Salon

Finally arrived in Salon and the hotel was lovely, set round a courtyard and in the middle of the town. Waiting in our room was a dozen red roses, wine and sweets, I was so impressed by the hotel I never read the card till P got back from parking the car, then I found

out that he had arranged them as a romantic gift for me ( group ahh) I know how nice was that!

We had paid the extra £5 for aircon and were very pleased

that we did.

Up the next morning breakfasted with croissants and coffee for me and then

we had a good wander about Salon. Checked out their main claim to fame a large fountain covered in plant life so it looked like a big green mushroom. There was a

big market so we had some fruit but didn't buy any cheap clothes.

We got the bus to Arles where we visited all the sites, the Roman amphitheatre ( which was going to have bull dancing later... this is not like bull fighting in that the bull is not stabbed or killed but the “dancers” have to collect streamers from the bulls horns , very dangerous and quite a spectacle). We decided to try out the tourist train to see what we might have missed and get a commentary on the history. Sadly apart from not having to walk we got no more information. Scorching hot day again and I was glad I had packed a sun hat, not easy when it is a shaped straw one and I only had a carry on bag.

A lovely city with the huge Rhone flowing through it.

We hunted down the cafe that Van Gogh painted in “Cafe terrace at night” and which I have a large poster of on my wall, tried to recreate the poster with me in it but too much cafe furniture and tourists.

Out for dinner and after the usual wander from café to café checking the menus and we settled on crepes, so we had gallette ( a savoury crepe) to start then I had lemon juice and sugar crepe for dessert ( just like mum used to make.) A nice jug of Provence rose to wash it down.

We came across a jazz band so stayed and listened to them for a while.