Monday, April 1, 2024

 MONDAY APRIL 1, 2024

Today is not only April Fools Day, but it is Easter Monday. It’s a National holiday in France. They don’t observe Good Friday. We expect to see lots of people out due to the holiday. It looks like most things are closed in Avignon. We are taking a road trip to Camargue. It’s southwest of Avignon. We are going to visit Saintes Maries- de - la - Mer. The story is told that Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, (Mother of the apostle James the less,) and Mary Salome the Virgin Mary’s sister, (Mother of John the Baptist and James the Great) were put in a boat with Sarah a servant. It is said that they landed on the shore of the Mediterranean which is now called Saintes Maries de la Mer. It is now a beach town with surfers between the jetties, an amusement park, bungalows, and lots of restaurants. It’s a very pretty upscale version of Seaside Heights. 

Just outside of town they were having an open air market with all kinds of fruit, vegetables, clothes, and salt. 






Then we arrived at the town of  Saintes Maries - de - la - Mer. We parked and walked up to the water. Vincent Van Gogh used this spot and  painted the Mediterranean Sea. 




We had lunch at a waterfront cafè. Then off to see the church of the 3 Marys. I found the statue of Sarah too. 





                                           Sarah



Our next stop is Aigues Mortes. It’s a walled town with a salt flat behind it. It is filled with winding streets, cafès, and shops. The big candy store in town La Cure Gourmande was selling their Easter candy for 30% off. They were very generous with their samples! It was very crowded due to the holiday of Easter Monday.

A










We finally had lavender ice cream. It’s  delicious!

We got home to our place in Avignon to find that the river overflowed and flooded the road that takes us to our underground parking garage. Oh, the parking garage is closed too.



 The people on the cruise ships are stranded. They can’t get off the boat and the river is too high to travel. They wouldn’t fit under the bridges. We drove around and were able to park on the street right down from our house. I wonder how long the water will take to recede. Quick dinner in town. Back to our house. 
Bonne Nuit!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

England, Scotland, and Wales June 10-25-26

Image
  Day 1–2: From NewYork/Connecticut to Edinburgh June 10–11, 2026 Our long-awaited Scotland adventure began on June 10 as Steve and I met up with Jeff and Susie and headed to JFK Airport for our overnight flight to Edinburgh. Despite encountering some traffic along the way, we arrived with plenty of time before our 9:15 p.m. departure. The trip started on a relaxing note in the Delta Sky Club, where we enjoyed refreshments and unwound before boarding. Soon we were settled into our seats and ready for the journey across the Atlantic. The flight was smooth and comfortable, making the overnight trip pass quickly. . When we arrived in Edinburgh, customs was crowded but well organized, and the line moved steadily. Once we cleared customs, our Tauck driver was waiting to greet us. Our welcome to Scotland included pouring rain and temperatures in the 50s—quite a change from home! The drive into the city offered our first glimpse of Edinburgh’s beautiful stone buildings and historic c...
Read more

June 12, 2026

Image
 June 12, 2026 – Stirling Castle and a Scottish Welcome Good morning, Edinburgh! Steve and Jeff went out exploring early this morning while Susie and I stayed back to get ready for the day. During their walk, they visited St. Mary’s Cathedral. Construction took five years and was completed in 1885 at a cost of £110,000, which would be roughly equivalent to several million dollars today. One interesting fact we learned is that no building in Edinburgh is permitted to be taller than the Castle, helping preserve the city’s historic skyline. At 12:45, we met the other 20 travelers on our Tauck tour in the hotel lobby. The group seems wonderful, with most people around our age, along with a few who are younger and a few who are older. Our first excursion was to Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s most important historic sites. It was a little over a hour’s ride from Edinburgh to Stirling Castle, which sits atop a volcanic crag formed by an ancient dormant volcano, giving it commanding vi...
Read more

June 13, 2026

Image
  Saturday, June 13, 2026 – Edinburgh, Scotland We had a leisurely breakfast at 7:00 a.m. because it was wheels up at 8:00 for a full day of sightseeing of Edinburgh. Our first stop was a private tour of Palace of Holyroodhouse. The palace is magnificent and steeped in centuries of history. It serves as the official Scottish residence of King Charles III. Since the King is not currently in residence, we were fortunate to be allowed to tour his home. He is expected to arrive later this month for Royal Week. No photographs were permitted inside the palace. Tauk gave us a souvenir tour book so I have included some pictures.  The dining room was set for fourteen guests with beautiful green china designed to complement the wall color. We walked through the actual sitting room where members of the Royal Family receive guests before dinner. The room was enormous—approximately 50 by 30 feet—and the baby grand piano looked tiny in the corner. We also visited the Great Gallery, wh...
Read more