Sunny Afternoon in Avignon

Avignon is a beautiful city. It's older than I imagined. From the station, I took a shuttle bus to the city center. The city center is enclosed within medieval walls that are still intact. I headed straight to the Tourist Office and learned that my hotel was just around the corner. My bags would not stop me from making it to my destination. You can imagine after about 24 hours, I was a site to behold--and smelly too.


My hotel, Le Colbert, was absolutely adorable. The decor was filled with the vibrant colors one may imagine in the south of France, coral, yellow, "French" blue...My room was on the top floor, and I had to climb what seemed like a mountain. Oh Sisyphus!!! Luckily, I did not drop my backpack and made it to the top. The owner was not expecting someone as tall as I am, and he kept apologizing about the room before I went upstairs. I kept telling him not to worry. Everything would be fine. It wasn't until I made it to the top of a spiraling narrow staircase, huffing and puffing--that I understood. I had to duck into the room because the door frame was low. Inside, standing room was limited. But I chuckled. It was sooooo cute! And simple too. And my favorite thing about Avignon, it's warm and sunny.



After showering (yes, there was a shower in my room--I could stand in the bathroom) and changing, I headed off. It was 6pm, and I wanted to explore as much as I could before going to bed. It's dark after 9pm here. The tiny streets were typically charming. At times, they would be deserted for a few minutes, before a vehicle came through. Pedestrians have to move to a doorway to avoid getting smushed or honked at or perhaps both? At the end of my adventue, I became adept at listening for a car, and moving at just the right time without turning around to see where the car was.

I climbed stairs and took in a view of the city from the Palais des Papes. It was beautiful... During my walk, I found an organic grocery store/ restaurant that was open, despite the fact that the proprietor was having repairs done. I wanted to buy some juice and chocolate yogurt when I smelled the glorious smell of ginger...I spotted those delicate roots on the counter near a blender. The owner was making ginger juice. "Oooh, puis-je essayer? May I try (some)?" We put my purchase back in the fridge, he escorted me to the "terrace", a cordoned off area with tables and chairs, and he served me ginger juice...I thought it was light on ginger. He asked if I was sure. I indicated that I was, and he added three more spoons. Yup, I got the kick I wanted. After purchasing my organic grape juice and pudding, I left promising to return for more. After three turns, I realized that I'd forgotten to get the name of the street!

Avignon is a medieval city which means that the streets twist and turn, and you're not sure where you are going to end up. One can imagine how each section of the medieval town centered it's activity around different squares. I'm not even sure what square I was near...but by golly, I'll find the ginger juice man again-- this I swear!


Off to bed.