We stayed in Oréans on the way back to Belgium for one night and popped into the city for a quick evening look before going to sleep at our cheap (Euro 34 for all three of us combined) hotel. It's a good way to travel using these cheap hotels. They aren't luxury at all but they are clean enough - though small - and pretty perfect for a night's sleep along the way!Orléans is of course most famous for the famous woman on the horse above - Joan of Arc.
The city is a strange one. It somehow misses the glory is seems like it is supposed to have. The cathedral above is of course a site to see! Most striking to me though was the below site. Look at the building on the left. It has a Jewish star on it! It's a synagogue! An unexpected synagogue right next to a church. Living in Europe, I have become used to not seeing Jewish symbols anywhere other than in Antwerp and at the occasional Jewish museum. And there, right smack next to the church was a big Jewish star. I could hardly believe it. You have to understand - though I am not a believer or any sort of practicing Jew or anything like that - coming from New York - there were churches and synagogues and mosques and every sort of denomination of all of the above all around - even in the small town I grew up in... Living here in Europe - I just see Catholic symbols - everywhere always. So to all of a sudden stumble across this synagogue - well, it made a big impression. Especially after having been inundated with so many churches for the previous two weeks! Jews have really been erased throughout Europe. Obliterated. We all know the history. So somehow this synagogue gave me a little comfort.
Our daughter in the hotel with her pet Coyote - sleepy after a long, nice trip through one part of France for two weeks!
Viva France! Thanks for the nice vacation!
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