Are we there Yet?

After months of planning, finally three days to departure.

Luggage to pack...what do you take for 3 months, probably 3 seasons of weather, Winter, Spring and early Summer.

The luggage will in the end determine what I take, after all there is only so much space.

Camera, cell phone, laptop, GPS are they another other devices we need??

Airline tickets, train schedule, passports and euros, etc. at the ready.

Making the Most of our Last Days in France

Postcards of our last walk down the Boulevard to rue Marsis through the the Old Gate.
Today (Wednesday. 30th May 2012)  was our last morning in Gourdon...once our suitcases were finally closed, we went for a coffee and one last stroll around town.

This is the only gate entrance that is left in the old market town of Gourdon at the base of the hill where  the castle once stood.. it would have led from the mote (which is now the Boulevard) that surrounded the medieval town ..this gateway leads to our lane - rue Marsis.





Our friends, C& B were picking us up at 11:30AM to take us to Toulouse

We stopped on the way for lunch.

C & B are travelling thru the locks on the Canal du Midi, bringing their boat closer to home. They are staying at a Marina in downtown Toulouse for a night.

Across the street from the Marina is a Fire Station, we hope they had quiet, peaceful night's sleep without too many sirens from the (Pompiers) disturbing them.

After sharing a bottle of bubbly with our friends, we said our farewells.

Honey & I took the bus back to the train Station stop, where we caught the Navette (airport shuttle).

 This shuttle service makes 4 stops and we got off at Jeanne d'arc Place.

(Joan of Arc Place) near the Capitol Square. 

We strolled the streets and viewed some interesting archictecture.

We found a great restaurant for a light supper, where we shared a delicous salad and  pizza, some great red wine, and some great conversation with a New Zealand couple sitting at the table next to us.

We finished off our last night in France with Cafe Gourmands...this one's mini desserts included tiramasu, chocolate fondant cake and creme brulee and an expresso shot.

Who could ask for anything more?   

Tomorrow we fly home!

This concludes our "Postcards" as all good things come to an end.

We posted 76 Postcard stories during our 3 month adventure in France.

Without a doubt this was a most enjoyable adventure for both of us and provided us with a "taste of life" in France.

Hope you enjoyed it too!

Last Hurrah in Gourdon

I don't remember much of Monday, and yet again it was another holiday during the month of May in France.
We started to pack up and get ready for our imminent departure when we'll have to leave Gourdon and the comforts of " Le Petit Gite " at rue Marsis on Wednesday morning.





The sunshining through the kitchen window at rue Marsis.



We did venture out to our cafe for coffees and some wi-fi time in the morning and again in mid-afternoon to catch some of the sunshine after a wander through town.

Tuesday (29th May) was our last full day in Gourdon.

We a had great day...eventhough we had the job of packing and cleaning up the cottage.

We had a lovely lunch at the Promenade and because we had plans to have dinner here tonight also, we wanted to eat light for lunch (goat cheese & honey in phyllo pastry pouches & lardon (bacon) salad for "Honey"  and I opted for an omelet) ...the food was delicious as always. 

Graeme went to the Book store to see if he could find a mailing tube to carry home our prints we bought in Collioure and finally found something that would work.
As this tube would not fit inside our luggage, it would mean we would have something else to carry in our hands along with our winter coats that we arrived with in March, our carry-on bags and my purse. We could have used an extra pair of hands.

After lunch, Jennifer (our daytime waitress & friend)  kindly lent us her vehicle so that we could go do a last minute shop at the "Joue Club" ... a toy store, where we searched for French toy cars for the our grandsons.

On our last evening in Gourdon we had a late dinner at the Promenade and Chef Franck exceeded himself.

Graeme requested lamb chops and was thrilled to receive four of them and a delightful salad and I asked for the chef's suggestion of the day which was pork roast with a prune sauce....so tender and flavorful.

The weather was fantastically warm which allowed us to eat and drink outside on the terrace.

We were presented with a great bottle of Bordeaux wine by chef Franck.

As we had no room left in our luggage to carry it home, we suggested that Franck, Roxane and the owners, Jean-Jacques and Pascale share it with us, which they did.
The evening ended with "au revoirs" to our new friends.
Tomorrow begins our journey back home...