Provence Day 3: Aix-en-Provence

For our last day in Provence, Melissa and I drove a bit further south to Aix-en-Provence--a charming city famous for its fountains and for being the birthplace of Paul Cézanne. 

We actually arrived in time for the outdoor market, having learned from our previous mistake in Sault, and visited two vendors before we had to go back to the car to drop off our purchases! 

How fun to smell and to see all the local tastes, colors, and flavors of the region. Fruits, meats, jams, cheeses, breads, flowers, spices, herbs, veggies, and of course, always lots and lots of olives.

In true southern fashion, the buildings in Aix-en-Provence were bright and colorful. With the majority of them being yellow, I was one happy explorer! 

With the streets so narrow and curvy, the lighting was never consistent enough for great pictures. Not to mention, large parts of the city were undergoing major construction which majorly detracted from the appealing aesthetics. We did the best we could and enjoyed the new sights, regardless. 

Don't I have a beautiful sister?

We found more cool doors, and just to give you an idea of how big these things are, Melissa's thumb served as a great model. Her child will have fabulous phalanges! Hello future thumb models! 

"Scrooge, having his key in the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without its undergoing any intermediate process of change—not a knocker, but Marley's face" (Dickens, A Christmas Carol). 

I kept expecting this one to suddenly morph into reality as I hear the words, "Aslan is on the move!"

We stumbled upon an award-winning dessert artisan, where even the printed name on top of the dessert was edible chocolate.

Of course, any place that wants good business during the World Cup knows to put up giant screens for its customers.

We couldn't leave without a little postcard writing stop at a café. (This was also the only way we had access to bathrooms!)