I accidentally went to church today. While meandering aimlessly around Amiens I came across a beautiful old church and wandered in. A service was in progress. I found a seat at the back and as it happens, right beside a confessional box. If I stray in there I may never come out. The huge church is nearly full and there are many families with small children and babies. There are also teenagers here unaccompanied by parents and seemingly here of their own accord. Christianity is alive and well in Amiens. This is a great opportunity to check out the acoustics of this loverly old church, and to get out of the freezing wind for a while. The sound is so rich within these ancient walls. The organ and choir sound fantastic and the congregation are in fine voice as well. A small boy of about four years of age runs across the back of the congregation and straight into the confessional box beside me. What a funny thing to do but I suspect if he is like any Australian boy of that age he probably does have plenty to confess!
This morning while waiting for the bus, something else amusing happened. On the quiet Sunday morning street a young man came freewheeling down on a shopping trolley half full of something. While in motion he would push himself up on the handlebar in gymnastic style and balance on one hand while freezing his body horizontally. A bit strange but very clever – and very entertaining – and probably very French. He gave us a half glance before disappearing down a side street.
Amiens (pronounced ‘Amia’ by the French and ‘Amen’ by the Anzacs) has a population of around 130000 people and is located on the Somme River. The river makes it’s way through the city via natural waterways and man-made canals. Bordering the canals are chic old terraced houses. I like it. I could live here if it wasn’t for the terrible winters I’ve been told about. The Cathedral here is the largest in France, nearly twice the size of The Notre Dame de Paris. And Jules Verne married an Amiens’ local and lived here from 1871 until he died in 1905.
It is a sombre day today, overcast, cold and windy, but I have a comfortable enjoyable time wandering the streets and parks. It’s beautiful here.
On the way home I share the bus stop with a drunk Frenchman, who ‘sort of’ asks me when the next bus is due. I have a timetable on me but I can’t understand it and he can’t read it because he doesn’t have his glasses with him. I make up a time and try to communicate that to him. He works out that I am Australian and kangaroos are mentioned several times in the very broken conversation. Even though he is not convinced that I have the bus time right he doesn’t talk to French people also here at the stop.
I like Amiens. And I love the look of the villages I have visited. I could easily spend time on the Somme and I doubt that this will be my last visit here.
angusmccoll 