Bordeaux was beautiful last night
I can't get it into my head that the night bus leaves at 10. In fact, it doesn't. It leaves at about 10 past, but I always arrive at the stop at about 12 past and have to wait half an hour. OK when it's warm and dry but miserable in the constant, persistent, unrelenting Bordeaux drizzle.
But last night it was beautiful. And as the bus hurtled through the dark city streets I enjoyed fleeting glimpses of the lovely old buildings, the rickety louvre shutters with their peeling blue paint - painted once and never touched again, it seems.
And I thought of the beauty of old rotting things.
The cathedral square is planted with massive lime trees. They're great at this time of year because the whole square is fragrant with their sweet perfume. But some of them have a parasite that will eat away at the heartwood and make the trees unsafe. So they have to be removed and replaced. Not all old rotting things are beautiful.
Our neighbours suggested that if we paint the house white and all the woodwork pale blue, then the house will look very "holiday". We are considering it. We probably won't though. I'd like to lighten up the stucco by painting it Bordeaux sandstone colour - not far off the colour of bathstone. But the wood will have to stay stained, I think. Blue may look "holiday" but it doesn't look very landaise.
But last night it was beautiful. And as the bus hurtled through the dark city streets I enjoyed fleeting glimpses of the lovely old buildings, the rickety louvre shutters with their peeling blue paint - painted once and never touched again, it seems.
And I thought of the beauty of old rotting things.
The cathedral square is planted with massive lime trees. They're great at this time of year because the whole square is fragrant with their sweet perfume. But some of them have a parasite that will eat away at the heartwood and make the trees unsafe. So they have to be removed and replaced. Not all old rotting things are beautiful.
Our neighbours suggested that if we paint the house white and all the woodwork pale blue, then the house will look very "holiday". We are considering it. We probably won't though. I'd like to lighten up the stucco by painting it Bordeaux sandstone colour - not far off the colour of bathstone. But the wood will have to stay stained, I think. Blue may look "holiday" but it doesn't look very landaise.
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