Laundry Day in Avignon

I'm sitting in the laundromat because, when you stay in a hotel, the last thing you want to do is pay $4 to wash and dry every pair of socks. On the other hand, somebody gets to sit in the laundromat while the other person goes wandering. What better time to blog?

Today was the day to explore Avignon. We went first to the imposing Palace of the Pope's. For a fascinating century or so the papacy camped in Avignon. Avignon might have sacked, but at least Pope's were safe here. Rome was downright nasty.

The Palace was packed today with very large tour groups and roving hordes of high school students. The latter were probably bored stiff - I was too. The imposing central court had been turned into a tiered open-air concert venue. We therefore shuffled along beneath the scaffolding. The inside of the Palace was a successin of huge, mostly bare, stone halls. There was a Chapel.

Most bemusing of all was the decision of the proprietors to tart up their venue with modern art which looked as if it had been assembled from Christmas decorations. 

Once we had escaped the bedlam within we lost sense of direction and walked in a circle, discovering more of the outside of the building. Little Lyn here gives you some scale.

There were other randomly impressive places as well.

We took a quiet moment in a church.

Then went in search of the cathedral. It is the one with the golden statue on top. I am on the porch out front.

Inside, we got lucky. A classical ensemble was rehearsing. We sat enthralled for half an hour while the conductor took his players and a soprano through a piece. Every so often he stopped to explain to her what he wanted. That done, a little older guy, who'd been watching all this, stepped forward and sang his bit without interruption. This was apparently satisfactory because when he was done they packed it in. It was all both beautiful and fascinating. 

We went outside and celebrated with ice cream. Then we walked to the medieval bridge over the Rhone and looked at the fast-flowing river.

 

Part of our walk back was along the outside of Avignon's massive walls.

It was well past lunch time so we grabbed supplies, ate and napped. And now I'm watching the dryer and wondering when Lyn will return - and with what new treasures.