Walls, Castles and Cathedrals

24.5.2013 – Saint Malo

By golly, it’s cold.  Dry, but with a bitter wind.  According to headlines in a French newspaper which I managed to translate, this is the coldest spring since 1887 – 126 years. 

Gate of St. Vincent, St. Malo

St. Malo, May 24.  Brrrr.

We shivered our way into Saint Malo – another walled city, tight packed with houses, bright shops and narrow streets.  Cathedral bells tolling loud, vibrating against the grey stone walls.  All destroyed in 1944 but rebuilt so that you would hardly know the difference, they say.   

We bought chocolate with chilli from a chocolatier, curly pastries from a shop that swore these were authentic Brittany cakes, were tempted by huge meringues, all different colours.  A little cafe selling crepes won our custom – three legged stools and small round tables with tiles tops showing Jolly Breton farm girls in traditional dress.  It was cosy, the crepes were superb – mine with cheese, Bill’s with ham and egg. 

Castle Solidor

Model ship in castle museum

The area is a series of isthmuses, townships on the end of each.  The next was seafaring in all its aspects.  There we found Castle Solidor, which, as befits it name, was thick walled and impregnable.  A beautiful weather vane, carved as a wheeling albatross, swung to and fro in the freezing gusts outside.  Albatrosses are common in the southern seas, and seamen from here apparently made regular trips round Cape Horn. 

I could not get warm until at last we made it back to the campsites luxurious swimming pool and oh so glorious steam room.  The wind began to force its presence upon us.  Gusts grabbed and pulled at our tent walls, rattling the spoons hanging up and even pushing the groundsheet into puffy humps.  But it’s all in a camping holiday.  We can cope!!