les Arcades le Lion d'Or Buis-les-Baronnies

Plan was to stay in Avignon but when we arrived we decided it was too big for us and after driving around the outide of the ramparts of the old city walls - very cool and the main thing we wanted to see - we made our way onwards to Fontaine de Vaucluse which is 20kms past Avignon. We arrived just before dark and found an Aire de Service at the edge of town where settled in for 2 days. The town ...

... as the theater began, there were all sorts of different kinds of performances, including classical Greek plays. Apparently by the end they were reduced mostly to performing mime, which I'm sure had to have something to do with the fall of the Empire.

Across the street from the theater is a museum that houses bits and pieces from the theater and the town that have been unearthed and are being protected from the elements. It also housed ...

... walls all over the place, the valley is filled with lavender and grape vines and the roads are narrow and winding. This is the France I really wanted to see. Lucy wants to come back here one day in July to see the lavender in bloom. We understand that it gets harvested no later than mid-August. It is probably very hot and very crowded, but no-doubt worth it.

... It turns out that the lavender we have at home isn't actually lavender, but lavendin, a cross between true lavender and spike lavender (or aspic). True lavender is only grown here and in a limited area due to its fickle nature. We saw how the plant is sown, grown and harvested and then distilled for its essential oils. Then we hit the gift shop. I appreciate that many tourist ...

... answered, "Yes!" in English.
Turning to her, I added, "Oui madame. Et s'il vous plaît, apportez-moi de l'édulcorant avec le café." (Yes we do, and please bring me some sweetener with the coffee).

We continued talking, especially about traveling. I mentioned to them that one of the richest experiences of traveling for me was not only being able to see beautiful landscapes and savoring delectable food, but also being able to experience a new culture and learning a new ...

With our wine collection reaching a dangerously low point, we decided to head down to Provence and stock up on some Chateauneuf-du-Pont wine. We recently discovered the wine and the village. The village itself was settled in the 14th century by the popes of nearby Avignon. There isn't much left of the papal summer castle but the town has a lot of wine caves. It was a beautiful day and perfect for wine tasting. Enjoy the pictures!!!

... a bigger town local market. Here there was
the standard French market but also a distinctive Arab area including an
interesting section of arab ladies
clothing,. From the full burka to the belly dancers gear. A great array of
spices in wide display trays and African straw bags in red orange and yellow
colours.

Back to the
French area, cheeses tended to be limited to 3 styles ...

... I'd say that around the hour mark, that's when you start thinking “Hang on, we're barely half way up and it's getting harder, what are we doing?”, but you press on
knowing it will be worth it at the top, it's always worth it at the top. The road climbed on and so did we.


Things started to get tough around the 16km stage, we'd been cycling uphill for good deal of time so our legs were starting to tire ...

... Mike and the others went to see the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes, where several successive popes lived over almost a hundred years) while we went and ate at the same restaurant Delaney and Micki had two days before. Unfortunately Makenna was feeling worse rather than better so we tried to do a little shopping but ended up just resting in a park in the middle of the city. Micki and Delaney went to go get Makenna and I tickets for the Zic Zag mime show they had seen, while ...

... in the mountains called Moustier where they make ceramics with very typical Provencal colors and design (the kind of thing you see at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, only the real deal). All these villages felt tres touristique becuase right now everyone in France is on vacation. But Grandma Francoise's village was really authentic with only 400 people. The houses were really nice, all built ...