In the Place d’Horologie, which is the tourist centre of Avignon, with at least an angled view of the Palaise des Papes, is a roundabout that inevitably, with its lights and music, attracts the eye (and today, particularly, floods of small children).
I was watching the fun – it seems there’s a gender split. Wheneverthere was a male present, he got to ride with the children too small to be left on their own, while mum waited with stroller and waved at each pass. Not sure which is the preferable job really – one child was bellowing its lungs out with fear…
And I was watching a girl of eight or so, far too fearful for her age. Unable to find the stirrups on her own, obviously worried about losing her balance, she reminded me of myself at that age – totally physically inept through lack of exposure to physical activity.
Later, wandering along I was thinking about trying to learn French by reading books (I’ll be telling you soon about the first book in French that I hope to read all the way through – not counting 10-page guidebooks), and reflecting that this was how I learnt at least the more sophisticated corners of English. There are still words that when I go to say them I realise I don’t know how to pronounce because I’ve only ever read them.
It is that time of year when one tends to reflect on where you’ve come, and overall, I’m pretty happy with the progress from the suburbs of Sydney thus far.
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