Visiting Rennes

Last Saturday we took Bailey to a boarding facility (via Pet Uber) about 10k from town. We had visited the place during the week before and liked it. We booked her into a "cabin," an indoor/outdoor space with a private yard and tall, sturdy fence. I was more than a little bit anxious leaving her anywhere but this place seemed very secure and well-run. She would receive play time in the big yard with other dogs a couple times during the day. It was also much less expensive than a similar facility back in the states would have been. 

Sunday morning we hopped on the TGV (high speed train) for the trip to Rennes, the capital of Brittany. Crepes and galettes are dietary staples and the area is known for cider rather than beer or wine, although we still managed to find some good beers. We were only there a couple of days so we stayed in town, walked around a lot, took a walking tour, and just enjoyed our first travel experience. 

We got Bailey back on Wednesday morning and she was very happy to see us but she had done well at the kennel. True to form, they reported that she was shy with people but very good with other dogs. I took her on a long walk Wednesday afternoon and she slept soundly that night. Curiously, on this morning's walk she exhibited scent marking behavior that I've never seen from her before. She's always sniffed other dogs' scent marks, although she's not as obsessed with it as many are. She has always just squatted once early on our walks and done her business all at once. Today she did her initial squat and pee but she also squatted to mark after sniffing various other spots probably three or four more times during the course of our hike. That's new and I wonder if it's behavior she picked up from other dogs at the kennel. 

Flowers outside the cathedral. 

We had our first lunch at the little creperie on the right. At the end of the street is part of the old city wall.

The town is known for the number of old, timber-framed buildings that still survive. 

Part of the old city wall.

Some of the old buildings have been restored, but many have not.

Carved wood over the doorway.

This is a very good dark beer from a Bretton brewery, Brasserie Lancelot.

This picture doesn't do it justice, but this is the interior of a quirky little brasserie very near our hotel.

Some church we walked by at night. They are all Catholic. The protestant reformation never really took hold in France. My ancestors were French Huguenots (protestants), who were ran out of France.

A handmade sign in a small downtown gay bar, (homophobes out of our streets). Although Protestantism never took hold in France, reason did, and from what I've observed so far, the church is largely a historical artifact. It is not unusual to see gay or lesbian couples walking arm-in-arm down the streets. In one place we ate we sat next to a table of drag queens in the middle of the afternoon.

The downspout is a straight line, the buildings on either side waver. The guide on our tour explained that each level was built more or less independent of the level below, just sat on top of, not really well connected to the lower level. They shifted and sagged over time. It's amazing that any of them are still standing. 

Although French is the language of Brittany, they have their own language as well, which is closer to the native languages of Ireland or Wales. 

Another sign on a creperie, which translates as "Here you can lick your plate."

This is the entrance to a beautiful city park. Those cascading flowers are mums, planted in plastic bags.

I ordered a local cider at this restaurant and it was served in this small jug with a nice large "coffee" cup. Coffee is espresso and it arrived in a tiny sipping cup.

Meanwhile, back at home, Lille is setting up it's Christmas markets. The city lights have been hung but aren't lit yet. Our next planned trip is to visit the Christmas markets in Cologne, Germany early in December.

Bailey on our walk on Wednesday. She was tired and probably wanted to just sleep, but she was happy to walk with me.