Today we did a bus tour around the Provence area. Mary and Sophia decided to stay at the hotel while PJ joined us in our adventures. We started by going to Avignon and toured the Palais des Papes. A humongous palace that 7 popes and 2 anti-popes lived for 70 years. They believed in living the materialistic good life. The kids didn't really enjoy it but they liked the attention the students gave them. After lunch, we went to Le Pont du Gard to see an aqueduct built by the Romans in the 1st century AD. It used to carry water to Nimes. Not only did we walk up to it, but we went through the tunnel that carried the water. It was impressive. The engineering achievement of this spectacular structure was awe-inspiring. Today, the area has become a place to bath in the sun and jump off the cliffs. The kids loved running through the aqueduct and dipping their feet in the creek. Our last stop was Les Baux de Provence, a medieval fortress located on a rocky plateau in the Alpilless mountains. Its claim to fame is a descendant of Magus Balthazar, one of the 3 wisemen, built it. It was very beautiful and different from all the other towns that we have seen. Jackson and Jack went to Baux Citadel and climbed to the top of the fortress. It gave them excellent views of the surrounding area. There were many ruins from the medieval times including a trebuchet. A trebuchet is a device used to defend the castle in the Middle Ages. It catapults stones that weigh more than 100 kilos. Jackson enjoyed using the audioguide on the tour. Gracie and I went shopping and tried different olive oils which the area is known for. We reconnected with Mary and Sophia at the hotel for dinner. We ate in the hotel courtyard and had some of the goodies in the day tapenade and roasted red peppers. We had wine from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the same winery that Popes of Avignon used. It was good, a combination of 30 grapes. It was a busy day.
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