Like Here, Only Different ~ Day 2 Avignon

Today is different from my previous walking trips, I had all day to explore Avignon before a taxi transfer to the next village.

The highlight and heart of Avignon is the Palis des Papes , the Popes Palace.  I booked my ticket weeks ago and made sure I had an audio guide as well.  A well done audio-guide adds so much to visiting a complex historic venue.  The picture below was taken from the bridge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_des_Papes

Just down from the palace is another iconic landmark.  Most likely you know it from a song you know but perhaps don't understand

Sur le Pont d’Avignon
L'on y danse, l'on y danse
Sur le Pont d’Avignon
L'on y danse tous en rond

On the bridge of Avignon
We all dance there, we all dance there
On the bridge of Avignon
We all dance there in a ring

the song goes on to describe the dance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_d%27Avignon

The original bridge spanning the Rhone was build in the late 1100's and destroyed 40 years later during the Crusades.  The rebuilt bridge of 22 spans was eventually abandoned.  The Rhone floods tended to break down the spans and the four surviving spans date to around 1345.  There is a small chapel, Saint Nicholas, on the second span.  St Nicholas is the patron saint of boatmen.

An iconic photo is possible by crossing the river on a free ferry and walking along the river.  Tis is particularly beautiful during a sunny days sunset.  Unfortunately , I was just not up to the fast crosstown walk last night.

The day started with a typical continental breakfast.  I had until 5pm to explore the town.

The Palis and audio guide was an excellent way to fill the day.  The long history of the Palis eclipses the short history of the Popes residence.  The original Palis was built in only 20 years, a remarkable feat.  During the many 100's years since it has been a garrison, prison and center of city government.

There is, of course typical tourist things like vendors, beggars and street café scene.

Neither my guide nor the hotel recommended any of the cafe or restaurants on the main plaza.  I contented myself with a goat cheese panini and later an apple puff from the bakery on my home street.  I shared the flakey pastery with the pigeons on the neighborhood square.

The carousel I knew about from Google street view.  It was more charming than can be appreciated from that view.  Two tiers and some of the horses were leapers.

Tonight and tomorrow night I am staying in Merindol at la Bastide dou Pastre

http://www.chambres-hotes.fr/chambres-hotes_la-bastide-dou-pastre_merindol_h257218_en.htm

A hour in rush hour traffic made a bit happier due to the "taxi" turning out to be a Mercedes Town car.  The hotel is with family and my room has no TV (fine) and a little private courtyard.

The sky has turned cloudy and the air is quite cool.  I met someone today that said temps in lower 20sC later this week.  Best enjoy the cool while I can.

Like Here, Only Different ~ Day 1 We're Taking the Train

I am calling on my inner Sheldon Cooper.

I love trains.  There is something very basic about a train ride.  This train, however, is not so very basic

It is the Euro Star.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurostar

I am off on another round of walking vacation.  A three week leave from work, a sabbatical given for my 8 year milestone.  Originally I pondered a volunteer vacation in Africa.  That journey would have required a total of six weeks and for me, I thought that was pushing it a bit too much.  That adventure goes into my "possible" 16 year leave.  I picked up and put down the idea of a volunteer vacation in Mongolia, planting trees.  I will leave sleeping in a yurt in the possibly merry month of May to the younger crowd.

Today I took the train from London St Pancras station to Paris in 2 1/2 hours.  A quick cross town transfer to Gare de Leon and in another 2 1/2 hours via the TVG High Speed Train, we are in Avignon the starting and finishing point of a one week walk in Provence.  Over the next week I am exploring the Luberon.

The trains are amazing in their speed, averaging 186mph.  They are smooth and almost silent.  In no time at all we are in the Chunnel and out the other side.  All along the way green and yellow fields of hay, rapeseed (canola) or mustard.

And tons of bugs.  The front of the train was COVERED in bugs.

Last year my walk across England was, in part, driven by the desire to see the countryside I first saw in "All Creatures Great and Small"  This time, part of my desire to visit The Luberon was sparked by two of my favorite movies; "My Fathers Glory" and "My Mothers Castle".  These are gentle movies based on Marcel Pagnols memoirs of the same name.

Provence is sliced through the middle west to east by The Petit and Grand Luberon.  This escarpment contains cliffs and forests, ocher mines and a narrow slot canyon we visit in 2 days.

Paris Gare deLyon was a noisy and crowded wait.  I did not wish to cut it to close and the 2 1/2 hour wait was a bit too long.  But so it was dash for the train and off we raced.  Into a tunnel and Bang! We were in verdant countryside.  You would not know a city like Paris was just left.  We raced down the heart of France seeing few towns.  Nothing but agriculture and cows.

I could see the Alps to the east and about 45 minutes before arrival the landscape abruptly changed to dry rocky soil.  The huge rock faced cliffs of the Luberon can be seen.  Some look like massive rock souffles.

A quick twistly neighborhood bus ride and I am dropped off at the city wall.

Avignon is a old walled city on the west end of Provence.  During the 1300's seven Popes made this city their home and center of the church.  Today the walled old city and the Palais des Papes are an UNESCO World Heritage site

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignon

My hotel Hotel d'Angleterre in on a quiet backstreet near the city wall and a convenient walk from the shuttle bus stop.

www.hoteldangleterre.fr

I have a comfortable room and a new book from the local service detailing all my walks, my transfer and details I have to look over at dinner.

It is Monday and most of the neighborhood restaurants are closed.  I canceled the walk I had planned and went looking for one of the recommended places.  It was closed and I wound up at a place near the hotel that had terrific seafood.

Tomorrow is a full day in town.