Île-sur-la-sorgue and Arles

Two things. First, I love France (that's a given). Second, one of the reasons, rail system. I do not understand (neither does my host mom) why the U.S. (one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world) has not caught up with the rest of the first world and invested in a rail system. Yesterday, I was able to hop on the train and visit two cities for less than 7 euro (round trip, mind you). The trains are nice, fast, and very convenient. Why haven't we done this? Anyway, I went to Ile-sur-la-sorgue and Arles.

Île-sur-la-sorgue

This tiny village is often referred to as the "Venice of Provence" because, after all, it's an island on the Sorgue river. Everywhere you turn there are bridges, antique shops, bakeries, etc. Also, notice how clear the water is; it's refreshing to be somewhere and not see cigarette buts, paper, and trash all over the place. Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be there on a market day. Hundreds of locals were making their way down the street stopping here or there browsing, chatting with the vendor, or once tired, reposing in the garden watching the ducks and pigeons. The town is very relaxing; however, you can see the entire place in two hours (if you walk fast like me). So, needless to say, I got kind of bored here. It would be nice if I had the money to buy that antique dish set worth 1000 euro (probably once belonged to one of the Bourbons), but nevertheless, I'm not that bourgeois. Also, the main church that the village is known for was closed because of Easter Monday (lundi Pacques in French). Zut!

Arles

Arles is an interesting, big town. It was once a key port city during the reign of Julius Caesar because it was the first place to have a bridge over the Rhone river. It was also a place that helped Julius Caesar defeat Marseille; thus, everywhere you turn there's some Roman ruins. Also, this is the town where Van Gogh painted with Paul Gauguin's company, and where he (Van Gogh) left part of his ear to a prostitute. In the town there's a huge Colosseum, a couple of Roman amphitheaters, and a stunning cathedral. However, while I was there the Corrida (festival of the bull fight) was in full swing. I didn't get to watch the bull fight because I arrived too late, but I did get to try to navigate my way through the huge crowds of people (thousands of people, mind you). I stayed here for maybe three hours and called it a day. It's not fun in my opinion to be crammed in small alleyways with hundreds of people (plus pickpockets). So, I plan to return to Arles another time to explore the area more intimately.

Have a good week everyone, and as always, stay tuned. -Kyle