May 23
Lottery and Joker on! Today has gone smoothly – or at least almost!
We got the car to the repair shop in the morning. We took the bikes off the rear rack, used the repair shop’s facilities, and set off. In the middle of Avignon is a palace built by the popes (1300-1500), where the popes, cardinals, and other Catholic officials lived and held grand wine and food feasts.
The building is quite an impressive sight. You can explore it thoroughly with the help of modern technology. Upon entering (after paying the entrance fee, of course), you get a tablet loaded with a considerable amount of interactive information in various languages. I’ve never used such a thing before. It allowed you to immerse yourself in the 15th-century ecclesiastical elite’s banquets and other aspects, such as the period’s interior decor.
Amidst all that Catholic grandeur (just as when we were marveling at churches earlier), it’s inevitable to ponder the cost of it all – and who paid for it. These popes were feudal lords in their own way. Perhaps the people of Avignon benefited somehow from the presence of the papal seat. There was work for fishermen, hunters, farmers, winemakers, builders, etc. It’s another matter how much they profited from it, but at least the popes and cardinals had a quite comfortable life – even back then!
As we cycled back to the car repair shop, we tried to find a place to eat. If we had done our homework and absorbed the information we’d received, we would have known that no self-respecting restaurant is open after two in the afternoon. For lunch, we ended up getting a grilled chicken, a baguette, and a bottle of water. We enjoyed them on a bench we found in a shady spot. A local passing by wished us a good meal… and smiled. The locals probably don’t often dine on a bench in the city! Such things are allowed for tourists, with a slightly embarrassed smile on their faces!
After our light meal, we looked for a café – we were craving a latte. None of them were open. No latte for us! On the bright side, we saved money for later use.
At the Ford repair shop, the crew had almost finished with Tellu. The front right wheel bearing was still waiting to be installed. We sat in the shop’s office to wait for the work to be completed. Within half an hour, the mechanics had the car ready, and we were on our way. Before leaving the city, we stopped at Lidl (I don’t shop at Lidl in Finland). We stocked up on essential supplies, and with Eva’s infallible navigation, we found this excellent campsite.
After a bit of basic setup, we got ready for a swim and dashed to the pool. The warm water and the gentle evening sun relaxed us. This was followed by a glass of rosé wine with strawberries. Sometimes life feels quite good. I could say: reasonably decent!