Our
host in Rouen took these photos
as
we were leaving this morning.
We really enjoyed our time in Rouen.
The building we stayed in was built
in 1599...half timbered but
completely renovated inside.
We
then drove 120k's to Amiens this morning,
We
went exploring the town, first stop was
the
Hortillonnages, also known as the floating gardens.
They
cover 300 hectares of small islands and
are
criss-crossed by 65 k's of canals.
The
ancient marshes were originally exploited for their peat
and
later for market gardening.
Market
gardening has been the main activity
of
the hortillonages for centuries.
In
1900, almost 1000 people had garden plots here.
Today,
there are fewer farmer farms in operation.
Harvests
(mainly fresh vegetables) are
sold
each Saturday at a market.
We took a tour is a traditional boat,
they
have a flat bottom that enables
them
to move in the shallow canals of the hortillonnages.
The
boats are electric: silent and non-polluting,
they
allow tourism and preserve the site,
avoiding
large waves which damage the banks.
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Amiens
Cathedral was built between 1220 and c.1270
and
has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
It
is France's largest Gothic Cathedral.
It
could hold two cathedrals the size of Notre Dame in Paris!
Flags
and plaques honouring the troops
who
led the allies to victory adorn the southern transept.
The 'Weeping Angel' sculpted in the 17thcentury
represents
sorrow and became symbolic
of
the suffering endured by the soldiers in the trenches.
Postcards
of the angel were sent far and wide throughout the world.
A
labyrinth is featured on the floor...walking or kneeling
along
the maze was an alternative to going on a pilgrimage
to
Jerusalem or Santiago de Compostela.
I
also found another memorial
for
Joan of Arc.
…............................................................................................
Located
in the heart of the pedestrian shopping area,
is l'horloge Dewailly (the Dewailly clock).
is l'horloge Dewailly (the Dewailly clock).
It
was donated in 1896 by the former mayor...Mayor Dr. Dewailly
His
idea was to allow all residents whose financial resources
were
not sufficient to acquire a watch,
to
be able to tell the time and be able to use
the
newly installed train through Amiens.
It
was sculpted by Albert Roze and is decorated with a beautiful statue
often called Marie-sans-chemise
(topless Mary).
With
this work he wanted to make an allegory to spring.
….................................................................................................
Around
town we noticed many tributes to
Australia's
support in The Somme during WW1.
Tomorrow we will drive to some of the WW1 sites in The Somme.
Today
we walked 12.2 k's
