Wednesday Pont du la Gard
First off to a market in the near town of Mouries. Strange things markets, they run them in the morning, with the result that by the time you come to cook your food in the evening, it has all started to breed vast quantities of bacteria and started to stink to high heaven. So though nice markets are, for those without refrigeration and not eating at lunch time, they are rather a window shopper’s paradise.
After a quick look around the market, it was off to Pont du la Gard to see this wonder of UNESCO. I have to be amazed that this stone bridge an aqueduct built in Roman times still stands. Maybe it was too large and too far away from large towns in the Medieval times to have been dismantled and turned into cathedrals and housing. Missing also the industrial revolution of acid rain dissolving the lime stone, suffice to say sufficient of the aqueduct remains to leave a very strong and beautiful engineered structure.
In recent years the French, or was that the EU, or UNESCO have spent a lot of money in building some grand exhibits. I learnt a lot about Roman plumbing, and was left wondering what happened during the dark ages between the Roman rule and eventually the Victorian age when sewers and plumbing came back into fashion. We all probably smelt rather bad. There was a lot to read and view in the underground exhibition hall. The film, (viewing available in English) was though rather trite, and spent more time on glamour and kissing couples. What we wanted were hard facts on when the place was built, why, and what renovation has been done.
Back to the campsite, and down to the local shop to buy the food for the evening meal. Maybe tomorrow as the market is in town we will have lunch cooked with market provenance. I see a lazy afternoon ahead.
Oh and as for weather forecasting, Meteo France got the sun and cloud right, but I really don’t count the extremely small rain shower, 10 drops on me, as showers.