A mixed bag of Brittany please

In the last few days, we made use of the difficult balancing act of making both Ida and ourselves happy. So plenty of beach, sea, and play on one side, and yet a few Breton sights and 'culture' on the other side.

Ida's part is therefore simple and short to describe. There was a lot of playing canaster, reading, tumbling, and playing in the sea. The latter due to the now consistently 30 degrees, usually only in the late evening. The UV radiation is so immensely high that even with a cloudy sky and at 8:00 PM, we feel the burn.

While swimming at the beginning of the vacation was a delightful (albeit quite cold) pleasure, it has become quite less pleasant since Sunday and the significantly higher temperatures.

Brittany has been struggling for years with a green algae plague, which, due to the shallow surf, the warmth, and a few other conditions, presents a huge problem in the region year after year. Not mechanically removed from the beach, it leads to serious health hazards due to decomposition, releasing hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.

In the sea itself, while not toxic, it makes bathing a sadly limited pleasant experience. The stuff sticks everywhere, and you look a bit like 'The Thing from the Swamp'!

Nevertheless, Ida has a lot of fun throwing herself into the waves with her inflatable mini-board, and we don't want to take her joy away due to adult disgust.

As a