On the TGV on our way to Arles
Zookie along the Rhone river in Arles
The saturday market on the ring road in Arles
Olives anyone?
Spices in the Arles market
Lavender from Provence
The Musee de L'Arles et de la Provence Antiques has a collection of models of what the city was like during the Roman Empire
The models are wonderfully detailed, with bears...
...and fallen chariot horses!
The museum also has wonderful Roman artifacts, like this sarcophagus
and this giant urn used to transport wine during Roman times.
These are lead pipes that were used for plumbing thousands of years ago
A collection of vases from the ancient Roman times...
...and Roman mosaics too!
Zookie in front of a very "Provence" door
The beautiful Romanesque west portal of the St. Trophime Church in Arles
The cloister of St. Trophime
We stumbled upon the Gipsy Kings promoting their new album
They held a signing in Arles because that is where half the group was from
But the turnout was surprisingly small. They must be less popular in France than the U.S.!
In Avignon, at the Palais de Papes. (Where the Pope lived during the 14th century)
The Palais de Papes was built right on the rock.
Dan & Zookie at the Pont St. Benezet in Avignon
Back in Arles, Zookie makes a new friend...
...and enjoys lunch in a quiet restaurant
Dan and Zookie in the courtyard at our hotel, "Hotel du Musee"
We went to see the Roman Amphitheater
This tower is the only one still standing from when the amphitheater was used as fortifications for the "mini-town" it held inside during times of war.
The amphitheater is still used today for bullfights and the "Course Camarguaise".
Kimberly on her way to her seat for the Course Camarguaise...basially "bull tag."
The event starts with a procession of horses
Women arrive in period costumes
...and out comes the bull
There are two teams of "raseteurs"
Their goal is to use a hook on their hands remove these little ribbons off the bull's horns
So they take turns running by the bull trying to pull off the ribbons
The setting was amazing...to be in the Roman amphitheater!
It's dangerous because they have to get really close to the bull...
...and then jump out of the ring before the bull spears him with his horns!
The bull does not get killed, like in a bullfight
In fact, you cheer for the bull and they play the theme from Carmen when he does something exciting!
The bull managed to get further and further up over the fence.
This time the bull actually jumped out of the ring!
So all the people on the perimeter quickly jumped inside!
It was crazy....the bull was running around the corridor, until finally someone got him back inside!
Streets of Arles at night
Where Van Gogh painted his famous "Cafe Terrace at Night"
The amphitheater by moonlight
In the provence coutryside, the castle at Les Baux sits on top of the rugged Alpilles mountains
Daniel and Zookie wandering the streets of Les Baux
In the cemetary in Les Baux
Zookie and the giant catapult!
The view of the olive groves and vineyards from Les Baux
Kimberly and Zookie enjoying the views of Provence
Spectacular!
Daniel and Zookie exploring the castle at Les Baux
Zookie was a bad puppy!
The view of the town of Les Baux from the top of the castle
Some of the remains of the castle
Zookie admiring the castle of Les Baux from a nearby perch
We enjoyed a sunny picnic lunch
Vineyards in the Cote du Rhone
Kimberly and Zookie in the "Cote du Rhone" village of Gigondas
Wine tasting in the local Caveau
Locals bring jugs to the caveaus and fill up wine directly from giant containers
This is the car where Dan learned to drive stick!
-- the second highest standing Roman structure (just 2 yards shorter than Rome's colosseum)
At the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct
Family photo in Provence
