Our trip from Geneva to Cotignac was like the journey of Ulysses. Like Ulysses we started with great hopes for a fast trip. Also, like Ulysses, it didn’t turn out quite as we expected.
And on the morning we left for France, I went for a long walk (okay, I confess, I ran a few steps, too) before we started our long drive to Cotignac. There was low cloud cover and a heavy haze so that the mountains were completely obscured. Even so, I was struck by the beauty. I walked along the water front in a large park. It had such tall trees and vast expanses of green lawns. Well cared for flower beds were already blooming this early in the season. Trees looked like they were waiting for just the right moment to burst into flower. There were people walking, running and meandering through the sculptures and fountains that were placed around the park. It was lovely, even without the mountains. And every person I met greeted me with a cheery “bon jour.” The people here are so nice and helpful. I think being surrounded by beauty makes people happier.
We packed up for one last time. Watching me and Mike squish us and all the bags into the tiny European elevators is like those old films of college students trying to cram as many people as possible into a phone booth.
And then, life happened. We had a flat tire. And not just any kind of flat – a side wall puncture. Mike started his morning by unloading the bags and putting on the temporary spare tire. Then began the search for a Mercedes dealership. Thankfully, the navigation system is pre-programmed with Mercedes dealers. Score one for Mercedes. The closest dealer had a power outage and directed us to a very large dealership in the suburbs. They were most helpful despite the language difficulties. My French was of very little use. Here’s the bad news. The tire is so new that the dealerships don’t even have them yet. Minus two for Mercedes. They would have to order the tire from Stuttgart. They were very nice to us and found a used tire that would enable us to get to France where we’ll have to order a new one. At least they’ll got us on our way – three hours late – with minimal problems other any annoyance. All in all, it’s okay. This stuff happens and we’re not really pressed for time which was a good thing.
Based on Mapquest the trip from Geneva through Gap (a Tour de France destination) to Cotignac, the drive was going to take 5 ½ hours. Not so. It took more than 8 hours with a short stop for lunch. Maybe Ulysses used Mapquest, too. However, I will say that the section between Grenoble and Gap was stunning. It was probably nice coming out of Geneva, too, but the cloud cover was too low for us to see the mountains.
We had arranged to meet our rental agent, Ruth, at the house. We’d emailed from the Mercedes dealership that we’d be late due to the tire, but it became clear that we’d be much later than we’d expected. We tried to call her only to discover that we’d somehow written the number wrong – or I was dialing incorrectly. Eventually, we stopped along the way for me to go through all the files I’d brought to find her number. We looked in all the bags and never found it. Guess I wasn’t quite so organized after all. We assumed that Ruth would figure out that we were detained, which she did.
We arrived in Cotignac about 7:45PM; got the car up the VERY narrow incline (I think the street is more narrow in a new Mercedes!) and up the steep driveway. We were so relieved to finally arrive. What a journey. After finding the keys we walked into our new home to be greeted by fresh flowers and a bottle of wine from Ruth and a card from our dear friend, Dan. I was in tears by the time we finished reading the card. It gave us the boost we needed to tackle unloading the car. After much to and fro, we dropped all the bags on the first floor and walked into town for a late dinner. We went to the first little restaurant on the square – there were only two places open – and had an amazing dinner. As a side note – thankfully prices are back to “normal”. Meals are about half what they were in Switzerland and gas is down to $4.75 per gallon. 
Where Ulysses met the Cyclops, we’re were met by Skeeter, aka Sam. When we walked into the house in Cotignac, Sam greeted us. Sam is the owner’s cat who now lives next door but who visits frequently. Sam has been in and out of the house since we arrived. And – when we went to dinner that evening, they only had one small table available. The restaurant is tiny and it was buzzing! I tried to pull my chair out but it was very heavy and there was something tangled in the table cloth. It was like there was a big, heavy lump under the table cloth on the chair. The lump was warm and soft – a little disconcerting. When I lifted the end of the table cloth, there was a calico cat happily snoozing on the chair. The waitress dumped him off but he returned later to sit in my lap over dessert. They may not be Skeeter, but they are nice, furry reminders of our little kitty.
So, today is a beautiful day and I’m writing on the patio overlooking the valley. Nice. So, like Ulysses, we arrived safe and sound and Mike didn't have to slaughter anyone! Oh...and we were also visited by our "Sirens" - the frogs.
And, tomorrow will be another, and another, and….
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