Hello! I'm sorry that I totally missed Monday in the blog. I'll try to make up for it tonight and tell you about both days.
Monday was the first business day of the month, so I spent the morning sending emails, newsletters, etc. for the Norwex business. We left the apartment around noon and met two of our very favorite people in the world Martin and Patricia Lammert on the nearby Place Pie square. Beautiful 70 degree day and sunshine that only Provence can deliver!
 |
| Jerry had Carbonara |
 |
| Mine was the plat of the day, duck breast |
We met Martin 3 years ago in Delhi, IA when he attended the graduation from high school of his granddaughter Vicky Agromayer, a foreign exchange student from Madrid at Mac Valley. He and Jerry are the same age and we hit it off immediately. He lives with his wife Patricia in Vaison la Romaine, a small town just a little N.E. of Avignon and we visited them there last year. This year they came to us.
After lunch we walked around town a little and went to a beautiful church where they know the parish priest.
 |
| I am burning that top when I get home! |
 |
| Bye bye, Martin and Patricia! |
The rest of the day was a wash. I finished my business, Jerry did laundry, Dee cleaned and packed. Really nothing. Jerry and I decided we were not hungry for dinner (I know....can you believe it?) so David and Dee went out alone for a burger and fries.
Tuesday was leaving day. We packed, we cleaned, we left. Got a taxi to the TVG station (there are 2 stations in Avignon, the city center one, and the TVG (fast train) one.) Here Jerry has made a photo montage of what it's like to travel by train in Europe.
 |
| The station |
 |
| Gare means train station |
 |
| The departure board, here the departs are blue, the arrivals are green |
 |
The ticket. We are going from Avignon TGV to Lyon Part Dieu(2) (which means there are 2
stations in Avignon, #1 and #2) on TGV #9866
Over to the right: 2nd class, voiture (car) 5, seat 17
at the bottom: price 38.00 Euro |
 |
When your train is up, look at this to find out where you should
stand on the platform to get on your train car. In our case, car#5
So stand by the "T" on the platform |
 |
| Everything is labeled very easily, even for English speakers |
 |
| The Relay store: In every station; Food, magazines, candy, etc. |
 |
| We are going to platform #4, and there is an elevator and a bathroom nearby |
 |
Stamp your ticket in one of these little yellow things before you get on.
We don't know why, no one ever checks them. |
 |
Little restaurant where you can get food that isn't
wrapped in plastic |
 |
This station has an escalator. Not all of them do and David
has to carry my "steamer trunk" up for me. |
 |
| We will wait by the "T" exit to get on the train |
 |
Just like any travel, hurry up and wait. Except on a
train you are responsible for your own luggage. |
 |
| Now we go upstairs to the platform. The station is below in almost all TGV stations. |
 |
| Here we are waiting by the "T" sign to get on car #5 |
Our ride was great over to Lyon, we went 150+ mph and saw a lot of beautiful countryside. But, the TGV was 5 minutes late so we missed our connection to Annecy. Not to worry, the train company put us on a bus.
 |
| The buses are right outside the train station |
 |
| When you see all our stuff, I wonder why we have so much. I |
 |
| Annecy is in the French Alps just an hour from Geneva Switzerland. |
 |
| canals all through town! Its like Amsterdam |
 |
| We had a kir here right beside the canal |
 |
| Annecy is just like a fairytale |
 |
| taking a boat ride tomorrow on Lake Annecy |
 |
| On my bucket list is to have real Swiss Fondue |
 |
| and we did! |
 |
| We ate so much cheese! Delicious! |
