TRAVEL TO BEAUNE -- BURGANDY COUNTRY

Closed up the house in Vallebregue and gave Carol a bottle of wine for her assistance as we left.  Headed to Beaune we decide to take the scenic route.  We never took a picture of the Bull in Tarascon so although we were headed out; we took the time to go back to town to grab the photo.

On the way to Lyon there was the most beautiful double rainbow.  It was full --- I have never seen one so big and complete.  Hard to get a picture as we were driving but it was truly magnificent.

I suppose that we all believe that a different location will be dramatically different from our own previous experience.  Driving through France I saw the Carolinas or Western Pennsylvania.  The only hint of a different location are the various castles and churches on the tops of the hills and carved into the mountains.  I was also reaching back on my history lessons and tried to place the events of WW I and II in the countryside that we are traveling through.  Now that I have actually seen the towns and villages, I will go back and place the events with the history.

We made it to Beaune, although we had some difficulty in locating our next apartment.  Bob and Marcia had made the reservations and came earlier.  They had given us the address but no description.  We had a backup plan to meet at a bar/restaurant but that did not work either because it was not a bar and the restaurant only took reservations and was very small and they would not let us stay.  Apparently, the “boys” did not communicate effectively.  Bob needed to meet the owner by 4:00 but Bill did not believe he needed to be there until closer than 7:00.

We intended to be there by 6:30 but when we could not find our place, we were much later.  This created a crisis of sorts because Bob and Marcia thought they had “lost us” and started worrying.  This manifested itself with a phone call to Brian in the states to find a new number for us.  My phone was not working so we had no contact. Luckily we showed up right before they sent the “dogs out” to look for us.

Crisis diverted, we went to dinner.  During dinner we met a local man who has directed us to a winery today for a tasting.  So that is our morning today.  We will go to some tastings and explore Beaune.

LAST DAY IN VALLEBREGUE

This is our last day here and we are packing to leave.  It is very easy to spread out but a whole lot harder to put it all back in place

I woke up early to a bad dream and could not go back to sleep so I finished my packing and came down to pack up the kitchen.  While doing that I put out breakfast.  Breakfast consist of left overs.  Fresh tomatoes, cheese, bread and a hearty soup I made earlier in the week.

We woke up yesterday to a storm with thunder and lightning.  Seemed unusual but it was very fierce.  It seemed a sign that we should just take it easy, so we did.

Marsha slept in and then they headed out to Pont de Guard.  They had lunch went to a winery and headed back.

 My mission was to find Wi-Fi so I could update the blog.  On the way we stopped at the Castle of Tarascon and figured out that St. Martha had tamed the monster of the river that was eating the villagers and then it was peaceful.  A statue of the likeness of the monster sits outside the castle to remind everyone of the event.    We then went to Nimes and Arles and finally figured out that there was a McDonalds and they should have Wi-Fi and they did.  I was happy.  Bill wanted to find an open petrol station, and we accomplished that also.

As we were headed back, the are stormy clouds ahead, but we didn’t actually get wet.  We made it back for happy hour and opened the wine to start again.  We ended up going back into Beaucaire for dinner.  Our dinner was “plancha” but Marcia did not like that it included the head and eyes of the fish.  Of course that was all it took to for us all to start making fish faces.

Back to the house to finish out with a nightcap.

This morning we are on our way to Lyon and Beaune.

 

Looking out our bedroom window into the courtyard

The monster of Tarascon tamed by St. Martha

the bottles of wine we sampled during our stay

BEAUCAIRE -- LAUNDRY DAY -- THURSDAY

Slow day.  Need a day to recuperate.  Bob and Marcia take off to explore …; we decide to explore more locally.  We head into Beaucaire and look for a Laundromat.  We did not leave until 2:00 so by the time we got in and found the laundry, we basically had lunch and waiting for “Chris” to complete the job.  We sat outside and talked to him with our basic French and we communicated with hand signs and pointing.  I finally have “hot” – chaud; and “cold” froid; down pat in addition “Je voudrais mavais, beaucoup aider” (you have been very helpful).  A few girls drove by and waved and honked at “Chris, the laundry attendant” and of course Bill waved back.  He and Chris had a good laugh for Bill believing it was all about him and Chris knowing it was about him.

ARLES - 9-25-2013

Today is Market day in Arles.  Our goal is to bring back food for each couple to cook over the next few days.  Myself and Bill tonight and Bob and Marsha tomorrow.  Bill and I opt for fresh tomatoes, sausage, basil, parsley, onions, celery for sauce and pasta.  Fresh pears, blue cheese and honey for dessert.  Bob and Marcia end up with mushrooms, pork tenderloin, oranges, potatoes, and other spices for their meal.  We wander through the village and find lunch and see the arena and head back for the day.  I had taught Bill how to say “Je voudrais frommage la region” and “Je voudrais vin la region” – he was happy because he was able to ask for wine and cheese in the market from the local region and got a good response from the vendors.

Words for the day -- Hide and Seek; mellow; orientation; champagne wishes

VALLEBREGUE - 9-24-2013

Travel day again as we head to Vallabregue.  We decide to Lunch in Aix and walk around to get the feeling of the town.

We finally made it to Vallebregue, and it took a little while to figure out exactly where we were staying and how to park and get out things in our house.  Once in, Bob and Bill walked to the store to pick up essentials for the evening.  Even though there was a local restaurant and bar within a block, we opted to sit outside in our courtyard and eat the cheese and drink the wine that our host had waiting for us when we arrived.  Three bottles of wine later, we had consumed most of the cheese and bread, and decided to line up our bottles of wine so we would know what we consumed and to count the days in Vallebregue.  We were finally mellow enough to call it a night and fall into bed. 

SOUTHERN COAST OF FRANCE - 9-23-2013

Today is tour day.  Tour guide picked us up at 9:15 and we headed out.  Our first stop was a medieval castle which took us along an area where you had a good view of the mountains.  She showed us where Elton John had a home on top of the mountain and came once a year.  Also an area where yachts anchored and it was a “tax free area” for merchants as they brought wares in during earlier times.  Second stop was the perfume factory.  Over?? percentages of all perfumes are created in this region. 

Headed to Monaco which is a country in itself.  We walked through the town which is only 1 square mile and has??? people living there.  Lunched in Monaco and then headed to Monte Carlo – made it into the Casino but got kicked out because I took pictures.  Last stop on the tour was Cannes.  Walked around the theatre and shopping district to get a feel for the how the rich live!  We end the tour in Antibes with ‘glace’ and we can see Nice and the old city across the bay.

We try to focus when driving home so Bill and Bob will know how to get from the airport when they go to pick up our cars.  We take directions and pictures.

FIRST DAY IN NICE - 9-22-2013

Late start today.  We were all dragging and trying to adjust to the time change.  Because Bob and Marcia were on California time, they got mixed up and were an hour late this morning in getting downstairs.  We still made it to the market where there were both vegetables and flowers.  We spent the day walking through the old city and enjoying the sights.  We mastered the trains and figured out that we had booked our hotel within a block of the trains that took us to that part of town.  Better to be lucky than good.

TRAVEL DAYS - 9/20-21/2013

Packing is always my nemesis—one day I will learn how to live with one suitcase.

Very long flight and while Bill was snoring I was tossing and turning.  No sleep for me but we are off to our new adventure.  We have now been in the Rome airport for six hours on a layover.  It was not long enough to leave and come back with luggage to manage.

First course of business was coffee and next the bar.  Hey – it is 9:00a.m. What else is there to do?  We shared an antipasto tray.  Pictured, as you can see, a wonderful breakfast of olives, burrata  mozzarella, Parma ham, some wonderful salami and great wine.  Two Americans sat next to us from New Jersey and we chatted each other up for a few hours which ended up being  a good use of time.

It was very warm in the airport, but the good news was there was more English spoken in Rome than in the Miami airport! 

We are ready to start our journey and get to Nice to catch up with Bob and Marcia.  They should be there when we arrive as they were getting in earlier in the day.

LESS THAN 48 HOURS….

Well the hardest work is done.  We made it out of Tallahassee, but it was close there for a while.  I stayed up late packing and finishing out both house and work related tasks.  Got up early and continued packing and checking off my “to do list”.  Then the electricity went out.  Love that Talquin Electric.  No storm, no event, just no electricity.

Ting started freaking out over all the activity and just knew he was headed for the "red box" (the box he goes to the Vet in for boarding).  He was slinking around trying to keep furniture between us so he could hide.  He didn't know that he was not going to have to go this trip.  He dodged that bullet but unfortunately will not be able to hang in the atrium either.  

Having no electricity makes it difficult to see in your closet, wash the last dishes (no water), or try to stay cool calm and collected with no fans or a/c.  It stayed off a full 90 minutes – critical minutes in the last minute world.  Bill showed up with an extra suitcase, we piled everything in, locked up and left.

We will do some repacking and organizing before we leave Miami – but at this point – we will take it one step at a time.

A few more meetings for me, some last minute tanning for Bill and we will be off like a herd of turtles!!!

Susan

REALLY? LEAVING TOMORROW???

Tell me it isn’t so. Here I sit updating the blog because I would rather do that then pack.  I do understand that I cannot leave without packing but it truly is the very un-fun part of a trip.  Can I get by over three and half weeks with only two pairs of shoes?  I don’t think so.  Can I leave my pillow behind?  Of course not.  What is the temperature going to be?  Will I be too hot or too cold?  Will my electronics work and do have all the right plugs and chargers…rhetorical I suspect.

In any event, I will be leaving in the morning packed or not so I best get on with it.

When I spoke with Bill earlier he was already on “overload” (both figuratively and literally) trying to figure out which suitcase to use.  I started packing and I had a busted zipper on the suitcase I am using.  So, it will be a “work around” kind of evening.

Ok – back to work.

Susan

EIGHT DAYS AND COUNTING

It is hard to believe it is almost time to leave – eight more days until we leave Tallahassee.  I have to be in a meeting in Coral Gables next week, so when we leave for those meetings, we will not be back until we get back from the trip.  The house is almost in order, the guest house complete for my new tenant/friend, and tasks left continue to be checked off the list.

I just want to get my work done, so I am comfortable with leaving it behind.

Practice packing has ended.  It is now the real thing.  All the locations and tours are booked, maps acquired -- both electronic and hard copies. 

I am a little concerned because I noticed this very small suitcase in the room with mine.  There were very small paw prints on it.  Do you think that Ting thinks he is going too????  He keeps giving me the “look” like he knows that something is up, but just not sure what that could be……..

Later….

Susan

Language Studies

I guess it is time to take the travel to another country seriously and start focusing on the language.  Bill and are practicing by speaking to each other in French and Italian.  He says something to me in Italian and I respond in French.  That will work, right???    We are also  getting all of our technology in order by getting our maps and guide books downloaded on to our tablets and computers.  Tonight we listened to someone speak about the art of Italian dining -  that I think - we can master.  Nineteen days and counting with the various lists getting longer.  The fact is that when it is time to leave, the things left undone will have to wait until our return.
                           
Susan