TWO Days of Olympic Fun...

When we booked our sojourn in Avignon, we had no idea that the Olympic Flame was coming through town. Not only was it passing through, it was the final stop of the day with a cauldron lighting ceremony. The excitement was almost more than I could handle and it all started the day prior!

While the Olympic torch was still crossing the neighboring town of Alpes-Maritimes on Tuesday evening, the first festivities in Avignon were launched. We were there for the very exciting parade. Who doesn't love a parade?




We were thoroughly impressed by this huge, 15 foot rendition of Greek hero Achilles who strolled down the main street, Rue de la République, to the delight of us onlookers.
Seeing the mechanical colossus made of copper and steel was really something. I think the thrill of all those arounds us was infectious! What a kickoff.


Wednesday, more than 70 Olympic- themed events awaited us, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
In a large park along the banks of the Rhône, we were afforded dream-like photo opportunities and unique entertainment.

I was intrigued by the display of 'sponsors'. Interestingly, one was Airbnb. Paris officials have placed tough new restrictions on Airbnb rentals in recent years. The company is using the Olympics to try and win over locals and broaden its footprint in the iconic city. Just like the 10,500 athletes competing, Airbnb has been preparing for years for this epic opportunity. In 2019, the company inked a nine-year partnership with the International Olympic Committee that runs through the 2028 Summer Games. Airbnb said at the time that it expected the deal to lead to hundreds of thousands of new hosts in cities around the globe as the games rolled through. Since we are fans of Airbnb, and stayed in one in Paris, I wish all great success.
Did you know that Coca‑Cola has been associated with the Olympic Games since 1928, longer than any other corporate supporter? As a global event, the Olympic Games also give Coke a unique opportunity to refresh and celebrate with sports fans in the more than 200 countries where they do business. I was pretty jazzed when sodas were distributed freely in a very festive way!

Dancing with Caisse D'Epargne's squirrel just made me happy. By the way, I did not come with that red shirt. Learning this day was to happen, I visited a thrift store while in Orange and scored this 4€ blouse which worked awesomely. I felt patriotic.
Steve got in on the action while helming France's sailboat, one of more than 250 boats that will be on the starting line of the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition.
Can we talk about the mascot? Until knowing more about it, frankly we thought it rather uninspired. Now that we know the Olympic Phryge is based on the traditional small Phrygian caps, we get it. These caps can be seen sat atop the head of the iconic figure Marianne in every town hall and even feature on everyday objects such as coins and stamps. They are also an international symbol of liberty worn by freed slaves in Roman times and appearing on different emblems in North and South America. Also known as the liberty cap, the Phrygian cap has become one of the symbols of the French Republic. Interesting!
"As Paris 2024’s vision is to demonstrate that sport can change lives, the mascots will be playing a major role by leading a revolution through sport. The Olympic Phryge is decked out in blue, white and red - the colors of France’s famed tricolor flag - with the golden Paris 2024 logo emblazoned across its chest."
Our day included watching hip-hop break dancers and these amazing trampoline athletes. These images where they are seemingly diving into the fortified walls cracks me up.


The 35th leg of the torch's journey in France traversed Avignon with the help of 37 torchbearers who took turns to carry the flame along a 4.7 mile route (the farthest of any town).  The relay began on May 8 in Marseille and I read that 10,000 people will have the opportunity to carry the torch before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26.





We chose not to see the cauldron ignited. Masses of people just aren't our thing. As a concluding comment, the honor went to Michaël Guigou, a French former handball player who won the gold medal at two Olympics, four World championships and three European championships. Pretty dang cool. What a surprise day for us. I keep saying that our timing could not have been better. This is more proof of that statement. Wow.

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Father's Day at the Opera

Opéra Grand Avignon was finished in 1847, after the previous one was destroyed by fire. Wanting to experience the grandeur of a performance in this magnificent building, we purchased tickets for the only show that was happening while we are in town. Honestly, it was a fabulous choice!

Modest Mussorgsky’s vast 1869 opera, Boris Godunov, is centered on the historical figure who was tsar of Russia in the late 16th century, the mysteries surrounding his rise to the throne, and the uprising of the man who claimed to be Dmitry, the true heir to the throne.
Responsible for ordering the assassination of the family of the previous tsar, Boris Godunov is next in-line for the throne. For a decade he reigns over Russia, troubled by the knowledge of his unjust ascension, but believing that he has done the right thing for his family. When a young monk in a monastery learns of Boris’s crime, he decides to try and take the throne for himself. He claims to be Dmitry, the young heir to the throne that was murdered all those years ago, and draws armies from all the surrounding lands to help him return to the throne that was rightfully his.
Meanwhile, Boris’s guilt is plaguing him more and more every day, and he has started to be haunted by the child that he murdered. The news that this child has now risen from the grave to claim his birthright, and that he has armies supporting his campaign, is just too much for Boris. A visit from the elderly monk who knows the truth about Boris’s crime seals his fate: Boris suffers a fatal heart attack, leaving the throne to the imposter.


How gorgeous is this?
Steve and I are admittedly not opera goers and we read that the 2½ hour, intermission-free performance was to be sung in Russian, with only French subtitles. To prepare, we read all we could about the history of Boris. Russian history is very complicated so we were thinking it was wise that we booked tickets to a matinee (thus hopefully staying awake). Turns out, English subtitles were provided, too (circled in yellow in the above photo). Reading kept us on the edge of our seats, literally and figuratively! What a wonderfully generous gift for us monolinguals.
Alongside Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades, Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov is one of the world’s favorite Russian operas.
Neither one of us could believe how much we loved this opera. We concur with the world's opinion. The orchestra was exceptional. The staging was incredibly creative. The costuming was very believable. The theater, itself, was absolutely ideal. This was truly an unforgettable event.
Dinner was at Maison Gayte, a place we have passed numerous times in the two weeks we've been here. It was perfect. I found my new favorite salad and Steve finally got the beer he had been looking for (though looks are deceiving. It's still just a pint but boy did it have a WOW factor). I believe he had a fantastic Father's Day. I know I did.
"Music conveys moods and images.
Even in opera, where plots deal with the structure of destiny,
it's music, not words, that provides power."
-Marcel Marceau

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Art, Goodbyes, & Beethoven

With 1:30 PM train tickets secured, Eileen and Ian's morning was free to explore a bit more. Our goal was to see the treasures of the Calvet Museum. This was my second visit, yet new gems were discovered.



I was taken by this Indian Maiden. Steve wondered how a French sculptor, in the 1800s, would know of American Indians. I knew thanks to the book I read on the cruise (The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris). In 1827,  six members of the Osage tribe were taken to France and were toured about. The artist must have seen them. Interesting, right?




I don't know how I missed this work the first time I visited. This piece, by Antoine Fort-Bras (born Forbera in Venice, ?, died in Avignon, 1690), has to be one of my favorites. The trompe-l'oeil rendition of Le Chevalet du Peintre (Painter's Easel) is one you have to see in person to grasp its masterpiece status. Trompe-l'oeil means to fool the eye. This is a completely FLAT painting. All 3-D dimensions are the creation of Antoine. It is crazy amazing. As a matter of fact, it was in the Louvre until 1956. It's THAT good.
An anecdote, regarding this painting, was reported by Charles de Brosse in the 18th century: "At the back of the room is an easel on which we have placed a not quite finished painting, representing the Empire of Flora, the original of which is by Poussin. The painter's palette and his brushes had remained next to the painting Above, on a piece of paper, the drawing of the painting made in red chalk (I saw all this, both from a distance and up close, without finding anything there that was worth paying attention to). Stop there; but my surprise was unparalleled, when I wanted to take the drawing, to find that all of this was not true, and that the whole thing was only one painting entirely painted in oil. If I were in a position to have this painting, I would happily give ten thousand francs for it."

Nicholas Mignard, also known as Mignard d’Avignon, was a French painter known for his religious and mythological scenes and portraits. He spent most of his active life in Avignon creating religious and mythological paintings for religious institutions and stately homes but ended his career as court painter in Paris.
As you can see his work is big and very intense but also incredible.
Coffees and treats were in one of our favorite little parks.
I thought this Little Free Library, in the park, was rather apt. It is a gift from Avignon's Sister City, Colchester. So dang cool.
You have to love French mail vechiles!
This was the first of the Theater Windows of Avignon that I've been able to see at street level. I will not tire of the search to find all 70 of them. I wonder if this year's will be painted while we are here.
Our final destination was at Grenier à sel. This former salt granary of the city, whose origins date back to the 14th century, is located in the heart of Avignon, in the immediate vicinity of the Palais des Papes. Demolished several times, it was rebuilt in 1758 by the architect Jean-Ange Brun and classified as a historic monument in 1984, before being rehabilitated by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte in 1989. Facing the Rhône, with its beautiful Louis façade XV, it recalls through its architecture and its location the importance of salt in the society of the Ancien Régime.
We visited the Grenier à sel for the last day of its current exhibit on Beethoven. "Based on the experience of this extraordinary genius, both deaf and socially isolated, but also the composer of Ode to Joy, which would become the European anthem, the exhibition LUDWIG VAN – Listen to hear explores the different facets of listening. Whether physiological, mental, social or political, it is omnipresent in each of us. Do we know how to listen ? Do we need to listen to each other to get along better? What if we were deaf without knowing it? The exhibition tour takes the visitor to the heart of listening and its multiple dimensions, by questioning their own perception of sounds and others."
Our 'journey' was in three stages. 1. What is listening? Bone conduction listening installations, testimonies from deaf musicians, exhibitions of old acoustic cornets, discovery of sound illusions, immersive installation, and a documentary (which was lost on us due to us not knowing French). We 'got' what it was trying to relay.




Stage #2 was from self-perception to listening to others. "Perceive the world within us as well as that which surrounds us, through video and literary extracts ranging from the web series Dear future me to Peer Gynt, in going through film clips."

Stage #3 was Towards Collective Understanding. I liked, and understood, the Red Phone. Which asked the question, "What is a listener?" Since the 60s, listening centers have sprung up all over France and Europe. They are run by teams of counsellors who take turns on the telephone 7 days a week to listen to people in distress. These volunteers, professional listeners, are trained to welcome the word of others, without preconceived ideas. I had to ponder the concept of whether we hear even when we hear.

I think this is one of those exhibits that will be thought of long after. Interesting! Just another diverse day in Avignon.

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