I am happy to meet you once again

Today we are in the Camargue, and what is right before your eyes is an ancient and beautiful city by the sea, Saintes-Maries de la Mer. Why just today, May 24, in this place? Simple, this is the day in which – each year, and by a long time – Rom and Gypsies from all over the continent of Europe celebrate their patron, a wooden statue: Sara the Black. If you have time and want to stay with me for eight days, traveling into these places with my Vespa, we can observe this ancient nomadic people coming from everywhere, because into the fine sandy beach, a street or a square, they have their home.

This morning, I went to the Tourist Office of this city – info@saintesmaries.com – to collecting some information, essential not to lose the preciousness of some events and some dates, the ones that I noted in my travel notebook . Today, for example, we must not miss the procession of Saint Sarah, to attend the ceremony of the descent into the sea of the Gypsies, with their shrines. On May 29, at ten o’clock in the evening, we will pay € 9 each, to assist in the arena of the city, a charming horse show, but I am sure that you will not want to miss a second chance, running of the bulls in the arena of the Camargue at four in the afternoon of May 31.

If you want to return in the Camargue, reminiscent of a precious date, that of 15 July. In the nearby town of Arles, you can raise your eyes in a summer night, watching the fireworks, but you can also listen to the sound of a dream one night, watching bulls, horses and horsemen in traditional costumes. You have to go on the road for Cacharel at ten o’clock in the evening, but you do not have to pay anything, because the magic show is free.

For dinner tonight, I propose the Restaurant L’Amirauté – 46 of the avenue Théodore Aubanel – facing the sea. Obviously, it will of Camargue and Provence the food that delights our eyes and our taste buds. Fish and shellfish (you can also choose your lobster), are the specialty of this restaurant of Saintes-Maries de la Mer, but what about the wine, we cannot choose, because the “Vins des Sables” in the Gulf of Lion – in its variety pinkish or white – is one of the vineyards grown on the sand dunes, and nothing is comparable to a “Grenache Gris,” when what you eat is a gift from the sea.

If you are interested in buying regional products – ceramics, wine or liquor – I advise you to go to Madame Nadine – 10 of the avenue Frédéric Mistral – where you can choose the object that accompanies an emotion of a day , for the entire your life. If you decide to stay still for another day , you can write on your diary the name of a flamenco – bar – restaurant, “El Campo”, 13 rue Victor Hugo – www.restaurant-elcampo.com – and  you will not be disappointed by my suggestion. If you left your heart in the Camargue , perhaps it may also be of interest to know how to find your “home of the heart” , of course with the help of a real estate agency: www.camarguealpillesimmobilier.com , www.alternative-immobiliere.com , www.avlc13460.net . Bye , see you soon , but if you cannot sleep at this night, you can remember the title of a novel published by http://meetingbenches.com/ , Sinkholes. Yes, the book is also set in the wonder of this land.