Train ride to
Barcelona and Avignon
We rose this Friday morning slowly as we needed not be at the Nord (train station) until 12:30 or so. We walked to the store
to buy plastic and pack our lunches for the long train rides ahead. The walk took us in a different direction
than we normally used. Rolls Royce and
Jaguar are the first stores we see and the neighborhood changed quite suddenly
to a more Coral Gables, Florida feel, rather than Valencia, Spain. The well-dressed senior ladies were out and
about, waiting for pastries and coffee at the small tables. The neighborhood felt “older” as if south St.
Petersburg, Florida met Coral Gables. Wish we had
discovered this before. It was so
pleasant and seemed to say, “good morning”.
The small Mercado, called Consum’ had enough for us to pack
some Valencia tangerines Navidad candies, the left overs from the night before
and two quart water bottles. Valencia
apparently has terrible water and even the locals don’t drink it. Perhaps one more thing in common with South
Florida? The walk back was very pleasant
and we finished packing. After assessing
our wares, we decided against a taxi and walked the 9 blocks with luggage in
tow. Charles, with the lightest load,
bragged about how much he has learned about packing and traveling. I thought he blended in the environment well,
but Patrick said no, he looked like a tourist.
The Nord is a large impressive building that our hostess
referred to as the pride of Valencia. It
was very busy, with travelers going to and fro.
I walked the shops and looked at the beautiful young women that staffed
them. Charles wanted to mail post cards,
so we went on a trip to find stamps.
Turns out they sell stamps at tobacco stores so off across the street to
the tobacco store we go. We get the four
stamps for the cards and pay 3.9 euros.
I realize that to mail the five the other day, I only paid 2 euros. Which probably means, the ones that we bought
stamps for yesterday will never reach their destination due to lack of
postage. Drats! Getting the stamps is one thing, but mailing
the cards is another. No one knew where
a box was to drop the cards in. They
kept telling us on the street, which one unknown or un cared.
The train came and we embarked on coach one and we were lucky
to be in first class. There is no free
coffee like in California first class trains, but there is a nice seat. Charles insisted on having the single seat by
the window. An hour into the ride, the
lady behind him starts playing Christmas videos in English rather loudly. Charles looks at us across the aisle with
that, “what the heck” face. The lady
started the second one and Patrick and I could not help but bust out
laughing! Divine intervention in taking
the lone window seat… The lady stops the
videos long enough to have a long conversation and then back to the videos she
goes. Patrick and I dry our eyes and try
to concentrate on reading.
The trip is four hours or so, even on the fast train. Spain is bigger than it looks on the
map. It appears smaller thank Georgia,
but I am not so sure. It may be closer
to Texas in size. Something to research
next time I have internet or wifi.
Unfortunately, the trains do not offer it. On the other hand, it makes one take more
time in writing and the opportunity to review before hitting the forever “post”
button. Never a bad thing, especially if
you are an FSU lecuturer with strong opinions.
The lay of the land is much the same as the ride from Madrid
to Valencia, except the occasional water views.
Tall condos or apartments in short stretches and then orange groves and
olive trees and fields of plowed ground with small adobe like buildings. Many of the fields appear to have a block
tower on them, which could be a water cistern of some kind. They are tall, built of large blocks of sand
colored stone and have a castle like top.
It could be fanticized to be left over castle parts, but there are too
many for it to be true.
We travel up
through the mountains so our ears are popping.
The elderly man in front of us is now playing his Mexico video of
himself and his family for anyone willing to watch. It would not be so bad, but they attached
musak to is that is slightly better than a dental drill spinning noise. But only slightly. Thank goodness the third person tells him to
turn off the sound.
There will be a change in Barcelona and then another four
hour ride to Avignon. I am looking
forward to the change, though the weather will be much colder. Patrick says he is through interpreting and now
it is all me. I laughed. Me and my Pimsleur tapes will probably on get
us to the train, to food and to drink.
But what else do we need?
Avignon
We arrive at Avignon TGF in tired but reasonable shape. Now, for the difficult part of navigating in
a foreign language without a phone: the
phone allow for sms texting and wifi research on the fly. The computer, not so much. Moods grow testy as I try to identify our
location relative to the apartment, contact the hostess and figure out the ride
into town. Patrick gets the internet to
work and Dominique answers. We finally
understand her and head out to the taxi that Charles finds. Dominique meets us in the dark in a narrow
street very close to the Rhone. We enter
a gated courtyard and the find the dark door.
The code is something or another she says. She knows the numbers, not the sequence.
She shows us the wifi and the hot water and off she
goes. Oh yes, and open a window and toss
the keys in after you leave….
We find macaroni and have some herbs so we have the lovely
meal of tea and macaroni, olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic and pepper. No salt.
But it was enough to get the testy travelers to bed!
Next morning, Charles decided to head out for pastries and
we waited for awhile. After an hour,
Patrick and I decided he wasn’t coming back and loaded up. Just as we were leaving, Mr. no pastry shows
up. Hmmph! He ate them all! So Patrick and I insisted on going for a walk
to get our pastry. Charles tagged along.
But, one second out the door and the world of Avignon charm takes our attention.
Pastries and cafe located and consumed, we are off for the busy day.
We start out to go to Le Palais des Papes as recommended by the Madison County France Travel guide. But before we can get there, we sneak up the back side of a tower on the Rhone. The views are amazing.
 |
| View of the Rhone and Le Pont d"Avignon |
The climb eventually ends up on the back side of Notre Dame. We walk and walk on the parkway in the sky with the most beautiful vista we have seen so far. And the light played perfectly for my lens.
And the Christmas market and vin chaud are calling me now, so more later on!
