Last night was a tough night.  I had terrible heartburn (don't know why) and couldn't sleep.  Nothing would relieve it so suffered through a lot of pain.  This morning, I braved the heartburn and decided to go to Cassis anyway, which is a two-hour drive.

While part of Provence, Cassis is much more like the classic imagery of the French Rivera.  From the moment I exited the highway, there were magnificent vista everywhere.  Cassis is an inlet with rocky cliff-like terrain and a breathtaking beach at its core.  There are bistros, Ice cream stands, boutique clothing and other shops cascading its waterway.  On one side of the inlet you will find a large boat dock with water so crystal clear, you can see straight through to the bottom, were schools of fish swam about.  On the other side of the inlet is a beach.  Even though it is early in the season, this pebbly little beach had many sunbathers drinking in the very hot rays.

Now kicking myself for leaving my bathing suit back at the hotel, I sat at a café with my pot of tea au lait and nursed my heartburn.  Somehow the sun, the warm liquid and the relaxation soothed my raging innards. After about an hour— and a call home to mom—- I continued my stroll along the heart of Cassis to the beach.  I removed my sandals and waded in the beautiful, warm Mediterranean sea, then wandered up to another café and ordered a dish of ice cream (heartburn remedy # 2).  Par for the course, the ice cream was outstanding!  I think it may have been the best ice cream I have ever eaten, and it effectively tamed my raging beast of a heartburn too.

At this point, I felt much better (although still sore) and decided to make my way back to Avignon to visit the palace of the popes.  First, let me say that driving in Avignon is no picnic.  The streets a quite narrow and people are always walking in complete disorder.  The boat of a Renault SUV (stick shift) Hertz gave me proved a challenge within the walled city, so I grabbed the first parking spot I could find and walked.  I made it through half of the self-guided tour before the heat and fatigue caught up with me. So, purchased an interesting local cookbook in the gift shop and made my way back Le Pontet, where I am now resting before a swim and dinner.

Photos will follow this blog entry shortly.

http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s171/LadyinRedDS/Cassis%20and%20Avignon/