JA Activity at Pont du Gard and Palais du Pape

I was again forced to go to Pont du Gard and The Palais du Pape in Avignon.  As you might see I really like this area of Provence.  OK the activity was actually my Idea.  But they really wanted to go.  The JA had a great time.  It is a strange thing.  This Pont du Gard is 2000 years old and none of them had ever been to it before.  It is only 1 hours away from Marseille.  This is our third time to Pont du Gard so not too many pics.  Mostly of the JA who I have grown to love a great deal.  We are family.  For some odd reason they tend to like Mom and me.  They include us in all their activities.  If we don't go they are very disappointed, so we go to everything.   I guess we are fun.

Pont Du Gard avec Les JA de Marseille

It is a difficult life living in Provence.  

JA de Marseille avant Le Palais du Pape

To tired to walk.

Our Day in Aix en Provence

Tomorrow is our Presidents last Zone Conference before he goes home.  Since we are the only couple in The Provence region he ask us to go to dinner with he and his wife.  We had a couple hours to kill before meeting he and his wife for dinner so we walked the ville.  These photos don't do the ville justice.  I took them with my ipad.  I want to make one comment here.  I make one criticism about France here.  Since they have NO!!!! public bathrooms, No, not even pay ones anywhere in Provence, I could have gotten uromysotysis and died. 

Mirabeau  Fountain Aix en Provence

Who said France doesn't like the USA.  How else can one show love than to make a Red,White and Blue bikini

Oh yeah the pastries

I just had to get some pics of me so some day they would say, "Oh yeah, Dad was there also"

You know I love alley ways.  They always lead somewhere interesting. 

Italian Gilato

"P" day at the Vieux Port

After getting things organized for the week, mom and I went to the Palais du Pharo at the entrance to the Vieux Port.  It is a public park that over looks the port.  The fort in the back ground behind Jeannine is Fort St Jean.  Built in 1660, it is now a museum of European and Mediterranean history.  In our travel to the park we went by way of Metro.  We take the Metro to the down town area because it is less of a hassle to park.  This may bring back fond memories to Aaron and Jared.  As we descend the stairs down in to the bowels of the Marseille Metro System there is a familiar smell that slowly penetrates ones sense of smell.  Yes, it is the smell of Urine.   At first you sniff and think, OH NO!  then as you descend further you realize there is no escaping it.  At first it is a bit annoying, then one grows accustom to the pungent odor.  Then before you know it you can't even recognize it is there.  Even if you try to recognize the smell, you can't.  It has become a part of your very being.  It is at this time you realize you are no longer a visitor.  And you say to yourself, "I am one of them".  Enjoy the photos.

Panorama of the Vieux Port from Fort St Jean on the left to Notre Dame De La Gard to the right.

Vieux Port, Marseille

I know I took a lot of photos of the Vieux Port, but it is a unique place.  All Mediterranean ports are similar, Monaco, Nice, Cannes, Toulon and Marseille,  Marseille is the largest of all the French Riviera ports and is the only one with two forts on either side of the entrance.  Fort St Jean on  the west side and Fort St Nicolas on the east.  Both were constructed in 1660.  The Vieux Port dwarfs all other ports.  It is the oldest of the ports and  has the most history.  It was used by the Greeks in 600 BC. 

Jeannine with Fort st Jean in background. 

The tower of Fort St Jean

Me with Notre Dame de La Gard in top left corner.

Some kids swimming on the Fort St Nicolas side of the port.  This water is crystal clear.

Fort St Nicolas in the foreground with Notre Dame De La Gard on the hill.  Taken from the Palias de Pharo.  And yes that is a gold Mary on top.