European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 13, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse At left a Street puppeteer in front of the papal Palace in Avignon. Top photo women in the Folk costume of the Region in Aries. At right the fortified Church at Saintes Maries de la Mer. More Art history Tours Art history Tours can be booked through on base itt office or eur Tours Weckbacher Landstrass 74, d-6000 Frankfurt 60, Germany. Tel. 069-467969 or 451298. Tours coming up Are Italy March 28-april 6 Verdun and Bastogne april 12-13 the upper Rhine april 18-20 Paris and environs april 23-27 and july 22-27 North Germany May 1-4 echternach Luxembourg dancing procession May 19-20 medieval Burgundy May 23-26 Sicily and Malta june 13-29 Normandy july 2-6 French Riviera july 15-20 cruise to Greece aug. 8 16 Venice and Padua aug. 29-sept. 1 Munich and oktoberfest oct. 3-5 Belgium oct. 10-13 Copenhagen oct. 22-26 Vienna and Salzburg nov. 7-10 and London nov. 26-30. If Tours Are booked up it is possible to get on the waiting list. On every trip there Are last minute cancellations. Saddled and ready to take tourists on excursions into the wilds but we see none of the Pink flamingos famous in the Region. It s the wrong time of year. Saintes Marie de la Mer is the Universal seacoast town. Low White houses with Bright shutters line the Street on one Side on the other is the Beach. But a few blocks Inland the fortified Church looks As if it could withstand attackers to this Day. Inside Light filters through Small High slits. The Church is very Plain for a pilgrimage Church. The two Maries stand in their boat in a Niche surrounded by placards saying Merci for their help. Downstairs in a crypt their companion Sarah stands behind a Forest of candles. There is enough time in argues Mortes to climb the Tower for a View of the red tile roofs of the ancient walled town. It has been perfectly preserved no suburbs Rise outside the Walls. The Day ends at Nimes with a visit to the Maison Carree Best preserved of All roman temples. We pause at the Arena it s filled with a circus at the moment to find the Stone Relief of Romulus and Remus. See the holes around the top says Stangel. They could put poles there to hold a Tarpaulin and turn the Arena into a sort of ancient detail from Church of Saint Trophim in Aries. We Are Well into the routine now packing up and breakfasting Early keeping cameras at the ready finding shops to Stock up with fresh bread and Pate and wine for picnics on Board the bus. But now we Start the Long journey Home albeit with a couple of stops along the Way. We make an Early morning visit to the Pont do card. It in t so difficult to scale this roman Aqueduct and it s Well Worth a Short extra hike to photograph it from above. It s the Only place where a photograph does t make the triple arched Bridge look like a slice of Swiss cheese. The Aqueduct was built by Agrippa to carry water some 25 Miles to Nimes. It is put together without mortar although some of the blocks weigh As much As six tons a Marvel of roman engineering. That is everything the tour brochure promised but we have time so we make an unscheduled Stop at Orange. A Beautiful roman theater is there and a commemorative Arch celebrating roman military prowess. And in the Way of More practical matters there is the Boul Angerie j. Liotard just Down the Street from the theater which Sells so Many tempting kinds of bread and pastries that we Over buy and have plenty to share on the Long ride Home. Marc i 13,1986 stripes Magazine
