Roadboy Cycles in Provence - Days 4-5

Van Gogh in St. Remy
A Visit to Eygalieres and the Pont Du Gard

The next two days of cycling were jam packed full of scenery and pure cycling bliss.

Cycling in Heaven

We began Day 4 with another amazing breakfast and then all strolled to the market square in front of the St. Remy's Hotel de Ville (City Hall). At the market we all assembled makings for our picnic lunches. 

The Olive Merchant St. Remy

Now, while I can find almost no more joyful activity than perusing fresh fruit and produce, olives and cheese at an open air market, the experience underscored how tragic America's diet is. The French buy small quantities of clean gmo-free food and eat fresh. Americans jump in a Tahoe and shop at Costco (where we blow the wheels off those giant shopping carts). 

They buy fresh. 

We load up the freezer. 

Ugh.

Now it was off to ride to the picturesque village of Eygalieres. Here we stopped to enjoy its galleries and eat lunch. After lunch we cycled up a pass through the "heart" of the Alpilles (little alps). Along the way we stopped to admire some painters at work. And, after a long climb we sailed down a long downhill glide back to St. Remy.
 

The Alpilles From Eygalieres

Fresh Tomatoes For Sale Eygalieres 

(guarded by a very sleepy kitty)

Landscape Painters Along the Way

Vineyards at the Base of the Alpilles

In the evening returning we met with Mathilde, St. Remy's expert on Van Gogh who walked us through the Saint Paul asylum where the artist committed himself for one year from May of 1889 to May 1890. It is here where he was arguably most prolific. Many of his paintings include his doctor, the asylum itself was a former abbey and includes views of gardens and the hillsides that surrounded it. While here he attempted suicide (by ingesting his own paint). Mathilde brought his story to life for us. His failed friendships with peers (including Paul Gauguin), the close relationship with his brother Theo and his short and tortured life before, during and after departing St. Remy.

 

 Mathilde Describes the Sites Van Gogh Painted

 

 Saint Paul Asylum in Saint Remy

 

 Ice Baths Were Used to Calm Patients at St. Paul

 

The Cloister at St. Paul

After Van Gogh departed St. Remy he journeyed to Paris for a visit Theo and his new wife for two days. He then left for Auvers-sur-Olse an artist commune north of Paris.

In Auvers he suffered a gunshot would to his chest (unknown as to whether the shooting was self-inflicted or if he was shot by someone else).

So, just two months after departing Saint Paul, Van Gogh was dead.

After our tour we walked to dinner at the home of a local master pastry chef named Odille.  The dinner and Odille's hospitality left us feeling as if we were part of her family for one lovely evening.

Day 5 was the longest ride of the trip (about 45 miles). We cycled past lush vineyards and up a long hill past the Stations of the Cross to the the hilltop Abbayes St. Michel de Frigolet (Frigolet Abbey). The abbey dates back to 960 and has passed through many hands (including being conscripted from the church after the French Revolution).

Angelic Details in the Chuch at Frigolet Abbey

The day concluded with by riding to the largest standing Roman aquaduct in France, the Pont Du Gard. The aquaduct, built to carry water to Nimes, stands as a tribute to Roman engineering. It was constructed in the first century AD and ranks as the highest aquaduct ever to be built by the Romans. The stone used in the aquaduct was cut and laid so precisely there was no need for grout. 

The Pont Du Gard

Mortar Free Stone Construction

After taking a cool dip in the Gardon River below the Pont, we surrendered our bikes and boarded a bus to transfer to our lovely new accommodations in Villeneuve-les-Avignon. 

Raodboys Travels © 2019

Roadboy Cycles in Provence - Days 1-3

Sunshine and Warmth

When someone speaks of the "South of France" it (at least in me) always conjures up images of regal sunny resorts clinging to cliffs along the Mediterranean Sea. It is James Bond in tails sitting at a Baccarat table staring down a bad guy.

I now realize that although the seaside villages in the south of France run the gamut from industrial to posh, it is the little villages of Provence that hold real allure. And that is exactly where our cycling adventure took us. 

We assembled in Paul Cezanne's beloved Aix-en-Provence (pronounced "X on Pro-vonce"), where we enjoyed exploring shops and our hotel spa. 

The following morning we relocated to St. Remy de Provence. We made it our home base for the first 3 days of cycling.

 Atelier de Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence

(with samples of his props)

Cezanne's Modest Studio

(with large north facing windows and a narrow door used to move oversized canvasses in / out) 

Market Abundance in Aix-en-Provnce

 

Buying Sunflowers

And while there we shopped for fresh produce in the markets, enjoyed a dinner in the home of a local chef, learned about Vincent Van Gogh's highly productive time spent here (at an asylum that still serves patients today). 

We rode up the mountain to Les Baux to see its amazing castle and the stunning Carriers de Lumieres light show. We learned about western Europe's largest river delta region; the Camargue. We tasted local foods and sampled the delicate olive oil produced here.

 Les Baux

Les Baux's Abandoned Limestone Quarry

(home of the Carrieres de Lumieres light show)

Click here for a video link with a preview of the Carrieres presentation (you'll first have to wait out the ad). Then go full screen, turn up the volume and enjoy.  

Carriere's Van Gogh Imagery

A Dazzling Immersive Experience 

A Japanese Themed Show Was Also Presented

Seafood of the day at Hostellerie de la Reine Jeanne

The Unique Olive Orchards

The region's olive orchards are unique. When a killing frost claimed nearly all of the regions olive trees in 1956 they were cut down to leave the stump at ground level. From these stumps multiple trees have sprouted hence the 3-4 trees clustered around the stump of each legacy tree.  

Roadboy's Travels © 2019

Greetings from the Czech Republic!

Experiencing Prague

When I was about 10 years old the neighbor's adopted a girl from Yugoslavia.

She was smart and, although struggling to learn English, described to us her home in Yugoslavia. She told us it was a beautiful place. It was near water. But, people there suffered shortages and were not allowed to travel without government permission.

It was confusing to an American kid of the sixties. My world seemed to have everything. I mean, every summer my family packed up our station wagon and drove anywhere we wanted.

Fast forward to today's map of Europe. A glance at my ancient Rand McNally documents how the world looked when I was a kid. Today, most of the artificially "assembled" countries like Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia have been recomposed to reflect historical boundaries.

After last year's visit to Croatia, I decided this year I'd visit another decoupled country; the Czech Republic - specifically Prague. Like Croatia, today's Czech Republic has emerged from decades of totalitarianism and is reveling in newfound optimism and unbridled energy.

On final approach, looking out my airplane window, the recent history of the Czech Republic is on full display. Dotted throughout rich Czech farmland were nuclear power plants and island after island of anonymous, dense, concrete communist era apartment blocks.

Happily my impressions changed as I arrived into the historic heart of Prague. Where I found a spectacularly beautiful city and a lovely AirBNB!

An Embarrasment of Architectural Riches  

Once the luggage was dropped, it was time to begin exploring.

We quickly realized the best way to get around Prague is via it's comprehensive, clean, safe and cheap transit system. Everything is just a few steps from a subway, tram or bus stop. Forget Uber. Buy a multi-day transit pass, validate it once (before you get on anything) and then explore.

Day One:
We began the visit with a guided e-bike tour to familiarize ourselves with Prague. I highly recommend it. Our guide threaded us through the City with finesse. He also described modern Czech history with refreshing candor.

Cycling Prague via E-Bike

We learned that the fact that Prague exists so beautifully preserved is a miracle. Czechoslovakia prior to World War II was a prosperous, highly industrialized and well educated nation.

But in the years leading to the war, Germany, eyeing Czechoslovakia's wealth, laid claim to it. Hitler justified the claim based on the large number of ethnic (Sudeten) Germans living in Czechoslovakia.

Hitler's annexation demand was met no meaningful objection from Italy, France and England (who were in full on appeasement mode). So, in 1938 Hitler seized control of Czechoslovakia.

Hitler expressed admiration for Prague and issued preservation orders to preserve it.  The sick bastard even formalized a plan to showcase Prague's Jewish Quarter as a future "museum" to a vanished race.

With Germany in control, Czechoslovakia's prime minister Edvard Benes escaped to England to form a government-in-exile.

His efforts to work within Chamberlain's government were ineffective, so he courted Russia and Churchill. After Churchill took control, and realized Benes might be able to provide actionable intelligence from within Hitler's government, the UK moved to recognize Benes' government.

 

Edvard Benes

In his desperate search for strong allies, Benes' sought an alliance with Russia. This alliance would prove fatal.

In 1948, just three years after Benes' return, Stalin engineered a coup wresting control of the nation.

Under Russian control Freedoms evaporated, personal property was confiscated and industry was nationalized. Czechoslovakia slogged through a full generation of stagnation and decline as part of the failed Soviet "worker's paradise".

In 1968, twenty years later, Soviet control was challenged during the "Prague Spring". The Soviets responded with brute force.

Years ending in "8" have not been good for this nation.

Our visit convinced us that the present Czech Republic is churning. Many residents openly expressed disgust for their present corrupt, oligarch led, government. 

Day Two:
Day two was spent exploring Prague's recently restored National Museum. I do not believe the building could have looked any better when it was completed in 1891.

The Czech National Museum

Afternoon was spent exploring the Czech food scene on a 4-hour Taste of Prague "Foodie" tour. While the average visitor to Prague will find a place where meat, beer and cheese rule, we felt there might be change in the wind.

Our tour let us sample what is good about local foods and catch a glimpse of what is beginning to emerge. Perhaps the most exciting stop was Restaurant Eska in Karlin.  Here we found a restaurant embedded in a working show kitchen. Young chefs in Eska work with precision in a surgically clean kitchen using some advanced equipment (wood fired and Josper charcoal ovens etc.).

Restaurant Eska
 

Don't miss Eska's potatoes in ash (potatoes floating in a cloud of kefir based espuma sauce) or Eska's creative take on a gin and tonic.

 

 A Team Plating Potatoes in Ash 

Day Three:
Day three was bright and sunny, so we "checked off all the tourist sites". First, was a visit to the Charles Bridge, then the Astronomical Clock, then on to Vysehrad Castle, the Dancing House and Petrin Hill.

The Charles Bridge From the Lessor Town Watchtower

 The Prague Castle
 

 The Dancing House

(Referred to by locals as Fred and Ginger)

 

 Ceremonial Guards at Prague Castle

Loved the kids mugging for mom in front of the guard
(Note to The Czech Government - those are truly hideous uniforms)

Heading home we encountered encountered Olbram Zoubek's moving memorial to the victims of Soviet despotism and totalitarianism emerging from the base of Petrin Hill.

Memorial to Victims 1948-1989

 Olbram Zoubek

Day Four:
Day four was pretty relaxing. We got up and visited a puppet shop. Yep, a beautiful three-headed wooden dragon carved from Linden wood by Petr Slama will soon grace Casa Roadboy.

Thar Be Dragons

Stop two was the incredible National Technical Museum. Here were displays of industrial art, architecture. aviation, automobiles, photography and timepieces. The huge building complex is only able to present about 15% if its collection. The oldest Audi and Bugatti in existence are both displayed here.

Transportation Gallery

Everything From Race Cars to Regal Railcars

Day Five:
Day five began with a walk to the ruins of Straha Stadium. This immense stadium once held nearly 300,000 spectators (making it the second largest stadium on earth). It was designed for gymnastic spectacles. Last used for a giant Rolling Stones Concert the grounds are now a UNESCO site housing all sorts of athletic activities.

As Straha decays, the City ponders new ways to use the site.

From here we opted for a walk in the Kraslovska Vinoradt neighborhood. We began with Prague's (incredibly ugly) Soviet era Zizkov Television Tower. Built between 1985 and 1992 this odd beast features mini-golf at its base. Going up the tower are nine pod structures housing equipment, an observation deck, a restaurant, a bar. (and in 2013) a single room "luxury" hotel room.  I guess the lucky guests here enjoy the only room in Prague where you cannot see the Zizkov Tower. 

Perfectly completing this confection of terror are David Cerny's ten creepy giant barcode faced bronze babies crawling all over it.

To build the tower Zizkov's historic Jewish cemetery was excavated, headstones crushed and dumped back into the foundation pit. The bones and human remains were dumped in garbage truck and hauled to thje landfill.

Wow

The Zizkov Tower

 Some Nearby "Banksy Like" Wall Art

Just down the hill from the Zizkov Tower we encountered Pavel Janek's 1935 Hussite church. A true masterwork in restraint and understatement. The reinforced concrete church took 6 years to complete over the objections of the city planners of the era.    

Hus Congregational House

(Pavel Janek 1935)

A decade later, during the Prague uprising in May of 1945, the church sheltered resistance fighters and used its tower as a radio transmitter.

From here we visited some of the local art and collectible shops and finished with a stop at Prague's urban vineyards which were in full harvest.

After a glass of wine it was time to make our way to the airport for our evening flight to Marseilles.

Havlicek Gardens (Vinyards)

Conclusion: Prague is a beautiful study in contrasts. It has endured so much. But now, it has nowhere to go but up. 

Roadboy's Travels © 2019