The Polite French?

Lots of bulls down here
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If you like Anne´s writing, you may want to stop reading now.  She is done.  Looks like I will be taking the helm from here on out.  On to Arles.

A couple of blogs ago, I alluded to the fact that....okay, with a touch of sarcasm...that the French would be saving us from the Italians and welcoming us with open arms.  Well, low and behold, this sarcastic remark came to fruition.  They´re some of the nicest and hospitable people that we have met to date.  No Germany, but very pleasant indeed.  And other than few people not wearing deodorant, we have enjoyed our quick stay in the south of France.  Factually speaking, when it comes to the department of hospitality, the French have the Italians beat on every level.  I´m not sure where all of the negative stereotypes have originated, but so far, they have been unwarranted.

Contrast: old Amphitheatre vs. restored
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While in Arles, we caught up on some badly needed laundry, and also some R and R.  Arles has some well preserved ruins which we took some time to look at, but truth be told, we just relaxed more than anything.  On our first night, we ironically found a Vietnamese restaurant (see blogs on how much we like Vietnamese food), where I ordered chicken curry.  The second night, we returned to the same facility, where I ordered chicken curry.  The restaurant was so good, that we ate there the third night, where I ordered chicken curry.  All three menu selections were a hit.

A parade that we went to. I hate parades.
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Now, unless Paris turns out to be a complete flop, I really think the French deserve much more credit that the world has been giving them.  Not to worry, I will report back when we return to this country, after short visits to Spain and Portugal.

bkh