On The Road Again

Day two of cycling - we have a short drive to meet our bikes and find Wally's bike. in a compromising position...

...perched in the fountain. There are some disapproving stares from the locals - this fountain is famous for great water, and people come with jars and jugs to get it. Hope they don't mind the footprints...

The muttering of the locals is getting louder as we ride out of town, and I think to myself, "This is how the revolution got started." 

We start the ride thru forests still cool from the evening. As we ride into the shade, it feels like diving into a pool. It's silent except for the morning calls of birds. We know it will be hot later, and of course we'll be going uphill then, but right now a jacket would be nice.

Onto the bike path...

...where even this car can't follow. Just in case the revolution has started. 

We stop in Fourcalquier where it is market day. Halloween not being a French tradition, these Musque de Provence pumpkins are sold by the slice - for eating.

Bright pink radishes share a box with their more modest cousins, the heirloom carrots.

There are plenty of cheesy purses and cheap clothing, but there are some gems mixed in.

Laguiole knives with olive wood handles, hand-forged hinges, jacquard tablecloths, and piles of sunny baskets.

A picnic in an old cloister (do you see a theme here? The aforementioned revolution created a lot of empty convents) then on to a modern perfume institute owned by L'Occitane en Provence for a smelly class (in more ways than one. It was a hot sweaty morning)...

We are given a box of scents...

...a basic recipe, and we make our own custom perfumes. 

You can let me know if you like it when you see me next. And remember, if you can't say anything nice...

More about Dinner in Sardinia later. Those hills were steep and hot, and I'm off to the pool.