October 14 - Avignon

The mistral wind continues to blow.  I’m not sure how strong it is but I’m sure that they are exceeding sixty kilometers / hour.  When I was at the top of the Rocher des Dome this afternoon, I felt that I was going to be blown over.  We were told that Mistral wind is most intense in Avignon along the Rhone River.

The change in air pressure when the Mistral wind blows can affect the mood of people in the area. There is an old Napoleonic law that states that a plausible defense for murder is the fact that mistral winds have been blowing for more than three days in a row.  

The cold virus has claimed more victims.  Both John and Rocky are down.

This morning we went on an excursion to Pont-du- Gard and Uzès.

 

Aqueduct at Pont-du-Gard

Pont-du-Gard is a ancient Roman aqueduct that crosses the River Gardon is two thousand years old.  It is still standing and is an outstanding example of Roman engineering.   The aqueduct provided water from a spring in Uzès and moved it to the village of Nimes over a fifty kilometer route.

Because of the uneven terrain between the two points, the mostly underground aqueduct followed a long, winding route that called for a bridge across the River Gardon. The Pont du Gard is the highest of all elevated Roman aqueducts

The bridge has three tiers of arches, standing 49 metres high. The whole aqueduct descends in height by only 17 metres over its entire length, while the bridge descends by a mere 2.5 cm , a gradient of only 1 in 3,000, which is indicative of the great precision that Roman engineers were able to achieve, using only simple technology. The aqueduct carried an estimated 200,000 cubic metres of water a day to the fountains, baths and homes of the citizens of Nîmes. The lack of maintenance after the 4th century meant that it became increasingly clogged by mineral deposits and debris that eventually choked off the flow of water.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire and the aqueduct's fall into disuse, the Pont du Gard remained largely intact, due to the importance of its secondary function, as a toll bridge. For centuries the local lords and bishops were responsible for its upkeep, in exchange for the right to levy tolls on travellers using it to cross the river.

Today it is one of France's most popular tourist attractions  and of course it is an UNESCO Heritage site.  But then of course what isn't an UNESCO Heritage site in France.

Farmer's Market in Uzès

We then went to Uzès, where the weekly market was taking place. It was filled with fresh cheese, fruit, vegetables and meat.

The circular streets around the historical center were once walls that protected a Medieval castle. The ancient center houses Le Duché, a medieval castle with four towers, the lovely Place aux Herbes where the market takes place It also has multiple terrace cafés and surrounding arcades, and the tall Fenestrelle tower at the cathedral is  fashioned after the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Uzès is the home to the Duke of Uzès and their title has been in place since 1088AD making it the premier title in the peerage of France, coming right after the Kings sons known as the Princes of the blood. The Duke of Uzès lives in Le Duché in the centre of the village.

In the afternoon Marg went shopping in Avignon and I went sightseeing.  She didn’t find anything that was of interest to her in her travels.  I went to the Rocher des Dome which is a garden next to the Pope’s Palace that has outstanding views of Avignon and the surrounding area.

Pont d'Avignon

Tonight for dinner we had a seafood buffet with lobster stew, scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and sea bass, just to name a few of the dishes.

After dinner there was the traditional staff talent show.  Here is a suggestion to the cruise director, cross dressing butlers are neither shocking nor funny any longer.  There is a reason why the staff is not on Broadway.  They are not professional entertainers.  I know they are trying their hardest to entertain us but .....