After such a long drive the day before and a heavy dinner to boot, we decided to take it easy and stay local. Wednesday we headed into Buis-les-Baronnies for the market!

It's a pleasant day with the sun on our backs. The market's crowded and it's a great opportunity to take pictures. I pointed out regional specialties to Jane, things like the cheeses, the rather expensive organic olive oils, herbs and spices, the ubiquitous lavender. I love market day. I love the mix of locals and tourists, the young running around the elderly. Oh, the smells! The fish stands, the lavender, paella, Chinese food, and a rotisserie. The last was a very popular item.

I had wandered around on my own and I finally regrouped with Frank, Jane, and Arnold at a saucisson vendor. They had been waiting for me because they wanted to ask the vendor about his products. Apparently he'd been listening because he piped up all of a sudden in English. Frank and Jane tasted various bits of meat, pronounced them good, ordered some. The vendor used an old-fashioned hand-cranked slicer on some jambon.

Then Jane had a moment.

She asked the vendor about salami. Remember what I said about the French?

The vendor said, "Salami is from a country I do not want to talk about."

Heeheeheeheehee! I busted out laughing at such a ridiculous comment. It was too funny!

Hoarding our salami, we directed Frank and Arnold to buy a poulet rôti while we shopped for bread. Two flutes and a croissant later, we walked to the park and had a very nice, yummy lunch. Directly across from us, across the river, was the municipal campsite where Frank and I stayed in May. It seems like such a long time ago!

The market extended into the parking lot, where Provençale fabrics and pottery were sold side-by-side with old books, furniture, clothing, shoes, anything and everything. I was captivated by this caner, installed at a busy corner, quietly practicing his craft. I asked permission to photograph and he nodded, so busy was he with his work. Before him lay finished chairs, all so beautifully re-caned. It's nice to see that some things haven't been fully automated.

After lunch we drove to la Baleine, one of our climbing areas. Arnold expressed an interest in rock climbing, and I hope he actively pursues it. Hey Arnold, you'll get a great upper body workout! We showed them the cliffs, how they look so small but are actually 35 meters tall. We showed them the Toulourenc, which I like to think of as *our* river. We showed the little spot where we'd spend our weekends during the hot summer. I'd lie out with a book and my camera, and get up once in a while to build a cairn. Frank would wade to the rock shelf on the other side and paint.

Lastly, we dropped into Vaison-la-Romaine for the pièce de la résistance, The Chocolate Shop. This is not part of a boulangerie. This is not your ordinary patisserie. This is a chocolate shop. A lovely chocolate shop. I go gaga every time I enter this store because it's not just chocolate and pastries, it's every little girl's dream of a yummy sweet shop and more. I mean, just look at the marshmallows! We bought ice cream first; Jane had the violette, Arnold the vanille. Frank had something red and berryish, fruits rouges, and I had the réglisse, which was pleasantly mild, considering it's licorice. We walked around, mumbling through mouths full of yumminess. Vaison is a pretty town, with its Roman ruins and its crumbling castle at the top of the hill. The main street has cafés and lots of touristy shops (and a yarn store, hah), so there are a lot of things to keep you occupied.

Having finished our glâces, we entered the store and picked out our desserts and a few other items: truffles, nougat, a bit of this and that. Dinner that night was out in the garden among the olive trees, with the chapel in the background. Such a lovely view. And desserts from Peyrerol were a lovely end to the day.