Unique and Unusual

The day before yesterday was spent at Mont-Saint-Michel. What a fascinating experience. Spiraling above the waters of the bay, Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most monumental and picturesque of the World Heritage Sites. I was able to see the abbey from the highway on the way to Dinan at the beginning of my journey and exclaimed to Sarah in excitement when I caught sight of it. We had a perfect day with regard to weather, the sun was shining and it was mild. In fact, it was colder inside the abbey than it was outdoors. 

Mont-Saint-Michel is between the borders of Normandy and Brittany and is one of the wonders from the Middle Ages. Built on granite rock, it seems to rise directly out of the sea. What surprised me was the village at the foot of the abbey. The buildings consist of half-timbered houses that are crowded inside a ring of fortifications. The fortifications were built on sand which is most unusual. 

Since it was low tide, we were able to walk around the whole structure which afforded some unique views. Also unusual, were some of the shops in the village within the fortifications. What we found in the shops were common tourist trinkets, including, believe it or not, squirt guns and Betty Boop totebags. A most incongruent location for those things to be purchased, I think!

I have included a photograph of me before going into Mont-Saint-Michele and a photograph of the shadow cast by the abbey in the sand. I guess I will have to include a photograph of some more food in my next post!