Saintes again

One has to take visitors to Saintes.

This time I started with l'Abbaye des Dames, which I've not been into before. Its two churches are as lovely as all the churches round here, and the rest of the buildings form a huge courtyard, a suntrap of pale stone and trees. One building has been renovated and modernised into a small conference centre and restaurant, with 30 bedrooms.

We found the road along the Charente, and over the bridge to the Arch of Germanicus. A brief visit to the museum made of Roman building remnants gave J the opportunity to take some arty photos, and he kindly took some of the piece of aqueduct[0] for me.

Thence to the Atrium tea-shop, as mentioned last year. It's as pretty and decorative as ever, and the cakes as delicious. J took a civilised Earl Grey and I had an adventurous mimosa sirop; the owner brought us some conserve of local angelica to try - it was very good but we didn't buy any. I did, however, buy a teapot. Those who know my taste in crockery might be puzzled that I should buy a white porcelain teapot which has been painted (and pay extra for the decoration!), but it is a gorgeous impressionist effort.

The Amphitheatre was closed, but as you can see most of it from the road it didn't really matter.

[0] Geeks and aqueducts, well, you know.