Link roundup

1. Here's the latest mortifying tale of a reply to all mishap. Which is a good time to ask: do any popular email programs offer a setting where whenever you hit reply to all, a pop up window asks, "are your sure you want to reply to all?" I'd love to have that feature (and know many people who need it).

2. "In the latest in a series of unusual efforts to make Paris green, the city is now offering residents free sparkling water to try to wean Parisians not from red wine, but from overconsumption of plastic bottles." Via.

3. Washington DC "makes it illegal for anyone to work as a 'sightseeing guide' without first passing a test and obtaining a special government license." Via.

Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel (St Michael's Mount) is a tidal island in Normandy, France. The Wikipedia entry details its fascinating history, including this:

Before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, the island was called Mont Tombe. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 708 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction, until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger.

Here's photos of the surrounding area and causeway:







Here's shots of the abbey:





Here's the abbey from above:






Here's a few interior shots:







Finally, here's the abbey's official site.

*Previously: O'Brien's Castle in Ireland.

The black and white flag of Brittany

This is the black and white flag of Brittany, a province of France. I don't think I've ever seen a black and white flag before, but the Wikipedia entry notes that there's a few locales that have black and white flags. Via.

While looking for photos of the flag, I found this image at Flickr:



It has something to do with a pilgrimage called the "Tro Breizh." Wikipedia explains:

In Brittany, there is a very old pilgrimage called the Tro Breizh (tour of Brittany), where the pilgrims walk around Brittany from the grave of one founder saint to another. The seven founder saints of Brittany are:

* St Pol Aurelian, at Saint-Pol-de-Leon/Kastell-Paol,
* St Tudual (sant Tudwal), at Tréguier/Landreger,
* St Brieuc, at Saint-Brieuc/S-Brieg,
* St Malo, at Saint-Malo/S-Maloù,
* St Samson of Dol, at Dol,
* St Patern, at Vannes/Gwened
* St Corentin (sant Kaourintin), at Quimper/Kemper

Historically, the pilgrimage was made in one trip (a total distance of around 600 km). Nowadays, however, pilgrims complete the circuit over the course of several years. In 2002, the Tro Breizh included a special pilgrimage to Wales, symbolically making the reverse journey of the Welshmen Sant Paol, Sant Brieg, and Sant Samzun. Whoever does not make the pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime will be condemned to make it after his death, advancing only by the length of his coffin each seven years.

I wonder why there's a slash though the sign.