Day 5 - Sabres, Gladiators and Skipping Rocks

Day 5

Hello, day number five. 

We were able to wake up a little later today than yesterday, and we had a late breakfast. Our French breakfasts have consisted mostly of baguettes, croissants, fruits, eggs and cold meats, and cheeses. Sometimes you have to be a little creative, but it's not bad. 

We loaded the bus and headed for Arles, which is on the way to Nimes. Today’s focus was all about understanding and seeing the role the Roman Empire played in the area of southern France. Daniele ensured we would be educated on the bus ride. We are thankful for that because there is so much the kids can learn. The towns we were headed to were once established under the Roman Empire, so we started the day discussing Roman mythology on the bus. And thankfully, we had an expert…. Bailey. She spent about 15 minutes giving us all a crash course in the gods and goddesses. It was actually quite engaging and informative. Appreciate her expertise. 

After arriving in Arles, we walked to a local recreation center (very different from the HRCA) and met with our instructors for the day. We first started with calligraphy. It was fun to use the special ink and pen and practice our lettering. Some students were pretty good, and some probably need a little more practice, but it was fun either way. We each got a “special” certificate for passing the strenuous calligraphy lesson. While completing our practice sheets, we were able to witness the French national fencing team practice. Apparently, they travel to Arles and practice in this once or twice a year all together… and we got to watch for a little while. Not quite sure what was happening, but lots of shuffling and stabbing movements. Looked fun!

We got a quick historical lesson on the sport of fencing. Did you know that it wasn’t until the invention of gunpowder that fencing became a sport? Did you know that French is the international language of fencing and that there are 3 kinds of fencing? We learned about all 3 types and how they are scored in competition, foil, sword, and sabre. In the small town of Arles, there are about 200 fencers, so this was the place to be for this kind of thing! The kids were actually able to practice some fencing moves, and they put together small fight scenes using some of the professional movements you may see in the 3 Musketeers or medieval times. That was really fun and creative… who knows, we might have future action heroes after this!

Our next stop was the city of Nimes. The kids had free time to purchase lunch. Since this is our last day in France, they really tried using their French. A few SOS calls were needed, but overall, they did a great job. We then went to see one of the best preserved Roman temples in the world, the Maison Carrée. Did you know that the Romans demanded that all people be cleansed before entering the city? Communal baths… yikes! The temple was unique because it was transformed into a church rather than torn down. So it has survived thousands of years. 

We were also able to experience a guided tour at the Amphitheater of Nimes. In this arena, trained volunteers fought and performed. Did you know that “Arena” in Latin means “sand”? This was because the floor of the amphitheater was sand…needed something to soak up the blood after the gladiators battled animals and each other…cool, huh? We were able to walk and climb through the amphitheater as we learned about Roman gladiators. The kids did a great job with this tour, it was really neat to imagine its original use. Did you know that it is still used today for bullfights, operas, and concerts?

We left Nimes in the afternoon and drove to nearby Pont du Gard to see one of the old Roman aqueducts that carried water 33 miles to the city of Nimes. The Romans had big brains! They were expert architects and engineers. They figured out that the arch was much stronger and more stable than a traditional wall. They also made the aqueduct with a 2% grade to allow the water to flow freely over very long distances, determining that calculation was no easy task in the ancient world. Yay math! 

After snapping a few breathing pictures of the aqueduct, we let the kids walk through the water for a nice cool down. It was perfect! There were lots of locals swimming around and diving into the water. Really fun sight. Our crew actually taught each other how to skip rocks and had a little competition. We almost took out a couple of swimmers (whoops!), but the kids got pretty good and are coming home with a new skill!

We walked back to the bus after some time relaxing in the water and on the shoreline. The kids were very hot and tired from a long, busy day. Guess which kid said, “Man, my knees are sweating?! I didn’t even know knees could sweat!” We drove the 30 minutes back to Avignon and went straight to dinner. We had another traditional French meal with salad, mushroom chicken on rice, and chocolate mousse. Solid but not for everyone, probably. That's okay, we also had baguettes! Which has become our new savior. Guess which kid said, “Hey, Mr Bittler, can I tell you a secret? … I have a baguette in my pocket”. So thankful for those little pieces of heaven ;) 

We gave the kids some free time after dinner to explore the town. 99% hit up the gelato place where they form your ice cream into flowers. True masterpieces and a delicious way to end the night. 

Early bed checks tonight as kids will have to pack up once again because we have a long day of travel tomorrow. Leaving before 8 am….Prepare yourself… Spain, here we come!