Sleepy Sunday

Sundays in France tend to be very quiet.  Stores must remain closed, and only restaurants are legally allowed to open their doors and welcome customers.  When people go out, it's usually to the morning market.  In Perpignan, the marché at Place Cassanyes is truly a people's market, rather than for tourists.  There are many booths piled high with fresh fruits and vegetables, most for one euro per kilogram.  It's advisable to walk through the market and find the best quality before buying, because at such a low price, sometimes the quality can vary.  The vendors yell the prices of their goods, which can sometimes create a frenzy for the cheap foods.  Some other vendors sell fish, eggs, spices, or cheese.  The other half of the market consists of household wares and clothing at very cheap prices. 

This Sunday, I enjoyed a trip to the bustling market.  With only less than five euros spent, I came away with a large bag of goodies including zucchini, eggplant, apples, clementines, lemons, and an onion.  Then on my way home, I stopped in a Catalan bakery.  While I've walked past this bakery many times as it's on the route into the historic center, I've never actually been in.  After one time, I think I have a new addiction.  They have pastries (I bought a layered pastry with almonds and almond cream), a wall full of breads, and other regional specialties.  I can't wait to try the olive bread.

After my morning walk, I met up with a group a friends, and we drove to a small village called Prades.  Prades itself wasn't anything special, especially since everything was closed.  They really keep true to nobody working on Sunday.  However, what led us there was the beautiful scenery.  Prades sits at the base of the Canigou, one of the tallest mountains of the region.  Its peak juts into the blue sky, covered in snow, an unlikely contradiction to the dry and warm village just below.  I hope you'll enjoy the view just as much as I did.