So about those lights...

Due to a super disappointing change of plans that was out of my control, I actually won't be going to Lyon this weekend. Very bummed out about that. It's now a major goal for the future to make it to the Fete des Lumieres.

But moving on.

I'm finally going to put up some pictures of those Perigueux Christmas lights. When I saw all the light strands going up around town, I was picturing that they'd let off this lovely soft yellow-gold glow when they were lit up. Weelll...not so much. Most of them glow a slightly painful bluish color - and about half of them blink on and off. They are delightfully tacky. They make me laugh every time I see them. They are quite simply not at all what I was expecting. But a lot of this experience has been, well, something new and not what I was expecting. And this town certainly has its weird quirks. So somehow these horrible tacky lights fit right in. Not to say that Perigueux is tacky, because it isn't in the least. But sometimes it seems like the city is shooting for the bull's eye and the arrow flies wide right. And that's pretty much what these lights are, too. But that makes them delightful in their own way.

First there were just lights on my street. Then this absurd amount of garland with hanging ornaments. Then several dozen Christmas trees appeared. And today they rolled out a red carpet. No joke. A red carpet just appeared down the center of the road. I'm expecting Santa any day now.

Some of the lights are the bluish color while some actually are yellowish. It has quite the effect on your eyes.

This is over one of the squares where the town holds the market. I really like these decorations actually.

Chandeliers and sparkly things. Also rain.

Entrance to the Christmas market (which I have yet to enter) which wasn't open the evening I wandered around. I don't know which evenings it's open actually. I should probably look into that. I should also get some more pictures. Those lights toward the back of the picture were all light fixtures in the shape of enormous insects. Cause I guess that puts everyone in the Christmas spirit...?

This probably gives the nicest image of the lights. Also I took these pictures at about 8pm - where are all the people?? Pretty much from 6pm on, this is Perigueux.

Some of the trees just have massive blue lights lighting them up. There are also a few enormous Christmas trees with blue lights on them. The lights blink so it looks like there is water dripping down them. Not such an eloquent description - but the top lights light up and then the lower ones so it looks like drops of water running down the tree. It's...unusual? Creative?

Despite me making fun of all the lights' tackiness, it's still fun to have them lit up. (Though I'm pretty sure the city turns them off at about 10:30 at night.) I'm really looking forward to seeing all the other displays in other towns when I travel with my family and then with Mark.

Happy Thursday. I'm off to get in bed and not set an alarm! Love having Fridays off - I'm sure these are the last few months I'll have that, so I need to cherish them.