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This morning it is still windy and there has been rain in the night, but now just a few thundery showers and the odd clap of thunder. At breakfast we hear lots of honking and look out to see a large flock of flamingos flying over. We loaf around for the morning and discover we have a bit of free wi-fi so Nick updates the blog. Ali and Nick W get some water and clean the sand off the windscreens, then Ali goes to enquire about horse riding, but like yesterday there is no-one around so at 11:40 we head for an aire in Ste Marie de la Mer 7km away to slop out. On the way we see more Carmargue horses in the lakes and marshes. We also see ranches offering 'Promenade Cheval'.
Ste Marie de la Mer is disappointing; the first aire is a dids' camp with scruffy caravans, washing lines and rubbish all around; the second is closed for a market. Most of the people seem to be Romanies, swarthy and dark haired, not surprising given their historical association with horses. Later we discover that the town was hosting a gypsy festival this week. We leave the town and stop at a ranch where Ali enquires about riding. First she is told minimum two people, so Nick W agrees to have a go. But then the owner appears and says they can't go for two hous as the horses are eating, so we leave, but not before noticing none of his horses are the traditional Carmargue type anyway.
As we drive to Arles we pass large wet fields of another Carmargue speciality; rice. In Arles we find the M/H parking next to the River Rhone. Behind us Viking River Cruise boats are moored in the shadow of what remains of a Roman bridge, a tower on either bank capped with lion heads and two piers in the river. We have a picnic lunch in the van and head along the embankment into the old part of the city. The narrow streets remind us of Malta with their scruffy plastered facades and wrought iron balconies. At the top of a steep hill we find the roman amphitheatre, a scaled down version of the Coliseum in Rome. This one dates from 80 to 90AD and holds 20,000 spectators. Nick and Grete wait outside while we go in for a look [€6.50 for Ali, free for Nick in the wheelchair]. In some parts the warm blonde stone is intricately shaped and fitted, especially the arched concourse. In others it is left rough and built with concrete. Dark tunnels spur off the concourse leading to the tiers of seating brightly lit in the sunshine. Below us, the sandy oval area is very close and we sit and wonder at the horrific scenes and events played out in its past. Today it is used for the regional non-bloodthirsty form of bull-fighting but the Romans were far less inhibited.
Outside we find Nick W sitting with a map while Grete has gone for a walk with Clio [the dog]. Nick W said no need to wait so the three off us set off towards the smaller arena and the cathedral. We stop for a drink in a square full of bars and cafes. Ali finds texts and voicemail from a very frustrated Grete! We wait for her to join us but she rings again completely lost so we agree to head back to the vans and we finally meet on the embankment.
Having missed the aires this morning we visit the service point near the car park to dump waste and fill water before going a few miles out of the city to our Passion at La Mas de Rey. We call on the owner who tells us no degustation tonight, but gives us two lovely little melons, so we park under the mulberry trees a few spaces away from two German vans. We cook pasta for dinner and drink a few glasses of wine from the Bezier vineyard.
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