Jim & Happy : Goodbye Avignon, hello Florence

Here I am again in the back seat of the car writing. We have just passed a sign ‘Italia’ before going through a tunnel - Au Revoir France, Bonjourno Italy. Apparently there are 99 tunnels before we reach Florence.

I had first shift in the front leaving Avignon. Four hours later we have stopped for lunch at a petrol station with a fantastic view over the Cote d’Azur, looking over Nice to the right and Monaco to the left. Breathtaking!

Today is a beautiful fine day – 27 degrees and a partially cloudy sky, perfect for driving unlike Wednesday when we drove from Paris. It was the drive from hell. It rained for five hours out of the eight and a half hour drive. Poor Jim, it was hard going. It was a three-lane motorway and two were taken up with semi trailers and the third is the fast lane. The Polo can’t manage the fast lane so we had to sit behind semi trailers driving between 100 and 130 kms per hour spitting out rain from their tyres. The Polo was being pushed around by their slipstream and then hitting puddles of rain sitting on the road. The rain didn’t appear to be draining off the road.

We were thankful when the rain stopped and even more thankful when we found the car park outside the walls of the old city of Avignon. We were all suffering from a touch of anxiety on arrival. Laurel was suffering from motion sickness so she stayed in to rest meanwhile Jim and I went out for dinner, beer and red wine to calm the nerves. It was magical sitting under a huge tree surrounded by old buildings and towers.

Also, I have to mention to calm the nerves this apartment is great for yoga with its large rooms, high ceilings and big windows. It is a pleasure to sit and practice.

Our first impression of Avignon was one of awe. Walking up the stairs out of the car park into the square with the Palais des Papes standing in front of us. Our apartment is in a 700 year-old building with a spectacular view of the Palais des Papes (the Pope lived here in the 17^th century before moving to Rome).

Avignon is an easy place to be as you can walk around the old city and take in its history and the buildings, shopping and food. Our first full day was spent wandering around the city. We had dinner at 8.30pm (very European & very late for us) two doors down at a quaint French restaurant focusing on cheese with meat, seafood or vegetables.

Our second day we took the tourist toy train around the old city – it was good to have commentary to go with the many sights we passed the day before. In the afternoon we visited the Palais des Papes. Unfortunately the light and sound show in the evenings is in French, Laurel and I were keen to have seen it, not too worry. Laurel made a tasty stir-fry for dinner and we watched a DVD on the laptop as the TV only has French channels.

Our third and final day in Avignon we paid for a private (Mercedes) van for the afternoon to visit some of the area surrounding Avignon. It was like driving around in Stu’s Ranga. Our first stop was Chateaneuf-De-Pape. A village known for its many hundreds of family wineries. Before the revolution in the 17^th century this was the area where the grapes were grown for the popes wine when he lived in Avignon. We visited the Brotte winery and tasted three wines – that was enough as they were 15% alcohol. Laurel bought a bottle of white to have on her birthday on Sept 30; we’ll be in Malta. After the winery we drove to the villages of Gordes & Rousillion. Gordes is one thousand years old. It was built originally out of stone so after being bombed in WWII by the Germans in retaliation against the French resistance they rebuilt with the remaining stones. It is a pretty French village. Only the affluent can afford to live in the village now days. Jim was being silly but funny and said it was like being on the set of the old English TV show ‘Allo Allo’.

Leaving Gordes we headed for Roussillon. This village is known for its ocre mines. The houses in the village are painted in various shades of ocre, all very cute. Through out Provence (this area) lavender is grown in abundance so in keeping with the theme of things I had a lavender ice cream. It was an interesting concept.

David, our driver was an interesting character. Laurel was calling him our faux French/Italian/Australian guide. He was born in Adelaide but left Australia 18 years ago, has lived in Venice (his parents birthplace) followed by Paris and now Avignon for the past 10 years, strange as he had an American twang.

Both Gordes and Roussillon are in the mountain ranges of Luberon. The area is known for its agriculture. We visited the Les Halles market in the morning in Avignon and saw all the yummy fresh produce of this area. We bought quiches and salad that we had for dinner last night.

Jim is more relaxed now with driving on the opposite side of the road because the GPS alerts you to the fact. Once again we praise the GPS. Not sure how anyone travelled Europe with only a map. We wouldn’t have coped – we would have had to sell the car to prevent a divorce and rely on public transport or jumped on a tour bus. I don’t think I will be driving very often or at all while we are in Europe. Jim says he feels he needs to nurse the car along and he needs to be in control, it makes him feel less nervous. I don’t mind being a passenger it gives me time to catch up on writing the blog, reading and looking around.

PS. It is now 10pm and I am in bed in our hotel room in Florence. The road trip to here was enjoyable except upon entering Florence (proper) but that will keep for the next blog. This wifi is extremely slow!!!!!!!