Handicap awareness

9-10-2010
Originally uploaded by cspatrick

Saturday, October 9, 2010 Day 101
As I said about aphrodisiacs . . . after getting a late start, we did our morning exercises at the Peyrou. There were workers there setting up for a show this evening. It looks as if it will be some sort of open air comedy production, but it was hard to tell from the poster.
We went to the Comedie again, where the handicap awareness fair was still going on. We watched a teenage girl try to ride a hand-powered bicycle. I think she must have had the bike in high gear, as she was having a really difficult time with it. In another area we saw some kids trying to shoot baskets from wheelchairs. In the arena with them were guys who have to live in their wheelchairs. The kids missed most of their shots, often sending up airballs, but the men made almost all of theirs. We also viewed a soccer game played in wheelchairs. The players were all in electric wheelchairs, and it was my impression that they were all mobility-impaired. I think wheelchair soccer must be a really difficult game – to “kick” the ball, the player must get up some speed then strike the ball at an angle; otherwise the ball only rolls a couple of feet and stops. We left the area with new respect for wheelchair-bound people.
On the way back from the Comedie we dropped into our favorite boulangerie to get a baguette and a dessert (café-flavored éclair). The friendly clerk there reminded us that she would see us on Monday, as the bakery is closed on Sunday.
During our trek around the centre ville, we came upon a yarn shop with this self-describing door handle.