Today brought a few more things about the French city of Dijon to light. Of course there are stores that sell MUSTARD on almost every street in the central part of town, along with street-side stands with tiny jars that can be taken through airport security.
Dijon is also the capitol of Burgundy, and oversees some of the best wine country in Europe and the world. The city is also well known for its crème de cassis, or black currant liqueur. It hosts an International and Gastronomic Fair every year in autumn, and has numerous museums such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts. And Dijon is home of the main campus of the Université de Bourgogne, which means that in the evenings the streets of the center are filled with students eating, drinking and having fun.
Wandering through the city, my friend Susan and I found wonderful cheese, delicious crepes and very affordable burgundy. We headed over to Jardin Darcy, the Darcy Gardens created in 1880 by engineer Henry Darcy. We had planned to rest and “people-watch.” Instead we were treated to unexpected entertainment by a group of local buskers walking on stilts, juggling and waving large cloths.
We also followed a bit of the Owl Trail through the city. For centuries the owl has been a symbol of good luck in Dijon, and a small stone owl is carved into an outside corner of the cathedral. Passers-by touch the owl with the left hand for good health. Over the years the sculpture has become worn by so many touches, and is barely recognizeable as an owl! I’ve asked in the tourism office and I’ve searched the web, but I can’t find any information about the origins of the symbol and how the owl came to be Dijon’s “mascot.”
Does anyone know anything about this?
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