Roussillon and Gordes, France

On the way to Roussillon, we spotted this common sight along the road.  Trees were planted in a row ancient times to protect travelers.

Roussillon sits on the hilltop of Mont Rouge which means Red Mountain.

The red clay contains deposits of ochre which used to be mined and used for wallpaper and linoleum.

The castle is a prominent feature of the town.

The ochre clay gives buildings an orange color.

 Notice the steps leading to the bell tower of the church.

Eleventh century church St. Michel.

Inside this sleeping cat protects the alter 

when not on mouse patrol.

The castle grounds still have active business and private homes.

Lavender fields bloom in June and July in this area.  We found the dried flowers and seeds in many of the markets.

 Our last stop was Gordes a former ghost town. In recent years rich people from Paris and other countries have renovated homes and added swimming pools. 

Apt, France Provence Market Day

Everyday in Provence in a different town is Market Day.

Crowds of people shoulder to shoulder enjoy outdoor shopping at these markets.  


Saturday is Apt which is about 20 miles from Isle sur la Sorgue. 
Apt has long narrow streets behind walls.  In the 5th century Barbarians invaded and destroyed the town.  Later Bishops and Lords in the 11th century rebuilt and revived Apt.

Cheese vendors will give you a taste of the many cheeses.  

Many colors and sizes of scarves.

Roasted pig being sliced for a customer.

Every size, color and smell of soap to choose.

Purses and jewelry made from can tabs.

Brightly color baskets. Apt was known for making baskets in ancient times. 

Spices filled the air with good smells.

Rolls of fabric for sale.

L'Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue, France

Returned to France after staying a week in Germany. After a overnight stop in Beaune, France, we are in Provence in southern France.

In L'Isle-Sur-la-Sorgue we are staying in an 18th century farmhouse B&B which was formally a silkworm farm next to the Sorgue River.

Our morning breakfast was special as our host Patrice made crepes.

A one mile path along the river took us to the town center.

This 11th century town was famous for it's fresh water fishing and later grain, fabric, paper mills and silk works.

This is a popular view looking upriver in the town center. 

Restaurants and city park line the riverbanks.

Seventy water wheels were used in the middle ages for industry. 

Today there are 14 water wheels still in operation.

City park is a peaceful place to spend the afternoon and have a picnic.

Many shops in the old town look for unique ways to sell their merchandise.

This trail of blue and green shoes leads to an art store.

Sunday Theatre in Staufen, Germany

Staufen has an active small theatre housed in a former wine cellar. 

Auerbach's Keller Theatre offers a wide 
selection of plays including Shakespeare.

On Sunday afternoon in front of the medieval town hall the theatre group did a dress rehearsal of their upcoming play.

Crowds enjoyed their dramatic acting presentation.

A couple of actors working hard on their lines.

On Sunday shops are closed but crowds come to town to window shop.  Restaurants have a strong business serving food and drinks.  

Ice cream store is always popular in the afternoon. 

Stone Age Caves and Historic Vineyards, Germany

At Ehrenkirchen Village on the east side of the Olberg Mountain there is a series of caves in the limestone formation.  They are called Teufelskuche which means "Devil's Kitchen."

During the stone age these caves were used by the first human settlement in the area.  

Bow and arrow hunters who hunted for reindeer 
8,000 to 35,000 years ago used these caves for shelter according 
to the posted sign.

Over 200 years ago dry stone walls and stairs at the Castellberg vineyards were constructed to access the vines.

From the valley floor it is about 400 ft. to 
reach the service road.

Carved Oak at the Castellberg, Germany

In nearby Ballrechten-Dottingen village, we drove this vineyard service road to the carved oak at the Castellberg.

Asking a group of local people for directions, we also learned about this display of a portion of the Berlin Wall.  We found out people all over Germany trucked parts of the wall to their neighborhoods.

The tree also known as the "Oak of Justice" was used in the old days as a hanging tree for criminals.

This artist later carved several faces on the truck and made the large branch into a dragon.

The artist's carved his interpretations of the 400 year history of the oak tree.