Lascaux caves

We have not the faintest idea whether the first words spoken were uttered 20,000 years ago or 200,000 years ago. What is certain is that mankind did little except procreate and survive for 100,000 generations. (For purposes of comparison, only about eighty generations separate us from Christ.) Then suddenly, about 30,000 years ago, there burst forth an enormous creative and cooperative effort which led to the cave paintings at Lascaux, the development of improved, lightweight tools, the control of fire, and many other cooperative arrangements. It is unlikely that any of this could have been achieved without a fairly sophisticated system of language.
Bill Bryson, The Mother Tongue

Amen I say to you. I sat crammed in a silver tube, shaken like an ice cube in a martini shaker, for over 12 hours, with no sleep. I have endured screaming children and crowded airports. I've been thirsty, hot, sweaty and somewhat crabby. I would do it all over again tomorrow for the experience I had today.
D&C let me sleep. I awoke at 10:00 totally refreshed, after waking at 01:00 and studying the ceiling art for an hour. A French breakfast (coffee and pain-au-chocolate) and we jump into the VW and head to the Lascaux caves. We arrive, wait 5 minutes and catch an English tour. Having just seen a REAL cave yesterday, I figured a replica of a cave (down to 5mm, they claim) would be pretty underwelming. Well let me tell you... I've seen the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa, I've stood on the Med Ocean at sunset... nothing, I mean NOTHING, prepared me for what I saw at Lascaux. The animal art LEAPS off the ceiling of the cave. 15,000 years old is what they think it is. It will bring tears to your eyes. 40 people in our tour group and all I heard was WOW. If you're ever down this way... DO NOT miss this.
On to Sarlat for lunch...
P