Tours

Hi everyone! So after a rather horrific overnight train ride from Montpellier, (horrific because I have enough baggage for a family of four) I arrived in Tours.  For now I'm staying at a youth hostel, which is kind of a dump, but I just arranged it with my program to have my host family pick me up tomorrow, a few days early.  So I'll be meeting my first French family on Tuesday!  While I still have internet, I thought I'd put up some pictures of Tours, a truly beautiful city in the Loire Valley, the land of grand chateaux, beautiful cathedrals, and supposedly the "purest" French in the world.  

Hotel de la Ville--That's not a hotel.  That term in France represents a city hall kind of thing, and office of the mayor.  

The Musee des Beaux Arts

The absolutely breathtaking St. Gatien Cathedral.  Originally constructed in 471, it was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 12th century.  I was able to attend a French mass in the cathedral this Sunday, which was such a unique experience.  

The outdoor markets in Tours--Antiques, clothing, bags, flowers, you name it!  

The "Halles," the indoor food markets of Tours.  I've noticed that the French are not big on removing the heads of things before they sell them...