Lazy

So I feel as though I have been lazy the last couple of days…okay the last week. I have been hanging out with the family and gone on my computer and that is it. It is hard to plan things when I do not want to bother the family but I am just sick of staring at the computer screen. I have taken some walks during the day but the other villages are a bit far so I have been staying in Vallabregues. I asked to return to Tarascon on Tuesday for their market, as well as to explore the city and get my keychain. Today Alan is dropping me off in Avignon again, so I can explore by myself.

One would think okay, he drops you off you have a meeting place and time, done. It was not that easy. I did not understand if he was telling me to meet him in 4 hours or at 4 o’clock. He had no idea what o’clock meant and just kept repeating heure which did not help me. He dropped me off after I said yes to some time, and agreed to meet in this exact place. After walking around for an hour I called Ann-Francoise to verify that it was 4 o’clock and 5 hours.

I had checked the weather before I left the house and it was supposed to be 7*F. I was excited and chose to wear my sandals so my toes could breath. This was a great idea until I got out of the car and realize just how cold it really was. My tank top, t-shirt and sweater were not enough and my toes were not happy with my choice. I had the map Ann-Fracoise gave me from our last visit and decided to skip getting another (better one) or even look at it, instead I followed the sun. I literally chose to walk down any street I saw that had the sun shining in it. I often would have to change streets and had no idea where I wound up or was as the map I had did not have all of the street names.

I followed my nose to a bakery and got a baguette, which was so good I cannot tell you. Maybe it was because I have not been eating a lot, or that my breakfast was small, or that the bread was warm but whatever it was the bread was good! I ate half of it before I went anywhere. I found a historical site and read about the street and how it is a waterway and has had many names through the years. It explained how this street connects the old wall to the new wall as well. I found a bench in the sun and ate more of my baguette and the banana I brought from home.

I felt much better and continued to wander the streets for a couple of hours. Then I found a church and went inside, it was nothing special at all. How could this be where many popes lived and the church is so puny? I kept walking and found my way to another church where I decided I should look for where I was. I had no idea the name of the church so that did not help me in finding where I was. I am not quite sure how but in two hours, I did not pass one thing that looked popeish, where was his palace? This church I knew was something special though since the inside was all gold. It was beautiful but the ceiling was bare. All I could think was that they needed some Italians to come and help them out with the ceiling. As soon as I left the church I saw a sign for the Popes promenade, no map needed.

I followed the sign, followed another sign and nothing. Where do I go? I found a couple of signs after that that pointed in opposite directions. Somehow I wound up at some stairs and decided to take them. There were a lot a lot a lot of stairs. I kept walking and there was a curve and I walked some more it was a bit crazy. I reached the top and there were people looking out at the view, which was beautiful. I arrived at the Roches des doms, which is the garden next to the Popes Palace. I found it! I walked around and then sat for a long while looking at the Basliqe Metropolitaine Notre-Dame-des-Doms basking in the sun.