Dunkerque 2024

[kerouac2]

Those who follow my threads, mostly out of boredom I know, are aware that I have posted about Dunkerque too much already.

Carnival in Dunkerque 2010

Dunkerque gone wild - carnival 2011

Dunkerque carnival again 2014

Happy feet of Dunkerque

Along the North Sea in February

I admit that I have a special affinity for Dunkerque, which was bombed to total rubble in WW2 and which now acts as though none of that ever happened.  Well, I was there again this weekend, and my camera just would not behave, so I took some photos again, trying to avoid the carnival.  So here are a few random views.

Even though i drove, I needed to see the train station.  Go figure.

The waiting area of provincial stations fascinates me.  Leaving?  Waiting for someone?  Who knows?

This esplanade used to be the municipal bus station.  It was been wisely moved to the side of the station, so this is an improvement.

[kerouac2]

Trains arrived from Lille and Paris with a few strange denizens.



I was impressed that the city has erected quite a bit of shelter against the weather.



The post war buildings have quite a variety of establishments.



The carnival requires quite a few extra temporary sites for bodily functions.



All of the war torn cities retained a few historical places, even if they had to rebuild them almost completely.



This is the site of the Dunkerque tourist office.

[kerouac2]

The church across the street from the belfry was also put back together but proudly shows many of its wounds.







Oddly enough, the town hall survived both wars; at least the outer walls did.

[kerouac2]

I knew it was market day, so I went to see the market. I cannot resist markets anywhere in the world.  Dunkerque is a very poor city and sells lots of stuff for poor people.






Some of the items are so awful that they can be justifiably suspected of being carnival gear. It's when you can sell your most horrible items.







I don't think it would be easy to find horse sausage in Paris anymore.



some authentic carnival items



Strange looking people are totally normal on a day like this.

[whatagain]

It looks too much like home...

[kerouac2]

Food in the provinces always looks so much better than in Paris. More variety and cheaper prices.





I wouldn't know which tomatoes to choose.



And I wouldn't know which potatoes to choose either.



mostly carnival clothes



There is almost always a specialist of foreign nostalgia.



How can one not think of Bridget Jones when seeing "normal" underwear?



This veiled salesperson had no problem selling carnival wear.  Once out of the package, these were tutus.

[mich64]

I love market days as well. Usually the first topic I investigate when planning visits to new locations.

I can imagine the wonderful earthy smell of the fresh vegetables.

[kerouac2]

Most of postwar Dunkerque looks like this, mostly built in the 1950s and 60s.





At least one of the masons was immortalised.



Which one do you choose? Not fair to ask Whatagain.



Jean Bart (or Jan Baert) is a son of Dunkerque, born in 1650, naval commander and privateer for the Dutch Republic (what happened to that?).



Since today was an event day, the local television crews were beginning to gather.

[cheerypeabrain]

I hope that you bought yourself a tu-tu medear.

The thing about Paris is that so many people look like they just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Europeans, in particular the French and Italians are (imo) very stylish. The patrons of Dunkurque Market not so much. Could be Leicester Market (apart from the horse sausages)

[htmb]

The tu-tu will go well with your béret.

[bjd]

Those food prices are really cheap, not just in comparison with Paris but anywhere else I can think of.

No carnivals around this area of France, just some small ones mostly for kids.

[kerouac2]

Although they renovated the façade of these old baths, clearly they don't know what to do with the building.





This was dgoing to be the starting point of today's parade, but I wasn't going to wait for it.



I just observed the first people gathering and then it was time for me to leave.