I know that I like to be organized and have my life very well planned but never let it be said that I am not flexible and spontaneous! Today was such a day!! I had initially planned to go to Saint Remy de Provence and had checked out bus times etc. The bus wasn't leaving until just before lunch so I went back to the little santon shop from yesterday. I HAD to have a Van Gogh santon to go with the fountain and woman with the jug, didn't I?! While we were chatting (completely in French!), the owner mentioned the Train des Alpilles
and the possibility that it might take me to Les Baux de Provence which is much prettier and more historic than Saint Remy. Who am I to argue with the locals?! She suggested I go to the tourist information office and find out more. The woman there agreed that Les Baux was the better choice and gave me information about the train. When I asked where this train was, I was told "la gare". So, off to the station I headed...no Trains des Alpilles?! Fortunately there is a tourist office there so I asked and although you could cross the tracks to get to this train...it was pretty dangerous?!!! NO KIDDING!!! So, the only other way was to head back towards town and take another road up to the depot for the Alpilles train. I had 8 km on my pedometer before I even got to the station!! There wasn't anyone around so I walked back to the park by the river and read and enjoyed the sunshine for a bit. Back to the depot and found someone. No, the train didn't go to Les Baux!!! It stopped about 10 km short!! By this time, it was too late to go to Saint Remy or change my plans so I decided to take the train anyway.
It is an old line and covers a lot of the countryside that Frederic Mistral, Alphonse Daudet and Vincent Van Gogh used to travel and is said to have been the source of some of their works. 
The inspiration for Van Gogh's sunflower paintings is supposed to be along this route - although it's too early for sunflowers so I couldn't be sure!! Daudet's mill from his letters is at the end of the route but a fair hike from the station so I passed on that. I have seen my "moulins a vent" and am quite content with that!!
The train passed by some rice plantations. I have never thought of rice in this area but it apparently goes back to the 16th century although it only fully came into being after the second world war. The sowing is just in the process of being done and the harvest will be in September. And they use all the help they can get to ensure a good harvest!! 
We went past Abbaye de Montmajour - built in the Middle Ages and made up of 11th and 12th century buildings, a hermitage and crypt as well as some additions from the 18th century. According to the brochure, Van Gogh included the train des Alpilles crossing the plain below the abbey in one of his paintings!
And although I still have not seen my field of poppies, I did find enough to fill my camera screen!! They grow everywhere!
These should lift my spirits next winter! Until then, I will keep looking for that illusive field and enjoying the wonderful spring weather here!
Mom and Dad arrived in Arles just after 7 and I met them at the station. We stopped at a sidewalk cafe in the shadow of the Amphitheatre for some dinner. Not a bad way to end their first day in France!
Tomorrow - Pont du Gard and Avignon!
