Avignon, Haribo, and Uzes

The Roman Catholic Popes lived in Avignon for a hundred years in the 1300's and left a beautiful palace that was really a city of huge rooms. Located on the banks of the Rhone, Avignon was a central location that was much easier to serve the people than the city of Rome which was in the midst of a civil war. The day was hot, hot, hot. Sweating in the sun, the large stone cavernous rooms were a cool respite.

Haribo is an old candy manufacturer near Nimes that has been making candy for a hundred years. Their museum was a display of automation that creates the sugary rocket fuel. Of course, there's a large gift shop where the kids can grab their treasures. Hannah and

 Ava were delighted to finally go to a real museum.

Our local town St. Mamert du Gard had their annual running with the bulls festival one of the weekends. They take some young bulls, fence of the 

streets and begin prodding them with large spears. Once angry, the bulls are corralled behind a group of white hors

es (the native breed) and paraded through the 

streets 

until frustrated enough to break off and run on their own. The local high school boys try to run the young bulls down, and stop their forward progress by grabbing on to the tail. Everyone was having loads of fun except Nicole, me and Ava, who saw the bull poop and pee out of fear. Not very terrorizing.

Near Nimes the sunflowers and lavender were blooming. Fields of them. It was hard for a driver to see them since the roads were so narrow. There was barely enough room for two cars and no median strip to decipher sides. Tail gating and passing in the narrow lanes are common violations of personal space, another cultural difference. 

In Uzes, a larger medieval town that's centers the area has a castle that still belongs to the duke of Uzes. The interior has been renovated and since the family comes to visit, the place is furnished with victorian pieces and on the walls hang portraits of the family's ancestors. All the eyes of the past follow you around as you walk through the rooms.