This morning I visited the old town. Fortified by the famous military architect, Vauban at the start of the 18th century it had thick walls, substantial gates and with projecting "bastions" on which to fire on the enemy. At this strategic point near the border with Italy and formerly Savoy, there are several substantial forts built up the side of the mountains. I visited the main church, the Collegiale, a solid affair with dark paintings on the wall inside. Higher up (the town is very much on a slope) there was a museum of mining. It seems coal was mined hereabouts but the forces that created the Alps pushed some of the coal seams into a sub-vertical orientation with much faulting and fracturing making mining difficult.
Later I had a disaster. A cash machine swallowed my debit card because I was unable to pull it out, too little of the card was exposed for me to give it a good pull. The bank was closed so I now have to wait until tomorrow to see if I can retrieve it. This has cast a cloak of gloom over the rest of my day and together with worries about things at home I am feeling depressed and anxious. More anxious that I should be regarding the card eating cash machine. In my planning I realised there was a risk that a card may be lost or not work and I have a second card as a contingency, so my trip is not at risk. I worried that I am getting like older people of my acquaintance who are unnecessarily anxious about things. At least talking to my wife on the phone gave some comfort, as she pointed out it could have been much worse, my phone could have been stolen! I have a ticket for a musical edition of Aladdin later tonight, which I bought before the bank card's disappearing act. I am hoping it will distract me.
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