Toulouse: the Trek

On our last day on the Canal du Garonne, we started out on familiar green waterways, but as we pedaled by more industrial areas, we began to see signs we were approaching a city.

Our first sighting of the Canal du Midi was so familiar we weren't even sure we were changing direction, but we had officially reached Toulouse.

It was soooo hot today that we explored Toulouse by walking slowly down the shady sides of each street, and carefully stopping only under trees to check the map. At one point we joined the crowd under the mesmerizing cafe umbrellas that sprayed a lovely cool mist on our heads as we chugged water and tried more Italian sorbet flavors.

We had green apple, passion fruit, mango, and pear.

With the temperature up to 101 today, little children were also looking for ways to cool off in the square.

We ducked into several medieval churches (in various states of decay or restoration) because 1) they're interesting and 2) they're much cooler than being on the street. Saint Sernin/Saturnin was the largest, named after Toulouse's 1st bishop circa 250, who was a martyr. Apparently he was put to death by people forcing a bull to maul him. Whose mind invents such a fate??

Inside the church was beautiful,  but we were most intrigued by the crypt, where large reliquaries were stored holding various religious relics. 

This model of the church was striking.

We're not sure what was in this lower crypt, seen only through a grate in the floor.

Finally, a reliquary.

 Believe it (or not) this contains a genuine piece of the original cross. The pictures on the reliquary describe its provenance.

Finally, for the pilgrims, here is St. James de Compostela.