Paris To Avignon

 Our train to Avignon was due to leave the Gare de Lyon station just after noon so we had a little down time in the morning and ambled over to the corner bakery. Bob wanted to be like a Parisienne and walk down the street with a baguette in a bag. We bought a skinny one and I took the requested picture. It was good though, walking and eating, but the wind added a chill so we went back into the hotel.

Around ten-thirty we took our bags and walked out to the first taxi in a small line waiting in front of the hotel. He hoisted our bags into the back, we got in and a half hour later we were in the bustling train station. NO STEPS! No carrying bags up and down and squeezing them into a Metro car. Worth every Euro.

Stepping into the station felt familiar but a lot of the European stations look similar. There were three Halls where trains arrived and departed. We could see that our train was departing from Hall 2. There was a very busy cafe that was mostly carry out but had a large crowded seating area and we waited patiently to find a seat and when we did, we took turns getting hot coffee and tea and a bottle of water to take with us. When we finished our drinks, we bought some sandwiches and chips which were put into a nice carry out bag with handles and we were off to find our train.

On the schedule board it took a little while for our train to register a gate number. I was glad we'd got there a little early to figure it all out. When the gate number showed up, there was an instant crowd to go through the turnstiles. The attendants finally just opened them up and scanned tickets by hand to make it faster. 

We found our car, stowed our luggage and climbed to the upper level where our seats were. Later we discovered we should have turned right instead of left when two people said we were in their seats and in the wrong car. And then the fun began.

"My phone!" Bob said, patting pockets and frantically looking in his back pack. "I can't find my phone."

We looked in the seats, on the floor and in the backpack again. No phone. I know his stomach had to feel as uneasy as mine. Everything we have for the trip is stored in there. I tried calling his phone and he remembered it was still on silent from the night before. We finally left the two people who wanted into the seats and started for the other car. I dialed Bob's number one more time and heard him chuckle. "My backpack is vibrating." Whew!

After a three hour train ride through beautiful French countryside, we arrived in Avignon and took a taxi to our B&B, La Demoiselle. It is inside the walled city and on a narrow street that only fits one small car at a time. The place is very old. The lady who welcomed us did not know exactly how far back it dated. When the owner renovated, making it into a guest house they couldn't find any evidence of its exact age. 

The street of our B&B

We have a huge room and large bathroom with very modern facilities. We even have a piano in our room. After a welcome cup of coffee, and some instructions along with a map, we settled in and then began our search for dinner. To our dismay, no one serves until seven. Guess we are back to the boat's schedule.

We climbed up to the Avignon Cathedral next to the Place of the Popes to watch the sunset. The wind was picking up a bit and it was getting cooler the minute the sun kissed the horizon. We didn't wait for an afterglow.

Narrow streets that wind with no rhyme or reason and setting sun making the light fade quickly. Thank goodness for GPS. We would never have found our way back to the B&B.,