A lovingly preserved set of armor in the castle in the town of Belcastel.
Overlooking the beautiful village of Belcastel.
An artfully displayed selection of instruments of torture, thankfully clean! Have you flogged anyone lately?
If you look out the window just right, it's like a magically framed postcard - beautiful!
The castle stairs were so cool - triangular shaped stairs to aid in climbing the steep incline. You have to walk in a zigzag fashion, but it works. Imagine these passing building codes now!
Another amazing framed view of the countryside below.
Okay, maybe its a bit morbid, but I find cemeteries sort of interesting. These are built like little monuments, almost like furniture - with granite slab tops adorned with "souvenirs" - which are little carved and decorated stone tablets commemorating the dead.
One of my favorite "souvenirs" - the outline of a jagged mountain range (not unlike my favorite Grand Tetons!) and a workman with his plow. You can even see my reflection if you look!
A hillside view of the beautiful village of Belcastel, about 1/2 hour drive from where I lived for a month in southern France.
The village of Conques, north of the Aveyron region in France.
An alcove outside the Conques cathedral.
I loved the majestic columns of the cathedral and did not hesitate to lay down on the stone floor to take this shot.
Hello? Who's there?
Tasty temptations are everywhere! To quote Oscar Wilde: "I can resist anything but temptation."
Yet another castle above the town of Najac - the castle itself wasn't restored, but the view is still awesome!
A corbel, elegantly lit.
Patisserie Break!
Fellow seen walking down the street - isn't that Michael?
Gargoyles - all a bit gory if you ask me, on the cathedral at Rodez.
Another required stop to drool - the chocolate shop. Yum.
Cool modernistic shepherd at the entry to the cathedral in Senergues.
I get a special blessing from Mother Mary.
The stone home being reconstructed on the property I was volunteering at for a month at Valedy, in the Aveyron region of southern France.
Me and my buddy Nicolas who had another HelpX project property nearby. www.helpx.net
My home for a month in southern France, along with at least 15 other HelpX volunteers from all around the world, like a big extended "temporary" but loving family!
View from my bedroom window, the train on the bridge passed a few times a day on its way to Paris.
Lovely stained glass in autumn colors.
A water fountain in the town center of the tiny town of Clairvaux
We went for a hike and were in time to watch them harvest grapes - the fellows in the field called us over and gave us each a hearty bunch of grapes to munch while we walked. Sweet, too!
Well, blackberries and blueberries were in season, too - so naturally we never left the house without a basket in hand.
This happy boar was smiling down on us at a nearby pub. Hmm...
Here's a pretty dragonfly that Mary found. It's called a libellule in French, a libélula in Spanish - pretty in any language, I'd say!
Funny card I found in the castle gift shop!
Not-so-pretty cupids - I think they need a shave.
This says it all - Choose Peace!
