Nimes

Friday morning we headed to Nimes, the town denim was first made in (de’nim) I really wanted to buy a pair of jeans from Nimes, but sadly, found none. I don’t think the French are as crazy about jeans as Americans are, we rarely see anyone in jeans, but if we do we say “they must be American.”

Close to the coast, the countryside looked to me like I would imagine Italy does. Vineyard after vineyard, row after row, the growing grapes are soon to become wine on someone’s table.

 Vineyards and Sea

In Nimes, we discovered they were having a Feria De Nimes festival, a Pentecost celebration. Their were street venders selling chapeaus (hats) and matador scarves. I finally bought a floppy hat and Kurt bought a scarf to wear on our heads, the sun was beaming that day. 

Then there were the food vendors selling mostly paella in huge woks. The kids ate that, but I opted for pizza. French people, we have discovered, don’t eat lunch on the run like we do. They sit…they smoke…they talk and laugh…they have a drink…then they order their food. They savor each bite…then they smoke…then drink…then talk and laugh…then they have dessert. Then when all that is done they have a café (and a smoke). A course of its own, café is meant to be enjoyed all by itself.

 My Pizza Lunch

 Paella

Roman Coliseum

We learned that there was a bullfight that evening, which was four hours later. We sat on a big green lawn, filled with festival goers, and decided if we should go back to Baran or stay for the bullfight.

                                                                  Purchasing our tickets

                                                  

 Chelsea REALLY wanted to stay for it. I really didn’t care to, but since they wanted to, we did. We spent the afternoon looking at the historic sites of Nimes. There was the most beautiful ornate fountain.

 We saw Maison Carree, built in 19 B.C. It is hard to comprehend that length of time, and imagine the people who built it. We climbed many many steps to see the city garden. Very tiring, but very lovely as well.