Toulouse is not to loose

I love Toulouse. I spent a year there. Although it was one of the lesser happy times in my life, it had nothing to do with this red brick city.

Today I'm here to say goodbye as Rick flies to the states for a couple of weeks, meet up with old friends, attend a vernasage and just enjoy. My housemate is coming down later today to go to the vernasage also and we'll return to Geneva together.

It was good to walk the streets again on a sunny, sunny day.

If you look closely at the statues of Jeanne d'Arc, the horse has a flower wreath. Underneath a flower seller had spread his wares

The statue of a mother and child that was near to the merry-go-round that Rick and I rode on our last trip. When it comes to rides, merry-go-rounds are about as adventurous as I will get. I don't remember the statue from before. No date was on it.

Later I talked to a man who was born in Algeria but has spent the last 41 years in France. When asked where he identified, he told be he was a citizen of the human race. Would that we all hold humanity first and other labels second.

 The marché that I used to enjoy on Wednesdays. I'd bought penguin earrings there years ago and it was one of the places I shared with Llara when she visited me. I took my first French lessons in the area.

 This is the capital building. By the time we reached it we were starving having read menus from every restaurant en route.

Last time I was in Toulouse we ate at Les Tenors. When we saw it we decided to eat again. Then I'd ordered a hurger made with Jack Daniels. Now I'm not a big burger fan, but the burger stayed in my good food memory bank.

The same burger was on the menu and as you can seeI left practically nothing. Did love how they served the frites in their own little basket and they'd left the skins on. The waiter brought both mayonnaise and ketchup.

Heclaimed he remembered us from last time, which is unlikely, except that we did have an in-depth conversation with him. I'm like my mother and father. I talk to anyone about anything.

Rick is catching that bug as well.

I love the painted ceiling under the arches.

I always loved Toulouse's iron work. I noticed many of the building fronts have had their stones cleaned and the iron decorations painted cheerful colours.

A metal representation of Raymond IV (1041 or 1042 – 1105) former Count of Toulouse and Duke of Narbonne. He was deeply religious. I once had a similar metal suit of armour that I painted green to represent Sir. Gawain and the Green Knight. Llara hated it and kept trying to give it away.  She also decorated it for holidays. Wish I still had it. I'm sure she doesn't.

It's good to be back here. I plan to enjoy the next couple of days.