A Morning in Aix-en-Provence, a Junior Playoff Game in Lyon and Our French Family in Écully

Saturday, 16 May, 2015:

DAY XII OF THE CIRCUMNAVIGATION

OF THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

The light in Aix-en-Provence at daybreak was wonderful! It was Saturday and a perfect morning for the weekly street market in the historic section of the city. Thus, it was also a perfect day for Laurie to do some shopping.

 Laurie with Paul Cézanne

 My favorite Patissier in Aix-en-Provence

See why?

So many options

A store dedicated to all things Tin Tin

Over 80 years since he came to the USA

We needed a café au lait

The Cézanne Walking Tour

 Interesting non-functioning fountain

Playing the accordion and a horn
AT THE SAME TIME!!!

Only in Aix-en-Provence is such a musical feat possible.

Time for Laurie to attack the street market

Lots of people in the streets

Tempting

A REALLY tempting foie-gras store

 Spices are a must at these affairs

As are flowers

Little old French ladies vending are
required as well

 Aromatic

Honey in Provence's morning light

Waiting for wives to finish shopping

A rare piano playing street musician

 The flower market was in its . . .

. . . full glory

Laurie on an empty side street

 Jazz is good

 Too early for lunch for us

Where is everybody

Nice mural

Inviting

Nice specials today

Intriguing but no, merci

Old advertisement

Lions guarding the city

But of course!

Places to be, people to see, we had to get going as our next stop was Lyon, France! We had a lot of people to see over the next few days as we were about to give our Renault Scenic a few days off from the road.

As always on this trip, our drive to Lyon featured lots of lush vegetation and interesting buildings on the side of the road.

Random Church

Random Fortress

Random City

Random Classic

 Getting closer

LOTS of head winds on today's drive

The word prudence appears below the warning sign as if none of us were aware of the strong winds. 

 I hate St-Étienne

WE MADE IT!!!

We were greeted by Lyon's newest
and quite futuristic museum

 The suburb of Écully was our goal

We are staying the next two nights with our French family. Jean-Charles, Marianne, Julien and Lucie Damboise have graciously opened their home to us.

GREAT PEOPLE!!!

Falcons Juniors Playoff Game

After saying quick bon jours to all of the Damboise family, I left Laurie to head off quickly to see the Falcons Junior team's Regional Championship game.

This group of Juniors is made up mostly of the Cadet team we had here two years ago.

The warm greetings from the Senior
Falcons meant a lot to me

With Freddie Bastiand

Freddie is one of my all-time favorite EuroBall players. Players with hearts and a passion for the game like his are a coach's dream.

 With Freddie, Brice and the
First Down Gypsy King himself

I think that this washed out look

makes us both look younger

Adrien Ruel
Junior Tean Head Coach

He is doing a tremendous job with the team and has really grown as a coach.

The Falcons natural grass field

It appeared at first glance to be a little bit better maintained than our game field in Murcia.

I'm not sure though.

Falcons-Genoble action

 Stopping the run was a Falcon priority

 I like the Falcons' defensive stances

Sometimes you throw easily . . .

. . . sometimes under duress

Falcon Seniors in the stands
rooting on the Juniors

A Grenoble player with an
interesting pair of shoes

The game wound up being an Italian Football League style offensive shoot out that lasted over three hours in part because of the scoring and in part to a bazillion penally flags.

Unfortunately, the final score was 48-40 in favor of the Blue Devils from Grenoble.

I hurried back to Écully after the game to the Damboise home because I knew that master chef Jean-Charles was up to something.

  

 Marianne, Jean-Charles and Lucie

Julien, a rabid fan, had already headed off to the Olympique Lyonnais soccer game.

 The small chateau behind the
Damboise's home

Jean-Charlie's Angels

What's for dinner Jean-Charles?

FOIE-GRAS!!!

I know that we ate other things as well but I was so focused on the foie-gras that I tuned everything else out. Some might even say that I was in a foie-gras induced food coma.

What a fun, loving family they are! We are lucky to have met them two years ago to be sure.

Next Circumnavigation Tour Stop: Staying in Lyon for another night