Transhumance

I heard there would be sheep in the streets.

I heard they would close the road along the sea for the sheep.

I saw that it was called "transhumance" and thought it sounded new-agey.  I watched this video and wondered what in the world was going to happen in front of my apartment.  Sheep spinning in circles while a lady dances on horses?

I looked up the word "transhumance" and found out that it's actually not new-agey at all.  Its when shepherds move their flock from one place to another, usually at the change of seasons.  And because Marseille gets weirder by the minute with this whole European Capital of Culture thing, they decided to bring the sheep through our streets.  I'm so glad they did.

There was new-agey music playing on the loud speakers, and the dancing horse lady did show up.  But other than that, it really was shepherds leading their flocks through our city streets!  I went down about 20 minutes before the animals were supposed to come through the Vieux Port.  I had a "front line" spot for a good while, but by the time the Camargue horses came through, several elderly people and children had pushed their way in front of me.

For awhile, I thought the parade of animals was going to come from my left, and I wouldn't have a good view.  But suddenly, people behind me starting exclaiming, "They're arriving!" and I could see that they were looking down the road to my right, from the City Hall.  Which meant I had a great view around the curve of the road as each group arrived.

Here's the lady who rides atop three horses.

The shepherds gave her plenty of room to do her horse dancing thing, and then they brought the sheep through.

Thousands of sheep!!!  They all had on bells, just like Franche-Comté cows.  Many of them would try to jump on top of the ones in front of them to get ahead.  Later, when the masses of them thinned out a bit, many would run, jump, and frolic.  As sheep should do.

Next came the Camargue Cowboys.  (Remember May 2012 when I went to see them?  I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing them, or thinking that they're so cool.  I want to move to the Camargue and become an Arlesienne cowgirl.)

The elderly around me seemed just as excited as the children about all the animals.

At the end, there were two zebras.  Donkeys painted like zebras?  Some animal like a zebra that this city girl doesn't know the name of?  I don't know.

I thought there were going to be bulls too, and the people around me kept saying to wait for the cows, but no cows ever came.  Oh well.  I was happy to see the sheep and horses.  I did not follow the crowd and animals around the Corniche (road along the sea) to watch the sheep run in circles at the beach.  This was enough crowds and sheep for me.  It was pretty fun to watch!!!