Farewell to Avignon

On our last full day in Avignon we joined a walking tour of the old town to explore the culinary delights with Aurelie. We were in a group of 5 Americans and 2 Poms and everyone was very friendly and compatible. We started off in the gardens near the tourist bureau and finished up at the main markets. We started with a chocolatier who explained the chocolate making process in details I had never heard before and had us taste samples from Brazil and Ghana and there is a difference. It's like wine though I doubt that my life will be long enough to allow me to discern the difference between a good Brazilian and a mediocre Ivory Coast bean. We tried a lovely ganache then, for a Provençal experience, a ganache that had been flavoured with thyme. Interesting, but no one saw themselves gobbling them down in quantity.

 Then it was off to a coffee shop that roasted its own and sold specialty teas. We tried local specialty biscuits flavoured with orange water - could take them or leave them really but they are traditional. Then off to a bakery for fougasses (yum) which is a Christmas thing. At the markets we tasted a variety of olives, cheeses, toast with olive tapenade and dried tomato pastes and walnut bread with sheep cheese and honey. Finally, we got to taste the famous Chateauneuf du Pape wine - and it is really good. Only about €28 but can't imagine the price in Oz.

 Thursday was our day to catch the train to Nice. Up bright and early, we cleaned up the flat so Cecile wouldn't think us complete slobs and fortunately, Warwick had already disposed of all the wine bottles. Really odd that you leave bags of recycling and rubbish out on the street for collection but they don't take bottles. These go in neighbourhood bottle banks - which involves a walk.
We had tickets on the TGV direct to Nice but after a while when our train didn't show up on the departures board, I made enquiries at the info counter, where they did speak English. 'No, it's cancelled," the woman said. 'So you will need to go to the ticket office and change your tickets.' At the ticket office they did not speak English and I was rather challenged, but I was assured that we just used our TGV tickets to get on a regional service to Marseille and then change for Nice. The trains were shitty and they didn't check our tickets but we got here, and on time. Still don't know why the TGV was cancelled - hope it was the floods, in which case we couldn't really argue. In Nice, we made contact and were asked to catch a tram to St Francois Square, where our 'bijou' apartment is again up 42 steps. No lifts in the old town.
It's a small, but perfectly formed apartment, looking onto the square where there is a daily fish market. So convenient! And next to some sort of medical clinic that involves a lot of men sitting on the steps outside - don't know what that is about. And great alleyways of shops - particularly butcheries, charcuterie and even a triperie. Luxury! Scarcely a veg in sight! But looks very inviting and we can't wait to explore.