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Posts posted by PenelopeWitherspoon
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Ok, finally on Day 21. This is the last full day of my vacation.
Once I left the apartment, I walked through the Jardin du Luxembourg. During summer, it is absolutely gorgeous, and the sculptures are stunning.
However, the Medici Fountain is probably the absolutely most stunning part of this park. I had no idea it was here. Its history is very interesting, given that it was moved from its original location when Haussmann was reimagining Paris.
The front of the French Senate.
I stopped for a bit of lunch at Le Tournon, which is right across from the Senate. It is pretty well known as it was the center of the African American ex pat community in the 50's in Paris AND was the meeting place of the founders of the Paris Review.
Yes, those are hideous paintings of the Jardin du Luxembourg inside.
Lunch was foie gras and rouget.
Both were simple and very, very good. The rouget was excellent.
After lunch, headed to go shopping. Had to wait in line a bit, but apparently, I have joined a club where I have actually spent enough money to be able to make an appointment. So I have that going for me.
After an afternoon in the shops on Rue Saint-Honore, stopped for a glass of Rose and watched the people. And they were definitely out in force.
Diagonally across from this cafe is the building that formerly used to house Colette. Obviously, even though Colette closed in December, it is clearly still in the hears and minds of some.
Then I headed back through the Jardin des Tuileries. Paris really is beautiful in the summer.
Crossing across the Seine.
Once I got back to my building, I noticed this. I had noticed them throughout Paris, but had not noted it. It is a really stunning reminder that this beautiful city has seen some real tragedy. I think this are wonderful tributes for those who made the ultimate sacrifice to save Paris.
I spent most of the evening packing, and ordered dinner in. I had an 8 AM flight from CDG in the AM, so left the apartment very early so I could do all my VAT returns and not have to rush around too much. Getting through CDG was a breeze. It helps to fly business.
So all in all a successful trip. There were definitely things I had planned on doing that I did not do. But I had a good time, and that is all that matters.
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Larry Hagman as JR
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10 hours ago, Hornstrader said:
Any news on when season 3 of Last Kingdom will be released?
I have just seen it said later in 2018. Assuming a fall release.
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Day 20 dinner was a revisit to Le Chateaubriand. I last went there in November 2015. This year, it received its first Michelin Star. So I thought it would be a very interesting time to revisit.
First course were the signature cheese puffs (I believe these were served in my last visit). This was paired with an apple cider made with 17 types of apples. Unfortunately, I did not get a copy of the menu and wines this year, but I do know some of the specific bottles. The cheese puffs were great.
Next was a raspberry ceviche. This was served with a strawberry and anise liquor from the Basque region.
Next was a fried sardine roll with lime zest. Inside with the Sardine was a mixture of Indian spices. This was amazing, and I really do not like Sardines. This was served with a Rose from Tavel (an AOC in France that only does Rose). I loved this wine.
Next was a samphire risotto with mussels and clovers (lemon clover I believe). The clover gives it a hint of citrus. The mussels were excellent.
Next was a soup of cucumbers, fresh almonds, and fig oil, all served cold. This was basically a palate cleanser.
Then we come to the main courses.
First smain course was white tuna with a lemon sauce and herbs. This was served with a 100% savagnin blanc from the Jura, which I absolutely loved. The lemon sauce was absolutely stunning and some of the best tuna I have had in ages. It paired perfectly with the wine.
There as a second fish course, which I believe was a turbot. This was served with mussel juice flavored with rhubarb, elderflowers, mustard, and then on top of the fush are cut green beans and elderflowers. This was served with a 2015 orange wine from Austria. Another amazingly complex dish and a well paired wine.
Final main course was lamb with potatoes, parsley, and yeast. This was served with a 2012 Morey Saint Denis. Loved the wine. The lamb was great, but I enjoyed the fish courses better, which is usually not the case, so that tells you how good the fish was.
Cheese course that had ossau iraty, chevre, and some other semi-hard cheese. Served with an Alsace riesling.
There were two desserts. Cherry sorbet with with fresh cherries and capers (I know!). It was different, and surprisingly refreshing. This was served with a (I believe based on my notes) red Muscat wine (i.e. fortified wine from Languedoc-Roussillon).
The second dessert is their signature, and it is basically a butterscotch egg.
Then, the gentleman next to me offered me a glass from his bottle, which was a very good red from the Jura. I had that while I ate these raspberries.
Finished the entire evening with a nice glass of champagne.
As with Montee, this continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in Paris. And I will also do a post on my website comparing my two visits. Next time I am in Paris, I plan on revisiting both again, especially as it will probably be a year or two until I return.
And that wraps up Day 20. Day 21 to come.
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31 minutes ago, HenryJames said:
Saint-Etienne-du-Mont has a sign (or did) saying something to the effect of Dan Brown is a fiction writer and nothing in his asshole books is real. So stop asking us stupid questions.
I missed that. I just love the history that next to the existing structure is where the Abbey of St. Genevieve originally was located.
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Sorry about the long quote in the post above. Only the paragraph in the church was supposed to be in quotes. And then I could not edit. Sigh.
Day 20 continued.
More Paris sites on a gorgeous day.
Stopped at the Church of Saint-Severin.
Here are the Roman Baths that are part of the Musee de Cluny, which was closed when I was in Paris.
Then it was time to watch Les Bleus. Stopped in at Le Hibou. Next time I am in Paris, I am definitely going to spend more time here.
And then, I finally made it to the Louvre.
My personal favorites from the exhibit.
Liberty leading the people. Is probably my favorite painting of all time.
An etching - Macbeth consults the witches.
From Faust - Marguerite in the church
Tiger Royal
Young Tiger and its Mother
Medea
Calvary
Hamlet consulting Yorick
Horses in Water
Etretat
La Mer a Dieppe
More Louvre
Only dinner left to go.
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Day 20, I had plans to meet someone for lunch (a food blogger from Paris), and we had a 12:30 reservation. So I decided to start heading in that direction around 10 and just wander and stop as I went.
It was an absolutely beautiful day. I had never been in Paris when it was so sunny.
First, walked by the Pantheon. I had been there last April, so wasn't going to stop in. However, it is still an impressive building.
Right by the Pantheon is Saint-Etienne-du-Mont.
This church, and its history, is very, very interesting. Here is the history of the church itself from its website.
At first, there was the church of Apostles Peter and Paul, built under the reign of King Clovis who was buried here with his wife Clotilde as well as Saint Genevieve. In the Middle Ages, it turned into an important royal abbey under the same name.
During the thirteenth century, the abbey church that hosted the local parish became too small for the growing population, so a second sanctuary was built under the patronage of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. This latter church was eventually rebuilt between 1492 and 1626, in the confused context of the religious wars. The existing Saint-Etienne church was flanking Saint Genevieve abbey.
In 1744, King Louis the Fifteenth decided to replace the abbey church, then in poor condition, by an imposing monument which eventually became, through repeated mishaps, the existing Panthéon. The abbey church was devastated during the French Revolution and the relics of saint Geneviève were burnt. The buildings of the abbey were converted into what is now Henri-IV school and the abbey church was pulled down in 1804 to make room for Rue Clovis ; its only remnant now is the bell-tower, enclosed in the school premises.
Saint-Etienne du Mont then inherited the relics of and the devotion to Saint Genevieve.
Here is the inside of the church.
The choir screen is the single most beautiful feature of this church.
The other most important thing about this church is the Saint Genevieve chapel. Saint Genevieve is the patron saint of Paris. Her remains were burned during the Revolution. What the chapel has now are the relics that other churches contained (bone fragments) and the remaining stones of her original sarcophagus.
The stained glass windows in this church are also quite stunning.
Lunch was at Baieta. Unfortunately, my lunch companion was in the hostpital, and I did not know (his wife called the restaurant, and they either did not understand, or declined to let me know), but I still had a good lunch there.
Rather than doing a multi course meal, I was just going to have something lighter, plus cheese, plus dessert. Went with the mini farcis in Julia's way. These were bright peppers/veggies stuffed with crab stuffing. Really, really good. Am really glad I went with that. That was very filling.
Cheese course
And this was strawberry sorbet, with strawberries, and candy cigarettes.
All in all, a relatively light lunch.
More walking through Paris and the Delacroix exhibit at the Louvre to come.
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Ok, so Day 19 was dinner at Montee. I had first been to Montee in April 2017. When I went, I loved it, and immediately stated that I thought they would get a Michelin Star shortly. Sure enough, when the France stars were released this year, they were awarded their first star. I thought it would be great to enjoy a return trip this go round.
So dinner started with a glass of Bollinger Special Cuvee.
Then it was time for the amusee-bouches. First was a layered eggplant bite. Second was a cheese cracker that absolutely melts in your mouth and is full of flavor. Third was a candied walnut, which was not overly sugary. And last was a bowl of dried chopped morel mushrooms, which went amazingly with the champagne and brought out completely different notes in the champagne (no photo of the mushrooms).
The first course was tomato sorbet/granita (was really a cross between the two as it wasn't fully either one) and a corn creme brulee. First, the tartness and the cold of the sorbet/granita (which wasn't overly tart, but more on the refreshing scale) went really well with the sweetness and warmth of the creme brulee. I was really impressed with this dish. Really creative and colorful.
I had finished off my Bolly, and wanted to go with a white to pair with the next courses. Went with Villa Bel-Air which produces a white Bordeaux blend from Graves.
The next course was salmon tartare with quail egg lentils, salmon aspic, and dill. It also had a cream of bacon and organge sauce. Sometimes dill will overpower an entire dish and that is all you taste. That did not happen here. All the flavors complimented each other, and the salmon was excellent. The wine went very well with this dish as well.
Course 3 was a course that I had last time I visited, though with a slight difference. While last time, it was still the grilled foie gras with banana (it really goes well together), this time, instead of powdered coconut (I still don't know how they got it into t), it was with tapioca smoke (the white powder). I still think foie gras and banana is one of the best combos ever.
At this point, I was finished with the Graves, and wanted to move onto Red, even though the next couple of courses probably warranted a white. Went with Domaine de l'Asti Beaurepaire Santenay 1er Cru. I really liked this wine, and it went surprisingly well with the next two courses, which most would have normally paired with a white.
Next course was langoustine and avocado in a langoustine bouillon flavored with cinnamon and lime. If you try the avocado, the bouillon, or the langoustine individually, it was good, but not mind blowing. However if you get the perfect bite, with a bit of all three together, it absolutely transformed the dish and made it absolutely outstanding. That is one of the things I noticed about the meal, is that it is always better to have the perfect bite, because the flavors melding together are completely different than individually.
Course 5 was cod confit with potatoe and sorrel. I loved the cod prepared that way, but it was even better when you put everything together. Again, the Santenay went well with this course as well.
Ordered a second glass of the wine for the next course or two. And Course 6 was rouget and artichoke. Both the rouget and the artichoke were perfectly cooked. I loved the rouget (it may be my new favorite fish) and this was the best artichoke I have ever eaten.
The next course was veal schnitzel. It was a filet of veal cooked medium rare with creamed spinach and a schnitzel on top. It was served with sauteed mushrooms. Again, another outstanding course.
Next, did a cheese course, because it was Ossau Iraty, which is my favorite cheese.
Now it was time for the desserts. First one was saffron ice cream and an apple cider tarte.
And the final course was chocolate. It was a crispy, brownie like chocolate cake covered in melted chocolate. So good.
And to end the meal, coffee and crispy pastry covered in powdered sugar.
This visit was just as good as the first time I visited. I will be comparing my two visits on one of my posts for my new website, but that probably won't happen for a month or two. However, for anyone going to Paris, go to Restaurant Montee. It is one of my favorite restaurants in Paris.
After dinner, on the walk home, stopped by Closerie des Lilas for a drink or two.
And that wraps up Day 19.
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Day 19 continued. After finishing up at the YSL museum, took a walk along the River.
First, saw the full size, gold leaf colored replica of the Statue of Liberty's torch (Flame of Liberty), which is at Pont de l'Alma. It is also the unofficial memorial to Princess Diana.
Next was the Eiffel Tower.
Golden dinosaur skeleton, becuase why not.
Lunch that day was light since I knew I was having a big dinner. Went to Blueberry, which is in Saint Germain. This is apparently a really well thought of sushi and japanese restaurant.
Went with the lunch combo, which was a salad and some sushi rolls. Oh, and some sake, of course.
Rooftops in Paris from my apartment.
It rained a bit, so it was a good time for a nap. Then it was time to head over to dinner. Walked through the Jardin du Luxembourg and headed to dinner. Was beautiful to see the garden in full bloom.
Love the statues as well. I feel like everytime I visit I see different ones.
And possibly my most PERFECT photo I have ever taken in Paris. An empty champagne bottle on the trash can in the Jardin du Luxembourg.
After, saw the Institute of Art and Archeology which is part of the Sorbonne. Such a cool building.
More buildings of the Sorbonne and around the area.
And then I made it over to Boulevard du Montparnesse, and stopped at Le Dome for a pre-dinner drink.
After a drink it was time for dinner. Dinner on Day 19 coming up next.
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Day 19, woke up and had coffee on the terrace. The view was, of course, stunning.
Afterwards, it was time to dress and head out. First, went to the Musee Galliera for the Martin Margiela exhibit. When I got out of the metro (Iéna), there is a statue of George Washington on horseback.
Musee Galliera
Here is the article in Vogue about the exhibit. A white carpet lead up the steps to the museum.
Margiela was known for repurposing and reusing things and materials in his fashion shows. He also played with textures and proportions.
For instance, this "sock" shirt was actually made from army surplus socks to go under some of his clothes in a show.
Here are some of my favorite pieces from the exhibit.
This looks like a sequin dress, but it is actually sequins printed on fabric.
This is incredibly simple, and I want to figure out how to make some myself.
It was a very interesting exhibit. I am not sure if it is still on, but I would recommend that if you are in Paris, check out the Palais Galliera and see if anything is on.
The building itself is beautiful, and there is a nice little park that surrounds a part of it. They are also doing some repais on it, so certain areas were off limits, and wood marks areas being worked.
After leaving, I headed towards the new Yves Saint Laurent Museum, which is right around the corner. On my way, I saw Place Rochambeau, which contained a statue of Rochambeau. That morning had been like a miniature walk thrugh the American Revolution.
The new YSL museum is housed in the former couture house of YSL. As is with many Parisian buildings, the outside is beautiful.
Here is the parlor where fashion shows used to be held. THis is also the main entry way into the museum.
And here are my favorite pieces in the museum.
All in all, a great museum. Glad to see it in Paris.
Day 19 to be continued.
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Day 16 was on a Catamaran out of Marseille. I really relaxed on the boat that day, so not a ton of photos.
This is the Chateau D'If, which was a location in the Count of Monte Cristo.
Amazing blue water...
A beautiful town west of Marseille.
Marseille from the boat.
Day 17 was wandering around Roussillon, which is the town I was staying in.
My view during a breakfast of coffee and chocolate croissant.
And now views in the city and around the city. Very picturesque.
Day 18 sees me heading into Paris. As I was still not feeling great, I stayed in the apartment that night, but did take in the views from my terrace, including those while the sun was going down. My apartment was right next to the Jardin du Luxembourg.
And that wraps up, in one post, Days 16, 17, and 18. Day 19 and Paris await.
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1 hour ago, lateshow said:
Yes. Love the show. I was just wondering not long ago about Season 3.
I just bought the first book. Going to see if I can get into the books.
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20 minutes ago, DDD Dad said:
Is this the show about the Vikings' invasion of Britain? If so, yes I watched the first season and thought it was decent. Haven't watched any of the second season yet. Wife hated it.
Sort of. It is really about the Anglo-Saxon struggles with the Vikings. First two seasons feature the reign of Alfred the great and Wessex and Mercia. Really, really interesting stuff, especially since it is based in real life history.
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On 5/31/2018 at 1:56 PM, TwiceHorn said:
I assume that SS went for a TRO or preliminary injunction, which the judge denied. I haven't seen the order/opinion, but the quoted language seems a tad simplistic. It isn't over, technically, further proceedings and a trial are possible, as is an appeal of the order. Practically, it's probably over.
Am I the only one who saw this quote in that article? And yeah, I know I am a few months late.
In a statement to TheWrap on Wednesday, STX’s representative in the matter, Fred, Esq. — who, we will remind readers, is a puppet — said that the company is “obviously very pleased” with the ruling. -
Anyone here a Last Kingdom fan? Season 3 is coming exclusively to Netflix. I just now rewatched Season 1 and watched all of Season 2. Am a fan.
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18 hours ago, Loco said:
Insatiable - It's campy but pretty damned funny
That was my take.
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3 hours ago, MAROON said:
The US has had anti-boycott legislation for trade forever. We have to check for it all the time when shipping goods to the mid east. Many times the PO will say they will not accept a shipment if the ship makes a stop in Israel. That is a no-no that has to be deleted from the PO.
This.
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That was live posting. This is actually going through and commenting on a day by day piece.Great stuff Penelope but I'm a little confused. Earlier in the thread you posted pics of Pont du Gard and surrounding areas and your most recent pics seems like the same area. Did you post pics out of order or are you revisiting southern France? -
52 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:
During your time in Italy, did you find the crowds to be particularly bad? We are thinking of going next year, and for various reasons, it might need to be in August. We’ve done June and July in the past without much of an issue, just wondering what it’s like in August.
We were there in June, and I thought it was crowded. I have heard that August is absolutely unbearable. Remember, a lot of Europe takes vacation in August, so you have the normal tourists, plus all of Europe at that time. Also, since I still get weather updates, it has been hot as hell in August. If you can put it off until September, I would. I am planning a trip to Sicily for late September of next year.
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Day 15 was a day in transit. Went to Uzes before heading to the Languedoc. Uzes is the seat of the Dukes of Uzes. The Duke of Uzes is the premier peer in the Kingdom of France, coming right after Princes of the Blood in rank of importance, so it has that going for it, which is nice.
The town is on a hill, and is as picturesque as you can get. I actually passed through a number of beautiful little villages on the way there, but was unable to get photos in a lot of them due to lack of space to park. I did stop in one little village for a coffee though. The town was Vers-Pont-du-Gard and the cafe was La Grange de Vers.
Here is the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard
Once I got to Uzes, it was time for a light lunch. Stopped at La Fille des Vignes, a little cafe in Uzes, for a light lunch.
Got the seasonal melon and ham, with olive tapenade. Dessert was a vegan, gluten free carrott cake.
Then it was time to walk around Uzes. It is beautiful.
Castle of the Dukes of Uzes.
I don't know if it gets more picturesque than this.
More sites around Uzes.
Cute little restaurant in town that I will be sure to stop at next time I am there.
All over Provence, there are these little fruit and veg stands. Some of the best produce I have had.
And that wraps up Day 15. Day 16, I am on a boat again.
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Day 14 was spent just wandering around Arles. On Saturday, along Boulevard des Lices, is the Arles Market. I browsed through it, but really had no room for purchases. They did have some baby goats at a stall that was collecting money for the French equivalent of the Humane Society by selling candy. Of course I bought some because baby goats are the cutest.
Lunch was at Le Galoubet, which came highly recommended. If you are going to go there, definitely get a reservation.
I went with the 33 Euro menu. First course, was the mackerel.
Since it is summer in the South of France, I went with a Rose. The Chateau Dalmeran is a winery in Les Baux de Provence, which is not far from Arles.
Main course was the duck with cherries. Also came with some frites.
The dessert was a creamy lemon pudding.
After lunch, I visited the Cryptoportico. Dating from 1 BC, this structure is the foundations of the Forum, and currently sits underneath the modern city. The entrance is in the Hotel de Ville.
Here is the Place de la Republique during the day.
The Church of Saint-Triomphe
That afternoon was the Les Bleus football match, so I popped into a bar to watch it. After it was over, I was definitely not sober, so decided to grab some dinner.
This little square was right down from my little apartment.
Dinner was simple, roasted meat and frites. I cannot remember if this was lamb or pork.
Dessert was some sort of banana sundae that was great, and of course, coffee.
Afterwards, I just went back to the house and crashed. And that wraps up Day 14. Day 15, I leave Arles and head to Uzes before going to the Luberon.
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Ok, Day 13 and Nimes. Nimes at one point was the Rome of France. There is a great documentary about it on Curiosity Stream for those who have it.
First is Maison Carree, which was once a Temple dedicated to the grandsons and adopted heirs of Augustus who died young located in the Forum. It is one of the best preserved Roman Temples to still exist, as it has been in use since then.
Like Arles, Nimes also has an Amphitheater or Arena. Like Arles, it is in very good shape and still in use.
More sites around Nimes.
Dinner that night was at a Moroccan restaurant in Nimes, L'Eveil des Sens
First is a chicken briouate with salad.
Main course is lamb tangine with prunes and almonds.
Dessert was an assortment of pastries and traditional mint tea.
Great little restaurant. The food was really, really good and the service very attentive. I really wish we had a great Moroccan restaurant in Houston.
Once back in Nimes, had a nightcap at the Cafe Van Gogh (the one in the painting).
Then walked home. Saw this, which is the 13th centuy Palace of the Podestà which served as the seat of power during the Middle Ages.
And that concludes Day 13. Day 14 is next, which is just a day wandering around Arles.
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Day 13 started out in Arles. I walked around a bit and visited L'Espace Van Gogh, which is housed in the Hotel Dieu where Van Gogh was a patient. It is now exhibition space with a garden that is tended to look like the garden that Van Gogh painted.
This is part of the Antique Theater of Arles through the Jardin D'Ete. The statue/fountain is part of the garden. The theater complex was actually quite large.
This day saw me traveling out to Remoulins to visit Pont du Gard. This is the best remaining part of the acqueduct system built by the Romans to bring water from a spring outside Uzes to Nimes. It is almost 50 km long, and descends by only 12.6 meters over its length. Seriously impressive piece of engineering.
The road to Pont du Gard from Remoulins.
Pont du Gard from Rive Droite.
Views down river and up river from the pedestrian bridge.
View from the Rive Gauche.
While walking to the museum, where I will catch a tour that allows me in the actual aqueduct itself (i.e. the top part), I come across this tree. This tree is the oldest tree on the site, dating back over 1,000 years. It is really impressive.
Here is the view of the back side of the acqueduct from the Rive Gauche. This is all the original Roman Structure. If I recall right, the bridge that you cross over (called the Pont Moderne) is actually from a later period, built right beside the original arched structure (i.e. design still the same as the original)
Here are views both down river and up river from the top of the acqueduct before we go through.
In the acqueduct. So the Pont du Gard was made of limestone, which is very porous. So the Romans actually coated the inside with a sealant that is water proof. In some areas of the acqueduct you can see if behind the mineral deposits. It is a red color. What you see here is the mineral deposits. Over the centuries (the acqueduct was still in use as late os the 6th Century), this built up as water went through.
View up and down river after crossing through the acqueduct.
After crossing, there is a little hike down. I found the scenery very familiar as this looks like the woods (same terrain, and same trees) that I used to tramp around in my Grandparents' back pasture (now my parents' back pasture, what is called the 7 Acre Woods). Who knew that central Texas and Southern France had that in common.
After a great day, a glass of Rose with a great view was in order.
If you are in that part of France, Pont du Gard is a MUST VISIT. Absolutely stunning. Day 13 and Nimes coming up.
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Dinner that night was a light affair. I went through this little portico onto the rue du Cloitre, right past the Antique Theater.
Next to the Hotel du Cloitre is L'Ouvre Boite (also called L'Epicerie du Cloitre), an open air cafe that gives the impression of being in a sort of tree-house.
First a little wine. Cousin Oscar from Domaine Zimbert.
This place does Tapas, but a lot of it is cured and canned. So I went with olives and squid in its own ink.
Definitely a great place for a light meal or a quick snack.
Arles Amphitheater, built in 90 AD by teh Romans, is still in use and in great shape.
Place de la Republique and the Hotel de Ville
Notre Dame la Major
More stuff at night.
The Rhone River.
Arles streets under moonlight.
And that wraps up Day 12.
Penelope Witherspoon's Travel Thread
in Food and Travel
Posted
Am starting to plan for 2019 and 2020. So far, I have the following:
2019 - Sicily (and maybe Malta) -Late September
2020 - Martinique (Mom's 70th Birthday) - Late February (for Carnival)
2020 - Alaska Cruise (Dad's 75th Birthday) - Late July or August
Everything else is hazy. Have the Ionian Islands, Morocco, Portugal, Puglia (Italy), South of France (yes, again, but hopefully for a month), Istanbul, Egypt and Petra, Thailand, Bali, Croatia, a Dracula Tour in Romania/Eastern Europe, and the Trio of Vienna, Prague and Budapest. I know, that is a long list, but I am hoping to knock off a lot of that in the next 5 years.