Tour de Amiens

We awoke to a dense fog covering the landscape so our decision to tour the city of Amiens was a good one. Knowing that the drive was over an hour in each direction we got an early start. 

The primary attraction is the Cathedral which is the largest in all of France, even larger than Notre Dame in Paris. Even though it is the largest in France it is not in the top ten worldwide by square meters. Number 4 on the list is Saint John the Devine on the upper west side of Manhattan (not been there), and Number 1 is Saint Peters in the Vatican (been there). 

Impressive and imposing perched on the top of a rampart. 

Elaborate stone carving adorn the entrance.

This is only a side entrance. 

At the intersection of the crossing chambers is an amazing "maze" which we were able to traverse after some long dizzying tries. 

The story is that traversing the maze was a substitute for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem - which during the time of the crusades was no walk in the park. 

We waited to see Jerusalem until they offered non-stop flights. 

The center of the maze - "fini" 

Amiens saw some major battles that destroyed many of the stained glass windows. The survivors were very impressive.

Looking down the main aisle from one end to the other is a wonder. I wonder how they were able to build this structure in the 13th century. 

Got to see the pipe organ, but would have liked to hear it bellowing against this massive chamber. It would be worth another visit but unlikely. 

While the cathedral is basically a "big church" each section has a specific name and purpose. The side chapels or naves line the outer walls, each impressive in its own right. 

More of the stained glass windows from another angle. The sun was in a perfect location to really illuminate the vivid colors. 

A quaint building on the other side of church square. 

Notre Dame or Our Lady which is commonly used to give meaning to a prominent Cathedral. 

A clock tower, not a church,  but still worthy of a photo. 

Thanks Kim, your devotion is duly noted. 

Amiens is commonly considered the "Venice" of France. The Somme river runs through this flooded low land area. 

Like Venice the water is tamed through a series of canals providing land areas for buildings. No Gondolas or singing Gondoliers - but many narrow streets to wander along...  

And many bridges to get across...

And back again. What fun. 

This bridge to someone's back door doubles as an outdoor sitting area. Clever use of the space. 

Amiens free library. Kim decided on a Dumas but 1500+ pages in French was too much for even her reading obsession. She put it back. 

Along every canal is another canal. 

And adorned with "schmaters" - Yiddish for random pieces of cloth. Why were they here, who knows, and no sign or person to answer the question.  

Old houses next to new houses where every inch of land is a precious commodity. 

They are even building whole developments of modern structures rivaling their ancient neighbors. 

A street named for this section.

Quai is the French word for Quai - pronounced "Kay"

You New Orleans folks knew that.

A cafe stop sans pastry. So out of character but sitting along the water was a must. 

Swans mate for life so we figured this was a "he-swan" and "she-swan" but who knows who was the "he" and who was the "she". 

Hard to believe that the water fowl choose such a polluted place to call home, but the ducks seem to like the place as well. 

View of the Quai - which translates to dock. 

Our coffee stop was on the opposite side.

Pastries are serious business, but lunch is a semi-serious pursuit. What better place to find Greek food than France. 

Go figure. 

We were in the vicinity of a University so basic student food.  

All of our favorites were on the menu. 

Now if only a Greek place would open in Vail. 

The chicken was good, but meat from the Gyro wheel was oh so good. Good use of "road kill"

A stop at the market was in order. 

Could not resist this mile long meat, cheese, pate, etc. counter. 

Yes Virginia, they did have coffee filters. Pilgrim your search is ended. 

This is the staircase to the upper level of our castle. 

Since Kim felt compelled to include the photo I will add  the comment.

We have numerous criteria in selecting the places we stay.

 An absolute essential is a toilet on the sleeping level. Tough enough negotiating these steps awake and in daylight but midnight trips up or down could be disastrous. This house has very high ceilings so it takes 22 steps to get from one level to the next. An even greater obstacle is that these ancient stairs are "winders" - meaning that instead of rectangular treads these are wide on one end and come to a point on the other (like a spiral staircase). This allows the staircase to turn in order to incorporate enough steps to get from one floor to the next. Negotiating a flight means any step can become a misstep and result in a trip to the emergency room - not a good thing on vacation in a foreign country. 

In case you are wondering "winders" have been outlawed from the US national building codes and experienced only in older houses where they are "grandfathered" in. We had one flight in our Hillsborough, CA house and did not tamper with it during the renovations.

Another "nice to have" is a toilet on the ground and bedroom level. If negotiating a challenging staircase is a prerequisite every time you have to "go" you plan your strategy accordingly. Extra trips are avoided. So some times you hold it in until a trip upstairs is absolutely necessary.  

So, there you have it!