Saint Joan!
This week has been Joan of Arc week in Orleans, cumulating in a big celebration today (a bank holiday). St Jeanne d’Arc liberated Orleans from the hands of the English in May 1429 which was the beginning of the end for the invaders!
Anyway, it was written 10am the first big procession of the day. So Paul and I were there dutifully at 10am in the wind and the rain. There were many flags, lots of crowd control barricades and some policemen - but no crowds or marching bands. It was a bit eerie! So at 10.15 I asked a policeman, "Have I got it wrong, I thought it all started at 10am". "Yes, that’s right 10am." "Here?" "Yes, here at 10am" (this was seriously weird!!!) "but it’s 10.15…?" "I know. It starts at 10am."
From this completely surreal and bizarre conversation I gained a few more cultural insights. The procession was due to start at 10am and the policeman thought nothing of it at 10.15 to tell me it started at 10, because starting times mean NOTHING in France!!
So, being cold we wandered into the Cathedral where there was a huge mass in full flow with bishops, mayors, bells and whistles. Somehow we ended up right at the front with the all the media and were too embarrassed to walk out again!! We had an excellent view!
Then we sort of followed people out and ended up on the main stage outside the cathedral with everyone looking at us!!! Ha ha!! Right next to all the medieval dressed trumpet players and all the dignitaries! Classic! Anyway, we had a great view so we stayed there!
The city was full of medieval musicians and markets, it was really fun!
The boys even bought a sausage made from donkey!! Ewww!
(The riots everyone was prepared for after the election results thankfully didn’t happen. Just a few small skirmishes. Fifi is alive and well!)
