Day 7
View from the bottom of our driveway
Another beautiful day, same weather. Too bad our plans didn't quite work out. We were out around 10:00, a little late, sans breakfast 'cause we're out of supplies.
We took the autoroute up to Orange, first stop the market. We found one market just off the autoroute but it looked like an Arabic thing and we turned around. Found the main market, still many Arabs, and nowhere to park. We tried to find parking for the Roman theatre, but none was available. It's now 11:45, nowhere to park, and too late to go into the theatre before lunch. We're screwed.
We stopped at the 2000 year old Roman triumphal arch, in the middle of a road on the road north out of Orange. The Romans built it to say "nyah, nyah we kicked your butt" to the Gauls. It was about 50 feet high, surrounded by a modern traffic circle.
We stopped at the 2000 year old Roman triumphal arch, in the middle of a road on the road north out of Orange. The Romans built it to say "nyah, nyah we kicked your butt" to the Gauls. It was about 50 feet high, surrounded by a modern traffic circle.
Then we went up to Serignan to check out Jean-Henri Fabre, a world-renowned etymologist. I bought a baguette and saw his statue, so stopped to take a few pictures for Sieb. 1/2 mile up the road I saw a sign about the town and located his museum. Unfortunately if did not reopen till 2:00 and required a French language tour, so we decided to skip it. Kristen would have liked the bugs.
We found a half-assed picnic spot next to a closed factory, but it had a nice view of some Cotes du Rhone vineyards. The usual, but I had some Foie Gras and some fougasse bread, a little like a big pretzel.
    |
Then back to Orange, where we found a parking spot now that the market was closed. We walked to the Theatre Romain and went in. It holds almost 10,000, one of 3 intact theatres from Roman times. The other 2 are in Syria and Turkey!
The recorded tour guide was very informative and we spent about 1-2 hours walking up the vertiginous seats. Jill had to go down because she got fear of heights. Kristen and I went up to the top and imagined the plays being performed 2000 years ago. Altogether very impressive, including the Stairmaster workout going up and down a few hundred steps. |
Then across the street to a little museum, where we saw various artifacts they dug up on the site, as well as other local history. Kristen enjoyed a 16th century cross used by Rhone boatmen for protection, decorated with various little ornaments, as well as a 2" ivory virgin Mary ad some 18th C. paintings of street scenes,.
After the theatre, Jill wanted to buy shoes, but I told her to go into the store and get them without my help, causing a hissy fit that lasted most of the ride home. She wouldn't go in the store without me as "backup".
When we got back to our area, we spent a futile hour going to various restaurants looking for one open tonight - we tried the countryside around Bonnieux, Lacoste, and the town of Menerbes. We did get to see the rest of Menerbes though.
After the theatre, Jill wanted to buy shoes, but I told her to go into the store and get them without my help, causing a hissy fit that lasted most of the ride home. She wouldn't go in the store without me as "backup".
When we got back to our area, we spent a futile hour going to various restaurants looking for one open tonight - we tried the countryside around Bonnieux, Lacoste, and the town of Menerbes. We did get to see the rest of Menerbes though.
Finally back home around 5:00, more futile restaurant calls before I reserved us again tonight at Le Fournil, same as last night. Pastis, wine, TV and ironing, and we go out in 10 more minutes...
...
We had a nice meal, not quite as nice as the night before. Jill had the mackerel / goat cheese thing again, I had chestnut soup with foie gras (great, and very rich), Kristen had the veal again, Dave a tough "Col Vert" - literally "Green Collar", (pheasant), Jill grilled lamb. Plus a very nice Cotes de Luberon wine, and cassis and peach sorbets for dessert. Our waitress served us totally in French, but was fluent in English and spoke to Kristen in English a few times,. The previous night, she asked if we were "termine" (finished). I told Kristen she was going to be terminated and she said "Stop! You're going to give her nightmares!"
There was an unusual foursome at the next table - an older American couple and a Japanese couple. He was head of some Japanese college - fluent in English and about as conversant in French as me!
Day 8 >>>
...
We had a nice meal, not quite as nice as the night before. Jill had the mackerel / goat cheese thing again, I had chestnut soup with foie gras (great, and very rich), Kristen had the veal again, Dave a tough "Col Vert" - literally "Green Collar", (pheasant), Jill grilled lamb. Plus a very nice Cotes de Luberon wine, and cassis and peach sorbets for dessert. Our waitress served us totally in French, but was fluent in English and spoke to Kristen in English a few times,. The previous night, she asked if we were "termine" (finished). I told Kristen she was going to be terminated and she said "Stop! You're going to give her nightmares!"
There was an unusual foursome at the next table - an older American couple and a Japanese couple. He was head of some Japanese college - fluent in English and about as conversant in French as me!
Day 8 >>>
