More signs from Lourdes. I wouldn't normally upload any pictures of vinyl (spit) signs but these examples from the grotto domain of Lourdes are certainly untypical. The above request for respectful silence is pleasingly naive and the schematic representation of a humble act of contrition between priest and penitent quite heartwarming. By the way, the confession hall at Lourdes was a little confusing - make one wrong turn and you could be faced with a confessor who could only speak Dutch or Spanish or Italian or German. O Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa!

Ghost Signs of Lourdes. Not long back from my (early) summer hols in Lourdes and Walsingham - a sort of two-centre pilgrimage jaunt which I enjoyed very much and will be reporting on in future posts. For now, and because its a disgracefully long time since I posted anything, here are 3 rather nice faded wall signs from the back streets of Lourdes. People complain about Lourdes being an over-commercialised Catholic shrine, but an alert eye can detect evidence of an earlier, more quiet era. I particularly like the middle auto sign, this long closed garage once must've been the place to take your Peugeot or Renault for a quick buff and polish.