Day 3 Paris/Provence

After two days in Paris I've come to the conclusion that I want more! We realized that we missed the Tour de France riders going around the Arc de Triomphe by about 3 hours! OUCH!!! Seriously? Our train left at 10 and the Tour de France ends today about 2 or 3 with the bicyclists going right past the hotel we were staying in. I can't believe we were so close to seeing such a cool thing and we missed it. (Darcy, tell Chris!)

We met 3 hilarious 50 something women from LA on a girl trip coming home on the train from Versailles. They reminded me so much of Laura and Melinda and a third combo of the two. We chatted all the way back from Versailles. They were such close friends and everything through their eyes was funny. They chastised me for not making it to the Rodin museum, which I was already bummed about. I chastised them for not making it out to Marie Antoinette's hamlet on the Versailles grounds. They could NOT believe I had 5 kids as in acted as if their breath was literally let out of their bodies and they couldn't breathe. I laughed and said that what can I do? I love the little guys! One said, "Just get a puppy!" I told them I wanted to be their new friend, and because they are the way they are, they didn't even think I was weird for saying that. We promised to run into each other back home (which of course we won't). We also met Phillip who is from San Diego but has been living in Zimbabwe and South Africa for two months. He is a professor of interior design at San Diego State and was trying to build a green school in Zimbabwe. He was really cool. Longish white hair and a scarf with only one bag.

We just took the four-hour train ride from Paris to Arles in Provence. I am sitting in a cute cottage hotel room with pictures of elephants on the wall and crickets chirping loudly outside. The property is very spread out so that out of my window I can only see trees and hear crickets. Brett and I NEED another Nutella crepe, but I'm not thinking I'll find one here. Hopefully.

Note to self: WHY did you pack so much? Why are all of the Americans carting around 2 and 3 big suitcases while the Europeans have a dufflebag? Next time I travel here, I will pack completely differently. Oh well, live and learn. Biking tomorrow. I'm worried about my super sore legs being able to go again tomorrow. From what I can see, it's flat. Flat, more arid and rocky than I thought it would be, and olive trees everywhere! Must finish my Van Gogh book before I get to the mental hospital he stayed in tomorrow. I am still reading about him working in the mines trying to be a preacher to the mining town. Must read before dinner!

We are now with 10 couples from Brett's work who each earned this trip by being the best by some sales measurement. They are fun people, and I've met them before. One is a high school football coach who never got his luggage. He's been walking around in flip flops and has had to buy a new shirt every day. He said he's loved it and it has taught him that we don't need all the stuff we think we do. One has her doctorate in French Literature but is from Colombia, so she speaks fluent Spanish and French. We met up on the train here and she had a backpack full of vegetables. She ate a tomato like it was an apple and offered me some raw broccoli. I had a leaf or two, gagged it down, then secretly popped the Lindt dark chocolate ball I swiped from my mom's house into my mouth. She has been translating for us which is great! Yeah. We meet everyone else here tonight.  I've decided that people are so fascinating. I hear how some people live and I think-that is sooo opposite of me! But it's okay.

One sad thing: Today is Sunday and no church :( I hate Sundays on the road... At least we're not biking today. Au Revoir until demain. e