It took us well over an hour to ride through suburbs and commercial areas to get to where we are staying in Bordeaux .   We zigzagged from the Dordogne River to a hill overlooking the city, then down to the Garonne River and over the Simone Weil Bridge.

When travelling in Europe we can get caught up in the nostalgic view— quaint villages, bucolic countryside, spotted with ancient bridges and Romanesque churches.

The reality is more complex. Our path has taken us over massive 6-lane freeways and fast train corridors. In addition to agriculture, we’ve seen factories, managed forests and large commercial zones. We’ve seen large solar, wind and nuclear power installations.  The suburban commercial zones have McDonalds, Burger Kings and strip malls filled with international chains.

The first two photos show some of this reality. A small church with looming nuclear towers in the background, and perhaps one of the worst examples of cultural exploitation-appropriation I’ve seen.

Then images of the amazing countryside we rode through to get to Bordeaux