Welcome once again to the French edition of the Furman weekly. 
 
The week of April 8 started off with some interesting news.  Dave's project is finishing up and we are nearing the end of our time here.  We are working on dates of departure with the movers, etc, and will probably have an update as to when we will be home in the next edition.  We are all very depressed about this, as none of us our ready to come home.  We are having a great time.
 
Because his project is finishing up, Dave worked extra hard this week.  He was working late almost every night so we did not do anything exciting during the week.  We stayed home Friday night to rest up for the coming trip.  The boys are worn out and we are planning to take a two week vacation before we leave so we thought they needed a day off. 
 
But Saturday we packed up early and headed off to Lourdes.  This is the town where The Virgin Mother spoke to Saint Bernadette and told her to dig in the rock.  A spring appeared.  Since then, millions of people (5 million a year) travel to the Lourdes, seeking the healing powers of the waters.  We decided that since we are so close, we should go and see this place that draws so many people. 
 
We parked in the center of town and walked to the Sanctuary (the area where the waters and the eight chapels and basilica are).  Our first impression of Lourdes was one of a tourist town.  The streets are lined with shops selling crafts and souvenirs relating to Our Lady of Lourdes.  I would imagine that the area around Graceland looks very similar. 
 
We walked into the Sanctuary and decided that we would start off by visiting the grotto where it all started.  We walked around to the back of one of the largest cathedrals, to the grotto.  Here we found a small cave in the rock.  There were people around it praying, watching, and looking.  Andrew and Amy got in line and walked through to the grotto.  Inside we saw the spring flowing from the rock.  People have left flowers and prayers on paper around the spring.  As they go into the grotto, pilgrims (as the visitors are called) touch or kiss the rock to recall that God is the rock that we can always count on.  Then we waited to catch a drip from the rock.  It was very moving.
 
While Andrew and David went to see the springs, Michael and Amy walked down a little further.  We walked past hundreds and hundreds of candles lit by people as a way of continuing their prayers.  Just beyond the candles were the baths where pilgrims are invited to bathe in the waters.  There are separate baths for men and women.  The pilgrims are invited into a changing room and assisted by volunteers.  A ceremony is followed as the pilgrim is immersed in the waters.
 
All throughout the Sanctuary you see groups of people being pushed in wheelchairs by volunteers.  These volunteers assist anyone who needs help getting anywhere. 
 
It is very hard to describe what the afternoon was like.  It was a very moving experience.  There are so many prayers and so much hope in that one place.  You could certainly feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
 
After visiting the Grotto, we visited two of the three churches and chapels built over the grotto.  First, we stopped in the Rosary Basilica.  It was a very pretty church with lots of stained glass and mosaics.  From there we went above this to where the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the Crypt are.  Amy stopped in at the Crypt (a prayer chapel) for a few moments of prayer.  It is a very beautiful chapel (no cameras allowed). 
 
From the Sanctuary, we decided that we should take the boys somewhere that they could run around and see things that they found interesting.  So we climbed up a lot of hills and steps to the Chateau Fort.  This was once a castle that was made into a fort many years later.  It was the best tour of a castle that we have seen.  There was a path to follow and there were examples of furniture and other medieval items.  We had a good time poking around the castle and exploring the rooms.  Andrew and Amy had a good time climbing up the tower, although there wasn't much to see at the top.  There was also a beautiful garden area that we walked through and enjoyed smelling the flowers.
 
From the Chateau Fort, we headed off to find a hotel so we could rest and continue exploring on Sunday.
 
We slept in on Sunday morning (8:00 - no kidding) and ate breakfast in the room, before heading off to explore another castle.  This time it was the Chateau de Pau, in the city of Pau.  This chateau was built in the 14th century.  In 1553, the nephew of King Francois I (who we saw in Cognac) was born here.  He became Henry IV, king of France.  We saw his cradle, which was a giant turtle shell.  They had lots of period furniture and furniture from the time of Napoleon Bonaparte, who refurbished the chateau for a winter retreat.  This chateau has one of the best exhibitions of tapestries in all of Europe.  They covered almost all of the walls in the main part of the chateau.
 
We were going to come home through the mountains, but as it was quite overcast and threatening to rain, we skipped it and came home early.  We are giving the boys a little time off before our final two week trip.
 
This week we are planning to prepare for the movers and the visit of Dave's parents on the 22nd.  We will take a one day trip over the weekend.  Have a great week and we will see you soon!!