We had a bit of a storm last night, a lot of rain and one flash of lightening. But it was sunny again this morning and we took the bus into the centre of Lourdes.
We spent most of the afternoon going in and out of numerous chapels and the grotto where Saint Bernadette saw the apparitions which made Lourdes into the place it is today. Except that it isn't the actual grotto and the holy water is not the actual holy water cos they were a little way out of town and have been replaced by a more convenient location by the river. Nevertheless sick pilgrims and their attendants from all over Europe were queuing to drink or bathe in the water of the "new improved grotto" in the hope of a miracle cure. Never seen so many custom made wheelchairs like rickshaws.
We left the sanctuary area and went into town which is just wall to wall tack shops. Full of every souvenir from £500 Madonnas, 5ft high €200 candles, to Bernadette in a snow storm. Not to mention €1 decorative bottles from China to take home your holy water. We had a coffee and snack in an Anglo/French cafe boasting it served Tetley tea. The whole town appears to be either "caring" for sick pilgrims or benefiting from tourists in one way or another.
We went back through the Sanctuary area and followed a procession into the huge underground basilica where a service was being conducted for one of the pilgrimages.
We caught the bus back to site at 7:00pm and had a simple meal in the small site restaurant. Rosemary could not have the duck because a bird flu virus outbreak in the region has resulted in all the ducks being culled. Everything on the site is done by a very friendly hard working couple, including the cooking.
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