Bordeaux, France 5
We had a clear sky on Day 5, the last full day of the trip, finally! I wanted to see Le Miroir d'eau - the huge reflecting pool - again because we couldn't see a clear reflection in the rain a few days ago. I thought early morning would be the best time to avoid tourists, so I asked J to go there first thing. I knew that the pool operates on a cycle of filling, mirroring, and misting from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, but I thought it was always filled with water. I was wrong... The pool was empty! Well, I was right about no tourists in the early morning, though. We had the pool as well as the Place de la Bourse all to ourselves. The mid-18th-century, neoclassical-style square was beautifully bordered by historic buildings: the Hôtel des Fermes on the left, the Palais Brongniart in the middle, and the Hôtel de la Bourse on the right. The Fountain of the Three Graces stood in the middle. For breakfast, we visited a bakery called Gllm Guillaume. My pain aux raisin...