Weds 27th Tarascon DAY 3

We went to Avignon today giving ourselves a rest from biking - took the bus (50mins) and came back by train (12mins)... no comment but the bus driver tried hard to get us there quickly.

Avignon was great. We were told by our Hotel that the festival was over yesterday and we'd missed everything but this was far from correct. There were 5 stages in one theatre with 5 shows a day on each one. Every cast member was out and about shoving leaflets into would-be punters hands and singing/acting small previews of what they were going to do later! Early shows were family oriented - later ones definitely needed baby-sitters for under 16s!

Rob at (NOT sur) la Pont dAvignon

We went to the Pont, of course....but neither of us realised that no-one had bothered to finish it! We found all the proper information later but won't bore any of you with THAT!

Going ON the Pont dAvignon was quite expensive so we didn't but, instead, had a very good menu for lunch instead. Actually you can see the bridge much better from a distance and from above in the Dom's gardens. Also PA and Stu might go there in Sept so they can tell us if it was worth it!

Avignon is a really pretty place with lovely streets to stroll along and interesting stuff to go and see. There was the Palais du Papes which was HUGE and next to it one of the darkest churches we've ever been in right next to the Palais.

Defence d'Afficher....er...NOT!

Apart from the actors etc handing out leaflets there was the most amazing wall posting we've ever seen. No-where was left untouched and just to the left of this pic was a bloodly great sign that said DEFENCE D'AFFICHER....which wasn't actually covered but had been completely ignored - wonderful.

We had lunch in the bistro on the left hand side of this road (see below) - no traffic in the traditional sense but lots of bands and a particularly funny one-man-band who was covered in all his instruments (banjo, trumpet and whistle-thing as well as voice, and then above (played with his feet via strings and levers) cymbal, hi-hat and cowbell. He also had a bicycle bell and a few other sound FX. His songs ranged from French stuff to 'Has anybody seen my girl?' and 'Waltzing Matilda' with French verses but English chorusses: crazy but hilarious and we had him right the way through lunch over on the right hand side of the road.

Plane trees and great lunch place too (one-man-band to the left)

Les Halles in Tarascon - lovely cool place to wander

We wandered about lots and then got the train (perfectly on time) back to Tarascon. Rob then cleaned lots of mud and filth off the bike ready for the next three days of travelling - much to the amusement of the hotel manager who said he thought it might help me to sleep better tonight. Tarascon is really pretty (..if a little Tramp-ridden) but with pleasant cafes and places to eat. We did think we might look at the Castle but Avignon was much too much fun so we didn't make it. These are some of the Tarascon streets - we're just gonna go out and get a beer or two before having a rest before supper!

Thought I'd do today's blog BEFORE going out as last night's was done this morning - great meal and wine was not conducive to coherent blogging!

Off to Italy tomorrow! We should go through the 1000mile mark before lunch!