Wednesday - market day

Wednesday - Market day in Uzes

Woke up around 10:45 AM.  We all slept that long, which is great to all be on a similar schedule.

The first thing I heard was a 3 piece band outside our window.  It was market day. I couldn't wait to look out the window and see it.  Sure enough, once we got the huge windows open (they are twice as tall as I am, and twice as heavy too) we could see the market hub-bub.  People were strolling with market baskets.  The band was giving a festive back drop and some people were parked at a cafe with a cup of coffee that they planned to drink for an hour before moving.  They just sit and watch the world go by - similar to what I was doing from my window perch - just a story above the action.

By 11:00 we were outside.  We got the kids dressed quickly and bolted to the door.  We heard the market was the morning only so we didn't want to waste a moment.

The market completely covered the main square "Place aux Herbes" right down the street.  They had everything.  Olives, meats, cheese, flowers, cookies, bread, you name it.  We walked around looking at everything.  Then we started buying.  We got some long thin green beans, a cantaloupe melon, 750 grams of ham off the bone, 1 cucumber,  3 tomatoes, 1 bunch of lettuce. We also got some cookies, that were eaten right away under the shade of a tree.  "Mama, I like to eat things right away, lets go find a table and eat these" Sara said, soon after picking out the cookies.  

We lingered in the market.  Loved it.  Even the fountain in the center looked festive.  We bought some eggs too.  My backpack was heavy.  We went back to the apartment to offload.  

We feasted for lunch.  Our market pickings gave us fresh stuff to make in the kitchen and eat on our veranda. Sara and Julia cleaned thier plates.  "Can I have more of everything?" Sara asked.  She ate and ate.

After that we relaxed in the sun outside for a while and then went back outside for more walking.  We didn't have a goal in mind, though there was a playground on the map that we found, and also a Roman bridge to see.  Sara and Julia laughed and played at the play ground.  They did the slide a dozzen times each - including where Julia went down to Sara catching her.  Great sister fun.

By the time dinner rolled around we got back to the apartment and I made some potatoes with herbs, steamed green beans, sliced ham, a fluffy green salad with tomatoes and herb dressing, and sliced cantalope.  It was ready fast - all the ingredients were from the market.  We felt very much a part of Provencal life!  

In the evening we did another stroll, saw a neighborhood soccer game, got some pastries (Sara picked out an eclair and a puff pastry) and got back here.  The girls went to bed around 7PM I think.  It is 9 now, and I'm heading that way too.

There have been several funny moments - it is great to share a glance with Dan as if to say "Sara is so funny" and/or "Julia is so sweet" - we are having fun.  

It was another great weather day.  Sunny. Blue sky. Shorts and T shirt weather - with a hat for the sun!  No humidity, no bugs, slight breeze, perfect for strolling.

Funny quotes:
-"When Papa grows up, he is going to be a great cook!"  - after lunch.
-"Wow!  That is incredible!  Thanks Dad!" - when Dan gave Sara all his coins from his pocket so we could by some pastries at the bakery.  She thought the coins looked like a treasure--like it was so much money!  (It was probably 5 euro in coin.)  She got it out of his hand in one try - probably 20 coins!  She is an expert at extracting money from her Dad.


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