Law School Reunion

30 Years In The Making…

And, before you ask, there is no picture of the four of us. That would require foresight and haranguing some fifth party into taking our picture. Apparently, we were not up to that task.

Favorite Haunts

Russ and I showed Michael and Karen some of our favorite haunts. Dinner at Brasserie du Theatre followed the next day by the Thursday coffee. Thursday coffee at Café de la Mer has become quite the extravaganza – 70 participants is not unheard of – and it did not disappoint.

Super Powers

Nor did Michael. He hadn’t changed a bit since law school, one of his super powers is the ability to talk to anyone and make them feel at ease. We met people through Michael, instead of us introducing him around!

Touring Montpellier

Don Camillo’s for a pizza lunch and then on to the twisty streets of Ecusson on a beautiful Montpellier day for a tour. One of the highlights was the Place du Peyrou, with Louis XIV standing watch.

And just because, here’s the close-up:

Day Trip – Avignon

The next day, Russ bowed out of touring to do the work of taking care of dogs and home stuff. This left me free to join Michael and Karen on a day trip to Avignon. Avignon is a town of about 90,000 or so famous as the seat of the Popes during the 1300’s. Bearing witness to this past is the massive Palais des Papes (the Popes’ Palace), the main tourist attraction of the town.

It is stone construction and the furnishings are long gone, but an impressive site nonetheless. And on our visit, it featured a mammoth art installation called Othoniel Cosmos by the French sculptor Jean-Michel Othoniel. Over 260 works of art are displayed throughout the town of Avignon in celebration of 25 years of Avignon being designated as a European Capitol of Culture and 30 years of its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Art, Art and More Art

I found the combination of medieval stone architecture and modern sculpture a captivating juxtaposition, to the point while Karen and Michael soaked up the rich history I found myself hopping from artwork to artwork.

Here’s the official commentary on the above:

“When you step inside Saint-Jean Chapel, you come face to face with The Tomb of Love set into the oratory floor… This installation harks back to the silk paper prints of bodies that the artist began his career with. Le Tombeau de l’Amour (the tomb of love) … the ghost of love, has clearly escaped its resting place to guide audiences through Avignon. “

I won’t quote as much on all the artwork, but I think that sets the tone. Another piece that struck me was the Griffin Fountain, looking like something out of a medieval courtly love story. Catching a bird mid-flight was just a stroke of luck.

The fountain was set in the beautiful gardens of the palace. To give you an idea of the scale of the palace, here’s Michael:

Back to the art, a snake piece and an orb looking a bit like a gigantic golf ball on a tee to me:

And yes, I did pay some attention to the 1300’s stuff! For example, this dog gargoyle was magnificent:

And on our way to Avignon’s famous bridge, another orb:

A piece I found dazzling on the bridge…

Karen and I soaking it all up…

Avignon provided a golden opportunity for me to spend quality time with both Michael and Karen. What amazing people. And fun.