Today since we're not on a schedule we decided to take care of some unfinished business and to get Deb and introduction to a new bit of business.
As I've mentioned a couple times lately we're planning to head to the Lot (river) region to spend time with our friends Mel and Mar in a house they've rented. But we're also visiting friends with whom we've exchanged houses and who also rented their apartment to us for our stay in Madrid, Julia and Jose. Previously we purchased tickets down to the village but no further, so today we purchased the remaining tickets to finish out the trip. We will be going to Arles to visit Julia and Jose for one night and then go down to Marseille where we will research the town where John Thompson (painter) stayed when he was studying art as a young man. So that part is out of the way.
After getting our tickets we found a new bus line to take us over to the Druout auction house. Deb has been burning with envy ever since I came back from my first visit with a small print, so she really wanted to go and today we did.
She was like a kid at the circus. These auctions are like a shark tank with people charging to the front of the room where the items are being offered and grabbing them to inspect them before they are sold. But the items move through so quickly that if you snooze you lose, so bidding can get quite animated at times. Chairs are like gold and you have to keep a weather eye on them and grab a seat as soon as anyone gets up otherwise your jostling around at the back with all the people rushing forward for a look-see, it's a regular mosh pit.
I did manage to nab a little something that no one else wanted to bid on and I think it turned out well. So I think it will be a regular destination throughout the remainder of our time here. Afterwards we went across the street and got a drink to ramp down before the ride home. The men's toilet was a Turkish toilet, I haven't seen one in France in many years but here it is.
As I've mentioned a couple times lately we're planning to head to the Lot (river) region to spend time with our friends Mel and Mar in a house they've rented. But we're also visiting friends with whom we've exchanged houses and who also rented their apartment to us for our stay in Madrid, Julia and Jose. Previously we purchased tickets down to the village but no further, so today we purchased the remaining tickets to finish out the trip. We will be going to Arles to visit Julia and Jose for one night and then go down to Marseille where we will research the town where John Thompson (painter) stayed when he was studying art as a young man. So that part is out of the way.
After getting our tickets we found a new bus line to take us over to the Druout auction house. Deb has been burning with envy ever since I came back from my first visit with a small print, so she really wanted to go and today we did.
She was like a kid at the circus. These auctions are like a shark tank with people charging to the front of the room where the items are being offered and grabbing them to inspect them before they are sold. But the items move through so quickly that if you snooze you lose, so bidding can get quite animated at times. Chairs are like gold and you have to keep a weather eye on them and grab a seat as soon as anyone gets up otherwise your jostling around at the back with all the people rushing forward for a look-see, it's a regular mosh pit.
I did manage to nab a little something that no one else wanted to bid on and I think it turned out well. So I think it will be a regular destination throughout the remainder of our time here. Afterwards we went across the street and got a drink to ramp down before the ride home. The men's toilet was a Turkish toilet, I haven't seen one in France in many years but here it is.
What did you get? I'm on pins and needles over here!
ReplyDeleteThe little pearl bracelet that Deb is wearing in the last picture. It came up and impulsively I bid and got it. Further examination showed that it has an 18kt gold clasp. SCORE!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDeleteThe toilet reminds me of Indonesia!
ReplyDelete