At the end of 2019,
I found a conference that aligned perfectly with my research interests.
However, due to the pandemic,
I could only participate digitally in 2020 and 2021.
Last year was the first time I was able to attend the conference in person!
The conference was held in a city I had never heard of before:
Angers.
To get there,
our journey began with a flight from Oslo to Paris,
followed by a train ride from Paris to Angers.
When we arrived at the train station,
there were long queues and numerous delays,
which made us somewhat anxious about the entire train trip.
One train was delayed,
so we had to wait patiently for it to arrive.
Everything was in French,
and we often found ourselves lost.
Fortunately,
we eventually departed, and the connecting train waited for our arrival.
In the end, we reached Angers without too much delay.
When we arrived,
the city was grey and wet....
But one could tell,
it is a very beautiful city,
full with small, artistic stuffs....
We first visited the nearby area
of Collégiale Saint-Martin (a Gothic church),
place Saint-Éloi (the big face sculpture),
and Logis Barrault...
then walked through
what I thought was the main shopping area,
which is nearby Ralliement tram station.
We saw a nice, cozy bistro
that was open and bustling with people,
so we chose it for our first meal in Angers!
Well,
the process of ordering food went smoothly
despite the communication challenges and language barrier
P.S.: Google translate did not help much!!
We had to try the crepes,
and their taste was simply fantastic!
According to Google Map,
this bistro, Le Strapontin is a creperie!
**I don't even know there is such category!!**
After having the wonderful lunch,
then we walked to the hotel....
and had a very relaxing evening,
since the conference I was attending
started the next day.
-Day 2-
Since I was most of the time attending the conference,
we did not do much sigh-seeing together that day....
Although it was pretty cloudy that day,
one could still "feel" the picturesque side of Angers!
The city is beautifully situated along the banks of the Maine River,
offering stunning views and
a charming blend of historical architecture and natural beauty!
I particularly LOVED
those giant straight trees
lining the main pavement along the river!
We visited Tour des Anglais (XVè siècle),
***Tower of the English***
According to Google Maps,
it was constructed in the 15th century,
is a notable feature of Angers' medieval defense system!
Showcasing Gothic architecture, it offers panoramic views of the surroundings.
Currently, it serves as a historical monument and a popular excursion site,
reflecting the region's military heritage.
For our "dinner,"
since French dinner time is quite different from ours,
we didn't have many choices!
BUT, these burgers from the food truck Frites Bonnel
were actually quite good!
After that,
I had to attend a social event of the conference,
which allowed us to visit
Musée Jean-Lurçat et de la tapisserie contemporaine.....
The garden outside was already very very spectacular,
but inside was just breathtaking!
It is a well-maintained hospital complex
showcasing Lurcat's renowned tapestry series
from the 1960s, "Le Chant Du Monde.".
To be continued....
XOXO
-Bong-
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