July 13, 2016 Angers
Gordon: I love last judgement paintings, with their imaginative depictions of devils and the torments of the damned. So I was delighted to learn that Angers has a famous Apocalypse tapestry – several hundred feet of tapestry depicting the Book of Revelations as interpreted in the late 14th century. It does not disappoint in its images of the Beast, the Whore of Babylon, the Lake of Fire and other icons that have entered popular culture.
The tapestry is housed in its own building in the chateau of Angers. This was the seat of the Plantagenet dynasty (Henry II and descendants) and hence a very influential place. As an adjective it has lent its name to such things as the Anjou pear, which I will henceforth understand to be a very agitated piece of fruit.
Speaking of “understanding”, Ruth delighted in our lunch at a restaurant today. They were serving a special kind of chicken known as “lapin” and Ruth says we should keep our eyes open for the opportunity to have it again.
Angers, indeed. I'm spending my days trying to find a trailer to rent so I can haul my mother's stuff to Victoria. Apparently there isn't a trailer left in Alberta. They've all been rented to people laid off in the oil patch who are moving back to Ontario and Nova Scotia. Plus the 58,000 people who are now moving back to Fort McMurray. Rural Alberta is looking more like the Apocalypse Tapestry all the time. Oh, to be in France!
Lapin. Schmapin. It all tastes like chicken. I find binoculars are very handy for viewing stained glass and tapestries in giant cathedrals and galleries. But then I get dizzy.
Magnificent! Hard to believe this could be more enjoyable than cycling across the Canadian prairies all the while being chased by tornados and hail storms. Keep up the fantastic blogging, you two!! By the way, Ruth, yesterday Darla accepted the offer to cover your leave.
Lapin… LOL… It is a very special kind of chicken in fact!!! 🐇🐇🐇