Bike Trip - Day 4

I am determined to finish the holiday snaps so here is day 4.  This is not a place for everyone and not a place I would put in the 'must visit' list as it really is personal choice.  I have wanted to visit this place ever since Mick told me about it, I can't explain why I wanted to, maybe part of me didn't actually believe it, maybe I thought I would understand something - what I don't know, all I knew was I wanted to go. 

The village is called Oradour-sur-Glane and on the 10th June 1944 the SS sealed off the village then killed 642 people, of which 205 were children the youngest being 1yr old twins.  If you want to you can read about it here. The village has been left as it is as a memorial to those that died there. As you enter the village there is a sign that simply reads 'SILENCE' - it is not a place that provokes chatter,  just disbelief and bewilderment, if I asked myself "why" once I asked it a hundred times.  My brain cannot comprehend it at all!!!

 

Here are just a small selection of photos I took, yes part of me felt disrespectful in taking the photos but another part of me wanted to take them to show to others to say this happened this exists and the truly sad thing about it all is that this kind of atrocity is still happening today around the world!!

 

 

 

 

Looking back down the main road through the village. 

 

 

This is the church bell - melted. 

 

The Church 

 

 

Day 3 - Bike Trip

Not many photos from Day 3 as most of the day was spent on the bike travelling, we had a lot of miles to cover this day and we did find ourselves on toll roads which are so boring for both of us, so I have added a few from day 4!  We had a have a few stops just to stretch the legs and straighten the old hip out.  Our destination was Ponticosa.  This is a small village at the bottom on the Pyrenees and is used during the sking season, it is absolutely lovely here but very obviously geared for skiers.

 This stream runs through the village, can't say I have seen a rose growing in a stream before must have a had life when the snow melts!

The next few are from Day 4, the Pyrennes National Park - absolutely beautiful, I would love to go back and walk up there, must be an amazing view from the top!

I /we don't do selfies but made a point of trying whilst away. It was rather windy this morning and the sun in my eyes hence I have two slits in place of eyes!! Hey ho lol it had to be done!

I wanted a field of sunflowers but the most stunning fields were in places where we couldn't stop - so I settled for this one! 

In the evening we went into Bergerac for some food and a look around. I have come across this before in France where suddenly from no where some one appears with some music and starts playing and before you know it people start dancing in the street and have a amazing time, I so wish I could dance and join in. It is all so very social and then at the end of the evening they all say goodbye and disappear! Like a dream.

I really like the second shot, though it was purely down to not s

Checking camera settings and too much vino lol.

I will show some more of day 4 in the next post, which I will warn you now will be photo heavy and not everyone's cup of tea! 

Day 2 - Bike Trip.

 

Not too many photos today.  The first was taken in a place called Riano, still in the Picos mountains. Fancy having that as your back drop for your allotment!!

 

 

This I believe is a Bearded Vulture, this is one of two that flew off a nest that was up a rock face.  It took me a little while to realise there was a chick in the nest.

 

Not a very good photo due to noise and he was in the shade, but very happy I got it and saw him/her!