Nîmes

Better late than never to post about our trip en Provence... we started out in Nimes - a “hit” at the Arène, one of France’s oldest and best preserved Roman coliseums. Once I got over the initial resistance to the 40€+ entrance fee (yikes!), it was a very interesting site, with a great audio guide. Did you know that the killing of defenceless prisoners by wild animals or armed men were actually unpopular events - generally not attended by most of the audience? Moreover, gladiator fighting, the real reason everyone came to the coliseum, seldom resulted in the death of a gladiator since the magistrate who organized the event would have to compensate the gladiator’s school for the loss. And... the “thumbs up/ thumbs down” is also a fiction - actually, a thumb tucked into a closed fist meant “mercy”. Hollywood fails us again! Then onto another Roman legacy in the region - the Pont du Gard - an amazing bridge supporting one of the best -preserved examples of a Roman aqueduct. Aqueducts, in bringing water from high in the hills to towns and cities, allowed for the growth of an agricultural economy, but what I find more interesting is their innovative effects on governance and growth of public spaces. Cities and towns could bring people together, around fountains or baths, and had public lavatories to support this (you understand this if you have ever been to an outdoor concert without adequate port-o-potties...). And they also had to manage a shared resource - with all the physical and social challenges of fairly allocating it... clearly I remain a public service e geek at heart! For the future traveller, note that seeing the Pont du Gard off-season, in the rain, and at the end of a long day, is not ideal. It is a beautiful area that deserves sunshine and a picnic, probably bikes or kayaks. Maybe next time... :)Read more