Date: 2008-03-11
To: avignon
Miles today: 0.0

BonjourI am in Avignon, it is on the river Rhone, massive river. This city is famous for being the home of the Popes for 100 years whilst things were a bit politically dangerous in Rome as a civil war had broken out. The Popes built a huge palace which is marvellous to go visit, one of the best things I have seen thus far. The city is walled, and looks magnificent, this is the best place I have been to in Europe thus far. There is also a famous bridge that is half fallen down and only spans halfway across the Rhone, so I went for a walk on it. The food here in France is magical, it makes Italian food seem like peasant food. The train trip up from Perpignan was superb, passed through so many towns along the Med, and then up into the famous wine country. Each town is so gorgeous, this is what Europe is suppose to be like, in every direction you look it is like a canvas oil painting.The people are so nice, after Italy and Spain it is good to be amongst peole who understand the term service. In Perpignan I went out for breakfast, and the cleaner had packed away all my clothes, my boots and everything else I had out, and I was only paying 18 Euro per night. In Italy if someone went through your bag like that they would have stolen everything, in Spain it would have been ti,e for another siesta. Here it is so great, it is a total experience, from the food, to the monuments and palaces that are perfectly preserved, not covered in grime and blqck soot. Everything is so clean, the grss is so green, and where is the famous French arogance, it is non existant, everyone tries to help you, and even the smallest towns have their own tourist bureau. You only have to carry your bags short distance from the train station to the hotel, perfectly organised, so easy to travel. I cant describe what a beautiful country it is here, just have to come see it. On the train ride I went through a port city on the med, and there were these old glorious buildings on a river leading to the med, and some luxury 100ft yachts pulled up out the front of them, I just wanted the train to stop, and every town was the same. There are castles perched up on hill outcrops, it is a mixture of both England and Switzerland. Tommorow I am off to Geneva in switzerland and then onto Zurich to catch my flight back to London. I am a bit annoyed at myself for spending so muuch time in the south of Europe, France just blows those places out of the water, but still saw good tings down there. I have missed out on seeing Mqrseille, Paris, the atlantic coast, the alps, and on and on it goes. Oh well to france I shall have to return.This afternoon I am off to Villeneuve, the cardinls built it across the other side of the Rhone, because they found Avignon to be to smelly. It is meant to be even more stunning, and there is a huge undeveloped island in between, there is just so much to see here, even with a person like me who charges around like a madman it is impossible to fit it all in. The views from the tops of these cities are just stunning.I forgot to add, as soon as I left Spain my cough stopped, I am fully over the flu, but I have bed bugs. 4 huge bites on my right check, one massive one on my left shoulder, and one on top of my left ear. They are so itchy, and I seem to have a bit of an allergic reaction to them, had to go to the chemist, got some stuff and it has helped. But walking around with a puffed up face and big scabby legions is not a good look. I have been a bit in the wars, got the worst flu in italy, and in Barcelona copped a bad case of the squirts, one evening when I was out I had to keep going to the toilet, and was doing some of my best impersionations of Picasso, my canvas was the vitreous toilet bowl as I sprayed it everywhere? I thought it was appropriate as Picasso did spend a great deal of his life in Barcelona, think it was something I ate. Spain was an amasing place, but food was not one of thier strengths.The women here are stunning, and I love hot chocolates in this country. Finally my jeans are starting to fall off me, I look like a teenage kid wearing my jeans at half mast and showing my underwear. For the first time in my life I look rather fashion cool, and I am not even trying. Congratulations to Mum for her safe return, and crossing of bass strait without havign a spew. Thanks for the message from Fran qnd Luke, and I have some great suggestions for travellng through Europe, certainly something you must do, I find travelling by train the bet way to get around, you see the most that way, and come in the off season to avoid the crowds. Thanks to Mick for another great post, you are a marvel with a rod, I thougth your company would have been more than enough for Anu. When is Anu going to send me a message?