Limoges Porcelain

My wife is very special, even though she may be be bit odd at times, this morning being one of those times. There we were, eating a proper French breakfast of sliced baguettes, sliced bread, chocolate croissants, apple croissant, petite croissant, and toasted petite bread.  Meanwhile Linda was turning the saucer over and taking photos of the marks on the bottom.
In addition to our trip to Oradour-Sur Glane yesterday, in the late  afternoon we had also visited the Royal Limoges porcelain factory. Then, this morning, when she turned over one of the plates on the table, as you can see, it had the Royal Limoges  symbol on it. I’d say that is proof positive that we are staying a first class hotel if they use Royal Limoges china to serve breakfast on.


Today we spent the morning in the porcelain museum,  with Linda liking this exhibit the best. The human body with all the different parts that have been replaced with porcelain parts. Hips, knees, eyeballs and more, all from something that has been around for centuries, but is always finding new uses.


We were amazed at what could be made in the factories of the area, including these huge vases.

While I was mostly into the pieces from the 18th century and before, Linda had her eye on these modern pieces that I had to admit were certainly different to say the least.
Later in the day, we ate lunch under a large awning while rain poured down in torrents. A lunch of the kind we live for. A Plat du Jour, a Kir for Linda, a beer or pichet of wine for me. A meal that is almost impossible to find in the in the US. Over here it is just another lunch, and we smile and say, “How did we ever get so lucky?” Translated, why is it that French can take a few simple ingredients and and make a meal that is totally awesome. While in the US they can take the same ingredients, deep fry them and have them taste liked garbage (or worse). The more we travel, the more we realize that something is said to be made for American tastes. So when someone claims their food is more suitable for American tastes, we should run away as fast as possible, because it is going to have no taste at all. I.E., Kraft Cheese. If you think Kraft Cheese is real cheese, you may find travel to be a little difficult, as the cheese will not taste good. And the same could be said for the bread, and just about everything else. Food over here has taste and texture, and not by means of artificial flavors and sawdust.


This is what it is all about. This is water, but the bottle itself has a color to it so the water in it looks red. On the plate are frites and boeuf. Linda’s glass is Kir and white wine. I am taking the photo and two feet behind me water is pouring off the awning in torrents. Yet not a drop is getting on us. This was a typical mid-day meal. Most of our mid day meals being between 25 and 40 Euro what with drinks, food, dessert and café. For the evening meal we go with something we pick up at the “grocery’, though where we shop is certainly not called a grocery.


After lunch we took a tour of a museum that had once been a working factory. All the equipment was still in place, and by the time the nearly hour long tour was finished, we understood the history of Limoges porcelain and how it had evolved to what it was today. An hour tour, only Linda and I, and in English. How do we fall into these things?


Today was radically different from yesterday. And to end today, this is the perfect photo. We all travel differently. We all see things differently. There is no right or wrong way to travel, there is only travel. And we who travel see things entirely differently from those who never travel. It is one world, but what a different world it is.