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Published: June 16th 2017
Our tiny hotel room
Very nice hotel, as usual, small roomsGeo: 43.6044, 1.44295
Bonjour! We have arrived in France.
We left London early this morning, leaving behind another beautiful sunny day. We hopped on the Tube to Victoria Station. As much as we have ridden the Tube this week, Dot almost got us on the wrong train. After that she was double checking everything. We took the Tube to the Victoria train station where Dot had pre-purchased tickets for the 7:30 express train to Gatwick Airport. Well, the 7:30 train was cancelled, but there was a 7:45. No worries, we had plenty of time because of course, we left super early. Everything Dot had read on Trip Advisor talked about the long lines at EasyJet and at security, especially on a Friday.
Our train gets going, but gets delayed along the way because the slower trains are clogging the tunnel. Still no worries, we have plenty of time. We get to Victoria station and get stuck at the exit. We didn't realize we needed our train ticket to exit the station. Who cares about that??? So we dig them out while pissing off everyone behind us. Then, of course, we didn't understand how to scan out of there. Everything there is very kiosk driven
with very few human attendants. Oh well, no one knows us.
We find the EasyJet terminal, which is huge with at least 30 check-in counters. No one in line. Most of the check-in and baggage drop is all done automatically at kiosk. Plenty of people standing around to help you. No waiting at all. Go through security...no lines. Although I was wearing pants with snaps and rivets and had to get searched. Dot forgot to pull out her bottles so her carry-on had to get searched. I am embarrassed to say what time we were through all of this for our 11am flight. We had plenty of time for breakfast at the airport and shopping the duty-free stores.
The Easyjet terminal at Gatwick must be new because it was super nice with lots of shops and restaurants. The flight itself was short and uneventful, although it was also delayed (once we boarded) because of a backlog of planes taking off.
We breezed through Customs at Toulouse, nice small airport. But our luggage took almost an hour to show up. The sign said an oversize luggage caused a jam???? How long does it take to un-stick a piece of luggage? About an hour.
We
got our rental car - oh no, it is time to drive in France. We rented a fairly small Peugeot. We could only fit one suitcase in the trunk. the other one had to go in the back seat. It also came with built-in GPS which we haven't turned on yet, because, of course, we brought our own GPS, plus two i-phones, one with Google Maps and one with Waze. We weren't going to get lost, were we? We were driving to Carcassonne, a little over an hour outside of Toulouse. The problem with all GPS and map Apps, is when you go to a new country it takes them a while to kick in and settle down. My google maps came up first, so I was ready to get started and get on our way. I didn't realize, that when I turned the car on my phone asked me some question about allowing something or other, and I just said yes, because I was in a hurry. We get rolling and all of a sudden I lose the MAP on the google maps. All I have is Directions and they don't seem to be updating as I drive. And
I can't hear the directions, even though I have the volume turned all the way up. Dot is still trying to get her GPS and iPhone going, so we are struggling. I went around the roundabout several times and finally just picked a direction when my Apple Watch poked me. (it also gives directions). We go a little further looking for a place to pull over and get situated, but there isn't anyplace. We come to another roundabout and go around that one a few times, but Google Maps directions don't seem to coincide with any of the signs in the roundabout. After several rotations, we finally pick the direction that looks right. As we go along, I start turning whenever my Watch pokes me and that seems to be working. Finally, I figure out that I gave permission for the stupid high-tech little car to "Carplay" my iPhone. I change the SOURCE on the radio, and Voila - there is my iPhone projected onto the car screen and there is the map that goes with Google Maps. It was projected to the Car all along using "CarPlay", I just hadn't selected the source, and that is why it only
Cookie Time
Smart guy was giving away free samples. yummy. just had to buy some showed directions on my phone screen. Damn technology.
Finally Dot got the Waze App going on her iPhone (we love that app) and her GPS, so we followed all 3 sources to Carcassonne. Sunday when we leave Carcassonne, we will try the car's built in GPS, too. However, it usually takes a while to find the English setting. Doesn't help when she speaks French at me. She always sounds annoyed.
I actually like our little car. It shifts really easy and handles well. Dot was starving so we stopped at a gas station (usually an adventure, but pretty tame this time). Dot ate a gas station sandwich, which was surprisingly good. I think France prides itself on making gas stations have decent food.
We made it safely to our Rick Steve's recommended hotel in Carcassonne and parked our car until Sunday. Yay!
We have our tiny little room with twin beds - pictures somewhere in this blog. At least our bathroom is bigger than London- and our shower.
Medieval Carcassonne is a 13th century world of towers, turrets and cobblestones. Have to really watch your step around here. The uneven cobblestones can kill you. It is a walled fortress city - pedestrian only. Our
hotel is right outside the wall, so it is an easy walk. We checked in around 5 pm, so just walked around a little this evening. It was very pleasant because most of the tourists were leaving. I have a few pictures in the blog. Now I was starving so I started with a chocolate macaroon to tide me over while we walked around. As usual in france, none of the restaurants would serve food until 7:30 pm. My stomach was growling. We finally found a brasserie that would serve at 6:30. We shopped and explored till 6:30 on the dot. Casual place. I had pizza - fast and easy and it was excellent.
The waiter only spoke a little English, but we managed. The problem with being a good tourist and trying to throw out a little French - well...then they speak French back. Crap! Then I am like, ugh, ugh, and look like an idiot. What's new?
MARY: There is a Michelin rated restaurant here, But I recognized very few items on the menu and I don't know if they would let us in wearing the clothes we brought. We could go tomorrow night, if I can wait until
7:30 for dinner. Ugh. Check it out. La Barbacane Restaurant: http://www.cite-hotels.com/hotel-de-la-cite/la-barbacane/?lang=en
By the way, Apple Pay was all over London. As a tourist, I love it. I could just click my Apple Watch and pay. Otherwise, to use a credit card, I have to pull my credit card out of my Rick Steve's money belt which is so embarrassing because, like a responsible tourist, it is worn inside my pants, and usually has on top of it a shirt and two jackets. Apple Pay Rules
Tomorrow we explore Carcassonne.
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Mary
non-member comment
OMG, you do not need a moneybelt in Provence!