Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Ten Hours on a bus for this! Oh yea and it’s worth it!

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We took a nice long bus ride yesterday from Paris to Mont Saint Michel which is located northwest of Paris on the English Channel, and it was worth every bump, rest stop and sore butt. We left Paris at 7:30 AM and the weather was great.  The closer we got to Mont Saint Michel the worse the weather got.  Lots of fog and mist as you can see by the photos above.  The Abbey of Mont Saint Michel was built over 1,200 years ago.  It is on the very top of the island.  The big rock becomes an island when the tide comes in.  There is a causeway that now connects the island to the mainland. Before that was built, the only way to the Abbey was by boat or on foot during low tide.  The second largest tidal change in the world is here at Mont Saint Michel.  The tide comes in over eight miles at high tide.

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close-up of the Abby                                                                     causeway leading to the island

The town that surrounds the Abbey is really something to see.

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main gate into the town                           passageways throughout                    Cindy-sized doors

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Abbey dining room                                                                               one of two fireplaces to cook the food

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views from the top of the island in front of the Abbey church

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back of buildings are rock walls            steps leading to the Abbey                  the church in front of the Abbey

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         tread wheel                                                                                       wooden sled

The tread wheel was powered by 6 to 8 men walking two abreast on the inside.  The rope was hooked to the chain on the wooden sled.  The sled would be loaded up with supplies or building material and the men would walk in the tread wheel, lifting the sled with the supplies up to the Abbey.  I think it was the first health club in France!

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the protective wall around the Abby                                           your neighbor is nice and close in this town

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a knight who speaks Japanese                                            Mom I think there are little men outside my window

1 comment:

Romios Family said...

Did you ask the knight for a hot-ta dog-gu?