La Bourse

     Every Saturday there is a farmers market at St. Michel, which is right next to Place de la Bourse.  La Bourse is a huge building which was once/still is the port authority type place.  Across the street from La Bourse is this very shallow “fountain” it’s really more like a puddle, but it is called le mirroir because La Bourse is fully reflected in it when you are standing by it.  At night the Bourse becomes illuminated which looks absolutely beautiful when reflected in la mirroir.  La Bourse is also right up along the quai (pronounced 'kay') which is a walkway that runs all along the river and just down the way from La Bourse is Pont de Pierre (a very old bridge built in the 1820’s).  St. Michel is this beautiful gothic cathedral with a large plaza in front where the farmers market is held.  This farmers market is much more ethnic than many others in Bordeaux because it is in the african district.  There were a lot of boeurs and maghrebans (immigrants from the middle east).  My host family brought that up when I told them about going to the market (my french family is such a quintessential french family, it's not even funny.  I love it).  On sundays when we go to la campagne  we stop by a marché but it is much different, it's cutesy and very neighborly in a different way.  It was fun though and I had the best banana of my life there.  We will probably go back soon too because it is the perfect place to have a picnic!