welcome to the haikutimes
Issue #257, October 12, 2024, Pezenas, France
Gargoyle of Pezenas
I am ever so gradually adjusting to the time change of this trip, an eight-hour difference that has left me feeling extremely tired, at weird times.
Our fearless trip leader, Fran Valle de Taragaza
For instance, yesterday morning Fran, our trip leader, gave us a lecture after breakfast; I could barely keep my eyes open, and it reminded me of being at school lectures when I would struggle to stay awake (dismayingly, I also realized that my left eye was starting to get infected).
Stone work over the door to a music school
Nevertheless, I stayed mostly alert for Fran’s 1.5 hr. lecture, as he shared with us how the borders of countries on the map do not correspond perfectly to the shared identity of culturally different regions. The area we are in, Languedoc, bleeds over borders.
Bouquet of Saint-Éloi hanging on the Home of the Barber Gely house, which Moliere would often visit. The Boquet is a traditional piece made by a ferrier showcasing his or her skill in the arts of metal work, following acceptance to the trade. Saint-Éloi was a patron saint of workers who use a hammer.
That we are here now in Pezenas, France is a wonderful thing; that I am here with Mom as she navigates her 85th year is even better! It’s been an experience living with her so closely for the past few days. She needs to go over things in her mind quite a bit, to keep things straight; she seems unsure at times, yet she is remarkably thorough in her approach to understanding where we are.
Mom pointing out the food that awaits us
For instance, Mom had the most questions of anybody following Fran’s lecture. She keeps notes, writing everything down. Physically, she’s certainly much more frail now, and her knees hurt, but she managed to walk around all day with her walking stick.
Choosing sausages at the Pezenas market
As far as exploring with our group, we went out to the town, crossing the iron pedestrian bridge over the dry floodway and passing the park with a sculpture of Molière, flanked by a satyr on one side and one of the female characters in his plays on the other. (Interestingly, we would see a mural depicting the artist who created the sculptures, Jean Antoine Injalbert, a few days later in the town of Béziers).
Pezenas market
We headed to the Saturday market of Pezenas, and were each given €10 by Fran, who encouraged to interact with the sellers by purchasing foods that we were curious about. It was a lively scene, with the main street of the town full of French locals, looking for their weekly supplies of sausages, meats, cheese, fruits, vegetables, cheap clothing, and so on.
Hey, Jonathan, where you goin' with that baguette in your hand?
Mom and I used the €20 between us to get two different cheeses: a beet cheese and a Roquefort with some tiny sausages, grapes, avocados and bread, which we later consumed in our hotel room before going back to the main square at 2:30 to meet a local tour guide, who walked us all out to different spots in town (some of which Mom and I had seen the day before, but the guide provided more context).
Mom clarifying a historical point with our guide
We were given little wireless headsets that allowed us to hear the guide clearly, even if we were not right next to her, which was helpful. Poor Mom, her hearing aids never seemed to fit right, giving off a persistent feedback squeal. Making the headset work along with her hearing aids was also problematic. In a few spots, we got some good explanations of places we had glossed over the day before.
Patron Saint Roche
For instance, along one of the narrow streets stood a sculpture in an alcove high above us, of a person revealing an uncovered leg, with a dog standing next to him. Apparently St. Roche was a doctor who treated bubonic plague in the 13th century, who had been healed by a dog who licked his leg or boubos (wounds): the statue was made in 1511. (St. Roche was born in Montpelier, 1348).
The interior of Serge Ivorra's studio, Pezenas
We walked past a wood workshop near an incredible doorway. (Many of the doors are amazing here) and peeked through what was the back window; after circling around the block, we passed by the front door of the wood shop. This time the owner, Serge Ivorra, was actually there, walking out with some of his friends. I peered inside and saw that the shop was full of huge woodworking tools. The craftsmanship of Serge’s work was clear.
Serge Ivorra and friends, ignoring the tourists
It seems like Pezenas is a town that celebrates artists and craftspeople, and many of the ground level shops are for artisans of one sort or another.
Hôtel de Lacoste, Pezenas, built by Etienne de Montagut, Lord of Lacoste, between 1509 and 1518. Unique in Pézenas, a four-bay hallway with ribbed vaults falling on a central column gives access to the courtyard.
Continuing our tour through the town, we saw a number of beautiful stairways, all crafted out of the limestone that the buildings are made of. And then the tour was over; we had a few hours before dinner on our own, so as I had my sketchbook, I said goodbye to Mom for a bit and went back to the street where the Saint Roche sculpture was. I did a small drawing there, sitting on a small flat rock and doing first a sketch, and then used my gouache paints on the tan paper of my travel sketchbook.
Jon's sketch of St. Roche, Pezenas
Mom went back to the hotel after first checking out the street with the restaurants, where we agreed to return at 6:45 with one of the ladies who is on the tour by herself, Mary Swenson.
More cool architecture
We went with Mary to L’atelier, a small shop at 14 Rue Conti. Mom had taken lots of notes of various places to possibly eat, but when we got up to this place, it seemed perfect; and it was, with a proprietor who knew English and could translate the menu for us; whose appreciation for serving people in her little shop was evident. She bestowed upon a small cups of gazpacho with black flakes of sea salt and tapenade with small crackers, before serving us our main courses.
Jon, Judy, Mary Swenson
We got to know Mary a little; she’s a widowed lawyer, whose husband passed away suddenly from cancer at 54. It was interesting watching her get to know Mom. She made a comment at one point: “You worry a lot, don’t you”? So true. Mom is a bit of a worrier, and now I know where I picked up some of my anxiety.
Central Square, Pezenas
Unfortunately, one of Mom’s hearing aids stopped working. It was the one that was always squealing. Not a great development! When her hearing aids don’t work, she can hardly hear anything.
Biased door of the courthouse of the castellan near the Ghetto gate and the Faugères gate, rue des d'André
This particular door is very unusual, as the builder purposely made the archway above to look 'skewed' at an unusual angle, as if you were viewing it from a different perspective than you were actually seeing it from.
Gargoyle of Pezenas
I am ever so gradually adjusting to the time change of this trip, an eight-hour difference that has left me feeling extremely tired, at weird times.
Our fearless trip leader, Fran Valle de Taragaza
For instance, yesterday morning Fran, our trip leader, gave us a lecture after breakfast; I could barely keep my eyes open, and it reminded me of being at school lectures when I would struggle to stay awake (dismayingly, I also realized that my left eye was starting to get infected).
Stone work over the door to a music school
Nevertheless, I stayed mostly alert for Fran’s 1.5 hr. lecture, as he shared with us how the borders of countries on the map do not correspond perfectly to the shared identity of culturally different regions. The area we are in, Languedoc, bleeds over borders.
Bouquet of Saint-Éloi hanging on the Home of the Barber Gely house, which Moliere would often visit. The Boquet is a traditional piece made by a ferrier showcasing his or her skill in the arts of metal work, following acceptance to the trade. Saint-Éloi was a patron saint of workers who use a hammer.
That we are here now in Pezenas, France is a wonderful thing; that I am here with Mom as she navigates her 85th year is even better! It’s been an experience living with her so closely for the past few days. She needs to go over things in her mind quite a bit, to keep things straight; she seems unsure at times, yet she is remarkably thorough in her approach to understanding where we are.
Mom pointing out the food that awaits us
For instance, Mom had the most questions of anybody following Fran’s lecture. She keeps notes, writing everything down. Physically, she’s certainly much more frail now, and her knees hurt, but she managed to walk around all day with her walking stick.
Choosing sausages at the Pezenas market
As far as exploring with our group, we went out to the town, crossing the iron pedestrian bridge over the dry floodway and passing the park with a sculpture of Molière, flanked by a satyr on one side and one of the female characters in his plays on the other. (Interestingly, we would see a mural depicting the artist who created the sculptures, Jean Antoine Injalbert, a few days later in the town of Béziers).
Pezenas market
We headed to the Saturday market of Pezenas, and were each given €10 by Fran, who encouraged to interact with the sellers by purchasing foods that we were curious about. It was a lively scene, with the main street of the town full of French locals, looking for their weekly supplies of sausages, meats, cheese, fruits, vegetables, cheap clothing, and so on.
Hey, Jonathan, where you goin' with that baguette in your hand?
Mom and I used the €20 between us to get two different cheeses: a beet cheese and a Roquefort with some tiny sausages, grapes, avocados and bread, which we later consumed in our hotel room before going back to the main square at 2:30 to meet a local tour guide, who walked us all out to different spots in town (some of which Mom and I had seen the day before, but the guide provided more context).
Mom clarifying a historical point with our guide
We were given little wireless headsets that allowed us to hear the guide clearly, even if we were not right next to her, which was helpful. Poor Mom, her hearing aids never seemed to fit right, giving off a persistent feedback squeal. Making the headset work along with her hearing aids was also problematic. In a few spots, we got some good explanations of places we had glossed over the day before.
Patron Saint Roche
For instance, along one of the narrow streets stood a sculpture in an alcove high above us, of a person revealing an uncovered leg, with a dog standing next to him. Apparently St. Roche was a doctor who treated bubonic plague in the 13th century, who had been healed by a dog who licked his leg or boubos (wounds): the statue was made in 1511. (St. Roche was born in Montpelier, 1348).
The interior of Serge Ivorra's studio, Pezenas
We walked past a wood workshop near an incredible doorway. (Many of the doors are amazing here) and peeked through what was the back window; after circling around the block, we passed by the front door of the wood shop. This time the owner, Serge Ivorra, was actually there, walking out with some of his friends. I peered inside and saw that the shop was full of huge woodworking tools. The craftsmanship of Serge’s work was clear.
Serge Ivorra and friends, ignoring the tourists
It seems like Pezenas is a town that celebrates artists and craftspeople, and many of the ground level shops are for artisans of one sort or another.
Hôtel de Lacoste, Pezenas, built by Etienne de Montagut, Lord of Lacoste, between 1509 and 1518. Unique in Pézenas, a four-bay hallway with ribbed vaults falling on a central column gives access to the courtyard.
Continuing our tour through the town, we saw a number of beautiful stairways, all crafted out of the limestone that the buildings are made of. And then the tour was over; we had a few hours before dinner on our own, so as I had my sketchbook, I said goodbye to Mom for a bit and went back to the street where the Saint Roche sculpture was. I did a small drawing there, sitting on a small flat rock and doing first a sketch, and then used my gouache paints on the tan paper of my travel sketchbook.
Jon's sketch of St. Roche, Pezenas
Mom went back to the hotel after first checking out the street with the restaurants, where we agreed to return at 6:45 with one of the ladies who is on the tour by herself, Mary Swenson.
More cool architecture
We went with Mary to L’atelier, a small shop at 14 Rue Conti. Mom had taken lots of notes of various places to possibly eat, but when we got up to this place, it seemed perfect; and it was, with a proprietor who knew English and could translate the menu for us; whose appreciation for serving people in her little shop was evident. She bestowed upon a small cups of gazpacho with black flakes of sea salt and tapenade with small crackers, before serving us our main courses.
Jon, Judy, Mary Swenson
We got to know Mary a little; she’s a widowed lawyer, whose husband passed away suddenly from cancer at 54. It was interesting watching her get to know Mom. She made a comment at one point: “You worry a lot, don’t you”? So true. Mom is a bit of a worrier, and now I know where I picked up some of my anxiety.
Central Square, Pezenas
Unfortunately, one of Mom’s hearing aids stopped working. It was the one that was always squealing. Not a great development! When her hearing aids don’t work, she can hardly hear anything.
Biased door of the courthouse of the castellan near the Ghetto gate and the Faugères gate, rue des d'André
This particular door is very unusual, as the builder purposely made the archway above to look 'skewed' at an unusual angle, as if you were viewing it from a different perspective than you were actually seeing it from.
solo/group kukai
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen