L - Lauragais

 

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/a-to-z-challenge-sign-uplist-2014.html

Here is another beautiful and understated, under-known, under-visited area of France called “Lauragais.” (pronounced laura-gay) With my inlaws and some of our best friends we took the whole day to enjoy ourselves. I think you’ll agree that we saw a lot in that short amount of time. The Lauragais is located south east of Toulouse and is situated in two regions, the Midi-Pyrénées et Languedoc-Roussillon. We visited towns and villages like Villefranche de Lauragais, St. Felix de Lauragais, we picnicked before an amazing view, crept inside an old Moulin (windmill), ogled a yard full of statues, as if showcasing an entire village and  the people who made it run. The day was so perfect I almost couldn’t believe it. The scenery is to die for in the Lauragais. One can’t help but wish for such a life as is found in southwestern France. Come on in and see what you're missing...

Coming into Villefranche de Lauragais

The "Croix Occitanne," as it is now known. When I first saw it, the name was Croix de Languedoc, for the Languedoc area. If you read prior posts you saw this cross on a flag in the Gers...

A doorway still in use...

Obviously this space needed these flowers!

We bought four loaves of bread here...

A customer out enjoying the beautiful weather and talking to the barkeep

Not often one finds a house of this color in the southwest of France, and look at the lovely greenery

The Croix again at a lovely old drinking fountain that still works.

Someone did a lovely job creating this croix in the garden of the fortified Manoir...

Another beautiful door and doorway in Villefranche de Lauragais

A view from the garden of the manoir. If you click on the photo it should give you a larger view and you can see the new "power" windmills (yes, they are still called moulin), in the distance.

Another view south toward the Pyrenees, which you can see on a clear day

The amazing church

A streetlamp attached to a building in the middle of restoration

The entrance to the fortified manoir house

We walked up this street and noticed that the first house on the left is number 1. Right inside the old village gates

A toast to you, "A la tienne" To your health. We felt very healthy right there in the midst of such stunning scenery

Rows upon rows of farmland, stretched out to the horizon.

The moulin we were allowed to inspect

The long pole attached here is used to rotate the entire top/roof of the moulin, so if the wind changes one can still keep grinding

Inside looking up to the rafters, through all the gears both metal and wooden

A close up of the beams, the wheels, the teeth, the mechanism

And the date of when it was installed

One of two grinding stones still there

And the countryside just rolls on...

The yard of statues. Made me think of a "Twilight Zone" episode where one can imagine all the people of the village being turned into statues...

Directly across from the yard with the statues is this lovely river flowing through the village

One last look before we say good-bye...

If I Were Don Quixote

I’ve never actually read “Don Quixote”, but, I’ve seen a bit of one of the movies, I’ve read the cliff notes, I’ve heard of the story all my life. The story is famous; statues in Spain attest to its great appeal to all and sundry, people are always using “Don Quixote” in comparisons and anecdotes.

 From the depths of my strange mind, I find a comparison myself. If I were Don Quixote, which in a way I am, as any of us are, I would be blind to the crazy inner workings of my thoughts. And so, I sit in front of this computer, reading, writing, trying to learn and make myself a better person. In my madness, I don my ‘coat of arms’, my armor and battle implements and head out into the world every day to try and right a wrong, to make a name for myself amongst all the other names out there. To become one of the “Greats.”

I forage in small unknown places for those who need, or want, to hear what I have to say. I hope to “save” them by brightening their day or helping them feel they aren’t alone in this huge ungainly world. I fight insidious yet brave battles of doubt, mistrust in myself, in others, in putting on a ‘good face’ to this challenging countryside called life.

In my travels I find at times bright kernels of truth and wisdom, of friendship and guidance. At times the findings are not so sweet. I find depression, angst and repentance. I find this path lonely, even with my trusty ‘steed’, my computer, and beloved ‘follower/helper’, my husband, accompanying me along this treacherous, exciting, dangerous and exhilarating path.

I reside in my head, alone and unable to reach into others’ heads. I can only proceed with faith that when I touch another soul upon this plain of existence, that I touch it well and leave it feeling better for having known me, having read my words.

Only time can see if I too, will have “statues” erected in honor of my efforts, achievements and colossal deeds. Only time will give me dignity and grace and hopefully erase my faults and human frailty. I will continue my quest for honor and truth, happiness and success, and pray for the day to come where I appreciate, for myself, what I have accomplished. Hopefully that day will arrive before I die!

Carry on, brave readers, I am leading the way!

Images from:

http://indianaclassicalguitar.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/los-angeles-guitar-quartet-with-phil-proctor-in-ingenious-gentleman-don-quixote-st-louis-october-19th-2011/

http://www.freakingnews.com/XX-Century-Don-Quixote-Sancho-Panza-Pics-46529.asp