"BORDEAUX" a Bordeaux Travel Page by bugulma

Bordeaux. One of the great experiences in my life. I think I was struck first of all that in 2005, in January, it was + 14 around. It’s unbelievable for Russian mind. We have -10 as a high temperature in Moscow in this period. Special thanks to Lionel (lorgnierl in VT) who made a tour of the night city with me despite we arrived quite late to his house. Even in night the city looks fantastic. I have only one day in the city and one deep evening here but I really have loved Bordeaux, in spite of I really don’t understand what these French speak about :-). So, whole day I had a walking in the city. Enough funny episode I had in the end of my day in Bordeaux. I don"t know why, sitting in cafe, I'd determined that last bus goes late to the Lionel's house area. But last bus goes 10 pm around and I came to the bus stop some minutes later. So I could get taxi but it seemed to me too boring and I'd decided to go by feet. It was really good experience, nice weather, nice sky above my head. The only one not good thing was I got wrong with a way to the town, I’d got parallel road to the road that Lionel used to go to Bordeaux (the bus to the city went that way too). So, I needed to go to the right but I went to the left. It was midnight and I had decided to ask the way people I saw. There were 2 guys and a girl. While I was going closer to them, guys started up the car and drove away. So I went to the girl. I should say in Moscow the girl would be watchful when short-cut guy is trying to come closer :-). But the girl, of course she didn’t speak English, listened to me and understood the street I mentioned. So she looked at the map and said that I sat in the car and she gives a lift to the place. And she did it! I was really surprised because, as I’ve said, in Moscow I could look dangerous :-).

Second time in Bordeaux i was in June of 2006. Thanks again to Lionel and Marina to let me be their guests. Of cause, I like much the summer city in comparision with winter one although all buildings were on the same place. The new was the square in front of the stock that was finished to rebuild in 3 weeks before my arrival. So it looks like I was a controller that should check whether they were in time with working in stock exchange square :-) But sometimes I thought about winter because there was +40 in the street one day and it is really hard to be outside in such conditions.

Bordeaux. Foundation of Bordeaux dates back to III BC. In 1152 Bordeaux falls under English domination for 300 years when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry Plantaganet (future King of England). In 1453, Bordeaux was attached to French Kingdom as a result of Hundred Years War. In 1822 Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish painter, settled here in 1824 and lived here till his death 4 years later. January 6, 2005, I was arrived to the city :-).