Arles from the bus station |
We have been invited today, to join Johanna, Oliver, Ella and Paul to their weekend “home” outside of Arles for a picnic. It will be a busy day, as tonight we drive to Nimes to see` the incomparable Ricao Bissiere in concert.
Arles is an
easy and picturesque 30-minute drive thru the Carmargue (fancy French swamp
dotted with horses and flamingos). Annette rides home with us and we will shop
at the Weds. marche’ for our picnic items.
Annette’s home is close by the marche on a pedestrian street. Yep, the
French have streets in cities that you cannot drive on. Oh, the wonder! There
are special barriers that sink below the streets when vehicles absolutely must
get by. The pedestrian streets are the heart of the city.
Arles Weds.
market is not as large as the Saturday one, but damn, I’d kill to have one half
the size of today’s, with half the goods anywhere within an hour of Vero Beach.
Fort Pierce is anemic by comparison.
Welcome to the farm |
We say our
found farewell to Annette and blaze off down the street to meet up with Johanna
and Ella and follow them to the farm. Hwy’s lead to 2 lane roads, to single
farm roads and eventually down a dirt road. Farms dot the landscape. Country
homes abound in all sorts of repair and disrepair.
Oliver and
Paul await us when we arrive, to swing open the simple rope barrier which keeps
the horses on their land. The horses have the run of the place on the weekends,
when the family is there. Oliver’s sister has a beautiful home on the next
property, with a courtyard under well-established trees. Cars parked, we are
lead down the mud road past a corral, a sailboat under a grey tarpaulin and
into the glade which is their yard. Every year they replant the grass. It is young
and tender; the color of spring. Friends have given them an old caravan, so now
they can sleep on their property in comfort. A lovely stucco barn with stables,
tack room, large work area, running water and most importantly, a toilet,
complete their getaway.
The weekend getaway |
We spend
several idyllic hours chatting, playing with kids and boat “fixin’ up”. Johanna
and Ella will meet us for the concert in Nimes. It’s time to go back to SMDLM
to recoup ourselves, find Elena and go to the concert
.
.
The children anoint Caty's toes |
There is
more GPS chaos. Cathy has the route she remembers, and GPS disagrees with her.
But as we reach the city center of Nimes it becomes more critical to believe in
the GPS. Routes have changed because of the Feria. We are running late. Cathy
is horrified that the Gypsy’s might sell our tickets if we get there too late. They
are gypsy’s you know. This time Elena is expelled from the car to go in and explain
we are circling like buzzards around the hotel looking for the parking
entrance. With 12 minutes to go, we take the correct turn (remember – many
walking only streets intown) into the garage and park, throw on our jackets and
run for the stairs.
Our front
row tickets are there but where are Johanna and Ella? Cathy takes off again
with strict orders to us to tell the folks at the door that we are friends of
“Caty de Floride”.
We do indeed
have front row tickets and the show is absolutely stunning. Ricao comes out
alone and plays masterfully for several songs. All end and begin with
OLE! He is joined on stage by 2 other guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and Flamenco dancers. OLE!
OLE! He is joined on stage by 2 other guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and Flamenco dancers. OLE!
This is one
of Ella’s first grown up concerts. She is a bundle of excitement. OLE! Which
eventually peaks when she and Elena go on stage to dance the flamenco with
others from the audience. OLE!
But in the end,
it is Harvey which saves the day, as he is dressed in his magic blue sports
coat and goes up to the front desk to ask how much parking will be. We have
counted on about 25-35 euros. The desk clerk takes one look at the distinguished
American gentleman who speaking bad French and comps the parking. OLE!
Ella Bella dances
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