1/17/19
(Above: L’isle.)
Preface: It is late, so I am going combine the commentary and active summary today.
Active Summary: Today I woke up, did the morning calisthenics, and then ventured outside with my brother to go find some breakfast. Our journey led us to a bakery in town where I acquired some form of coconut / blackberry tarte and my brother obtained a chocolate pie. After this, we walked around town until it began to look like it was going to rain whereupon we returned to the Airbnb. On our walk back, we stopped by an olive oil shop where we found quite a variety of specialty oils, vinegar, caviar, mustard, candies, soaps, and much more*. There, I procured a few special items for home (final picture below).
Back at the room, we did some trip planning which consisted of scheduling an Airbnb for 5 days at Aix, a flight from Catania (Sicily) back to Paris on February 7th, and a flight from Paris back to Orlando on the 8th. This was followed by various other tasks – one of which was school – and then by a small journey to the local supermarket for a light lunch. This light lunch ended up consisting of a large still-warm baguette for 80 cents, two different types of cheese and some butter for 12 euros, two apples and a large bunch of grapes for ~ 8 euros. In total it was a hair over 20 euros for lunch.
More miscellaneous activities at the room for a few hours was followed by a walk around L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and then by a dinner at a small eatery named Cold & Hot: The Good Place by the river where I ordered a salad, and my brother, a steak. For dessert, I got some form of chocolate mousse very reminiscent of the coconut cream chocolate mousse I made back at home. It was all excellent.
TIL: Today I learned that this town of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue originally used the river, the Sorgue, as a moat in conjunction with 10-15′ high walls to stave off invaders. The town has been here since the early 12th century.
I also learned that in French Grocery stores, the shopper is expected to weigh and tag their selected produce using the provided automated label-makers.
Pictures: Here is today’s highlight reel. In regard to the strange contrasts in illumination; today was quite cloudy and many of these pictures were taken in low light.
I’m still not sure what this was. It seemed to contain hints of coconut and blackberry. 
And it was delicious, too, of course. 
My brother’s somewhat absurd-looking breakfast. It bore a very chocolatey flavor. 
Just one side of the olive oil store. 
This day was affected by intermittent rainfall. 
Numerous sizeable heads of varying bib lettuces. All for under 1 euro a piece and all France grown. 
(French) Baguettes. All so fresh that they were still warm. 50 cents per loaf or 2.00 euros for 5 loaves. 
An odd type of ruffly cabbage that I have never seen before. 
During our visit to the grocery store, the power went out for about 5 minutes. 
From left to right. Water, grapes, two apples, a baguette, a cheese with a stinky crust and mild interior, (front) one of the best butters I have ever had, a goat cheese with extra goat flavor, and Coca Cola sans sucres (no sugar). 
Wine, water, and a small appetizer of spicy peanuts. 
First escargot in France. 
It did not disappoint. 
A fancy and quite large Caesar salad. The most notable inclusions were the very-moist chicken, the large thin ‘chips’ of Parmesan cheese, and the bitter red leaves (seen along the sides). The sauce came in its own little jar to the side. 
My brother’s steak. He let me have a piece, and it was quite tender. The best thing he shared with me, though, was the vegetable tartin (vegetable tart) that came as a side. 
Chocolate mousse. It tasted about as good as it looked. 
Caramel mousse. Very unique in the way that it’s main flavor was caramel. It was quite tasty. 
Olive oils – all produced in Provence.
Final Note: Tomorrow, my brother and I will be venturing to Gordes. It is a small hilltop hamlet less than an hour away, and if the day is not overly cloudy, the views should be excellent. Even if it is cloudy, though, I enjoy hilly and mountainous terrain.
*It was a gourmet grocery based on olive oil. This means that almost all of its wares were either straight olive oil or foodstuffs preserved in olive oil.