9:3:1

Hola.

Instead of studying for my grammar exam tomorrow, I am going to blog. It's a much more agreeable use of my time.

So, yesterday was our third excursion with the OU group. We started our day with a stop in Uzès, this tiny little town in Provence. There was literally nothing there, except this GINORMOUS market. Seriously, this market sold everything. Shoes, clothes, spices, fruit, vegetables, fresh bread, meat, flowers, lamps, knick knacks, and an assortment of other edible and colorful items. I love the way that markets smell...they're just so full of different scents and sensory delights. Each time you walk by a new stall, or turn the corner, you're confronted with a new palette of colors and a new smell. The scent of freshly picked fruit, the perfume of flowers, the appetizing smell of bread, the strong odor of spice stands... Yum! At the market, I bought and ate an extremely large portion of cherries (sooo delicious), and did a little souvenir shopping for some of my favorites back home.


(Spices and spices and spices...)


(Uzès.)

Around noon, we got back on the bus and drove to the embarkment point for our canoe trip. After a picnic on the beach and a traumatic experience with the squatty potties, we stripped down, lathered ourselves with sun screen (I later learned that I missed a spot), and got in our canoes. Katie, Adam, and I set out on our epic canoeing adventure. I lied. It wasn't really that epic. But it WAS absolutely gorgeous. The day was perfect, the sky was pure blue, and the water was clear and cold. We live in such a beautiful world.


(I heart France...and canoeing!)

As we were paddling along, we looked up to suddenly see Le Pont du Gard. Apparently, during the Roman period, a giant aqueduct ran for 30ish miles across Provence. With the decline of the Roman empire, the aqueduct was no longer used to actually transport water, and ended up being used as a bridge. Stones from the aqueduct were then used to construct another bridge...the Pont du Gard. Enough history. Basically, it's gorgeous.


(We came around a corner to see the Pont!)

We landed our canoes, and then Jenny, John, Erin, Adam, and I braved the freezing water and swam across the river. After getting stuck in the current for a few scary minutes, we pulled ourselves up on the warm rocks. There, we sunbathed in the perfect afternoon sun. So lovely. Most unfortunately, we had to swim back across the river to get back in our canoes, which completely killed the whole warmth thing. We then canoed under the Pont du Gard and finished the last two kilometers of the excursion. It was nice to sit down on the bus.


(Le Pont du Gard.)

Oh, and a small sidenote: nakedness in France. On the 10ish kilometer canoe trip, we saw 9 topless women, 3 bottomless men, and 1 topless and bottomless woman. We found it somewhat amusing.

When we got back home, I skyped the family (much love), and took a shower to get the river water out of my hair. Last night was La Nuit des Musées, where all the museums in Avignon are free from 7-11 at night with random street entertainment and music and generally merriment all around the centre ville. Shawna and I went to Le Petit Palais, right next to Le Palais des Papes. We saw quite a few golden haloed Christs and Marys and some saints and such, and got to see a few of the ancient statues and decorations that had been excavated from the Palais des Papes. Yay Medieval art!


(Le Palais des Papes at night.)

And that, in essence, was my Saturday. What am I going to do when I return to the US and my Saturdays aren't filled with canoeing, and Medieval art? What will I do with my time? =0

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2009868&id=1417500098&l=3a37b9e4b3

^ Link. Photos. You know.