Earlier I wrote of the contrast between the old synagogue in Stommeln and the in-your-face fuck you of the cathedral in Köln.  While in Avignon I visited the PayPal place and came away disgusted and angry. This place is just as empty and devoid of spirit as Stommeln,  but in contrast because it was quickly constructed for political reasons (the schism of the Catholics and the relocation of the papacy to Avignon demanded an appropriate building) and subsequently used as both barracks and prison (!). In particular, the army tore out all the PayPal show-off shit for utility, which seems really appropriate.

On entering the ticket booth to be relieved of my tourist money, there was a mighty crash of thunder as the weather turned and the rain that had threatened all morning began. Seemed appropriate.

Worth noting: the"special" chapel off the PayPal reception area devoted to St Marcial, a made up saint whose function was to connect the French Pope's line with early Christian tradition to legitimate him. Since there wasn't any existing visual story about this guy, the artist got to just make stuff up when painting the walls and ceiling. Of course now the paintings are solemnly celebrated in the public tour.

Also of note: the balcony over the open area within the palace from whence the Pope would dispense mass indulgences for all the assembled who had paid.  Gotta keep that monopoly business going.

I’m pretty done with Catholic displays of power.  Altogether, the solemnity seems as ridiculous as a historical guided tour of a Disneyland exhibit. Btw: Google kept rewriting “papal” as “PayPal”, so I kept it 🙂