Toulouse and Albi

This most recent weekend, some of my friends and I traveled to Toulouse, a hip college town in France, and Albi, the birthplace of post-impressionist artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec.  The trip, actually, was for the express purpose of going to Albi, it just so happened that Toulouse is a nice place to visit as well, and trains connect there, so we ended up going to both. (Lucky us!)

Toulouse was a gorgeous city (be it a little reminiscent of Berkeley/Telegraph Ave).  It's your typical college town with a few (read: a lot) of grungy homeless people.   Also, very much unlike Berkeley, Asian people are not seen that often.  While we were there, my friends were called after all over, one een offering why he prefers les Asiatiques: Si belles, si sensuelles, si soumises.  Um, oh, good....creepy.  In fact our experience overall was just a little strange, though it didn't stop us from having a good time.  

Despite the somewhat odd encounters, Toulouse offered great sights.  There were several monuments including the Cathédrale St-Sernin,  the Couvent des Jacobins and Le Capitole. There was also great shopping, and amazing food.  The southern style cooking is really rich and very much based on meat and potatoes stews and flavorful meats.  The dish they are known for is cassoulet, a meat stew (among the meats: duck, sausages and straight lard) with white beans and starchy things, which has a very complex flavor and is incredibly filling.  It was really quite tasty.  I don't have any photos of the food, but below are some of the sights of Toulouse....

Here's the Capitole, note the pink bricks!

The Cathédrale Saint Sernin

The Interior of Cathédrale Saint Sernin

A cute little square with a fountain in between Cathédrale Saint Sernin and the Couvent des Jacobins

The exterior of the Couvent des Jacobins

The interior of the Couvent des Jacobins

Looking back from the circular dome, in the mirror that made it so easy to see the ceiling.  So pretty!

The Tomb of Thomas Aquinas, in Couvent des Jacobins

The fountain in the Place de Wilson, with a sculpture of a poet of Toulouse, it's quite picturesque, non?

A large gallery in the Musée des Augustins, it was a very very beautiful museum.

AND NOW, ALBI! The BEST TINY TOWN EVER.  

We decided to go to Toulouse and Albi for the weekend because my good friend KellyAnn really LOVES the post-impressionist painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.  He was born in Albi, and there's a painting there with a great collection of his works.  At first, Albi was just where the museum was, but it ended up having some of the best food and the prettiest sights I have ever seen.  Now, you may think that I'm exaggerating, but the restaurant, called Lou Sicret, had some of the best food I've ever had.  In fact, my travel companions and I sat in the restaurant RAVING for the whole meal.  I was quoted saying I want to be proposed to there, married just near there, have the wedding reception and meal there, have my children there, raise my children there, the whole nine yards.  It was fantastic.  I know, I sound ridiculous, but, really, BEST FOOD EVER, and the house wine was pretty fantastic as well.  As for the other jewel of the trip, the Cathédrale Sainte Cécile, described in the Lonely Planet tourbook as a cathedral with a tower reminiscent of a Dark Lord's tower from Lord of the Rings, I was somewhat less than enthused.  But, upon seeing it, it is truly a wonder to behold.  Built during the 1200s, with additions up through the gothic era the façade is mostly red brick with skinny windows in the clerestory, except for the door in the middle, which hints at the ornate beauty that lies inside.  The gothic decor on the inside of this church is absolutely breathtaking.  I can't even begin to tell you how amazing it was.  It houses one of the top 3 organs in France, according to their website, and every inch of the interior is adorned.  The following photos do not do it justice.

The exterior of Cathédrale Sainte Cécile

Looking at the main altar and the organ pipes.  Notice the ceiling!!!

A closer look

Looking back towards the Grand Choir, and the great treasures of the church.   You had to pay to go back there, so this is as close as I got.

Looking to the back of the cathedral from the front altar. Probably one of my favorite pictures I have taken to date.

So a slightly askew photo of the one above, but a better view of the ceiling and much more dramatic lighting. I had to include it.  I really, really, really loved this cathedral.

Overall, the trip was amazing. I loved every second.  I can't wait to go back to Albi and live happily ever after.  (Haha, only slightly kidding!)