Viking Cruise Day 3 

The Lavender Fields of Provence

"You'll smell it before you even see it.  That unmistakable aroma that fills your nose and seeps in to your scenses. The scent is lavender"

***excerpt taken from the story Blue/Gold from the popular app "Calm"

That is what started my obsession of wanting to visit the lavender fields of Provence.

It has taken 4 years to get there but it feels like a lifetime of desiring to see the beauty of the fields and breath in the relaxing scent of lavender.

Our journey started bright and early on our third day of the cruise up the Rhone River.

(actually we went down from Avignon to Arles and then back up the river back to Avignon.)  I'm not sure why we did this but I mean, I just follow the rules....(sometimes)

***squatting in the lavender fields......

The bus picked us up for the 9 hour journey through Provence.

Our first stop was the lavender museum. So we could all learn the history of the lavender fields. But....since I've listened to Blue/Gold about 400 times, I already knew it all.

Heck. I could've taught the class...

***warning, photo dump***

The lavender museum with an unknown woman...

I tried to buy these canisters but they weren't for sell. 

This was one of my favorite parts of our journey, because it was so interesting seeing the distilling process ages ago and then learning the process now.

(You'll see)

this was the first lavender field we found.  The guide yelled "STOP THE BUS"

because with the drought in France right now you just never know if they will have already harvested.  

This wasn't the most beautiful field we saw.  And as you can tell, it was sadly quite dry.

But then we found the good stuff!

Although it was hot as heck there was no humidity and the weather truly was spectacular!

in all honesty, I don't remember where these two pics were from. lol

after a beautiful lunch (that "W" and I are disagreeing about the location....)

but,,,I think it was up here somewhere....

we visited a true working lavender farm!

And learned how they distill it now!

they put the lavender in these huge steel containers

and then they compress it with a huge, heavy tire filled with concrete.

***Green/Gold did not tell me about this process...

but the steam was intoxicating!

SO, after seeing and learning the distilling process we got to go out to the fields and cut our own lavender!

...with a really sharp sickle

in case you don't know what a sickle is.

Take a guess at who got to be the first to cut some lavender...

🙋🙋🙋🖐

***dangerously sharp.....

My life is now complete.....

Tomorrow we tour the beautiful 5th century town of Viviers...(the s is silent)

Stay sweet y'all!

kb