6. Rome - The Tevere (Tiber) and Trastevere

Below: Tevere taken from Ponte Cestio across Isola Tiburtina
Below: From Ponte Sisto

Below: Ponte Sisto
Below: Santa Maria in Trastevere

42. Avignon - Sur le pont (Pont St-Bénezet)

Listen and watch here (click)

Les beaux messieurs font comm’ ça

Et puis encore comm’ ça.
The handsome gentlemen go this way

Then again go that way

Chorus:

Sur le pont d’Avignon

L'on y danse, l'on y danse

Sur le pont d’Avignon

L'on y danse tous en rond
On the bridge of Avignon

We all dance there, we all dance there

On the bridge of Avignon

We all dance there in a ring

Les belles dames font comm’ ça

Et puis encore comm’ ça.
The beautiful ladies go this way

Then again go that way

Les militaires font comm’ ça

Et puis encore comm’ ça
The soldiers go this way

Then again go that way

Les musiciens font comm’ ça

Et puis encore comm’ ça.
The musicians go this way

Then again go that way

Pont St-Bénezet originally spanned the Rhône between Avignon and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon on the opposite bank. It was built between 1171 and 1185, with an original length of 900 m but it suffered frequent collapses during floods and had to be reconstructed several times. Over the centuries, it became increasingly perilous as arches collapsed and were replaced by rickety wooden sections. It was finally put out of use by a catastrophic flood in 1668, which swept away much of the structure. It was subsequently abandoned and no more attempts were made to repair it. Since then, its surviving arches have successively collapsed or been demolished, and only four of the initial 22 arches remain intact today.

In fact, people probably would have danced beneath the bridge (sous le pont) where it crossed the Ile de Barthelasse on its way to Villeneuve. The island was (and still is) a popular recreation spot, with pleasure gardens, and folk dancing was a popular pastime for many years. The bridge itself is far too narrow and slippery and uneven to have accommodated dancers.

The song was originally composed by the 16th century composer Pierre Certon, though with a very different melody to its present version and under the more accurate title of "Sus (sic) le Pont d'Avignon". The modern version only dates from the mid-19th century, when Adolphe Adam included it in an 1853 operetta entitled l'Auberge Pleine. It was popularised by an 1876 operetta which renamed the song, as currently, "Sur le Pont d'Avignon." (Thanks Wikipedia)

There's an interesting little museum in the bridge, where you can listen to various versions of the song.

49. Pont du Gard - une spectacle

No original photos of the spectacle, because I didn't have appropriate equipment to take decent photos, but a link which I thoroughly recommend you check out. And some photos from when Piero and I visited in August 1992.

Just before we arrived in Avignon, Nathalie mentioned on her blog, Avignon in Photos, a "spectacle" held at the Pont du Gard (Roman aqueduct about 20 kms from Avignon).

Nathalie said "The one-hour show by Groupe F involves fireworks, blasting flames, huge images projected on the viaduct and cliff below, humans dressed in lit-up costumes and strange humanoïds in flames appearing along the water's edge, flying in the night and dancing on the water"

We were lucky enough to get tickets for 13 June. We were enthralled. At times the Aqueduct was not just a canvas for light and fire, but a real part of the story of the show. I've never seen anything like it before. More than fireworks, more than a light show, it was a grand combination of fire, fireworks, lasers, the aqueduct, the river, puppets, real people (acrobats, dancers)....and of course music.

Here's a video which gives you an idea of what it was like.


Spectacle_de_nuit_2008
Uploaded by EPCCPONTDUGARD

74. London

We travelled up to London, arriving about midday. We had the rest of that day, and most of the next before we had to be at Heathrow for our flight home. Both days were sunny and warm, consistent with the whole trip where we were blessed with gorgeous weather, perfect for touring, never too hot. The only rain we saw was in Cornwall.

Below: Big Ben prepares to topple Little Ben


Below: We did the tour of Lord's Cricket Ground.



After Lord's we walked to Regent's Park, and after something to eat at the cafe, decided to hire one of the peddle boats for a drift around the boating lake. It was a most beautiful summer's day (1 July), and Londoners were doing what they do best under such conditions - shucking off their clothes and sunning themselves on deckchairs in the parks.

Below: We went to see Avenue Q at the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End. Fabulously funny rude muppets.

Below: Aaaah, another airport. Plastic food, plastic seating. Actually I found a great food outlet with very non-plastic fresh salad. Called EAT., specialising in salads.