3 hours in Nimes

Our train from Lyon to Bordeaux changed at the southern town of Nimes. We had three hours to kill, so played tourists and took in what we could.

First a coffee on a sunny square. Gracious buildings and tall trees lined the way to the town centre, past a wonderful fountain in the middle of a sun-soaked square.  My goodness what a temperature difference to Lyon - it must be close to 90 degrees!

The Romans lived here very early on, and some of their buildings survive, but none as well as the Arena, which still hosts the odd bullfight.  Today it hosts a rock concert (see the huge buses!) and so we were denied entry.  But even only from the outside it is glorious - surely the best one still in existence anywhere.

We could easily enter the Eglise St Baudille, with its gold touched ceraminc mosaics.  Cool and musty, churches are always a good place to slow down, sit, rest and avoid the heat while contemplating mortailty.

But time is ticking so must move on!

For such a small town there are certainly a lot of little squares filled with light and cafes.  And twisting cobbled lanes, with young males and older females leanign out smoking, still a vibrant contact sport in France, particularly with the youth I am surprised to say. Several shops, one of whcih bears my name but I am rather disappointed to rsport it is filled with slutty little dress and cheap accessories. Oh dear.

Particularly intriguing were all the large and small symbols of crocodiles chained to palm trees.  Such an unusal choice for a city shield. I suppose all those legionnaires who fought with Caesar in Egypt and then given land to in the new parts of the Empire wanted to remember (or be remembered for) their time on the Nile.  



Big Crocodiles

Small crocodiles

And teeny-weeny crocodiles!

More Roman ruins, more shops screaming SOLDES! (translated as (On Sale!), and and always a strong wind blowing dust up from the cobbles.  Is the the Mistral that pours through Provence?  It's fine on a hot day, but I'd hate to feel it in winter.

I wonder where someone who works
in a specific capacity might
be able to buy clothing
Hey - this must be the place!

But not one of them wearing the most famous modern
item that ever came from Nimes - denim
(cotton 'de Nimes' - brought over the pond by one Levi Strauss)





People are attracted to central squares and benches under trees and I'm no different. Maybe a nice little lunch somewhere. 

And now our train is due.  Goodbye to the little Provencal town that deserved more time.