Market Day in St. Remy
I just finished a satisfying lunch at Biscuit & Biscuit, consisting of a homemade tomato and celery soup, mixed salad, cheese scone, rose wine, dessert (I think if was creme fraiche and cherry compote), and now I'm sipping my coffee as I write. I spent a few hours this morning cruising through the weekly market and grazing samples as I went along, a little like a visit to Costco. Now I know why there are signs all over saying no parking on Monday mornings. I started by discovering more little streets of the town, looking for a parking place. I hope I can find my car again (it's a Land Rover, by the way) when I'm ready to go to Cavaillon as soon as I finish writing this. While looking, I also discovered where the post office is, and mailed cards to Chris and Charles. Then I walked to Place de la Republique, which is ordinarily a parking lot, but today is full of booths selling baskets, tablecloths a la provence, silverware, knives, shoes, purses, clothing including jungle-colored fatigues, jewelry, and a big table of cassette tapes and CDs. Everything is expensive here in France, and I've tried to refrain from buying anything, including gifts, but I splurged on a Stefan Grapelli CD and one called Havana Cafe. Two for $28--I actually got a discount by paying in American dollars. The guy selling is going to be in San Francisco in December, so I guess this saves him a trip to the bank, and bank surcharges for changing money.
The weather was still overcast and humid. Other people didn't appear to be suffering, but I had already soaked my turquoise bandana wiping my face and neck. Then I started down one of the streets that goes to the center of the old town from the Place. There is where the foods were being sold. I bought a 1/2 loaf of country-style whole grain bread and a small fougasse, a twisted bread typical of Provence. This one had olive oil and some spices in it. Also available were various cheeses, e.g. chevre and tomme a montagne, for which tasts were available. Lots of soaps made of honey and lavendar being sold all over, as well as bouquets of lavendar (lavande) and colorful flowers. Olives, olive oils, and tapanades. A few meat counters, sausages, and nougats. The Place in front of the town hall had been converted into a marketplace as well, and the booths continued to wind down a side street. Fruits such as white and yellow peaches were for sale, and melons from Cavaillon. Further down were oriental rugs, carved wooden toy animals that made various sounds when you rubbed a stick along their backs, fabric bags and dresses, chinese style shirts from tibet, and hats that looked like they might be Guatemalan fabric. Also saw watercolor miniatures in frames for sale for 16 or 20 euros, notecards and more. I was tired and hungry by the time I got to the tea shop for lunch and internet. Yesterday I wrote more than 5 pages in my journal, but it takes to long to copy it to the blog when I'm paying for it, so that will have to wait till later. Maybe in Paris, when perhaps I can use my cousins computer. Probably will be going there on Sunday evening.
The weather was still overcast and humid. Other people didn't appear to be suffering, but I had already soaked my turquoise bandana wiping my face and neck. Then I started down one of the streets that goes to the center of the old town from the Place. There is where the foods were being sold. I bought a 1/2 loaf of country-style whole grain bread and a small fougasse, a twisted bread typical of Provence. This one had olive oil and some spices in it. Also available were various cheeses, e.g. chevre and tomme a montagne, for which tasts were available. Lots of soaps made of honey and lavendar being sold all over, as well as bouquets of lavendar (lavande) and colorful flowers. Olives, olive oils, and tapanades. A few meat counters, sausages, and nougats. The Place in front of the town hall had been converted into a marketplace as well, and the booths continued to wind down a side street. Fruits such as white and yellow peaches were for sale, and melons from Cavaillon. Further down were oriental rugs, carved wooden toy animals that made various sounds when you rubbed a stick along their backs, fabric bags and dresses, chinese style shirts from tibet, and hats that looked like they might be Guatemalan fabric. Also saw watercolor miniatures in frames for sale for 16 or 20 euros, notecards and more. I was tired and hungry by the time I got to the tea shop for lunch and internet. Yesterday I wrote more than 5 pages in my journal, but it takes to long to copy it to the blog when I'm paying for it, so that will have to wait till later. Maybe in Paris, when perhaps I can use my cousins computer. Probably will be going there on Sunday evening.
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