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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2010 14:12:10 GMT
Back in Avignon again, but I hope that it will be a new story. It's always starts the same... Gare de Lyon............... and then over the Rhône at top speed.    ..... and all of a sudden, I had arrived in Avignon! There was new wildlife.... and a new beverage. The natives are as strange as ever, but friendly. |
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Jul 15, 2010 14:17:14 GMT
When I saw the lady with the funny hat I almost thought I was looking at the PeopleofWalmart.com website.
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Post by fumobici on Jul 15, 2010 15:13:56 GMT
Did I say WTF? WTF  I do hope the cicadas continue to wait! |
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 15, 2010 18:34:21 GMT
So why are you showing us this? Everybody there dresses so drably and obviously nothing goes on there.
Just kidding! What the heck is going on?
And why cigales/cicadas?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2010 21:09:17 GMT
The deafening crickets are the symbol of Provence in the summer. If they are gulping cola, perhaps they won't make so much noise.
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Post by dahuffy on Jul 15, 2010 21:47:16 GMT
When I saw the lady with the funny hat I almost thought I was looking at the PeopleofWalmart.com website. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2010 4:59:18 GMT
I found more new wildlife in front of the Palais des Papes.  The Pope was there, too.  In fact, all of the street performers and 'normal' actors were vying for attention as they always do. This year, the 'Off' festival has 1092 programs competing for my attention. Hard to imagine! With everybody having so much to look at, I confess that I take advantage of the situation to steal portraits in the crowds. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2010 5:13:44 GMT
While waiting to see my second play of the day, I watched a strange and haunting 15 minute tale of sorrow presented by a marionnettist. |
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 16, 2010 6:01:18 GMT
This is just out of this world! Really, almost literally, as the balancing elephant for one moment had me convinced it was some time-travel trickery showing a real medieval moment.
Wonderful, fascinating pictures. Is the marionnettiste using antique toys or marionnettes? That portrait of him at the end is absolutely fabulous -- it even stands out in this outstanding group of pictures.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2010 6:09:50 GMT
The marionnettes looked like rag dolls to me, but what do I know?
Time to forge on to new adventures... it is already past 8 am and time's awasting!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2010 10:59:24 GMT
I love that it's this time of year again Kerouac, as I so loved last years report on this fabulous festival!!!! And I'm thrilled for you (and us!) that you returned again this year!!
I love what you've posted thus far. So many of the pictures remind me of similar events that are celebrated here in NOLA in The Bywater and Faubourg Marigny sections,below the Vieux Carre.
I am very much looking forward to this!!
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Jul 16, 2010 17:49:25 GMT
I love these weirdo festivals where people dress in a bizarre manner so as to look more natural when doing unusual things in the street. It's like a scene from the Frank Zappa film "200 Motels".
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2010 19:00:03 GMT
Today, particularly this afternoon, the streets were alive with music in preparation of the weekend. Some of the musicians who were performing had specific shows to advertise, but others were just the typical street musicians of European summer festivals. I admire people who can make a living from this, but in most cases, these are actually just normal office workers, factory workers, farm workers, hairdressers, salespeople, etc., who are using their own summer holidays to do what they love and maybe make a little extra cash as well. Buskers are very much appreciated on the continent, and even when things are done without a permit, it is often tolerated. But in any case, in Avignon during the month of July, just about anything goes. Simultaneously, others continued to promote their shows of the month. I would also like to reassure anyone who was worried about the cigales drinking too much cola. They have long had another beverage at their disposal. |
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2010 16:19:34 GMT
Some of the musicians ... were just the typical street musicians of European summer festivals. ... in most cases, these are actually just normal office workers, factory workers, farm workers, hairdressers, salespeople, etc., who are using their own summer holidays to do what they love ... You truly caught that commitment in your last group of photographs. All of your subjects look so absorbed in doing and sharing what they love. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2010 19:06:53 GMT
Last night at midnight seemed like an appropriate time to visit the festival market, situated just outside the walls of the old city. I have never bought anything there and just think of it as the "hippie market" but it is always interesting for at least one visit. |
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Post by lola on Jul 19, 2010 2:02:26 GMT
This is great, K. Thanks.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2010 16:28:27 GMT
Today as I wandered the streets, I was really impressed by this singing family -- Mom, Dad and the three children. The eldest daughter played percussion on a box (very well) while the two little tykes (white and red t-shirt on the right) danced like little maniacs to the amusement of the public. They were making excellent money today, but I couldn't help wondering: Are they full time drifters? Do they have a home? Do the parents have ordinary jobs when summer is finished? Where do the kids go to school? I know that some kids who grew up with wanderlusting parents loved every minute of it, but plenty of others just wanted to settle down and have friends. In many cases, they end up with their grandparents, not always the best solution either...  |
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 20, 2010 3:31:57 GMT
Ahhhhhhh ~~ I can smell the patchouli from Reply #14! That, and the Empire style sundress really took me back.
Your ferris wheel pictures are incredible!
Who's to say about the kids? That beautiful girl with her magnificent dreads looks pretty happy.
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Post by tillystar on Jul 20, 2010 8:30:05 GMT
She does have a happy face and gorgeous hair! Wow this looks like Edinburgh fringe festival but even more crazy. I missed last year's post, what is the festival all about? I really want to go to this! I am positive I saw this guy in 2007 at the Edinburgh festival, I have been looking back thorugh my pictures but can't see it. Still, certain he was there - well that act at least!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2010 20:40:57 GMT
Tilly, it's the largest theatre and street arts festival in the world. It runs most of the month of July every year.
Anyway, I have a number of other things to post about this year's visit, but for now here are some videos to show (or rather so that you can hear) the importance of cigales in the Provence summer. The first video shows one of the meadows in Villeneuve-lez-Avignon, just across Rhône, where the itinerant European theatrical companies have set up their July headquarters. They have about 3 or 4 meadows, and they pitch their performance tents in the middle andplace their living quarters all around the edges.
The second video shows the itinerant bar at 8pm, panning across to the box office for all of the plays and music. Because of the cigales, you can barely hear the music that was being performed at the bar!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2010 23:14:21 GMT
The ferris wheel shots are out of this world,very cool. And the children with their parents do seem quite happy,I know some families of this nature,troubadours of sorts, with the wanderlust,their children seem happy,but,in many cases more so with adults than children their own age."Normal" children are boring to them.
Anyway,am continuing to love these,thank you.
(have heard of Edinburgh's Fringe Festival and NOLA adopted a" fringe" a few years ago,will have to check it out! I believe it's next month).
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2010 23:32:35 GMT
I confess that I am more of a morning person, so I miss out on tons of stuff. A lot of people are just getting started at midnight. So I made an effort the same evening I visited the festival market to see what was going on in some of the streets. The Place de l'Horloge, site of the principal tourist trap restaurants, was still pretty busy.  However, it was nothing compared to Rue de la République, which is the main shopping street coming from the old train station.  I was invited into a private garden where a public party was taking place in a calmer section of town.   The restaurants of the very atmospheric Rue des Teinturiers were still jammed.   So many tracts are distributed to the passersby all day long to advertise the 1092 different shows. It is an incredible mess to clean up every morning...  I suppose that the people who actually live and work in Avignon need ear plugs if they want to get any sleep. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2010 23:40:26 GMT
Oh, I love shot #5 in this series!
Yes,for a morning person,I admire your stamina K. in being able to endure. Thanks!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2010 0:13:05 GMT
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Post by cigalechanta on Jul 21, 2010 0:38:02 GMT
Keruac, they are NOT crickets but Cigales.
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Post by cigalechanta on Jul 21, 2010 0:40:27 GMT
cigales are cicadas
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 21, 2010 0:44:36 GMT
Don't want to derail this thread, but those cicadas sound completely different from the Mexican ones! #253You really capture the excitement of being there. I love your night shots, especially the one with the big tree trunks.
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Post by tillystar on Jul 21, 2010 5:39:13 GMT
Yes, definitely captured the excitement and wonder of it all. I can't believe I hadn't heard of this fantastic festival, I am very serious about trying to get there for a few days next year. It looks out of this world! Thank you for sharing this not so secret secret!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2010 18:44:52 GMT
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Post by fumobici on Jul 22, 2010 19:01:45 GMT
Do the festivities spill over into the plaza fronting the papal palace?
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I do hope the cicadas continue to wait!
