21/7 - Avignon
Popes' Palace frontage
This was during the festival, so there were lots of performances.
Moyen Age Japonais L'art Populaire SaSaLa (Japanese Middle Ages Performance)
This was part of the Festival - I was not sure if I was supposed to give $1. There was no money in the basket and no one gave anything, so I didn't either.
In one performance, a French man was singing out of tune through a loudhailer and 2 others tried to stop him, and then carried him off when he wouldn't stop. Another had 2 French women in black doing a wth pushup position, rolling around on the floor, getting into the wheelbarrow position (with the one on top sliding down the back of the one below) and then starting to dance around around, with their hands almost touching, then getting on a cube, writhing in slow motion, curling and uncurling. Gah, Flesh Parade is more interesting. Making it worse, irritating French music was coming out of nowhere (musically) and progressing nowhere, only raising my blood pressure. Or it would have if I wasn't smiling and trying to suppress my laughter.
I paid €2 for a 1/2 pint granita. I'd peered at the crystals, but couldn't quite tell what flavour the granita was. In the end it was alright - the texture was good, but it was too sour (you'd expect that from the French - the Italian ones were too sweet). Furthermore, I saw, felt and tasted the texture of real fruit - in Italy they were all syrup (except the Citrone one I got from this guy pushing a pushcart in Naples which came with a lemon wedge).
Avignon Bridge
At both the Bridge and Palace, although the audioguide was included in the admission price, they didn't bother to tell people this. You had to squint at the sign or ask to find out. Gah. For example at the Popes' Palace they could've told me when I deposited my bag, but they didn't!
Gate
Bridge
The audioguide mentioned the 'famous refrain sung throughout the world today', in relation to the Avignon Bridge song. For some reason though, I didn't get to hear the song being sung in the audioguide. Bah. They're probably parochial enough to think the whole world knows about their song.
St Benezet's Chapel, 1184
The audioguide informed me that the bridgebuilders drew inspiration from the Pont du Gard, described as 'a few hours walk from here'. Thanks ah.
Written accounts tell us that in March 1670, 500 years after his death, they exhumed Saint Benezet's remains from the chapel and found his body in perfect condition. According to written accounts, there was no decomposition and there was a sweet smell. In 1793, during the French Revolution, rebel soldiers opened the reliquary and found that the remains had decomposed; evidently God had let the body decompose between the 17th and 18th centuries - the world was sinful even then, so they couldn't witness such miracles (perhaps God was unhappy that the Divine Right of Kings had been violated by the revolutionaries and then cursed France so the saint's body rotted). In 1984 they examined his head and found that he was 25 years old when he died.
Rhone, looking east.
Xephyris: "looks like one of the villains from some sentai gig haha"
There was a Taiwanese freak show running. One person was 'bluextraterrestrial', one was 'autumn' and one was 'dragon'. A dog was barking at the first one. Though they were Taiwanese, 'autumn''s posturing was very French.
Xephyris: "i thought it was french too hahahaha
this must be my horribly ignorant and culturally insensitive mind working"
They were carrying a "Feydeau - Tailleur pour dames" sign
I should go to Avignon one year and make a fool of myself.
One guy was very lame. He was wearing a mortarboard and had a sign reading: "HELP! I bet that I would collect 100€ today". I wonder what the wager was.
Camel man. Usually camels are made of 2 people. Maybe he was on a budget.
I saw a poster for 'Les Monologues du Penis' it was a matter of time.
I saw gazpacho in a tetrapak with a screw on cap. Hmm. The French take supermarket convenience food to a new level.
Jardins et Promenades
14th century walls, gate ('Porte de la Republique')
For dinner I went to Flunch, which someone had recommended, and her recommendations are rarely off (besides the worst Calamari in the world). I had a menu du jour - 1 chicken cylinder in a tomato sauce, 1 creme brulee (quite big) and a can of drink for €7,90. At the salad bar, water and ice were free, and there was a variety of starches: wedges, fries, yellow rice, shell pasta, potato cubes - not potato salad and mashed potato (The magic words '7 légumes différences par jour et à volonté'; yes I seem either to have missed one or been shortchanged). There were also sauces: brown pepper, tomato-courgette sauce and smooth tomato sauce. Olive oil, vinegar, ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard were dispensed at liberty too.
Unfortunately I think I attacked the wedges too enthusiastically. I hadn't felt so bloated since Singapore.
'Entree du cinema entre gratuite pour les couples' www.body-fashion.com cinema permanente - eng?
I think this note means this sign was displayed outside a cinema with this URL displayed there.
A group of people of all ages ('Avignon en Rollers') were rollerblading through the main street of the town centre. Those on the periphery were wearing fluorescent red and yellow jackets.
I think I know what the 2 flaps of skin are meant to be, but what about the last?
One train came early. Luckily it didn't leave early, like Eurolines buses.