originally intended to be built as a bell tower for the Cathédrale Saint-André to protect the building from the vibrations of the bells. Not super interesting, but the view of Bordeaux after walking some 283 steps up a very narrow spiral staircase is pretty good.

You may be wondering about food.  I have a bad habit of wandering,getting lost in my lens and loosing all track of time.  I found it getting late in the day and myself getting very hungry so I began heading toward the river and looking for a bite to eat.  I knew the river would take me back very close to the hotel.  Of course it helps have your friendly Droid Global as a traveling companion :)

Okay I admit I couldn't resist this little chocolate shop along the way.  It was chocolate heaven!

Okay after that I was really hungry and getting very tired.  I saw a McDonalds but I was NOT going to take the easy way out.  I hailed a taxi and saved myself some walking while getting close to the guest house (hotel).  Finally I found a restaurant close to my domicile.  Chez Dupont on....Notre Dame just a few blocks around the corner from the hotel.

I decided to go with something easy since the day was long and I was tired.  According to information I downloaded onto my phone (thank you internet):

"Although this restaurant is found behind the walls of an 18th century colonial residence on the Garonne quayside, its cuisine is completely modern and sophisticated. Dine in smart surroundings with beautifully set tables and from transparent plates that let you really appreciate the beauty of the regional dishes. On the menu is shad, a rare and much sought-after fish from the Garonne region, with gribiche sauce made from hard-boiled egg yolks, oil, vinegar and mustard. International items include sashimi and chicken kebabs with sweet and sour sauce."

I decided to try the shad.  I've only eaten fish twice and it wasn't bad at all.  It seemed a little expensive but I've noticed the dollar doesn't stretch as far when converting to euros.  Oh well.  You only live once right?

On that note I bid you farewell until we meet again.  I promise that we will have more of a plan when next we meet.  First stop on the agenda in the morning...the tourist center!