C'est le printemps

The sun has finally arrived in Paris. It has been such a long wait that I had forgotten what the sun actually feels like and it took me by surprise. Paris is a different entirely in the spring. Not only is it more congested with tourists, it is also full of flowers, parks and gardens that I had never before noticed. I am actually taken aback at how beautiful it is. I walk everywhere I can now, as being outside and warm is such a treat. Although I have not yet bared my legs for fear of how white they are, the time is slowly approaching...
Two weeks ago I visited Provence (Avignon to be exact) for a GW school trip. The South has an entirely different feel and atmosphere than Paris. Not only is it quiet, the people and way of life is much more languid and free. The portions are bigger and they seem to enjoy eating in a different way. Like Paris, they appreciate good food, but they appreciate it in much bigger helpings and it is much richer and heartier. Avignon was very quaint and a bit touristy, but I adored it nonetheless. It was a very small town enclosed within an ancient stone wall used to keep enemy armies out. The shutters and buildings are very vibrant and covered in vines and old stones.
The first day we visited a very small museum that housed a random assortment of art, including furniture, vases, rugs, sculptures and paintings (it had 3 Degas', which I spent most of my time there admiring). After the museum we visited the Palais de Papes (the Pope's Palace), a massive stone church/castle built into a mountain. It was very overwhelming and rather cold, and all looked the same after a while. However, the view was breathtaking and it was worth seeing.
Basically I spent my entire 2 day trip eating delicious food and drinking a lot of wine. We went to 5 wine tastings in total, all located in different parts of the countryside. I could not get enough of the small villages built up into the hills or surrounded by endless stretches of vineyards. Everything there was so relaxed and slow, I felt as if I was dropped into another world that did not follow today's pace. I did love Avignon, but was ready to get back to Paris after being hazy and tipsy and extremely full for 2 days straight-the lifestyle was a bit too stagnant for me.
However, they did have excellent cheese and wine :).