Day 11 - 23rd October - Arles (Part 2)
Next was the Roman Theatre. Luckily for me it was not closed during lunch. Lunch time, incidentally, was heralded by many bells at noon - marking the most important time of the day!
Roman Theatre, 1st c BC
Killer Tomes on Arles. It has lots of culture and history.
UNESCO plaque - more high class than the usual stone plaque
Theatre
Great setup - visitors can watch a video in the shade, sitting on old stones. I quite liked the open air TV.
As at Orange, only the first third is original.
Tour de Roland. The theatre survived partly because it was converted into a defensive structure (incorporated into the city walls)
Another tower
Adventuring
Church
Seats
Walking down the sun-bleached steps. She was very bored, it seems.
A possibly bored guy watching the video
Very cheap Evian: €1,50 for a probably 600ml bottle. That was cheaper than the Coke.
Arena of Arles. Again you see a defensive tower.
Another tower, 12th c. The Roman arena sheltered 212 houses.
Parking just outside
Approach
List of Principal Roman Amphitheatres (with their sizes)
The Colosseum is not the biggest! And when I'd visited Nîmes the hostel guy had told me that the Arles amphitheatre could fit in the Nîmes one, but they're almost the same size grr.
On amphitheatres
On gladiators
Clearing of the building, restoration and conservation plan
Keeping the bullfighting tradition alive - unlike in Catalonia. There's a French association of bullfighting bull breeders
Stand and wall. You don't actually sit on Roman seats - they're in too bad condition for that
Arena
Another tower
Stitch of Arena
Historical view from when there were lots of buildings inside
"Neo Pop Art. Eat your Banana and Shut Up. Disobey"
More on the arena. This was too far to read, so I used zoom.
Town view
View through window
View from top
Resting
Gallery
Souvenir shop with Lavender windows
Nice windows. As you can see it's nicer if the tourist shop is cropped off.
Arena
Dark corridor
I don't see the resemblance. Do you?
There was a place with €7 Miso Ramen. But Miso Soup cost €3,50 so I had my doubts.
Rue Renan
Rue du Refuge, I think. The name was scrawled on a door so it might have been a prank.
While looking for a recreation of Van Gogh's room, I stumbled across the premises of a deserted radio station marked on my map at the same location (I didn't find the room).
"Radio 3D FM 97.00. The culture of sound"
Studio. The DJs were presumably all at lunch.
A very old and cock chair. I sat in it and the cushion sank almost to the floor, and it was hard to get up. Maybe it was from Van Gogh's time and the map was outdated and this was all that was left of the recreated room.
Activism in the radio station for ATTAC: Association pour la Taxation des Transactions Financières et pour l'Action Citoyenne (Association for the taxation of Financial Transactions and for Citizen Action). The FAQ asks if it's a supermarket. Strangely their mission statement involves access to clean water.
Organic spices. €1 only!
Splendid Romanesque Church portal. I loved the facade of St Trophime Church. It was in almost perfect condition.
Nave
Tapestries
Painting hung damn high up
Altar
Stained Glass
Chapel
Grave
Relic of St Anthony of the Desert
Reliquary of St Anthony
Justifying relics and their veneration. The justification seems weak: "We believe in the resurrection of the body, in eternal life and in the communion of Saints that we pray in front of their relics. They are for us a sign of the presence of the Saints who intercede for us with God"
Sneaky money-making scheme: illumination in return for money. This is a typically Italian practice. I paid €2 since I didn't have any small change.
Relics Room
Relics with certificate: they are of the founders of this church, St Trophime and St Etienne
Stone of St Caesar, bishop of Arles (6th c.)
Left and right sides of relics room
Above
Robes
Chapel
Stained glass
Another chapel
Painting
Chapel and font
Gravestone
Pulpit (with no way up?)
On the baptismal font: in memory of the links with Canterbury
On the church
Obelisk and Hotel de Ville
St Anne's Church (the building beside the Hotel de Ville) was supposed to be open daily but the door was locked.
Hotel de Ville
Wut.
"The calendar of the Queen of Arles and the Maids of Honour"