The air is hot in Bordeaux.  

It is humid. And hot. 

Sun arrives early.  

Day lingers long.

Evenings barely cool. 

Windows stay open.

Hair turns wild.

There are both geckos and magpies. 

Mourning doves are salmon-pink.

Spanish olives in the supermarket.

Baguettes like art.

Chilled Bordeaux rosé.

Espresso, accompanied by sugar cookie.

And too, the discordant contrast between what is very old and what is or once was 

contemporary.  Modern.  

A Soviet-styled university campus, the student ghetto,

in part crumbles; 

roads and parking lots are overgrown with flowering weeds;

graffiti on the buildings announces late night activity, 

the air-conditioned tram ride, shiny new, brings us

to city centre, 

architecture outdates

the language needed for describing its intricacy.  

Bordeaux, France
Nikon D3100, 35mm