14 Juillet Parade in a village near Valencay
July 14 th was unexpectedly sunny and warm , following rainy , windy , and colder than usual days .in France .
Have you often lit up a wood cookstove around july 14 th in this part of the world . I have .Temperature at night was just something like 8°C , wich is not bad when you sleep in a warm bed .
Then suddenly , a bright sunny day , just in time for the ceremonies staged in every town and village in France . The transition from rain to sun offered huge rainbows , like this one the day before . Was on the bike at that time , and although I hate rain while riding , couldnt but stop, take off my helmet and shoot under the rain for a few rainbow pics .
Because every village has its own National Day festivities , with its "Fanfare" and firemen parading its streets , you can go anywhere in France at that time of the year and have a fun .
Some have the "Bal Polulaire"(dancing in the open) , and the fireworks scheduled the 13 th , some the 14 th , wich lets you enjoy two festive evenings , jumping the next evening in another village for more "fête" .
Motherly preparation for the parade
Is it increased revolutionary fervor or the efficiency & affordability of the chinese fireworks industry , but you see these in every town and small village nowadays . And the technique & artistic quality improves , allowing an entertainment as long as 20 minutes of uninterrupted splendor .
Usually held in an open space near the village , every generation is present as early as 10 pm to watch the 11 pm fireworks . Thrill of excitement in the chill of the night .
family .She takes the train alone and I wait for her arrival . 
Early at the train station , I kill the time taking pictures and looking at the travellers from France and Europe that transit through this busy gare de Lyon .
The SNCF has hired young people to help for directions and advice . They walk through the crowd to provide information and give blank tags for bags identification .
TGVs line up in the station . The antiterrorist measure wich forbids luggage to be stored in the railroad cars racks has just been lifted to allow the mass transit of
vacationers . It is just asked to put tags on the bags with name & address . I doubt tags are dissuasive for ill-intentioned islamists wanting to leave backpacks in trains . France not being presently targeted will be the main reason why nothing bad happens , I think .
Being not really accustomed to the SNCF (my occasional use of it has been more than often marred with either a strike or unexplained problems resulting in hours waiting in the middle of nowhere...) , I discover some new features , like this mysterious automated machine on the right that says "Echange Minute" . I have no clue about the meaning , so I'll not speculate .
Strolling through a big train station without any of the departure or arrival stress and without towing all kind of luggage makes for a good experience . A visitor in a big city should spend some time visiting this world apart .
look nice in the evening . Walking along nondescript cafés and bistros , you often think "this place has something special , we'll come back around there another time and give it a try" ...
Like in any town in the world , visitors should walk randomly some of the evenings they spend somewhere until they see the special place and enter , after peering awhile through the street window .
Some of these cafés in side streets are empty , or with only a handful of clients , "habitués" probably .
Even ordinary streets have cafés with tables outside , especially in summer , and people are there , living nearby maybe .
It has to have something nice to make you come in . Though some are so ordinary , you know , this ugly 1970's bright and cold style , but for some reason , sometimes the people present , you still want to try .
