Ring around the Poitiers

Another day to get out and explore Poitiers.  When I run out of places to visit in Poitiers I’ll have to travel to the surrounding cities.  Not a problem for me!  First stop was something that looked very familiar.

PLACE DE LA LIBERTE

This square was a lively market place in the Middle Ages the very heart of the city.  People gathered here to trade to exchange news and to watch the condemned suffer the result of the justice dispensed at the Hotel de la Prevote alongside the square.  At the beginning of the century the Faculty of Arts moved to the Hotelll Fume on the same side of the Square, and the district become the knub of Poitevin student life.  Poitiers University is one of the oldest universities in France, founded in 1431.  Many illustrious figures number amongst its alumni, including Rabelais, the poets Rosard and du Bellay and the philosopher Rene Descartes.

From there I walked back towards home following my little tourist map.  I was looking for the Eglise St-Porchaire.  Found it!  It was the really big tower in the center of town.  Was also the place I mistaken as a restaurant the first time I saw it. 

When I went inside I saw this statue.  This guy with the little kid is in a lot of the churches.  He always has such a kind face but I still don’t know who he is.  I don’t think the is Joseph because he looks like some sort of monk.  Someone help me out on this one.

Now I did find this really odd.  Tombs inside church.  It’s kind of creepy. 

These are some other neat things I think are pretty cool.

  

I thought I needed to take a picture of this statue.  Best guess is it’s another version of Mary and Jesus but it had its own little poster and signs so I figured it must have been the main attraction here. 

I finally got a good picture of a statue of Jesus.  Churches are so dark that the statues of Jesus don’t really come out well.  They kind of look misty, fuzzy and dark.  This one is pretty good.

MY FAVORITE.  About time I found a Joseph and Jesus statue!  I think Mary must have had a very hard time being so young, having a child and being a virgin mother but so many people forget about Joseph.  He raised a baby that wasn’t his but God’s.  How do you think he felt knowing that this child’s father was so much better than him but that he was being asked to raise him?  He loved Jesus as a daddy would.  Now that’s a real man.

Next stop the Musee Rupert de Chievres.  But I couldn’t get in.  The little guy at the gate kept yelling 20:14.  So like a crazy person I was trying to figure out how 20:14 translate into the 12 hour clock.  I figured out a few minutes later that he meant 2014.  I don’t think I can wait that long.

Moving on to the Eglise St-Hilaire.  Passed this creepy eye in the middle of the street.  Woke me up real quick.  Then I met a cat that followed me to the back of the church.  I wasn’t able to get a really big picture of the front of the church.  It was too big and the panorama creator decided to crap out on me.

 

Inside was a labyrinth of stone!  Also the walls where painted!

 

My favorite stain-glass:

 

Another wonderful statue of Mary and Jesus and this thing.

Then I went to play in the park, Parc de Blossac.  Sign outside said:

BLOSSAC

Completed in 1770, this French-style park was named after Count Blossac, Intendant for the Poitou region between 1750 and 1784.

The Intendant, representing the king was in charge of the region’s administrations.  The Count initiated numerous projects in Poitiers, including several thoroughfares and the construction of the Point Neuf.

The nine hectare park is designed around two main allys, the Grande Allee and the Allee du Vase, which cross at right angles, and which have fine views over the Clain valley.  An English garden consisting of grottoes, ornamental likes and waterways, houses an interesting collection of birds.

Here are some of the statues that are around the park.

It looks like the little children hold up this one. 

 

Look at this cute kid I found while looking for some Quackers.

There was this really cool looking birds.  I don’t even know what some of these are called!

Then we get to this little bugger.  His sign said:

Coati Roux - Ring-tailed coati

Lives in lowland tropical forests.  Adult males lead a solitary existence outside of the breeding season. It sleeps by wrapping its limbs around its belly. He uses his long noes to get his food. Excellent climber.

Still don't want him in my back yard.

After the park I went to the marché. 

“HOT POCKETS!”

....................................................................................................................................................