The Five Senses: Angers, France (BB)

During the first week I spent in Angers, I was lucky enough to visit the amazing castle pictured above. Located in the city of Angers, Chateau D'Angers is a beautiful, extremely well-preserved castle and museum. I have always been very interested in medieval European history, from the daily lives of people to the architecture, so it was a treat for me to venture inside this castle. I flew into Paris overnight on Sunday and arrived in Angers via train around 5pm on Monday night, so I was exhausted for the first few days I was here. Just after I had been picked up, my host mother took me around Angers for a quick tour, with the Chateau being one of our first stops. As tired as I was, I was also disappointed to learn that the museum had already closed, so all I was able to do was stare at the castle from the outside. The Tuesday after I arrived, I meant to wake up early and explore there, but jet lag had other plans. I slept until nearly 4 o'clock! Luckily after a few more days of rest, I was able to explore Chateau D'Angers on my fourth day in France.

Sight

When I first walked up to the castle, I was in awe. To enter, you have to walk through an ancient drawbridge that hangs high above what was once the castle moat. On this same level of the castle is a small room you can enter part of the way, which now houses an art exhibit of sorts. Before I read the plaque on the wall, I thought that it was just a tower, but this exhibit was actually an old dungeon. It was a rather small room, but the name of the exhibit translated to something along the lines of sixty hands. This small tower once housed up to sixty prisoners at one time, a darker part of the beautiful chateau's medieval past. Though it is difficult to explain the feeling that came over me while standing in this prison tower, it was something like solidarity. I will never experience exactly what those people experienced, I was simply a visitor in a chamber that may very well have been their home for years, but it meant something that I was experiencing the place just in that moment.

Touch

Luckily for my inner history nerd, almost all of the castle was open to the public. This included walking through towers and also having the opportunity to walk along the same towers that others had walked along nearly one thousand years ago. It was an unreal experience to be able to place my hands on the same walls that a person from another era had also touched. It was not just a photo from one of my history books, it was the real thing. Rough but still strong after many lifetimes, the walls themselves reminded me of France. Not only does France have a rich history rooted in the Middle Ages, even in the modern era it continues to prosper. This country has survived events that could leave a country in ruins only to emerge as a stronger and more united people. In my social-cultural studies course, my professor told us that in the months following the attacks, she saw nearly everyone she knew becoming more patriotic and reconnecting with their fellow countrymen to keep the country strong. The chateau's ancient walls that have stood for hundreds of years are a metaphor for the country itself, maintaining strength and continuing to stand through anything and everything.

Taste

On a lighter note, in a country famous for its cuisine, it would be impossible not to mention the sense of taste. One of my first days out in the city brought me to a restaurant in the town square that had typical food: pasta, salads, sandwiches, and the like. The rest of the people I was dining with opted for more normal lunch choices, but I was ready to dive head first into French culture. After a few moments of going back and forth on my order, I decided to forgo an entire meal and just order an entire cheese plate for myself. A smarter person would have split it with the table, but at this point in the day, I was at the start of the “honeymoon” period described by Jenny Kawata. For those unfamiliar with the term, it means I was at the early part of my stay in Angers where every part of the city is exciting and new. I learned from my host mother that France boasts over 400 types of cheese, so this was just the tip of the iceberg. I don't know if my photo shows just how large this assortment of cheeses was, but I managed to eat half of it before I was stuffed. From creamy brie to the more sour goat cheese, I was hooked. Along with the (complimentary) wine I enjoyed with it, I think I will always remember my first taste of fromage, as the French would say.