Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Stories of the Old City

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey friends, for the best Get Sleepy experience, be sure to check out our supporters' feed Get Sleepy Premium for our free listening weekly bonus episodes and access to our entire catalogue. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make the free version of this show possible. Have you ever wished that we'd include soothing nature sounds as a background throughout a get-sleepy episode? For example, maybe you would like to pair tonight's story with the sound of gentle rainfall? Well, now you can. We have partnered with the Deep Sleep Sounds app to help you create soothing

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Starting point is 00:02:11 I'm your host, Thomas, and it's a pleasure to have your company. Tonight, Elizabeth is back to read the second installment of our exploration through beautiful Bordeaux in France. If you haven't heard the first episode, don't worry one bit. Tonight's tale can absolutely stand alone, and you can always go back and listen to Monday's story another time. story another time. If you're enjoying the show and would like to hear more episodes, we'd absolutely love for you to try Get Sleepy Premium. It's our supporters subscription, where you can enjoy well over 400 full length episodes, all completely and entirely, add free. Plus every Thursday we release a new bonus episode just for our premium supporters. Like tomorrow, when I'll be guiding a soothing

Starting point is 00:03:15 meditation to help us feel weightless and free of burden as we drift into sleep. as we drift into sleep. To find out more, go to GetSleepy.com slash support, or simply follow the link in the show notes. You get a 7 day free trial when you first sign up, so why not give it a try? Thanks so much everyone. Now them, get nice and comfortable in bed and allow yourself to settle into the position that feels best for you right now. This is your time to let go of the day. Remind yourself that you've done all you can today, and you deserve to unwind, to relax and rest just as much as anyone else. So begin with a nice deep breath in, feeling the rise of your chest and stomach. Then softly release the breath as your muscles relax and your worries and cares begin to fall away.

Starting point is 00:04:55 With each deep breath you can imagine any disruptive thoughts or any tension you're holding, rising to the surface, along with the motion of your chest and stomach. And then, when the breath is released and the body sinks Thinks back down, those undesired thoughts or areas of tension fall through the mattress, all the way down into the ground and into the earth, where they are absorbed and removed from your body and mind. Bit by bit, breathe in and back out and allow anything you'd like to let go of, to be absorbed into the earth's core. The earth that gives us all life cares so deeply for each one of us, and it can assist you tonight in removing and relieving your stress, tension or even any sense of responsibility. Just let it all sink down and fade away. When you're ready, you can let your breathing fall back into its natural rhythm, as we make

Starting point is 00:06:57 our way to a little street in central Bordeaux, ready to explore the historic surroundings. This is where tonight's story begins. A bound rings as you make your way along a brick lined street. The sound of people setting coffee cups down on tables of a sidewalk cafe nearby provides an easy background noise. There are no cars along this narrow and picturesque street in central Bordeaux. It is busy with walkers, a bicyclist or two, and of course the cafe goers. You can still hear their pleasant chatter underneath the echoing of the bell. You are on your way to meet your local guide, Jean-Marc, for your second day of discovering covering the wonders of this historic French city. Snow coincidence that a ball is ringing this time. It's precisely that ball you're going to see, and it's where your rendezvous with your guide is said to take place.

Starting point is 00:09:04 Called the Gross Closh or the Big Bell, it's one of France's oldest bell-freeze and among the city's most cherished monuments. You look up as the bell tower comes into view, framed at the end of the street between the attractive buildings that line either side. The tower looks similar to the beautiful medieval gate house that you saw earlier. Like the other, it reminds you of a tall and narrow fairy tale castle. A wrecked angle of solid looking stone is topped with several round towers and an impressive arched opening at the bottom turns it into a gateway. And a gateway is exactly what it was meant to be. You know that the gross cloche was one of the entrances to the old wall city during the Middle Ages. The medieval period was a tumultuous time after all, and Bordeaux, like many other towns,

Starting point is 00:10:37 was surrounded by defensive walls. This gatehouse differs from the one you saw before in various details however. The most significant is that an enormous bell hangs in an opening about two thirds of the way up the building. It is this spell that sent vibrations through the neighborhood just now, marking its ceremonial, monthly ringing. As it happens, it also marks the time of your meeting with Sean Mark. He thoughtfully set your rendezvous at a time when you could hear the impressive sound. But from the protective distance of a couple of blocks. of a couple of blocks. You approach the solid stone gateway and see him waiting in the shadow just outside the arch itself. Your guide's posture is at once relaxed and ready. He welcomes you warmly, his eager eyes sparkling at the appreciation

Starting point is 00:12:13 on your face. You can see him light up in anticipation of sharing his passion with you, a patient of sharing his passion with you, the history of his beloved city. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jean-Marc launches into what he does best, spinning yarns. He's a master at weaving stories and historical details into a tapestry of human experience that comes to life in your mind's eye. To begin, he points out at a weather-vain sits at the very top of the building. It's shaped like a lion, which was, he says, a symbol of the English monarchy. He explains that the gate house was built

Starting point is 00:13:19 when Bordeaux belonged to the English crown. You have learned the history, the city was once part of an independent region called Aquatain in the early Middle Ages. The area passed to English control when its duchess, Eleanor, married the heir to the English throne. It remained connected to England for three centuries. Then finally became French after a generation's long conflict known as the Hundred Years War. The Gate House was a defensive structure, but John Mark tells you that people long ago sometimes jokingly refer to it as the Golden Lion Hotel because of the lion on the weather vein. It's with details like this that your guide in his little tinguey so captivates your imagination. Even as he speaks, he can almost hear the walkers laughed of medieval guards echoing off the stone walls.

Starting point is 00:14:52 Together you pass into the cool shadows of the archway. An engraved plaque is set into its yellowish stones here. Your guide draws your attention to this plaque now. It gives a translation of a Latin inscription that is engraved on the giant bell itself. The inscription provides a fanciful account of the Bell's multiple purposes. Jean-Marc gives his own translation of it, reciting softly. I call to arms, I announce the days, I give the hours, I chase away the storm, I ring the holidays, centuries ago the tower spell was wrong to alert the inhabitants of the city when they were under attack or at risk from dangers like fire. You and your guide continue through the archway to view the gross cloche from the other side. Stepping into the warming rays of the midday sun, you find yourself in a narrow stretch

Starting point is 00:16:38 of a pedestrian street that ends in a wider, modern road beyond. There a stream of cars flows over modern asphalt carrying the residents of Bordeaux to their various destinations. Nowadays, Jean-Marc tells you the ball is wrong for a handful of ceremonial occasions, as well as it knew on the first Sunday of each month. The full peel rings out on New Year's Day and four other important dates. Three of these dates relayed to the first and second world wars, both of which took place on local soil and loom large in the recent history of this old land. The Bound rings on the 11th of November in observance of the end of World War II in Europe. And on the 28th of August, often called Bastille Day in English, to commemorate the start of the French Revolution, which brought an end to the monarchy and heralded

Starting point is 00:18:40 the eventual French Republic. The gentle rush of traffic from the modern street behind you penetrates your consciousness as you absorb these details. The warm sun is filling you with a contented, peaceful feeling and your mind wanders pleasantly. You can almost feel the movement of history in a place like this. The continuum of human experience is so real and ever-present here, by the ancient and modern coexist in such harmony. Low metal pillars separate the bit of calf-free street where you stand from the busy road. You know from experience that

Starting point is 00:19:50 bees can be retracted if an authorized vehicle needs to pass. Here on this pedestrian stretch, stone bricks form an alluring old-fashioned pattern on the ground in place of asphalt. A woman near you is taking a photograph of a couple of children smiling in front of the bell tower. smiling in front of the belt-hour. Two young people, students perhaps, strong paths. One of them is wheeling a blue bicycle slowly. There in no rush. The student seems to draw your attention to a detail you hadn't noticed before. A dozen or more colourful bicycles are lined up neatly along one side of this pedestrian block.

Starting point is 00:21:01 They stand in front of a store entrance, presumably a bike shop of some kind, lending a charming, ordinary touch to this A.E. Jold place. The woman and children are done with their photoshoot now, and you hear the little ones chattering happily as they skip away. Besides you, Sean Mark is speaking again. Like the gate house itself, the bell within it has a story too, he tells you. Or the bell's plural about his. Because over the years, many different wands have hung in this ancient monument.

Starting point is 00:22:01 Some 500 years ago, soon after Bordeaux became part of France, the French king took the bell from the tower to punish the city for a revolt. A few years later, it was returned to reward their improved behaviour. The specific bound that the rather petty king took away is long gone of course, but the current one is no spring chicken either. It was made in 1775, just before the United States of America declared its independence. But now, Jean-Marc is leading your way from this vestige of medieval border towards a more modern side. You turn to face the asphalt paved road with its stream of cars, it's wider than the narrow and winding streets of the oldest parts of town and its favored with wide sidewalks.

Starting point is 00:23:30 This street embodies the bustle and flow of a very current city, but the signs of the to still all around you. Graceful buildings of warm coloured stone, with raw, tie-in ballast trains, stand along the streets. They look very much like the popular image of French cities. Large, leafy old trees line the street, shading its sidewalks. You stroll in this pleasant shade now, simultaneously observing the passes by and admiring the grand buildings. You're passing one now that has large rectangular windows partially covered with picturesque iron grays. The stone facade is decorated with a worn-ate engraving. Two columns stand on either side of the building's enormous arched entrance. Within it, a double doors of polished wood carved in incredibly

Starting point is 00:25:13 intricate designs. You pour words entranced by its beauty. Above this magnificent doorway you see wides engraved in the stone in elegant letters. Liset Michel Montaine. A high school. Your breath catches a little at the loveliness of this place of learning. Then you walk on, Jean-Marc guiding you towards your next destination. You don't hurry, though. Both of you know that a big part of your experience is just walking these ageless streets, watching, soaking at all in. gently, withmically, as the two of you fall into perfect stab. Soon you reach St. Catherine Street, famous as Europe's longest pedestrian-only street. You turn into it and are swept away immediately by its tremendous charm. It's a lovely and busy shopping street filled now with people. Some of them appear to be going about their errands.

Starting point is 00:27:07 Others seem to be enjoying a leisurely strong, but all of them are clearly enjoying themselves. And you think how could they not be? The allure of this beautiful street is as powerful as the pool of its appealing shops. The street is paved with glossy, beige, diamond-shaped tiles. Square, grey tiles line the sides, forming an attractive contrast. Shoes clatter appealingly along this glossy pavement as a voices mix and mingle around you. A young woman passes by carrying a selection of shopping bags on worn-on, a colorful bouquet of flowers clasped in the other. An old man approaches from the other direction. A long thin baguette emerges from an interesting cloth bag that hangs on his shoulders. It's a bread bag you realise couldn't possibly save any other purpose because of its narrow shape. this because of its narrow shape. You continue down this charming stream and soon another imposing archway is rising up ahead of you, markingche, where you began today's adventure. The interior of the arch is much higher, and it isn't housed in a castle like medieval

Starting point is 00:29:20 structure. This is a triumphal arch built in the 18th century after the old medieval walls had been taken down. On the other side of the triumphal arch and framed by it, you can see a tall, skinny obelisk standing in a large plaza. This, your guide tells you, is the place de la victoire, or victory square. You pass under the impressive arch and step into a huge cobblestone plaza with white stones forming diamond patterns that radiate out from the obliskinet centre. the obliske in its centre. This fascinating sculpture is made of so-called red marble, which in reality looks sun-faded and pinkish. Nearby, a metal statue of an enormous turtle faces away from the obelisk. The obelisk and the turtle are quite modern additions to the plaza. Jean-Marc tells you they're meant to honour the importance of the wine industry to border.

Starting point is 00:31:13 The title indicates the slow, steady rise of the industry, since the Romans brought choice vines here thousands of years ago. In days long gone, this big open area served as fairgrounds that stood just outside the walls of the city. Today, it's alive with people, strolling about, or lounging at the foot of the obelisk. A knot of young people a deep in conversation nearby and several bicyclists glide across the cobblestones. Jean-Marc proposes a break now, suggesting you might enjoy a beverage as to cafe to the side of the plaza. You agree readily. He leads you to a row of pretty chairs lined up neatly under large red umbrellas.

Starting point is 00:32:27 You sink into one of the comfortable chas, made of woven vinyl. A waiter with an immaculate apron tied around his waist appears, and you order a month below. This refreshing drink is made with a sweet mint syrup mixed with cold mineral water. It's a favourite with you. You love it in part for its pleasant freshness, especially on a warm afternoon like this, but mostly you love it for its uniqueness. To you, it represents the south of France in a visceral way. It evokes this magical region immediately to all your senses. The waytamp brings your drink in a tall slender glass. The liquid inside is a bright, kelly green, and the glass looks almost frosted from condensation

Starting point is 00:33:52 forming around the outside. An agreeable, minty smell meets your nost, and you breathe it in deeply. You take a sip, and the coolness greets your tongue. At the tables around you, many voices speaking assorted languages of the world mix and mingle in the afternoon air. You allow your eyes to close from moment as you listen. The various voices and languages seem to blend and meld together into a combined human tongue. She fancy you can almost understand. There's a flow of French from multiple directions, of course,

Starting point is 00:35:00 and nearby you hear a string of what sounds like Italian. You catch the name Bordeaux said almost reverently. A bit farther off you hear a snatch of English as someone admires the great plaza before you. In another direction you hear the lilting notes of a Scandinavian tongue. Through all these voices runs an enthusiasm, a hope, an admiration, and a reverence for the beauty of human endeavour that surrounds you all. And it is this undercurrent, this shared energy that forms the combined expression you imagine you can comprehend. You can feel

Starting point is 00:36:09 its meaning and emotion steep within you all across the world, and shared amongst all those people who came before, whose stories linger in this place. You breathe in slowly, recognizing your connection to all of them with a deep knowing that fills your being. You feel at one with the world around you and the sweep of time. Then you breathe out again, utterly at peace in this place, this time and this story of Bordeaux. you you ... I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing.

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Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - Stories of the Old City

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