Voila, au marche


Saturday morning.


The Sun is shining and though its freezing cold outside, what can be a better and the most typical program for the beginning of the weekend, than going to the marche, (market)?!
Dressed in 3 pulovers, thick tights with a pantalon, scarf protecting my face and the berret on my head, I  am ready to check out, what the french market has to offer)).
I leave the bike behind this time, as it’s hard enough to breathe outside, in this cold winter I won’t force myself to pedal against the cold wind).


Passing the route next to the tram, I see a cheerful man, who, while waiting for the green lamp to continue his way, is joyfully singing in the warmth of his van- inside of which the Sun might shine, as he listens to the rhythm of the latin dance).


Looking at him, I feel like dancing and for the fracture of a second, I feel the warmth of the summer Sun in my heart.
What a great start of the day, finally to see someone, who reminds me my loved, Greek, temperamentive nation).


The only thing I miss though, it’s the suntanned, brown color of their skin and face).


Here, everyone seems to me like sick, with pale skin- considering myself among them too, as the suntan color of my body has long time faded away((((.


Anyway, back to here and now, I continue my way -  to see my friend, so together we start our market day!


First, we stop at the buche, (the butcher), where, wooow, handsome French men, dressed elegantly, truly, in a striped shirt with a west and a tie, with their lovely and kind smile await and serve the arriving customers.


Of course, I don’t have to mention here, that the welcome is warm: with the unforgettable,


Bonjour, Madam and Monsieur, how can I help?


All sorts of different meat are placed in a delicate way, next to which is a 
part, just for the cheese to ‘call you’ who stepped inside of this place).


Oh my God, I go crazy, can’t bear more of it).


The locals don’t even realize what they have here. What special and yummy product, no other country can boost with.
 While my friend is buying the well-known and their favourite goat cheese, I feel like a child, who doesn’t want to live the toy shop. 
Ooh, so many kinds of delicacy- I feel, I could stay there for days, till I don’t taste all of them)).
On the walls are photos of cows and even the paying machine has on its screener the cute face of this animal.
Not to forget, you are at the butcher place, my dear friend!
With a short eye contact to the most handsome man behind the pult, I say, au revoir Monsieur.


We have to say bye to the smiling faces, who welcomed us and we continue our way to the market.


Few minutes walking only and we arrive to a small tiny place.


People walking slowly, pulling a special bag just for this case, so there is enough space to place in their freshly bought vegetables and all kind of delicious items.


Looking at the people patiently waiting in the cues, I feel again the delicacy, the gentleness of French!


They are so soft and so polite!


Sellers are kind and they are discussing with the customers.
The human connections here are present and I must say, I am happy to be here, visiting my friend.


First we stop at the vegetable sector, though I still face to the tent opposite side, as there, the cheeses are ‘watching and calling’ me, come Ingrid, taste me)!


Can I refuse them?; could you?


Oscar Wilde said, ‘I can refuse anything, except temptations’!
So as such, the different kind of cheese ends up in the deepness of my friend bag, which we pull further to stop and get the sweet for the Sunday lunch, which I await so much!


Oh and before you think, I don’t do anything else here just eat, let me remind you, in a way it’s true though, but as these people here are so caring about their health, the portions are really not big, so I can continue to taste with a good conscious the delicious things, they have here.


Freezing cold doesn’t stop me to wonder further around and among the shopping people I take off my gloves and take pictures) of the whole atmosphere, despite of the cold, I feel in my bones everywhere.


Lovely, c’est passé bien….its great. I really enjoy it!
However, time to get home before I get frozen, so -  who would than continue its way and collecting the stories for you, who are far away from me at these moments?


Protecting my face, ‘running ‘home, I realize, I haven’t felt so cold not even in the North of Canada, where once I spend the cold winter of minus 30 C.
What’s going on here, I ask myself?


Anyway, just a few more steps and I am inside, in the warm house of my friend, where I turn on quickly the radio with the soft, romantic French music, have a glass of wine and I quickly forget about the cold of the day.


All - that I remember and cherish is the great feelings, I could have experienced, thanks to the fact that I am in the lovely country of France.


Thank you Piere, for inviting me here, for making my horizons of view wider and for making the occasion for me to study your language, the one of the sophisticated men).


Bonne journee to all of you!
Have a lovely Saturday


Enjoy the day and the weekend)))! my dear friends!