The Christmas season atmosphere was upon Perigueux today. Like elsewhere in Europe the temperatures were tumbling roundabouts and as Lesley and I wandered the labyrinthine Renaissance streets we noted the natives hunkered down into deep collared coats topped off with Russian style headwear.
awaiting a good home
As we meandered, hands deep in our pockets, my eye caught the brightly coloured rainbow style design of a young gennerlmans sweatshirt. He was hauling a large dog along behind him. Whilst admiring the dog I was horrified to see that the man was sporting a pair of blue-tinged bare feet. Now let me tell you this brings a whole new meaning to the term 'hardcore'; whatever floats yer boat baby!
shutter on one of the old shop fronts
The narrow streets in the city centre lend themselves to the sense of Christmas that people of a certain age (me included) would recognise. Dare I say Dickensian? I remember a particular piece of wrapping paper from my childhood. I remember its smell (the most perceptive sense, it is said. I remember its texture and I also remember its design. It would be unfurled every Christmas and then carefully wrapped around the pot which our large Christmas tree would always stand in.
top hats, but not Dickensian
I remember the top hats and ladies bonnets and crinolene dresses of the Dickens style characters, the thick snow and bullseye windows which all the shops seemed to have. Well Perigueux today came close to this.
a warm welcome awaits you
any cheese you like
We used to live near the cathedral city of Canterbury and its city centre streets were also narrow and filled with shops but the big difference between here and there at this time of year was the overwhelming sense of commercialism that permeated everything in Canterbury. So, bizarrely it seems that Perigueux has become more Dickens like than Canterbury. Not quite what Charlie had in mind I suspect.
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