The time is UTC + 1 and the city is Cherbourg. Last year I went to the beaches and U.S. Cemetery. This year even though it is Monday I am hoping a few things may be open. It wasn’t so when I was here in 2012. But then it was also 30th April sandwiched between a Sunday and May Day
Even from the ship you can see how little of the inner harbor predates WWII. Before opening hours it is a good time to walk, camera in hand looking for interesting doors and architectural details.
As it turns out, my memory of the city is accurate. Little to nothing is open on Monday morning and the idea of hanging out till 1430 just to walk into stores does not compute in the least.
map
simple arch
obligatory statue
WWII to the Martyrs
symbol of the marine industry
narrow door (trust me)
narrow alley
narrow building (I have a longer wing span that it is wide)
door- about as wide as my shoulders…
Part of the city center is severely depressed. Blind eyes windows gaze from emptiness across to more blank expressions. Only those location dealing with food and drink seem to be hanging on without even the leavening of a uni-sex hair salon. A few streets further on feature ugly reconstruction prefab with first floor glass show rooms and tightly shuttered living space on 1-4 floors above. As an aside, I suspect that none of the buildings as tall enough to require an elevator (lift).
After wandering through the village centre on both pedestrian and regular paths I was ready for a new direction. I had already confirmed that neither the knit shop or the embroidery boutique were opening today. I don’t need pastries (fudge a plenty) and my Euros are still on board.
Walking over to Cité de la Mer I explored the outer area once again not noticing any changes from 2012. The goods in the gift shop have been updated to the current year but it is not like I needed anything. I’m skipping both postcards and magnets this trip for which I am sure family is grateful.
Now – would it be creepy to add a jigsaw of the Titanic to the Serenade’s puzzle collection?
