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Following along. Very fond memories of our holiday in the Dordogne back in 2017... time to return!
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Thank you P_M!
Thank you, KarenWoo! Adelaidean, it was a joy! Thank you, rhon! Yup, I am sorry to have missed Conques, but it's probably something I can live with. No, didn't do any walking, unfortunately, as I've had a problem with drop foot for the past several years. After walking for 10 or 15 minutes, I can't lift up my left foot and end up staggering, lurching, and tripping. Thankfully I should have surgery to correct it in August. Thank you, ANUJ! Yup, I think it must be! |
Tuesday 16 April
Our huge breakfasts were combined into one big basket today, and again we all thoroughly enjoyed the spread. We left St Cirq Lapopie and had a wonderfully uneventful, short drive to Sarlat; we were all wary of any time in the car, so we all just wanted to keep the driving time brief and did not want to spend any more time than absolutely necessary driving. We bypassed Rocamadour with nary a thought. My friend G was doing ok when driving, but he was taking slow, deep breaths at times when the road was curvy. But he seemed to be handling it well. Both A and I followed the routing, A with her phone and me with my Garmin device, and it was pretty comical (for us) and stressful (for G) when the devices differed. I would defer to A, as she was sitting next to the driver. We got into Sarlat at about 13.00, but they couldn't check into their b&b (Les Cordeliers) until 15.00, and I couldn't check into my apartment until 16.00, so we found a free parking spot at Pl des Cordeliers. They lugged their suitcases to their b&b and asked if they could drop the bags there until check-in; the person at the door seemed confused by the request but eventually agreed. We went and had lunch, and I also picked up some groceries. Then I drove a few blocks to the address of the private parking garage the host gave me, met him, parked, and then he drove me and my bags to the apartment. He spent about an hour explaining the stuff in the apartment, and then, having had my fill of people and talking, I just stayed put in the wonderful apartment for the evening. My friends explored the town. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...085f706124.jpg My friend knows how to travel! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...49efab94db.jpg View from my apartment in Sarlat -- sublime! Wednesday 17 April Today we did a self-guided walking tour of the town, but it was HEAVING, elbow-to-elbow crowds, as it was also market day. In April!! It was almost impossible to maneuver around the crowds and to glean any kind of historical significance or atmosphere. I carried my heavy camera around all day but never felt inspired because all photos would be hordes of strangers. We all despaired to think what it must be like in August. Thursday 18 April We went to the Lasceaux IV reproduction of the Lasceaux cave-- really amazingly interesting. I didn't bring my camera because it was so heavy and so useless yesterday, plus no photos are allowed in the reproduction. This was my second visit here, and I was just as awed as the first time. Then, my friends told me that they wanted to stop by the Gardens of Eyrignac Manor on the way back to Sarlat -- their host at the b&b had told them about it. I was a little miffed that they hadn’t mentioned it in advance – I am not very spontaneous, and as an introvert, am usually ready to be alone and quiet by mid-afternoon. But. Oooh my. Gorgeous. Really truly worthwhile. Really a tactical error not to bring the camera! Ah well. Lasceaux IV https://lascaux.fr/fr/ Gardens of Eyrignac Manor https://www.eyrignac.com/ |
Oops
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Swandav, you've done a great job of depicting how well this trip went for you all. The itinerary choices made a huge difference.
That final image of your 'outdoor breakfast' locale (the one with the backlit vine leaves) is so evocative. One can just hear the mellow morning sounds, smell the coffee and baked goods... I am done. the TR |
Oh my gosh, I want to be in your pocket and travel with you. I wouldn't intrude on your alone time. What a beautiful trip; and your choice of towns and planning, all superb. Wonderful photos!
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Thank you zebec! It was very quiet ... it was a great place.
Thank you Trophywife007! You are so kind!! |
Saturday 20 April
Today I hit the wall. The brick wall we introverts and hermits hit after doing stuff with people day in and day out. I decided that maybe seeing the Templar graffiti at the Domme gate was not a compelling enough draw to get me driving and navigating and hunting for parking and wandering and getting lost and asking for access to the gate and then navigating back to Sarlat. It just seemed to be in the too-hard column. So I pulled out my camera and just ambled around town for some morning hours; it was another mobbed market day, but I still really enjoyed the atmosphere and the gob-smacking beauty of the old bricks. I kept the camera pointed mostly up, and so most of the crowds are only visible a little at the bottom of the photos. I had lunch at one of my favorites, Gueule & Gosier. A & G called to check on me, and I asked them to join me. The tiny restaurant did a great job of suddenly turning a table for 1 into a table for 3. Another photo overload …. But those buildings!! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...99b4ed1adf.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...722d35ac30.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8bfc8d5164.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...50d58912c4.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c21043715c.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...cffb7d31d5.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5acc26d4a2.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e1a164e83c.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...55562334a4.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f3d93d9e57.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a8ac533426.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ce8ac3b256.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...09c144d152.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5ada2bfff6.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5071ad4868.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...31b22d2f6d.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd2509f208.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8aecd8c73c.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0ed629effa.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...69639bc9cf.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...de6d7035fe.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0f1eba71ef.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7a29aa0b13.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c77011a976.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8781a36fab.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ba9554ee83.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d4da1fbee3.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6c83226453.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...401dab37d9.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...09f997524f.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f890c085bb.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3e017b0ad3.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...520323c25d.jpg Sunday 21 April I hit the wall again today. I just wanted to sit still and read and munch. I went out to a grocery store to buy some stuff, then just relaxed and packed up |
Swan, I admire your clarity about hitting the wall. Wise travelers are honest with themselves about that sort of thing.
Btw, I once had a Canuck boss who was a certified Francophile. He attended the Sorbonne then spent his rookie teaching year on Corsica. His partner is from Paris and together, it seemed like they knew every single centimeter of France. And yet once when we were chatting about travel, he claimed to have never heard of Sarlat!!? I could scarcely believe it and was never sure whether he was taking the piss with me. I am done. the French wall |
Hi Swan, really enjoyed this report. I like the way you travel!
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Great trip report and pictures. Thanks for taking us along.
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There is nothing wrong with taking some time out, and it is good your friends were able to understand that. That is much better than spending all the time together and perhaps perhaps becoming irritated. This way you come back refreshed and can enjoy your time together again. We all need our space now and then. We travel for longer than most people and we often have a quiet day where we simply go for a walk, spend time at our gite and just relax. After all we are on holidays.
Lovely photos. |
zebec, thanks so much for your kind words. I admit, I don't feel equal to some of the folks here who have packed agendas .. and enjoy all of it, lol. And holy cow ... that, I cannot believe!
Thank you so much, auntgrapes! Thank you esm! Thanks again, rhon. Yes, clearly I made the right friends 50 years ago -- they were lovely throughout. No pressure, and always game. |
Monday 22 April
Today we returned to Paris. Our train left Lyon at 15.57. I had no idea how long it would take us for the 4h drive …. G was doing great driving but tended to drive under the speed limit. Also, after hearing so many horror stories about returning rentals in Europe (I am muuuuch more comfortable on trains), and with the added driver, I had no idea how long the turn-in would take. So I planned for a 6h drive to Lyon and a 1h turn-in for the car. My host again showed up to drive me & my luggage to the garage, and A, G, and I loaded the car and left right at 08.00. The drive was wonderfully unremarkable, and almost before we knew it, we were in city traffic heading to the Lyon airport. The turn-in for the car was also unremarkable …. the guy checked the gas gauge, I paid the 150€ for the added driver, and, bang, done. Took about 5 minutes. Avis, well done, you! We boarded the bus to Terminal 2, got off at the wrong stop, and walked about 15 tiring minutes to the correct terminal, and were only 1h early. We had a quick bite then waited in the comfortable waiting room. The train was on time, and we found our seats in one of the cars designated as a quiet car. I guess we made a bit of noise as we found the luggage storage and settled in, as we got “SHUSH”ed by another passenger. The trip into Paris was relaxing. At Gare de Lyon, we were directed to a too-small taxi, and the driver took about 15 minutes trying to fit all our bags in, and I had to move the driver’s lunch to sit up front. Interestingly, his GPS gave directions in English. We got to the Hotel de la Place du Louvre at about 18.30. My friend A went and got us take-away, and I happily collapsed in my room. It was not a great room. The view was terrific. But there was no heat in either of our rooms, and it was 4C that night. The maintenance guy was terrific, and he spent hours going between our rooms and the boiler trying to make it work. It did get fixed the next day, but we spent that first night without heat, and I do think that 300€ is too much money to pay for an unheated room, even in Paris. Also, the sink and bathtub were up a steep flight of stairs. Thankfully, the toilet was in a small room next to the bed, but there was no sink there. So after using the toilet, you have to run up the steep stairs to wash your hands (imagine what might be left on that railing…). My friend A, a health care PhD, noted that, “… of course, they won’t . . . .” She also suggested the hotel leave packets of hand towelettes by the toilet, and I thought that was brilliant, so I bought some the next day. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a5c47e29d2.jpg View from the room. Not worth it.... Tuesday 23 April Shopping day. Because I live in a small town about 2h from a city, it is a real treat to have world-class shops at my fingertips. I used busses and walking to visit shops on the Champs Elysees and the Marais, then headed to the Île St Louis. I stopped by Guest Apartment Services to ask about availability for 2 apartments in November for my nephew and his girlfriend and me, then ate at Sorza on rue St Louis en l’Île. It was fab.u.lous. I do love Paris. My friends, who love gardens, spent the day at Versailles. That night, they took the Ducasse sur Seine dinner cruise – exorbitant – but it is their 50th Anniversary year, so it was splurge-worthy timing. And they said the experience and the food were worth it. |
Tuesday 23 April
Shopping day. Because I live in a small town about 2h from a city, it is a real treat to have world-class shops at my fingertips. I used busses and walking to visit shops on the Champs Elysees and the Marais, then headed to the Île St Louis. I stopped by Guest Apartment Services to ask about availability for 2 apartments in November for my nephew and his girlfriend and me, then ate at Sorza on rue St Louis en l’Île. It was fab.u.lous. I do love Paris. My friends, who love gardens, spent the day at Versailles. That night, they took the Ducasse sur Seine dinner cruise – exorbitant – but it is their 50th Anniversary year, so it was splurge-worthy timing. And they said the experience and the food were worth it. Some shots around the area and on between busses. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4cfaec1216.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...61559f5315.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c01f0983d3.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...89117bc604.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e3da10a97c.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3fa62c28b2.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6bc913535d.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...98cc664100.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6d9383b7cf.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ae73e141e7.jpg |
I do so love a ‘photo dump’ !
Glad you enjoyed your quiet days, wandering. |
Lol, happy to oblige, Adelaidean! Yes, what's not to love about a good wander in Paris!
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Wednesday 24 April
So. Well, my last day in Paris was quite fraught. It started off normally; breakfast with friends at 08.00, then about an hour later, a walk to the Louvre to meet their guide and chatting and viewing the Tuileries Gardens as we waited. Then they took off with the tour group. I was enjoying a slow wander looking for an ATM and a pharmacy. Happy to find an ATM, but it gripped my debit card so tightly that I could barely push it in….I should have heeded that warning. After a quick struggle, the transaction went through. I reached for the card, but only a sliver showed from the machine. I couldn’t even grip the sliver to pull it out. After 10 seconds of me trying to grip the thing, the machine announced that it was taking the card, and it ate it. I stood there in consternation and confusion. It did not give me the cash either. I wandered on. Wandered into a pharmacy and bought eye drops. Wandered back to the hotel to contact my bank. I was sitting on the floor of the hotel room (the one chair is supremely uncomfortable) with my tablet in my hand when I got a notice from Lufthansa that my flight the next day was cancelled. Wha??? “If you want to be rescheduled, click here to contact an agent.” Uummm. Yes, I want to be rescheduled. So, sitting on the floor with my tablet open on the chat and my phone open on my flight info, it took about an hour to get rescheduled onto a flight that left at 06.45. Oh joyjoy. Then I sat on the floor and used my phone as a hotspot and the bank’s app on my tablet to dispute the ATM transaction and let them know that my card had been eaten. In the middle of this, I was reserving two apartments for my visit in November with my nephew and his girlfriend. The agency wanted me to print and sign a document and then scan it and send it back. I went downstairs to the hotel lobby where there is a computer and printer, and tried to sign into my email account so I could access the document. You know what happened next. I got locked out of my email. Soooo back upstairs to sit on the floor with my tablet open to email and phone open to reset email password…… and that took about 39 hours. Or maybe 45 minutes that felt like 3,900 hours. I was pretty wiped out by the time I had the email account back under control … I’d spent, like, 4,390 hours sitting on the floor with two devices open untangling flights, banks, and email. It was enough. My friends had enjoyed the Louvre tour, but it was long, and they were further delayed with difficulty getting checked items returned. By the time they finally managed to get back to the hotel, and by the time I finally managed to complete my online mess-ups, it was 14.30. We found a restaurant that was open just a 10-minute walk away, Combo, on Rue Dauphine. It was a very good Sri Lankan restaurant. I checked my bank account regularly, and there were no new charges from the eaten debit card. I blocked & cancelled the debit card when I saw my last transactions go through. Happily, I had my German debit card with me, so that was my primary card for the last day. So, a few photos of the outside of the Louvre, as that’s all I saw on my last day. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d52406fefb.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0bd2f93146.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a2406e40d1.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...088eebd2a0.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5a85967f98.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...47980db8a3.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...009e7a1060.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...16ee53cfc1.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...887904d72b.jpg Thursday 25 April. It was pretty easy leaving Paris at 06.45 … aside from getting up at 04.00. There was no traffic, so the taxi ride only took 30 minutes. I flew business class, and the lounge provided a nice breakfast of cereal or bread and cheese, and coffee, until it was time to board. When I landed in Munich at 08.00, my smile was involuntary. There’s always no place like home. Then around midnight on Saturday night, I came down with Covid symptoms (my first time!), so I spent that Monday canceling appointments in German (doctor’s office for a blood draw, MRI, haircut, and Landratsamt to apply for my permanent resident visa) with razor blades in my throat. It took a good 10 days to get over it. So the trip turned out awfully well, for all that could have gone wrong. I don't think I'm sold on travel with others... I'm just too used to living/being alone. Maybe for longer, more simple trips (one or two destinations) it would be easier for me. I loved seeing my friends, and happily we are still friends, and I'm planning to see them in the spring in the USA! So, a good and successful trip! |
swandav, my goodness, what a last day! And then Covid. I really enjoyed your report and the honesty about 'travel with others'. Lovely photos too. I will look forward to hearing about Paris in November!
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