Toulouse, the 'pink' city - city of grand medieval churches

I had hoped to spend part of Monday enjoying more of Albi since my host in Toulouse couldn't pick me up until 8:30 pm cause she had to work but on Sunday my host Bettina said she had things to do after 10 on Monday and it would be best if I left before then so she could drive me to the train station.  In couchsurfing it is good to be flexible for both the host and surfer, so we found a 9:50 am train/bus to Toulouse and also that I could check my bags all day at the train station. Problem solved; though I was sad not to have more time in Albi. I have fallen in love with the city - as I have with all the smaller cities: Carcassonne, Arles, Albi. I think the larger cities with old centers take longer to grow on one: Avignon, Toulouse. I was able to get a map of Toulouse from the TI (tourist information) in Albi and found Bettina had lived there and loved it. So she pointed out the most interesting places.

So I toured sunny Toulouse on a very hot day. Like in Albi, there were waterworks for children in the main plaza. I almost joined them but decided to tour the churches instead. I fell in love with the Basilica of St. Sernin, named after a bishop who was martyred in 250 AD whose tomb was under  the original church. The current church was built in Hildegard's time, around 1096. It is huge for being in Romanesque style. It is know. For its numerous relics of saints and is one official stop on one of the old French routes on the Way of St. James or Camino de Santiago.

I just lost all I wrote on Toulouse so I will try later. I wrote all about why it's called the Ville Rose, the Pink City, cause the buildings were built with bricks as there were no nearby quarries. 

My Toulouse host Veronique works at Air France 30 hours/week by choice. She likes to have free time to live life. She loves in a 6th floor new apartment bldg 5 minutes in car or 30 walking from the city center. Also, there is good bus access. She is a union rep so had meetings today and I am again playing the tourist (after struggling with the blog app part of the morning).

Here