This morning, we got to tour the Gallo-Roman arena in Nîmes that's been in existence for over 2000 years. It was the site for gladiator fights, bull fights and other shows. In fact, they still use it for bullfights, concerts and other shows. After our visit, we walked through the narrow, winding streets that are typical of almost any European city and got to see the Maison Carrée (square house), which is one the best preserved Roman buildings in Europe. Here we are on the steps of the Maison Carrée:
Then we had some free time to explore and after that, we took the bus to Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct that brought water from Uzes down to Nîmes a total of 50 kilometers. No machinery, no pumps - just a slight slope and gravity. The thing that amazes me is that it's still standing after 2000 years and the Romans used no mortar to hold the rocks in place. Once again, just gravity. Crazy! Oh and we also saw an olive tree over 1100 years old! Here we are at Pont du Gard and with the olive tree:
The olive tree:
So now, as I write this, we're on the bus leaving Provence and heading north to Lyon, where we will stop for the night, have a walking tour and then head west to the Loire Valley tomorrow. À plus tard! See you later!
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