they're quiet, but pushy: adventures in Chartres

déjeuner

Malcolm, the tour guide!

Yesterday we woke up with the sun, and took a train to Chartres for the day. It was a beautiful train ride with lots of green fields speckled with yellow flowers. We arrived in Chartres and had an hour or so we wandered up and down the quaint little streets and alleys, while people emerged on their way to work and school.

The tour of the cathedral was UNREAL. It is seriously unfathomable to me that something that huge and intricate was made by human hands. Our tour guide was this old British gentleman who has lived in and studied Chartres for over 50 years. As our director puts it, "he is the king of Chartres." Throughout the tour he showed us excerpts from his book, along with helpful facts like "watch out for the Japanese tourists in here--they're quiet, but pushy". We were stifling laughter throughout, but it was so great. He was so knowledgeable (even if he does seem to have a bizarre dislike for the Japanese tourists who, by the way, were as kind as can be:)) and it was so fun learning about the cathedral.

After the tour a group of us ate outside at this adorable café and had a delicious meal. I had this amaazing thin crust vegetarian pizza. And I also knocked a glass off the table and it shattered across the cobblestone. Yep. Classic me moment. My family will be happy to know that Paris has not refined or changed my tendencies to spill things or knock things over on the table.

Chartres is definitely one of my favorite places we have been. It is a nice quiet break from the constant movement and noise of Paris. It has an energy of its own, and I absolutely loved it.