El Dorado, emotion and fear

What a day. Leisurely breakfast with our friends. Then off to Ypres to visit the town and The Menim Gate at Ypres (or Wipers as known by the Tommies). The town is beautifully restored ( almost immediately after the 1914-18 war) but the memorial to those killed is emotional. Thousands of names: our French friend says 70,000 of those whose bodies were never found. Elsewhere near Armentieres another 40,000 whose bodies never found. The scale of death and destruction is mind blowing, let alone the injuries and trauma of those who survived. The impact continues today. Only recently a fisherman pulled up a grenade with mustard gas which knocked him out. Mementoes still on sale - see extra.

On to another local restaurant, this time in Lille. As last night an “Estaminet” restaurant (eg a brasserie) and the food (and wine ) excellent.

Then a visit to the Palais des Beaux Arts where there were a few exhibitions around gold, value and Mexico (ie El Dorado). A wide range of topics which produced some modern, stunningly good exhibits alongside some ancient ones. Could use up my blip extras showing them but have added just one, which nearly made the blip of an exhibit of mirrors on the floor reflecting the light around.

Also the traditional artists- Goya, Rubens, more Bruegel, Bosch. So much to see. And a wonderful exhibition of 12th -16th century illuminated manuscripts. Our friend Vincent has
Learned over the years how to prepare such manuscripts but he readily admits that his work ( which is very good and astonishingly detailed) pales into insignificance compared to the work of the experts long ago.

Back “a la maison” for yet more wonderful food - and talk of the diet starting tomorrow. Then off to Lille Flanders to catch the TGV back to Paris. All seemed to be going well bewitch the train marked as being on time. But with 2 minutes to go before departure and no sign of the train we were suddenly evacuated ( with news of the Lyons attack coming through we did not know what was going on). We were held outside the station with police and soldiers ( who looked too young to be carrying guns - see extra) swarming around. Sirens going. Helicopter overhead. Then all of a sudden told to head to Lille Europe for our train. Fortunately not too far away - thought a bit of a walk for my wife. 45 minutes late our train left Lille and we eventually made it back to the apartment.

A busy day.