.....and we are off!

Yesterday we started off our adventure in Toulouse at the Basilica Saint-Sernin. This is typically the first stop before heading on the pilgrimage. It was the first cathedral I had seen in person, and let me tell you, it’s a thousand times better than the pictures. 

I thought a lot about why we don’t have cathedrals this enormous and grand in the states. The reason behind it is that now there is no need for stone carvers, therefor we do not have any that have the skills to create what was created long ago. While this is an issue so is how much it would cost to build compared to what it had been.

With this knowledge it makes you wonder if we should create cathedrals like this again? To me, I think preserving what we have is more important than creating new ones. Even though the states do not have cathedrals this enormous they are beautiful in different ways. 

While that was day one and two, day three was filled with surprises as well. We visited another cathedral in Auch and then braked for lunch. Once we reached our final destination, Lourde, we went to a local grocery store to buy food to cook with. This adventure was one to remember. Myself and a classmate were in charge of getting lunch meat. We approached the counter and realized we didn’t know how many kilograms is a pound. Once we figured that out, there was a language barrier with the butcher. Thank god for technology, without it we wouldn’t have been able to communicate with her.

If you ever travel to a different place, visit a local grocery store. The food will be so different and fascinating to learn about. People watch a little and see what they grab to cook. If you can, cook one night and submerge yourself even more into the culture. I have seized this opportunity and am so grateful to be on this trip.