Sunday, August 20, 2006

Bordeaux

Felow reader, I confess, I am a big fat liar.

For the last 20 years or so, I kept saying to everyone I meet that I was from Bordeaux. But I am not from this city anymore, this is not my city!

EVERYTHING changed.
I know this is the classic cliché of an old man going back to his old town, saying old things to young people; but places that I knew are not there anymore, and places that still exist are not the same anymore. What I liked somehow in this city of Bordeaux was the constant continuity of the continuum space-time dimension, you could go back anytime, anywhere and you were sure to find the same old café, with the same comptoir, with the same garçon, with the same mirror behind him. Not anymore !

EVERYTHING changed.
Downtown is now an all pedestrian compilation of streets full of brand new bars and brand new restaurants. The quai have been restored and are now an amazing alley to wonder around. The other side of the river, once consider the worse place to living in, is now the best spot in town to appreciate the fullest of one of the most bourgeois city in France. Bordeaux once called the sleepy beauty, eat the apple, has awake and is standing still, kicking and alive.

EVERYTHING changed.
I am happy for EVERYTHING.



Before my bateries died, I had the chance to took some pictures of the new Bordeaux



This is the Statue des Girondins from the Grand Theatre. You can see the new streetcar on the left side, totally electric so silent. Streetcars had to make noises to avoid accident, so it has been decided that the streetcar is going to make the exact same noise as the one that Bordeaux had 50 years ago.


Of course you have a terrasse close to the Grand Theater, where people watch people passing by. This national sport is becoming easier since that the entire area has been shut down of engine and becoming a pieton area only.


This is the tram rails, with a view down to the Pey Berlan place.


Shot of the day
None so far, but Bordeaux is a paradise for camera addict.
I will add some pic as soon as I can, using my sister brand new camera.