Le retour en France

For our last night on the Central Coast we were treated to a most spectacular sunset...

A sunset kiss by the Back Bay

             The Departure

Just a few months in California, and it was time to return to France. No worries, though; this would be our third long-stay adventure. We are very seasoned travelers. We started packing and getting ready a good two weeks in advance, so by departure time we were ready to go. Since our flight was leaving from San Francisco, about a four-hour drive from where we live, we picked up our one-way rental car the day before. With our flight leaving at 8PM we had plenty of time for a leisurely breakfast and a careful departure.  These years of travel have taught us that good planning and taking the time to make proper arrangements allows us to stay calm, and enjoy every aspect of the journey.

So about 10:30 we were backing out of the driveway, our suitcases stowed in the trunk (Jeeze, cars in America sure have enormous trunks!). It was a relaxed, easy departure, no need to hurry. First we’d stop at a friend’s house where we would drop off what food we had left, and then it would be on the road to the airport.

At the end of our street Paula said, casually, “Do you have the passports?” Of course, I knew exactly where they were. Our passports were snuggled safely in the top drawer of our desk, in the office back in the house...

I did a quick U-turn, and we had a chance to rehearse our arrival, one year hence, digging through the backpacks to get the house keys, then remembering where we hid the office key. Yup, here’s the passports, right where I left them! Not too long after that we were back on the road, trying hard not to imagine what would have happened if Paula had not asked that simple question…

             The Trip

Arriving in San Francisco hours early was not a problem, as our Business Class flight came with entry to the United Polaris Lounge, voted the best Business lounge, period. Relaxed, softly-lit, quiet, comfy chairs, full bar (a bit too early for that, though!), full restaurant, and prepared foods laid out left, right, and center. Now I regretted stopping for lunch. But even though we were not hungry, we did visit the restaurant and order a meal because all of this was included in the price of our ticket (which we’d “paid” for with frequent flyer points). Eventually we took our seats on the plane, and were soon plied with more food and wine. Ouf! Travel can be so difficult.

 

Bar at the Polaris Lounge in SFO

It was a long flight. Even with the go-flat seats, and the bit of sleep we were able to eak out on the 11-hour flight, we were both groggy when we arrived in Zurich. Two more flights to go! We finally arrived in Toulouse, in the south-west of France, near midnight (local time). After a decent night in a hotel we were wandering around in the morning near the train station looking for breakfast and an ATM.

(It really is "the only way to fly!")

I realized I was having a real problem dealing with all people out and about in this moderate-sized city. A few months earlier, when we first arrived in California, we were overwhelmed by all the cars. Now, back in France, it was the pedestrians I found overwhelming. How ironic…

Eventually, though, we took our seats on the train, and watched the French countryside flash by as we headed east towards Montpellier, our home for the next few months.

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            The Arrival
It’s been a rough week. Jet lag took its toll; for the first few days we were sleeping at noon and waking at odd hours throughout the night. But it’s the weather that has been really disappointing. Before we left we watched the weather reports here in France: rain, rain, and more rain! Entire 10-day forecasts showing little but rain. As it’s turned out, we’ve actually seen very little rain. Lots of overcast, though, with just a bit of sun.

We arrived in the late afternoon, and by the time we were settled into our new apartment night had fallen. We headed out to explore our new neighborhood, which isn’t really all that new, since it’s only a block from where we lived the first time we came here three years ago. While it’s good to re-visit our old haunts, I do miss the thrill of discovering new streets and monuments. Still, the city is beautiful, especially at night.

Louis XIV on is horse in front of the Water Temple, Peyrou Park, Montpellier (another sunset!)

Montpellier's Arc de Triomphe with the spire of St. Anne's in the background, under a full moon

St Annes's, seen down a narrow street

This time around we are living on Rue de la Merci, literally, the street of thanks, or Thank-you Street. Or, as Paula likes to call it, the Street of Gratitude. (Gratitude is everything!)

 

The street where we live, Rue de la Merci (Thank-you Street!), with the Arc at the top

             The New Apartment

It’s always exciting to come into a new place. What surprises will we find, what great equipment/devices are in the kitchen; And what will be missing? Ah, induction stove top! Excellent. Nice oven, big refrigerator, adequate counter space. Oh, dull knives! Always, dull knives. I’ve taken to carrying a knife sharpener, because knives in rental kitchens are always dull. And sometimes, like these, not very good at all. So this time, since we’ll be here for a while, we bought a couple of knives. Good, solid, sharp knives. Check that one off…

Our tiny balcony overlooks a courtyard with huge trees, plus the characteristic red tile roofs

Since we’ll be here for a few months, and have a good kitchen, we’ll be needing some food. We’re already familiar with the markets and grocery stores in the area, but we found something this time around: home delivery! Instead of loading up our backpacks and struggling the mile or so back to the apartment, we can buy shopping carts-full of groceries and have them delivered! And this is all the more significant when our apartment is on the fourth floor with no elevator… (and “fourth floor” in Europe means up four flights of stairs! The ground floor is always “0”.) Well, we’ve been looking forward to getting back to Europe to increase our step count. Be careful what you wish for!

View out the bedroom window: the belfry with the bells that ring (and ring and ring...) every morning at 8; in the distance, the Water Temple at Peyrou

With some of our basics taken care of it's time to meet up with old and new friends, plan small day trips and practice our French with the many inter-cambio groups. And with the weather cooling off, it's time to make delicious soups and stay cozy in the rain.