Skimming through France

Avignon

We visited the French walled city of Avignon in the lands of Provence in France. Some hard driving from Spain left us half way across France on the way to Italy. Don't ask about our current road toll deficit. Damn commercial freeways. Anyway.

Avignon is grouse. Many, many , many gelaterias, creperys, kebabs and anything else which can be served with fries. Dim has been on a kebab kick since Granada and it may well continue to Italy. But do they really need to shove french fries in your kebab? The village centre is fully enclosed by a modest and scenic wall. The populace resides around 88,000. We lucked in on a music festival and somehow found a place to stay just outside the main gate. Yay for E-tap.

The city was in full swing, the whole population seemed to have arrived. With carrousels and balloons crammed into the cobbled streets. Very similar in nature to Granada, except the streets are wider. The music of the festival was abysmal. I have not heard such bad karaoke. Please no more Brian Adams!

The morning after we walked along the banks of the Rhone river which skirts the city wall. Very scenic and populated by enormous cruise barges. They stretch for almost a city block, but are relatively low, with only two decks. Their width is also narrow. What was most disturbing were the tourists themselves, who were all strutting their stuff on the fore deck wearing nothing much other than the regulation budgy smugglers. Have Europeans no shame?

Another early start ... ermm insert leave after lunch... and off to Italy. We will be returning to France for the Tour de France.