Concarneau, Brittany

Last night in Trinité sur Mer we stumbled upon a music festival.  It was traditional Breton music: big pipes, drums and snake-charming flutes.  One singing group consisted of five men and one woman, all singing in unison, songs undoubtedly of the sea.  The last band on were young, good – the guitar added to the sound.  At the end of the night, a bonfire was lit on the beach – huge flames, a mixture of awe and fear in the air. Looking into the heart of the fire I saw the skeletal black wood silhouetted, animated by the fire in a macabre imitation of a living thing.  People cheered, releasing their fear, their tension.