A perfect day in Provence Every Su

A perfect day in Provence

Every Sunday in a small town called Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in southern France there is a truly amazing market. Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is like Venice. The River Sorgue runs in and out of the old narrow streets and under the many bridges, and on market day every street and bridge is packed with stalls. From early morning, this sleepy little town becomes a noisy, busy place, with sellers calling to you in the accent of the south.

You can choose from an amazing selection of olives, hundreds of cheeses, and delicious roast chickens. But it is not just a food market. Antique sellers fill the pavements with beautiful old French furniture, and there are tables covered with antique lace and cloth. Flower sellers invite you to pick from their brightly coloured bunches of flowers. The air is filled with the smell of soaps, herbs, and lavender, all made and grown in Provence. Do you need a sun hat? Did you forget your beach towel? Your choices are endless.

Travellers fill their backpacks with delicious things for Sunday lunch: olive bread, tomatoes, chicken, melon, and of course, a bottle of local mineral water. At 1 o’clock everything closes, and everyone goes home. Then it’s time to find a cool place next to the river for a perfect picnic on a perfect day in Provence.



The Souks of Marrakech

Marrakech in Morocco is a city of ancient, sand-coloured buildings and palm trees in the middle of the desert.

In the centre is the main square, Jemaa el Fna. Here you can see dancing snakes and drink Moroccan coffee. But behind the square is the real heart of the city. This is the souk (the Arab word for market). Hundreds of little shops and stalls are open from early morning till lunchtime, and again in the evening. The souk, with its narrow, busy streets, is divided into lots of smaller souks. There’s the aromatic spice souk, the noisy meat souk, the colourful clothing souk, the gold and silver souk, and many more.

Finally, there's the carpet souk. Here, hundreds of handmade Moroccan rugs and carpets cover the pavements. No two rugs are the same. In Mr. Youssef's rug shop, he invites you to sit down among all the beautiful carpets. A silver teapot arrives with little glasses and Mr.Youssef talks about the different rugs, while his assistants roll them out one by one. Two hours later, after many glasses of traditional mint tea and lots of bargaining, you finally choose your rug and leave much poorer. Then it's time to return to the main square to watch the snakes and count your money.