Global Journeys with Jill Dutton

A Three-Week Transformation in the Heart of France

• Jill Dutton • Season 2 • Episode 11

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Ever wondered how a solo trip can transform your life? Join me as I take you through my three-week adventure across France in this episode of Global Journeys with Jill Dutton. From navigating the bustling streets of Paris to the peaceful countryside near Agen, exploring the rich history of Bordeaux, immersing myself in the culture of Narbonne, and enjoying a serene barge cruise along the Canal du Midi, this trip was a transformative experience.  I share how every step of the journey has sculpted my passion for culture, cuisine, and writing. Discover the meticulous planning that turned this solo trip into a tapestry of vivid experiences and practical travel insights.

Watch the video of the travelogue here: 3 Weeks in France: Travelogue (globaljourneyswithjilldutton.com)

RESOURCES

Paris

Agen/Relais de Camont

Bordeaux

Narbonne

Canal du Midi


View the itinerary from my trip: Writing, Wine, and Waterways: A French Memoir – 3 Week Itinerary From Paris to the French Countryside, to the Coast (globaljourneyswithjilldutton.com)

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Want more? Follow Jill's travels, view itineraries, read travel articles, and listen to podcast episodes at Global Journeys with Jill Dutton.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Global Journeys with Jill Dutton, the podcast where we embark on a journey through culture and place, one fascinating story at a time. I'm your host, jill Dutton, an avid traveler and writer, passionate about exploring the world and uncovering the unique tales of the people I encounter along the way. Along the way, join me as we delve into the heart of destinations, offering an insider's perspective through the captivating narratives of individuals who shape their communities. Whether it's chatting with a distillery owner crafting artisanal spirits, an angler casting lines in remote waters or a chef mastering the flavors of a region, each episode offers a glimpse into their world and expertise. Stick around till the end of each episode to discover more about my travels and writing adventures. In the meantime, get ready to be inspired, enlightened and transported to distant lands on Global Journeys with Jill Dutton. Welcome. This week's episode of Global Journeys with Jill Dutton is a little different than most episodes. I had just returned from spending three weeks in France when I ran into a friend at the local library. She suggested that I hold a travel log at the library so others could experience the trip through my eyes. My friend, mona Raglow, volunteered to record the event in person so that others could listen to it later. The following recording is from the in-person event.

Speaker 1:

Three Weeks in France, a travelogue. I was 12 years old, standing alone on a street corner at night in Amsterdam, while I waited outside, too terrified to go in, my mother was inside, learning about the Hare Krishnas we had met at the airport. My mother was always curious about people and culture and she believed in experiencing life to the fullest. This adventurous spirit led her to take me on a three-month journey through Europe when I was nearly 13, and the trip profoundly influenced my outlook on life. Our backpacks loaded with camping gear and clothes and planning to use my sister Mary's home, who was stationed in Augsburg, germany, as a home base, we set off to explore Austria, italy, switzerland, germany, england, belgium, holland and France for three months. Mom's spirited lifestyle led the way. There was the experience outside the Hare Krishnas in Amsterdam, me refusing to come inside so sure she would be kidnapped. Then in Germany, we met a group of women dancing in the park flowers in their hair. It turned out they were in the Children of God cult, so of course we went to spend the night at their commune. We camped in Austria during a storm, our pup tent soaking us throughout the night. In the middle of the night, after the storm passed, we heard a gang of motorcyclists pull in to set up camp. We were frightened and worried what might happen. When we awoke, we made friends with this group of motorcyclists and shared a breakfast together of leftover Jägerschnitzel from our dinner at a restaurant the night before and a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli. I was nearly 13, and it was the best meal of my life. Those three months expanded my awareness in ways I could never foresee. It opened my eyes to the different flavors of the world the Jägerschnitzel and Spätzle with cabbage in Austria, pommes Frites served in a paper cup with mayonnaise in Belgium, brochen with butter and jam in Germany, and really good strong coffee. Everywhere we went, we purchased URail passes and spent our time on and off the train. We slept in youth hostels or camped, never fearful, except for that one rainy night in Austria.

Speaker 1:

After returning home, inspired by our travels, I studied French in high school and German in college. I fell in love with the arts, people and the celebration of our differences while finding common ground. Food became a passion, whether cooking, eating, fermenting, growing, dehydrating or tasting something new, and I brought home with me a desire to experience the world through food. I made my first return to Europe last winter when I took a Viking Danube river cruise. It was thrilling, but the experience was diluted by being handheld through the adventure. Although I loved the experience and the food, it was nothing like traveling solo. Now, at 60, I was to embark on my first solo trip back to France, a country that had captured my heart many years ago.

Speaker 1:

The idea for the trip came after I was invited to a writing residency in the countryside of southwestern France. The facilitator, kathy Gunst, is a James Beard award-winning chef, npr podcast host and author of 16 cookbooks. It would be an opportunity to devote time to my travel cookbook idea that I've had working on for years, called Goalable Plates the People we Meet, the Food they Eat and it would be a way to get a clear on the direction of the book. Having this anchor of a group trip, which I'll discuss further in this tip section, allowed me to plan the trip around the event. The trip came together synchronistically. Suddenly I'm getting emails from Paris tour guides emails I get regularly from tourism people, but I would normally ignore it if I didn't have plans to be in Paris. Now I would, and I responded eagerly.

Speaker 1:

I booked every segment of the trip myself, not necessarily something I recommend. If you're uncertain, use a travel agent. I felt as if I had taken enough trips and planned itineraries that I could handle it myself, and I did, even with a few snafus that I'll discuss later so you don't make the same mistakes. Working around the dates of the writing residency, I booked my airfare, a hotel in Paris, a tour in Paris, and purchased train tickets From Paris. I would take the train to Agen for the writing residency. From there I scheduled three nights in Bordeaux, three nights in Narbonne and, the climax of the trip, a six-night cruise on a luxury barge hotel on the Canal du Midi. My sister Lynn made plans to take the cruise with me and we decided to meet at the train station when she arrived. The itinerary was set and it felt like a nice balance of solo and group travel. I'd be solo in Paris with the other riders in Agen, then solo in Bordeaux and Narbonne until my sister met me for the cruise. Everything was booked and I was ready to go.

Speaker 1:

I learned a lot on this trip. So today I want to share my three-week journey through France, reflecting on the highlights, the connections that I made and the personal growth that I experienced, from navigating the bustling streets of Paris to the peaceful countryside near Agen, exploring the rich history of Bordeaux, immersing myself in the culture of Narbonne and enjoying a seride barge cruise along the Canal du Midi. This trip was a transformative experience. I learned lessons about solo travel, empowerment and the expanded awareness that comes from travel. I'll also discuss the challenges I faced, offer tips for solo travel and share anecdotes that made this journey unforgettable. I got three weeks in France.

Speaker 1:

The first week I started out two nights in Paris and my plane was delayed and so I was a day late to Paris. So this was all I saw on the tour d'Eiffel my hotel. So I missed the tour of Paris and one night and a dinner with the other writers who were going to be meeting in Agen, and so I came to the Hotel Montalembert Stunning, absolutely stunning. But I needed to acclimate to some of the European things. I mean I had the adapter for the electricity, you know, for power, but things I did not know, like their elevator, I just stood there. I mean I could not figure this out for the life of me, um, the elevator. When I got in the room I couldn't figure out how to get the lights to turn on um the water. I couldn't get in so many things. I had to just kind of learn as I went. But but it started in in paris. So here's that elevator and it's two doors this one you open and then you're looking at a door and that's outside of my hotel. And this was so.

Speaker 1:

I was limited on time and I was going to be the next day jumping on the train to go to the writing residency. So directly across from the hotel was this, uh, monoprix, which is a grocery store, and it was phenomenal. I mean the fresh produce and the sandwiches already made. Well, I didn't. I shared them on Facebook but I didn't bring pictures of that. So this is my meals in Paris a sandwich to go and the croque monsieur which I had interviewed the chef about. So the train ended up kind of being my biggest challenge, and mostly because of the 100%, because of the language barrier my French is so bad and so the very first route I was, I went to the Paris train station and when the taxi got there I said you know, I'm going to the station.

Speaker 1:

He said right there, and it was a great big building, and so I went in there and I walked in and said call one, two, three, four. And nowhere did my ticket say anything about a hall. It just said what train I was going to be on. And so I just stood there not knowing what to do, and so I couldn't find an information desk. So I went back outside and I found an information desk outside and I showed the gentleman my ticket and he says oh, you're on WeGo, which is around the corner, in the backside of the building. And I was like I would have never found that. I mean. So finally found that.

Speaker 1:

And then I get in there and it's this enormous train station it's nothing like our union station here, enormous and all these tracks. And I'm standing there looking up at the board and I can't figure out what track I go to for my train. I just keep looking at it. And so I go around asking people parlez-vous anglais, parlez-vous anglais? And kind of in a panic, but luckily I was there like 45 minutes early, you know. So finally I found a young couple and I said and she says no, and he says oh, we speak enough, you know. And so they told me that you know, there's, my train is up there but they won't show the track until about 20 minutes before it departs. So, which is great, but then you have 20 minutes to go find that track. You know, in my mind is what I was thinking.

Speaker 1:

So I just kind of um, I really went into panic mode. I did the fight flight or freeze which we're going to talk about here in a minute, and I just froze and I just stood underneath a sign and, no, I didn't cry. But well, I should have, I should have cried, then somebody would help me, probably. But I just stood under the sign and one of the other gals who was going to this residency I had Wi-Fi in the station and so I texted her and she said, well, I'm wearing this. And I said, no, I'm under the sign, you have to come find me. And I just no. So she came and found me and nothing changed. But having somebody with me made it better, it just made it easier, because then it showed up 20 minutes before and we went and walked to the track and we boarded the train.

Speaker 1:

So it was my problem that I had on the train that first time so well, except for being in the wrong building. So it was raining and it was kind of unique on the trains there. Um, they don't, you know, some of them were like two seats facing two seats, with a table, and some of them were just like amtrak, where it's seats in a row, that kind of thing. So they were all different and but the very first one that I got on was the seats around the table and no one spoke with each other and at first I was thinking, oh, it's because I don't speak French, but they weren't speaking to each other either. So I don't know, I think Americans are more chatty is what I think, because I know on the trains here everybody's always like where are you going, where are you from? You know, and I didn't see that so much there. But, and that was kind of disappointing, but I snuck that picture out the window because I it was obvious they did not want me taking pictures on the train, so that was why I had very few. So the train pulled into Agen and we arrived and this was my week at the writing residency.

Speaker 1:

So this is Relay de Camont, which is where the residency was held, and it's owned by Kate Hill. She's an American woman who she's lived on. She lived on a barge on the canal for 25 years. I mean to me she was my mother's type of lifestyle, you know. I mean that just living life. And so she lived on the barge for 25 years. I mean that just living life. And so she lived on the barge for 25 years. And then she renovated these two farmhouses from the 1700s and put in a bridge connecting them and created this space for artists and writers or, you know, whoever wants to come and just have a retreat, and so she opened the retreat in the countryside and it's situated about 15 minutes from the Agen train station and for our writing residency, there were three of us plus the instructor, kathy, and each day we spent like a two hour workshop on a specific topic so she would teach us about, because the theme was food and memoir, because she's a food writer, and so we would work on editing or recipe creation or you know, and different narrative recipes or versus you know the standard kinds, and it was very interesting. And food memoir and what surprised me which it shouldn't, because of the story about my mom.

Speaker 1:

My mom surprisingly came up a lot in my writing that we were doing and my mom surprisingly came up a lot in my writing that we were doing, but surprisingly, my dad also, who passed away when I was 27, showed up a lot in the writing. I felt their presence in the room that I was given to use as my workspace. That's the home, and then this is some of her gardens she has so many roses, a banana tree, you know. Oh, it was just phenomenal. Yeah, yeah, oh, no, you could just book. Yeah, ok, so this was my room and so this was my workspace. I had this gorgeous view. The window just opened up, and I kept saying, well, something, fly in. And they're like no, no, no, but gorgeous view, you get the breeze because there's really not much air conditioning in France, pardon, yes, I mean, it was fabulous, but my parents showed up in this room. I don't know if you can see, but down on the floor, next to it, are a stack of encyclopedias, and my mom sold encyclopedias when I was a kid, and so we always had them prominently displayed at the end of the hall. You know our encyclopedias and where I learned about puffins and you know everything, you know everything, and so to me that was a big statement having those there. And then next to the bed was a stack of books, and the top one was the last runaway, which it was kind of a nod to my turbulent teenage years, but it was a fitting title to represent those those years.

Speaker 1:

So for the writing residency, kate Hill had brought in James Beard, award-winning author of the Mosquito Supper Club, and she's also a chef of the restaurant of the same name in New Orleans, melissa Martin. And so the food that week was just unparalleled. And you know, new Orleans is very French influenced in their cooking and her food was just. I'm just really not even putting into words how good it was, but so it was unparalleled. We visited two farmers' markets and so then every meal was focused on what we had purchased at the market. We bought a rabbit and we bought a duck, and we bought these strawberries and itty-bitty little artichokes and the blanche, the white asparagus and wild asparagus. I mean, so all of these foods are what constituted our meals, and it was, it was better than the Chef Boyardee, I gotta, I gotta admit that. So, so every meal, you know, we had a rabbit with prune stew and we had a duck, shepherd's pie and delicate tiny artichokes fried in garlic and oil, or the strawberry galette she made us with the crust that came from a cooking demonstration, so the week was spent with plenty of time relaxing in the gardens, meals outdoors, trips to the various towns and even a prune farm, and learning the art of food and memoir writing. It's a great experience. Okay, so this is my room, my bed. Next to it is where I have the book about the last runaway, and this is all of us on the first night cooking together. That's Kate Hill. She's the owner of the home, and it was just charming. I mean so much.

Speaker 1:

So then we went to the farmer's market. This was the close market nearby and everyone, even though this was a small market. There's several cheese vendors and several meat vendors. Those artichokes, I dream about those. And the strawberries, yes, so some of the meals that we had that strawberry galette, that was just. And this was a prosciutto or ham wrapped around in endive and with a gratin, so oh, so good. There was the duck shepherd's pie. This is.

Speaker 1:

Was Kate teaching us how to eat artichokes or not artichokes, asparagus, and so first, that's an asparagus soup. That was just amazing. So then she came out and she said okay, you need to prop the plate up, so put a fork underneath it so that your plate is tilted, and then you pour oil and vinegar and salt and pepper to your taste, and then you dip it in with your fingers and you eat it, and then you drink the soup out of the cup instead of using a spoon, you know. So you're eating the asparagus and drinking it. It was unparalleled. And this is Melissa, who was the chef from New Orleans, and she gave us a class on pie crust, and some of you don't know that I tried to make that strawberry galette and it did not turn out, and so, but we, the three of us, watched her make this pie dough and the point was we were all supposed to write a recipe based on what we saw, and we had three totally different recipes, and so it was really interesting. Look at how we you know how the importance of testing recipes before you try to bring them to a talk. So, okay, this was.

Speaker 1:

I got to check the name of the town. Oh yes, narak Narak. We went here for another farmer's market. This was the Saturday market, and I've never seen such a large farmer's market. It starts down below the river. You see the river there. It starts down below with flowers, and then, as you walk up through all these winding streets. It goes from like ornamental things and blouses and jewelry, and then it goes to produce and then it goes to cooked foods and I've never seen anything.

Speaker 1:

We spent probably four hours wandering, it was just and then stopped and had coffee afterwards and one of those oh, I shouldn't even say it because I'm going to get the name wrong Carcassonne. Rebecca, you're a pastry person. I don't know, it's some pastry that Bordeaux is known for and I didn't like it. So I didn't put much effort into learning the name. But we sampled those and had coffee and it was just a fabulous day. So this is that farmer's market. So just a few pictures from that, pictures from that. So the streets and, you know, the buildings, just everything, the antiquity of all the buildings, it was just so fascinating. So this is where we started, below with the flowers.

Speaker 1:

Yes, he's like why are you taking a picture? We, oh, we had these oysters one night. Okay, so this guy he was. So we were kind of on our own to get something for lunch. So he had a plat du jour and it was this pulled pork and grilled zucchini and mashed potatoes. I can't tell you, I mean just it was fabulous. So he, let me take his picture. And he smiled. And the bread, oh my gosh. You know baguettes every morning and every meal, and that was in the alley. So our last night, kate grilled, wood-fired these oysters, so they were not raw but they were warm. I mean, they weren't cooked, you know like, oh, they were so good, so good. That was our. There they are. So this was our, our final dinner before we left. And that's our group.

Speaker 1:

Eating outdoors nothing like it. Okay, back to the train. Eating outdoors, nothing like it. Okay, back to the train. So this will be my second time on the train. And, um, kayla, one of the other gals, she, she was going to Bordeaux and then to Paris, and I was going to Bordeaux to spend three nights, and so we went together to the train station. So that kind of helped seeing the signs and by this point I swear it was just. I was better, but it still was nice having somebody with me. I don't know why being lost with someone is better than being lost by yourself.

Speaker 1:

So this was in the front where the, the restrooms were, and, and the restrooms were even fascinating. I should, should have taken pictures of that. I mean, it was like you push a button like an elevator and it opens up. I mean, it was totally automated. The toilet flushes on its own and the hand things, everything is automatic. And then you stand there and go. How do I get out? I mean because there's no door. And finally you find the button you got to push to get out. But these tracks were something that just kind of confused me, because they're like speed bumps and I guess they want you not to go very fast with your luggage, but it seems weird because they really make it hard to get your luggage through. So so that was that.

Speaker 1:

And then I took a picture of this, even though it didn't have much food left in it, because I was fascinated by these fresh food vending machines. We found one that was sushi, which just kind of seemed gross, but like this one I don't know, it wasn't this one. Another one I saw just had a basket of kiwi. I'm like who buys a basket of kiwi at the train station? But you got kiwi to eat on the train, I guess. But you know this one's got wine and some sandwiches and things. But I just loved that they had fresh produce at the train. You know, fresh food and wine. There we were waiting for the train and that's Kayla. She is a brilliant writer, oh my gosh, inside the train station. No, this is one is one. Oops, I put that in the wrong place. Um, so we, so we ended agent.

Speaker 1:

So now, the first train I was, it was seats, you know, with a table. And now this one, it's seats in a row, and I was unsure about how to know when I was supposed to get off of the train, because they don't announce anything in English. I mean, it's, it's, you know, the airports, there's signs in English, but the train stations, you're on your own. And so when they announce it, they don't just say Narbonne, you know. And then I'm like oh okay, this is my stop. They talk for about five minutes and I have no idea what they're saying. Right, and so in my tips I'll talk about this. But something that became very valuable was a friend had, ahead of time, had me download the app for the train system and I did not know it. But I could pull that up and it showed me where I was on the route. So then I knew when to get off Cause. Otherwise the first couple of times I just would show my ticket and say you see, you see they're like, yeah, so that was that experience.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so in Bordeaux, another. This is a five-star hotel, absolutely stunning. I've never seen this kind of service that they they give there, but, um, it's uh, villa's Folk is what it's called, and, um, I arrived that afternoon from the train and I went on a walking tour to discover the city, and it's a very walkable city. Look at this room. Oh my gosh, it was just and same thing with the windows, just okay. So this is the walking tour. Jill's eating it and I learned how to make these later, um, but I guess like a cream puff is what I would. I don't remember the actual name for them, but um, so this walking tour she took me to first off, bordeaux is very walkable, but we went around to discover the heart of the city, which is the city center, the soul of the city, which is the cathedral, and then the breadth of the city, which is the harbor. So it's a gorgeous city. I really love it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, this was the one who made fun of my English. I would say I don't put in that little twang and she'd tell me words. So the tram system there it is. So, in addition to being very walkable. The tram goes everywhere. You can either jump on you know, can buy a single pass, or you can get like I had a 48-hour pass, so it didn't matter if I goofed and got off in the wrong place because I could just jump back on and so I really utilized that to get around a lot.

Speaker 1:

There's the cathedral, so just these buildings, and she talked a lot about, which was just an interesting point to me, these buildings and she talked a lot about, which was just an interesting point to me of I don't know if it's a mayor or president or I'm sorry that I don't know that, but whoever it was is instigating more green things and so you know, all these city areas people are allowed to put to grow things on the wall somehow, you know, but uh, the green, but so he totally the harbor area, which is about what we're about to, is it was like an industrial area before he said she said it was just parking spots and and factories, you know. So they just completely redid it and now it's this they, in some artists, installed this mirror of water and then they put in these gardens that you're going to see, that, um, they're foraging gardens, I mean flowers and and things like that, but you can forage for zucchini and I mean, just take it. And to me that just made me happy, you know. So there's the mirror, the water mirror, yeah, and this is the garden where people, you know, hang out and pick things and somebody's dancing, and then so it's right on the water and there's boats, that that same pass, that 48-hour pass, I could use the boat to get to places as well. So then that night a friend of mine we grew up together, our mothers were best friends for many, many years, and her mother passed as well just recently, mk, and so her daughter is living in Holland part of the time but also has a place in France, and so it just turned out that she was taking her husband to Bordeaux, to the airport, and so she said let's meet, and so we met and had dinner and it was just very nice. And City DuVernay I don't put much on here, but it's a great museum. I just was kind of museum fatigued on this particular day because it's out of order. But there's this other big tour I went on right before that. But I definitely recommend going, but don't have it be your activity that day. So this was the one that wore me out was we went to with the tour guide and it was a group of us, and that was also.

Speaker 1:

I think, what really enhanced this particular aspect for me was I was with other travelers and, you know, there was a couple from Hawaii, there was a couple let's see A couple from Hawaii, a young man I think. He said he was 21 or 22. That was just doing the real backpacking through Europe thing, you know, and he just kept eating constantly. I mean, he would pull things out of his backpack, he was constantly eating. I wish I could do that. So him.

Speaker 1:

And then there was a young woman from oh gosh, was it Vietnam or Korea? No, I think it was Korea, but her English was much better than my French. But she just said you know, I said what brought you here, and she said I quit my job and came here for five weeks. I mean, I love people like that. You know what I mean it. Just, it was so fabulous to get to spend a day with this group of people. So that's who we're on on this tour. And this was, oh, that's our group. That is a young guy. Yeah, yes, oh, oh, we have to talk about this bad experience. Oh well, that um, not bad experience, but learning a lesson.

Speaker 1:

So another thing I'm going to talk about is the importance of having a working phone over there. And I did not. And so I did eventually get a SIM card, but when I was at the writing residency I didn't see a point because everybody I was talking to was there and so, and I had wifi, but I just couldn't Uber or you know, google maps or things like that, or the translator. I downloaded the translator so that it could, I could put in a word and it would tell it to me, but I couldn't take a picture of something and it tell me what it said without internet.

Speaker 1:

So I went to eat by myself in Bordeaux and I had seen on the menu. I recognized it was pizza and it was truffle and I was just like that's what I want. So I went in and when he brought me the menu he said here's tonight's menu, and that wasn't on the menu. So I'm looking at these things going, I don't know what anything is. And so at one point I recognized salmon. I'm like, oh, salmon. And I says salmon. He says yeah, but he said but it's very petite, you're going to want to get something else and I said that's fine. And so the other shrimp, and they were delicious, but the salmon was raw and it's not something I would have ordered on purpose. So tip is get that phone thing working before you go. Eat by yourself, cause I I put it on the bread and ate though, cause I wasn't going to miss it, and it actually was very good, but I just wouldn't have ordered raw. And so these are some of the foods in Bordeaux and Narbonne.

Speaker 1:

So then the train to Narbonne. So by this point I was pretty comfortable. I knew how to look and see when the train was coming and I knew to look at the app to see when I got there. And the only kind of trial on this particular train was that I'm racing. My problem is because I did coach instead of first class. You know, my car would be like number 14, which is all the way down at the end. So I'm racing down to the end. Well, I get to my car. No, it was D, so it was 10. So it was car 10, seat 200 and something. And I look at the sign and it says car 10, but it seats 100 to 150. You know, I'm making up numbers, but mine was not there and it was the very last car, and so I saw someone standing outside and I said, I said car D's, but my seat, you know, and he was like huh. And finally he says he says oh, it's all fucked up. He said and I'm like wait a minute, you were acting like you couldn't understand a word. I was saying I'm trying to speak to you in French and he says it's all messed up. He said you just go in and sit anywhere. Well, there was only one seat left, so I was very grateful for that. So I got a seat, but other than that, I was getting more comfortable on the train on the third time, and the train on the third time, and you know the vineyards everywhere you go, seeing the grapes, it was just okay.

Speaker 1:

Another nice hotel I really was spoiled on this trip and I was hosted. I was hosted at all the destinations. This was Chateau Capitoule and it was set up on a hill just outside of Norbonne. So by this point I'm in Norbonne and just outside of town, up on a hill overlooking, where you can see the Pyrenees in the background and then the vineyards as far as you can see. It was stunning and they had taken this castle, which because chateau means castle and it's normally associated with a vineyard. But they had taken this castle just a couple years ago, renovated it and turned it into eight rooms and then built 44 villas I mean villas with the their own private pools and very, very nice.

Speaker 1:

But I was staying in the castle, which, when it comes to luggage, I had my backpack and I had to carry on luggage. I thought I was doing pretty well keeping it down to just carry on bag and a backpack. Gorgeous, what's that? Stone Marble stairs, gorgeous spiral marble stairs carrying this thing trying to get up it. But it was beautiful and I was up on the second floor, just stunning, but the pictures aren't the best because, yes, so I stayed there for one night and this is the pool that everyone can use and they installed these olive trees to eventually be shade.

Speaker 1:

And then I toured their vineyard and they use their winery and they use stop, they use concrete instead of barrels for the wine and she said it's modern but it's ancient. She said it's the ancient way it was originally done, but they quit doing that and then now they're starting to do it again and so that's why they do that Great wine and I had a wonderful dinner with the tourism person there. So then the next day I was driven back into Narbonne and checked into Hotel Mosaic, which was kind of a boutique-y, small, very, very fun, fun place. But I went on a walking tour in Narbonne and it was a Roman city. It was the first, it was like Paris of the times, it was the first Roman city that was built and it's all been buried or destroyed and so they have very few actual artifacts left from that. But that road that I showed in the very beginning was the original road that would transport the wine and supplies and things.

Speaker 1:

And then this was the old castle and the new castle and I mean, it was just I can't even wrap my head around how the historical importance. And then so this is modern art in this old castle courtyard. And then this I don't remember the details but I took a picture of it anyways it's do you know what the animal is anyone? I guessed it was like a. I thought it was a hyena, but it's, it's a wolf, it's a she-wolf, and I can't remember which country it was, but they donated it to them because it represented um, suckling the babies. You know the she-wolf, the? I think so. Yes, but that's who gave this to them. Yeah, to represent that connection. So the baby's suckling on a she-wolf, I just love it.

Speaker 1:

Yes, and these courtyards, I mean just gardens. Is that a castle? I think that was a church, oh, and so here we're coming to this market. You know, I love food things. So this is the covered market that they have, and they were voted the best market in France last year. It was phenomenal, I mean. So it's completely indoors, probably the size of Costco. I mean, you know, is what I'm guessing? But just everything you could ever want.

Speaker 1:

And this, this guy, we ended up eating at this restaurant and it's shown right there and I'll tell you when we get to the picture of him, but anything you possibly want. And actually, on the, on the cruise, our chef came and we went with him shopping, for we had a seafood buffet. Oh, this is, um, oh, my gosh, I was on the lookout for it everywhere, everywhere I went. Now, all the words went into my head, it'll come back to me, but it's this bean dish and it's very regional Cassoulet, thank you, thank you. Yes, so it's like duck and sausage and pork cooked in these white beans, so it's kind of soupy, but then they bake it so long that it gets crispy on top and break through. That it was amazing.

Speaker 1:

So when I saw this at that market I said, oh, I want to try this. And they said, well, on the cruise you're going to get a chance. So I want to do. I told my sister, hi, mary, that I want to recreate it here. And she said, well, you know, you got to get duck. And I said, well, no, I don't like the duck, I'm just going to make it the way I like, because it was just something. I want to try to see if I can recreate it in our version.

Speaker 1:

So this guy at the market, he's a former rugby player and it's just this big theatrical scene of you know. So around him are these meat butchers and so he offers duck and beef and something, and horse and I should have said it like that and horse, and so somebody orders something and he'll call out for what, whichever meat it is, and they will throw him, you know. So it's this big, big ordeal, but it was fun and he's cute, he was, he was very fun, but his personality, you know, I'm just, you know, screaming for it and let's see, oh, so this was the abbey. So we went to this abbey and for me it was just fascinating to learn about, you know, in the 12th century, the monks, and there were laymen, I think is what he called them, but basically they were like one step above being homeless. I mean, they worked for free, they stayed there, they could not speak to the monks and they couldn't, you know, but they had shelter, you know, because this is back in the 12th century when, you know, it was very important to have water and shelter and food and things like that. So they did all the work. But it was just fascinating at this Abbey to learn.

Speaker 1:

And again, another gorgeous courtyard and the Rose garden. Love the Rose garden. And actually it was supposed to rain all the time and it rained a few times, which I'm going to get to a story about the rain. Um, no, I think we already did the vineyard in the vineyard. Um, that city that we went to this was in narbonne. I got my first taste of being on the canal. We just did a very short kind of a touristy barge tour. But on the weather, who was it? I can't remember. Oh, yes, we commented when we went to the vineyard that day and we went to that ancient city and Carcassonne was the name of the city and we had commented oh, we've got lucky, because it just seems to rain every time we're in the car. And oh, we've got so lucky and we get to the city and it's a downpour and it's the only downpour that we had the whole time I was there, because it would normally just sprinkle a little bit and then be gone. Um, so we all huddled in the into the alcove of a door and just stood there, I mean drenched. I have a coat that I'm throwing away, that it's not a raincoat, it's a wind jacker or maybe it's water resistant, but it's not. I was soaked and freezing, but same thing, it passed, and then it was a beautiful day. So we did, we had really great weather. And then this is hotel or mosaic in Norbonne, which was the boutique one. So then my sister finally arrives.

Speaker 1:

This is the end of week two. She came in and I've been eating such great food, but I was kind of craving either a hamburger or pizza, something you know what I mean, the rabbit and the duck, and everything was phenomenal and things I'd never tried before, but I just wanted something, you know, and so I was, and my sister, if she watches this, might be a little bit picky eater. So I thought this would be safe bet we can go have pizza. It was right across from the train station, so we met and it was delicious. And my other sister, mary, had said well, you know, I knew it was four fromage, I knew it was four cheeses, but I did not know what the cheeses were. So but I know there was blue and I'm sure there was mozzarella and I know there was um goat cheese and something else, but it was delicious, it was one of my favorite meals. Was that pizza? Okay, so then we are waiting for, uh the them to pick us up for the canal midi.

Speaker 1:

So this was our home for the next that last week of the trip. It was stunning. We were in samai it was the name of the town where we started. They picked us up in our bun, drove us to samai and we got on um. They had a champagne reception as soon as you get on the boat, and then we had a chance to go walk and see this bookstore, which I'm not sure why. I was fascinated with it, but it was just fascinating bookstore, even though I don't understand any things. But so we turned that and then got back on. We spent that first night docked there.

Speaker 1:

This was our rooms and I did not share this on social media. They were tiny. People think I'm exaggerating when I say there was this much space to shimmy out of, you know, between the, between our beds, and my sister and I just kind of made a pact that we would each sleep with our backs to each other, so you know. But there's cubbies up top. Each of the beds had a thing that pulled out. There was a little side dresser that you don't see and a very small closet. So you actually are able to, you know, and they take your luggage out, you unpack and it worked. I mean, it really was more workable than you would think, being that size, and I got kind of comfortable. I ended up seeing it like a cocoon. She, you know other people are like oh, I'll just stay up top all the time. I'm like, I kind of like being there. So, maybe because I was tired after a couple weeks, it was nice to just relax. A tiny little shower, oh, I don't know why. I was fascinated with the bathroom, but it was very small, okay.

Speaker 1:

So so you, you come on this barge. It only holds eight guests. So four cabins for passengers, the crews up front, oh, still going. So it holds eight guests, but it turned out that they had only booked six, but one of the couples canceled at the last minute, so there were just four of us. We had five crew to four passengers. It was very intimate experience, four passengers. It was very intimate an experience and it was just amazing. Um, so you come in up on this deck and then you go down, and so there's that where that couch was, um, and a bar area, and then a dining table, and then you go down a little hall to the cabins, but, but that's it, that's the ship, the barge.

Speaker 1:

And so here we were setting off, and each day they would put up what our activities were. That day that was when we were going to Carcassonne and then lunch, and then they tell you where we're cruising to, and then wine tasting that night, and then dinner, and these dinners, never in my life did I think we would say please don't bring so much food. But it was actually the other couple that was with us that finally said can you bring smaller portions or something, because we were, you know, lunch, breakfast was a buffet kind of thing of mostly fruits and yogurt and baguettes, so it was pretty light. But then lunch and dinner, both were just course, after course, and they were small plates, but it was still. You know, after you eat the three courses, then you have the cheese plate and then you have dessert. I mean, it was just a huge meal. So they asked for smaller portions. But I was kind of disappointed because our chef, chef Jean, he is a very talented pastry chef and so he started giving us half desserts and I was like wait, wait, wait, I'm kidding.

Speaker 1:

So one of our excursions was to go to oh. Go to oh. It's the largest walled city in Europe, or at least existing. Can't remember the name, but my sister. So we went here and we walked around. Basically it's lots of shopping and interesting things, but it's just so interesting to see, looking out, there was a cathedral in there. Okay, so then these meals, and this is just an example of you know what we would have. But but oh, it was fabulous, just fabulous. And every night they set the table with different. It was funny that for such a small space they had the most elaborate dinnerware, I mean, and every evening, you know, daisy was our hostess. She would, you know, present us with the wine and the cheese and some of the meals we had there, I mean duck, I mean quail legs, things I've never tasted before. It was just amazing. And that's chef laura, excuse me, captain laurent.

Speaker 1:

And so then we started going through the locks, and the locks are this fascinating process of. Has anyone been through locks? Yeah, have you? Actually I think you have. Oh, ooh, so they, you know they have to come in, and our barge was actually too large for some of the locks, so it's very he has to be perfectly timed and aimed to get in there. So you get in this, basically a cage, and then they start lowering the water and so you can see we're up above the water, so the water down there is lower, so we're up above. So we get in this cage and then they start lowering the water and it brings us down and they open the gate and we pass through. So we went through a few locks, but the most fascinating one was the staircase of seven that we went through at the very end and this was just, you know, going under. And then, when our Friday night they brought in a jazz musicians and we had champagne on the deck and it was just, it was fun. That was the jazz night I was at, I was having fun.

Speaker 1:

So and then one excursion we went truffle hunting. Well, we didn't really do anything, but the dog did, um, and it really it wasn't technically truffle season, so she had just kind of buried some just to show us the whole process. And this, this puppy, he's three and so he's not a pro yet. So he would sometimes kind of dig it up and eat it, or, when he wasn't supposed to, or he'd dig it up and it'd be over here and he still did, you know. But he, she said he'd be an expert in probably the next year or two, but it was, it was. It was interesting to watch. And well, that's what they found is that the pigs, um, want to eat them, you know, and that's the main reason, yeah, and the dogs, you can train them. So she gave him treats every time so that he would not eat the trouble. And it's also an olive farm, and so she showed us these hundreds of year old olive trees.

Speaker 1:

And then we had lunch there oh my gosh, it was this anchovies and a salad, and this burrata with the tomato. I mean just, we could not get a bad meal. I mean it was just fabulous. And there's the cassoulet. I finally got to try it. I had been looking for it everywhere and it turned out that not Rick Stein. Rick Steve writes well.

Speaker 1:

Rick Stein had some kind of a France travel show that he did, and he was on the Anjodi, which was our barge, and he filmed it on that, and so he talks a lot about the Kesele as well, which was kind of interesting. There's my sister relaxing in the hot tub and it was. The pace was just amazing, because you're in the countryside mostly, you know, and it's so. It's not really like on the Danube River cruise. You're going through lots of cities, you know, and we did, we stayed in, we docked in some cities, but on the very next to last night we were just out in the middle of nowhere, I mean just out in the country, you know, and it was just. But so the atmosphere was so peaceful and relaxing. It was just definitely what I needed.

Speaker 1:

And here we were getting ready to go through the longest canal tunnel. It was fun, isn't that fun? And again, he has to be very, you know, good driver. So now we came to these locks. So it's the staircase of seven locks and so it steps down, and so it takes about 45 minutes. I thought I stopped it. It takes about 45 minutes to get through each one lock at a time, to get all the way down to the bottom. So it was a very interesting morning. Oh, there we are. That was the night before we were going to go down the locks. We went and checked them out, and so here we were. You can see, we're at the very top of it getting ready to go down. So then we went to another city again. It was just, you know, a big shopping district, but this particular one they're known for their doors, and so I've got some pictures of some of the shutters and doors that were just amazing.

Speaker 1:

And this is the night that we just were parked in the middle of nowhere. We had just some horses out there. So this is when. So we're at the very end. We're coming to Marseille, which is like in a harbor, or they called it Lagoon of the Mediterraneaniterranean. So we've been on the canal this whole time, and this is where it merges the salt and the fresh water. Um, so we're. You can see, we've got, we're in the canal, but we've got water on both sides of us. Oops, there's the entrance to the canal de midi, which we had been on the whole time, and we came out into this, this lagoon. Oh, it's gorgeous, okay.

Speaker 1:

And then our last night we went to a vermouth distiller and learned their process of aging the wine out in the barrels and then going in and making it, and it's actually I think it's home by Jim Beam now or something. So then our last night we had the captain's dinner and Captain Laurent, oh. But we had a cooking lesson with, with the chef. First we learned to make these puff pastries that I'm not gonna make again. Um, it's just not, I don't have a. You know this, pastries and baking aren't my thing. I like to cook. I mean, I'm gonna make cassoulet, but I'm not gonna make the pastries. So here's he had filled them with hummus and topped them with the eggs you know, fish eggs. So that was our crit. We made those, yeah, and it was fun in his tiny little galley having that demonstration. And then the captain pours the champagne. The last night, this was our crew. They were just amazing, yeah.

Speaker 1:

And so we started in SMAI and ended in Marseille. That was it, okay. So I didn't even expect that to go as long as I did. So I have a few tips if anybody's curious, but otherwise we can just do questions. But okay, I just didn't want to keep you if you were done, okay.

Speaker 1:

So, like I mentioned, you know, part of the time I was with a group and part of the time I was solo, and my biggest suggestion is start with a group just to get acclimated. You know, I mean because it sounds so scary to just go by yourself, and I don't think I would have ever planned this trip if I didn't have that group thing to work around. You know, for myself, I was in Colorado once and I was at the train station and I met a woman. She was a retired school teacher and she retired and lived off of her retirement, but then she would teach online courses and save every penny of whatever she got from the online courses to take these really big trips and she would go to Russia and she went to Thailand and by herself on these trips. But her tip was she said she starts with a group, so she'll sign up for a group tour. That's like 10 days, but then when it's over she extends it for two weeks. So she's on her own, but she feels more comfortable after getting there and getting kind of used to getting around and figuring things out. So I'd love that tip. So start with a group.

Speaker 1:

Utilize a travel agent or have someone look over your plans, if not Someone who's experienced with wherever you're going to, you know. So I have a friend who looked over mine and he just he saved me. I mean, he's the one that suggested I download the train app, which other people hadn't. They just printed out their tickets and so if I hadn't had that app, I wouldn't have been able to see where we were at when we were going. Make sure you have cellular service before you go. Another of his suggestions was pull up Google Maps or Google Earth or whatever you want, and really dig into the destination and figure out how to get around. I mean, you can see where the tram or the bus or the, you can find all these things relative to the train and the hotel and things like that, and it really helps to go in feeling kind of familiar with the city by researching it ahead of time.

Speaker 1:

Take the next step and what this does. This has been my motto for years. I just say take the next step. And what this does? This has been my motto for years. I just say take the next step. And what it does is it stops that fight or freeze. And see, in Paris, I froze, I just I'm not moving. And so I forgot to say take the. I didn't know what the next step was, because that was the problem. But normally it's take the next step, and so mine is I'm with the right people in the right place at the right time. Oh, that's good too. That is good, but for mine, in that particular reference.

Speaker 1:

So my last big goof with the train was that, um, I purchased my sister and i's tickets to go from Narbonne back to Paris after the end of the cruise, and she had been first class the whole way, but I booked it and so it was not a direct train. I knew we were going to have a connection. We were going to have to get off the train and get on another one. But at this point I'm a pro, I know where to look at the sign, now, you know. And so I wasn't really worried about that. But when I was in Narbonne the tourism person I just showed her my ticket because I said maybe I should upgrade to first class because my sister's been on first class and she might be more comfortable. So she looks at it and she says did you know that you have a connection? And I said yeah. And she said did you know it's at another station? And I said yeah, and she said did you know it's at another station? I had no idea, and so that was a big one that I got lucky that she saw that and so.

Speaker 1:

But then so we had one hour and the thing is I didn't comment, but on the canal we noticed that they take from 12 to 1 off, and so if we came up to a lock, the lock keeper was at lunch, and so if we had to wait till one o'clock before they would let you through. And so if we came up to a lock, the lock keeper was at lunch, and so we had to wait till one o'clock before they would let you through. And so it's the same thing with the taxis. And so somebody said if it's between 12 and one, you're not going to be able to get a taxi. And they said well, you take this bus and this tram and this, and I was like, no, I cannot On the spur going to figure that out. So it turned out we, our train, got there right at one. So we walked up to the taxis. There weren't any taxi drivers available, but finally there was one who was coming back from lunch, so he zipped us and we had an hour to get in. You know, it would have taken, I think, 45 minutes if we'd taken the bus and the tram and things that people said oh no, it's real easy, you can just get there. But he got us there, we plenty of time, it was fine.

Speaker 1:

But when we were worried about it, my sister was saying what are we going to do? And I said we'll just take the next step. If we miss the train, we'll just get on the next one, I mean. And so to me it's that logical of all I could do is what I could do, and so you know. So preparing for me that's a, that's a biggie, because then I know what the next step is. So make sure you have cell service again, research the destination and I already talked about that and pack lighter than I did, even though I thought I was packing light.

Speaker 1:

If I had to do it again, I probably would try to just go with a backpack only. But my biggest obstacle was it was three weeks and I had two different environments. The writing residency was very casual and laid back, whereas I thought I was going to need more, dressier things for the cruise. So I'm trying to bring. You know, I brought, I brought, I think, nine outfits, but there was no washing service, so I needed to have as many outfits as I was going to need. Clean when I got on the cruise is what I so I really felt like I needed to bring as much.

Speaker 1:

But if I ever had to do it again, I would try to do just a backpack, because every train station you go down the stairs and you go up the stairs and and it's. It's a lot of lugging with the luggage, not the backpack. Backpack didn't hurt me until I took it off. It was carrying the luggage. So okay, oh, and prepare last tip prepare for the time change and jet lag. They say it takes one day for every hour of time change.

Speaker 1:

For me, I found that I sleep well the first few nights because I'm exhausted from the travel, but then I would wake up often just because my body is saying what the heck, you know. But I'm still sleeping and adjusting. But so the first three days are kind of foggy and by five, day five I felt adapted. So if you know, I lost that day that I would have had to get acclimated. I would have had more time if I had to do it over before I did the writing residency, because I was sitting there in this fog at first, you know, but by the end of it I was back. So just allow time for the adjustment.

Speaker 1:

So it is said that wherever you go becomes a part of you. Somehow. Travel is truly life-changing. It changes your perspective. It opens you to new cultures, food and adventure. Then there's the empowerment that comes from knowing you can take care of yourself and the joy of connecting with others along the way. You bring all of these gifts home with you. I want to thank all of you for being here and again. Mona for putting this together and doing the hard part that I could not have done, and Rebecca for bringing those delicious financiers. I'm still guessing. Oh, I did. I said financier. See, I can't. I'm still guessing. Oh, I did, I said financier, financy. I can see I stumbled over certain words Fini, okay, fini. So thank you all so much, and if you have any questions, I'll answer them, if I can. Thank you.

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Jill Dutton

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