The stone town of Gordes in southern France

Gordes is scattered on the hillside of a steep slope, surrounded by continuous mountains, with vast fields and vineyards at the foot of the mountain. The whole town seems to be planted in a sea of green forests. This town is known as the stone city, and all the buildings and structures in the city are made of stone: churches, houses, residences, walls, streets... The uneven stone exterior walls and the bumpy stone pavements, after 600 years of sun, wind, rain, and snow, though a bit mottled and weathered, appear more rustic, sturdy, and resilient. Walking along the staggered steep streets, you can see painting studios at any street corner, and small roadside shops selling various hand-painted artworks; the loquat trees in the courtyards of the residences are full of yellow-orange loquat fruits, with branches almost extending outside the courtyard walls, seemingly challenging the self-discipline and curiosity of tourists; local elderly people sit quietly under the eaves at street corners, immersed in the lazy atmosphere they create, completely ignoring the bustling tourists and their gazes... Passing by the small square of the main church, we chose a small restaurant next to it for lunch, ordered a pizza, a large vegetable salad, and three beers. The three of us were full and satisfied, especially praising the vegetable salad for its perfect balance of sweet, sour, and salty flavors!