Tuesday, April 11, 2017--Avignon
There were two main goals this morning: 1) To go to Les Halles, the local market just a couple of blocks from where I am staying, and 2) To see if I could get a ticket tot he concert tonight. I did both and more before the morning was out.
Les Halles is just unbelievable. The building is modern with green plants completely covering some of the exterior walls. But it is what is inside that is so beautiful. The space is clean, well lighted, and the displays absolutely beautiful--stalls selling meat, fish, poultry, wines, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, candies, chocolates, baked goods, deli concoctions, etc. Each display is like a work of art. The selection is almost impossible to imagine and is so elegant with wonderful arrangements, beautiful products, etc. I wandered around taking photos, then I went throughout it again just looking at what it is possible to buy. Eventually, I settled on two things for me--a mini-quiche (called a tartelette) with courgettes (zucchini) and goat cheese from a deli counter and a pink praline brioche (a sweet bun coated in pink sugar-coated pieces of almond and chunks of raw sugar). Fortunately, I knew how to pronounce courgettes, but I am not sure if I chose the right pronunciation for pralines in French, although the lady did not hesitate and selected just what I had asked to buy.
When I arrived at the Opera House at 10:55, there was only a couple ahead of me hoping to get tickets. I had worried that tickets might not be available (meaning already sold out), since the website would not advance to the ticketing page. But The lady pointed out an end seat in the orchestra on the 14th row for me. I got my ticket, so I will hear a concert tonight by Templin jeunes intramentistes.
During the early afternoon I finished reading The Wonder by Emma Donoghue. It's about a young girl who claims not to have eaten anything for four months since her first communion and one of the nurses who was brought to the village in Ireland to watch her to make sure that she truly is not eating (since some hope a true miracle is happening that will bring tourism to town and possible result in the town being the home of a designated saint of the Church. It is well written for the most part. (There are some thoughts/statements by the nurse that just seem to crop up too often.) The characters and their motivations are believable. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.
At 16:00, I returned to the Pope's Palace. I was told that the Grande Audience still was not open to the public and would not be for 3 more days. So I decided to go ahead and tour the palace. I got the audio-guide which helped because the interior rooms today are mostly stripped of all decoration. The guide told about the windows, walls, floors and ceilings at the time the popes were here and what happened in each room. The palace is a huge complex, but was built in just a few years. Back then, popes didn't live long after being named to the position. All but two of the Avignon popes had the position for 10 or fewer years. Now that I have had the tour, I don't really think I missed much by not seeing the Grande Audience (where they were having a wine tasting/sales convention. I was in the chapel above it which is the same size and has a higher ceiling.
I will be off to my concert now. Will write about it tomorrow.
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