Getting to Avignon with a stop at the Pont du Gard

 Getting to Avignon

Avignon is going to be my time to relax and catch up with the blog and wash.  Thought I might go shopping for clothes.  Yes, getting tired of the four shirts I brought.  They are the same shirt in different colors.  What was I thinking?  I am seeing the style here is “white” Hawaii.  Lots of white clothes and Hawaiian logos.  They really like anything NY too. I did buy the coat I used for the ALPS, which is interesting, because once I used it at 12,000ft, I haven’t had to use it at all.  The weather has changed. 

The day in Chamonix was warm with no rain.  By the time we got back to Annecy-it was downright hot.  Now in Avignon, the weather is in the 80s. However, it might still rain.  The air conditioner is on in our Mercure Hotel, so it is cold, but I tried sitting outside and it was just too hot.  What a bunch of complainers we are.  All the tour guests are saying the same things.  (It might please you to know, that everyone who was feeling under the weather, are on the road to recovery).

Avignon is in the Provence region.  The drive from Annecy to Avignon sported one lavender field and the lavender does not look ready.  I heard it was a bad season last year and they are still recovering.  That is getting me to think I might change my plans again.  But, after talking to Mohammed, our bus driver, who lives in Nice, I will stick to the plan.  Mohammed gave me all sorts of good advice about driving, going through the tolls, and what else to see around the area.  He also assured me that I can make it back to airport in time to catch my plan if I leave at 7:30am.  That’s great, because I was thinking of leaving at 3:30 in the morning!  It is only an hour or so to get to the airport on a weekday morning. 

Before we got to our destination in Avignon, we stopped at the Pont Du Gard, which is a Roman-built bridge and Aqueduct.  It was hot and the river that ran under the bridge looked refreshing.  Another area good for kayaking.  I hiked around the area with my camera sometimes coming across other people in our group but never hanging out with them.  I had bought a sandwich at the last rest stop and bathroom break (love the bathroom sign---it makes it clear this is the bathroom!). 



 



At a nice overlook, I stopped and had my lunch. I sat for a while, greeting those who made their way up to see the view.  On my way down, I came across a snake that I am sure was not poisonous, but I didn’t want to step over him to test it out. He smelled me because after our initial assessment of each other---me with my camera and him with his tongue---he slithered back into shrub.  I turned around and went another way.  
                                                        Pont du Gard


                                    Having lunch in the quiet above the Pont du Gard. 


Hot and tired, we arrived in Avignon.  After a short nap, we had our orientation walk.  I am liking this My Way Tour.  There is no pressure to sight-see another church, castle, or museum.  Richard writes up things that you can visit, which includes all of that, but only if you want to.  For this stop, Avignon is used as a base.  Today, people had a choice to take a train to Nimes (to see Roman arenas and shopping), Orange (to “visit a cute mid-sized town and visit the best-preserved amphitheater in France”, or Arles (to “walk in the footsteps of Van Gogh and take in the impressive Roman Arenas and visit the Ancient History Museum).  Or, another choice would be to stay in Avignon and visit the Palace of the Popes (Palais des papes) and the gardens and perhaps lose yourself in the narrow old streets or by the Rhone. I chose to do laundry and clean up my suitcase and catch up on the blog.   
                                            Town square in Avignon. 
                                            The streets are alive with Mary
                        More narrow streets during our orientation walk. (above and below)


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