First weekend in Provence

Our first few days here have been great! We picked Maya up at school in the afternoon and went over to our favorite fresh fruit/vegetable market to buy some fresh things for home. I also bought a jar of citrons confits for a recipe I want to try in the coming days.

On Friday night for desert we had this delicious chocolate cake (almost no flour in it...but lots of chocolate) as a post-birthday celebration for me.

The candle on top was a number 4 which makes me feel pretty youthful! Maya helped to blow out the flame...thank goodness for that!

Saturday we went to see a play at the Espace Auzon.

Pinocchio.

It was the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon....and when I say rainy I mean pretty much a downpour with thunder and lightning (hey, we are not in Portland anymore)!

The play was done by a small troupe from Paris:Théâtre de la Mordoré ...two actors played the parts with unique costume and scene changes.

Maya was hooked from the get go and at the end of the play the actors invited the audience to come talk to them and Maya wanted to tell Pinocchio that her top tooth was very loose. Pinocchio was very interested!
The city hall of Carpentras provided a snack for everyone after the performance and while Maya enjoyed her juice and cookie,we shook hands with the Mayor who was present for the performance.

This morning, Sunday, the sky was clear blue and Emmanuelle and I went out to get some missing stuff for the tagine for lunch. We toured a bit around Carpentras and I took some photos.
This chateau is in a rose garden and has a libraries for children and rooms for all sorts of activities...something like the Southwest Center at Gabriel park.

From the street above the chateau there was a clear view of Mont Ventoux and of the gorgeous Dentelles.

We drove around town and looked at some of the new things...whole inner city neighborhoods that are in the process of being renewed. This is part of the walled city whose stones have been put back to how they used to look in medieval times. They had been covered over with cracking, unattractive stucco replete with graffiti.

At the end of the street is the entirely redone building which seems pretty grand to me very different style and period too!!

I love how this olive tree has decided to grow up out of the pavement.

This square is the location of the ancient bird market...in the distance you can see a wrought iron bell tower...made open like this so that the Mistral cannot blow it over.

I love this color combination on the building.

This unique building is the indoor swimming pool built in the 30's.

Here is where Maya is going for swimming lessons and JC and I will help out! This means I have to wear a swimsuit...not too anxious for that! Although it will be fun to see how the swimming will go.

This street is rue Raspail...some of us know the Bd Raspail in Paris n'est-ce pas?? No Palm trees there though!

In the summer it is filled with cafes, tapas restaurants and tables with awnings and lights across the street...we drove down the street but only because it was Sunday and everything was closed. Actually several people called our attention to the "sens interdit" sign. Good to know the French are on duty!
Raspail came from Carpentras incidentally.

A few posters of Carpentras from the museum...do any look familiar?

The platanes were given a haircut this week.

Not sure if these are awaiting their turn soon.

Can you see the blue sky in all these photos? It almost hurts your eyes it is so blue!

JC and Maya are busy looking up stuff and doing Frozen word searches.

Yesterday Maya and I watched the whole of Kirov ballet Swan Lake...we discussed all the possible outcomes for Prince Seigfried and the Swan Queen Odette. This is a great conversation to have with a five and a half year old! I hope you all get to have one of those conversations with someone this week. See you later!