The train ride from Avignon to Arles takes about half an hour. Once there we tried to call a cab, but then we just set out walking to our hotel. We walked along the upper river walk until we got to the bridge. Once we crossed the river, our hotel was a block and a half away. I liked our hotel as soon as I walked into it. Not only had the whole interior been updated in a way that kept the old world charm, but it was meticulously maintained. The non English-speaking owner checked us in without too much trouble and seemed very nice. He was able to show us on the map where a Laundromat was within a block of the hotel. Our room was large and comfortable. I had had some apprehension about the place because it was the least expensive hotel of the entire trip. After getting settled, we walked back across the bridge for our first look at Arles. We walked through the narrow streets gawking at the buildings and noticed a difference from Avignon immediately, though at that time we really couldn’t define it.
We had planned to do our laundry that day but decided we’d take care of it the next morning. The shirt I’d been wearing for two days was good for one more. We grabbed a snack and spent the afternoon wandering aimlessly around, getting our bearings. After an early dinner, we went back to our room and hit the hay early.