Avignon! On the bridge of Avignon, we're all dancing, we're all dancing.....

you know when you look at a castle how it has those pretty arches, and than you think, how unlike a man to make it so lovely! Well ladies, it is SO more than pretty, it is SO practical.... Look up and you shall see, they had big air gaps so if you got to close, they'd drop something awful heavy on you!

Walls of a fortified city! We were actually on our way this past Saturday to Middle Earth! (this is the definition for the name Mediterranean for those of you who did NOT know that) Yet on the way, I spied a city I have always wanted to see... well, a city that held something I have always wanted to see. I spied directly in our path to Middle Earth.... the city of Avignon!

Here the guys are! They are so excited, they can NOT believe they are here! YOU will be surprised at how few pictures ahead will show them, as they are OFF and exploring a million steps a minute.. I could not, nor did I wish to keep up the pace. I know they love me, and would NOT wish to loose me... Or I would in fact BLOG all about it... so... I was safe to go at my own pace...

You will note the bridge of Avignon does not extend to the other side of the Rhone River.... it did at one time, but no longer.

I love this photo, for it captures how they built the city, out of the rock, and upon the rock, and it makes me think of the hymn, "on Christ the Solid Rock I stand". One sees this done through out the countryside, it is splendid!

Here is the REASON we came to this city! It is a little song my children have been singing since they were babies.. On the Bridge of Avignon (in English) they know much of it in French as well... Caspian can play it on the piano, and Princess Ki can play it both on the piano as well as upon the harp. It is a silly little tune, but very catchy and very fun! Legend has it there was a pub/cafe on one of the lower levels of the bar, and the people would dance upon the bridge (pont) all night long, celebrating and singing this little ditty. (mind you the bridge had been destroyed prior and rebuilt more than once I believe) Well then one night (legend says) It collapsed... Thus you have it... there are various versions... THAT is my children's favorite...

A small door.... for whom... perhaps dwarfs?

A large one for whom? Giants and Trolls? My goodness these doors are not even 10 feet apart!

What fairy tales are made of............

up the mysterious stairs to where the light shines bright, to the city walls my friend... yes WE shall walk where the guards walked centuries before us; where they strode back and forth, keeping watch, by day and night.... and it makes me think of the scripture Psalm 127:1

1Unless the LORD builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the LORD guards the city,

The watchman keeps awake in vain.

What a view, what a job the watch man had...... wow! What a task set before us all, the way is narrow, sometimes the valleys deep, the mountains high, the walk can be lonesome... So glad am I to know Him who promises to never leave me nor forsake me...

see the gang... they are always way ahead!

TADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE are on the City Wall of the CASTLE! A Maiden of great virtue and two knights (rather a squire and a paige to protect her...) Just think! How exciting is THIS?

Buddy is feeling pretty proud! Just think... here is someones future KNIGHT in Shining Armour, some gals hero, protector, provider, wow.... Here he feels EVERY bit the part... Lord be with him, and help make him the man he'll need to be... he sure is a neet-o lad.

Here is Buddy pretending to be a great Knight shooting his arrow through the arrow hole thing! Doesn't he just look so tough!

What the guards and Knights would have seen day in day out............

Are we heading to the draw bridge????????????

YEP! you guessed it!

pretty cool!

We are officially

ON THE BRIDGE OF AVIGNON

and

WE ARE DANCING

WE

ARE

DANCING

ON THE
BRIDGE OF AVIGNON

WE ARE DANCING

ROUND AND ROUND

http://www.youtube.com/watch?hl=fr&v=vZUzzWlvn1w&gl=FR

click there to hear a version of the song

A view of the city/castle from the bridge, isn't THAT a view?
Where EVER is the rest of the bridge?

The town never replaced it again... It has been left...

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/baedeker_s_france_1914/avignon_1914.jpg

above I have a historical map link for you to see that it has been left like this

for a VERY long time...

If you like history

or like geography

then you will love the neat map

Caspian dug up on the Internet for part of his home school research this morning..

I liked it so much I asked him to email me the link so I could share it with YOU!

There he is at the end of the FAMED bridge :)

I bet he'll never think of this song the same when he plays it on the piano again!

The bottom level of the bridge had a chapel! YEP! They man who built it is said to have "heard from God" to build this bridge, and He has built into it more than 1 chapel or worship area on this bridge...

Funny how this got saved ... but the pub dropped into the Rhone.... (legends)

The view of the River from the Chapel

The beautiful ceiling of the chapel... this IS under the bridge!

An overhang, that looks like the front of a boat, but is part of the river....

there is more than one of these...

attention to detail.... even the gate ..

simply lovely

entry to the chapel

We are not the only guests

The side of the bridge... I love the detail work, the effort that man made to bring glory to God in every thing that they did. Even in the building of a bridge, from one side of the Rhone to the other...

Simply beautiful... Every effort to the BEST of their ability

no slackers here

I think that is so neat, what a lesson I hope my kids catch....

one I hope I might catch too....

I like this view, because you can see the pathway of the bridge, and for a brief moment NO person was on the bridge... look at the cobblestones :)

What a super detour this turned out to be.. At first I don't think my hubby was excited to stop off... I just kept telling him, it's not even off the route, we need to stop for lunch anyway... I only want to walk on the bridge... No more than 1-2 hours please.. just a lunch break! It really was! I was true to my word!

I found a sandwich shop

and we all got sandwiches to go,

Buddy got a hot dog,

we had waters in the car &

hit the road for Middle Earth

all in about 90 minutes!

Woo hoo for Mama's quick stop!

they loved it so much they want to come back and spend the day!

:)

not bad for a homeschoolin' mom

with an

agenda!

ha ha