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| We found the balloons |
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| Popes Palace |
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| Great app to visualise what the room looked like when the popes lived here |
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| Where the popes hid their money, only discovered in the 1980s |
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| Amazing window in Popes palace |
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| I found an invader! |
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| Avignon |
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| Pont de Avignon |
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| Baguette for lunch |
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| Entry gates to Avignon, there is a 4km of walls around the city |
Breakfast on the porch this is the life, I could get stay here forever. There is this strange hissing noise. What is it? There it goes again. We think it might be a hot air ballon. Russ goes up on the roof to investigate. Will I do the ladder? Well why not, ok that was not too bad and at least the roof is flat. There it is, a balloon off in the valley. Well, its time to hit the road anyhow as Russ and Jane are taking me to Avignon to explore for the day. Russ has an idea to go down a road where the balloons might land. Jane spots them and we are here. One looks like it is going to land on the road.
Moving on we are checking all the roundabouts for Tour de France decorations and heading onto Avignon, there is a parking spot I am deposited at the train station with instructions on where to meet at 5pm. Lets go.
The plan is to get to Palace of the Popes before the main heat of the day, so through the city gates and down Rue de Republic I go. It looks pretty ugly there are posters splattered everywhere, then I realise the posters are just for a special festival on during July and see its all part of the celebration.
Into the Popes palace I go with a special iPad app, hmm, will this just be a pain to carry or worthwhile? A few steps in and it tells me a summarised history of the room, pointing out a few features. Perfect intro, good context. Whats this, time travel portal I have to scan, lets give it a go. How cool is this, it shows the room as it would have looked in its hey day, as you move the iPad around the room it moves the view. This is brilliant.
James was right you definitely need your energy to do this place. I am up and down steps and towers and finding places where the popes hid their treasure, then I do it all again, ‘cause I can. The popes palace was a seat of Catholic power in France for about 100 years it is an impressive site.
A tourist must go on, into the cathedral to light a candle and now I am heading to to the top of the gardens to see the River Rhone. Its very hot in the sun, what are all that crowd looking at? Some kind of dignitaries doing a ceremony, now they are playing the French national anthem. Cool. Onwards I go, lets over take these old ladies they are way to slow. There is a lake and cafe at the top with mute swans, how nice is this. Now over to the views, wow that is a big river. I can see the bridge and where I need to wind my way to. Lets follow all these other tourists, down and down and down. Eventually, at the bottom and in I go selfie stick ready to get creative. (Later on Russ and Jane explain the famous song)
Back into the town, there is so much more to explore, lets turn up into this little church, that has the most detailed stained glass windows I have ever seen. The crowds are really pilling into Avignon now this is a bit nuts. Time for an icecream, so many flavours, what to choose. I know lavender icecream. Thats on brand, hope it tastes ok. It is lovely subtle taste and so refreshing in the heat. I declare that a good pick.
Lets move on, art museum, blissfully air-conditioned and now lets rest these weary feet with a tourist train ride. What a day! Finally summary 21,136 steps and up till midnight enjoying the Provence skies, good conversation and wine.
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