1) I am definitely not as energetic as I once was.
2) While my mind wants to be adventurous, my body is a lot slower to catch up.
3) Traveling with someone who speaks the language is a whole lot better then winging it alone. It certainly opens up a lot more portals.
4) The concept of molecular transport would enhance travel by leaps and bounds.
5) Two words you do not want to ever say, especially while on vacation are "explosive diarrhea."
My friend Vanessa, who is traveling with me for a few days (which was not planned, but life intercedes and you just roll with it) speaks excellent French. (To me, anyone who can do more than ask to buy a croissant speaks excellent French and she can converse with anyone, about almost anything, how cool is that to have at your side?) Her linguist ability has changed my vacation immensely. She hasn't traveled much at all in Europe so she is still enthralled by small French towns and she likes to drink so walking through Cahors and stopping every hour or so for a glass of wine is her speed. Works for me as well. In fact, this morning we headed out about 9:00, walked across a beautiful old stone bridge and we noticed folks heading towards the center of town, all carrying grocery bags. Ah, yes! It is Saturday, there must be a local market, let's follow these people and find it, which we did. What a great market! Produce, cheese, bread, meat, fish, wine, roasted chickens, pastries, the market had everything, We wandered around for about an hour, bought some bread, fresh cheese, cured duck breast, fruit. Then we sat at a cafe, outside, for another hour having wine at 10:30 in the morning!
Cahors is a very nice small town in the southern middle part of France. They make excellent wine from Malbec grapes. It's an old city, originally a Celtic city but was conquered by the Romans in 50 BC. Beautiful old stone houses, small French cottages as well. Good food and drink. It is really nice to be here. They have a big blues festival here every year in July and my brother Jeff was here a few years ago, playing in the festival and he reported that he liked Cahors.... I can see why.
Without a good navigator, it would have taken a lot more work to get here. My original plan of getting a car and meandering through part of France sounded good but I now realize that I am too scattered to do that kind of driving well. I am a good driver but not a good directionalist, if there is such a word. I am OK walking, I can always find my way back, but in a car I am much less certain and driving requires quick decision making actions, not my strong suit, I am a leap-before-looking person, not what you need while driving 120 KPH in a foreign country. I am pretty sure that any foreign driving trips I take in the future will not be solo journeys. Trains, yes, I can do those fine alone. Car trips in the US, fine by myself. But in a foreign land, nope, not gonna do it alone.
It was a lovely, cold clear day today. It is now 5:30 (17,30 in French hours) and we will venture out again in a few hours for more libations and consumption of tasty things.
Finally, I will leave those two words that should never be spoken while on vacation alone. That I included them above should be enough of a hint as to one of the maladies of foreign travel. Maybe I should have avoided the water.
Another photo:
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