We started off by once again gorging ourselves on the hotel breakfast. We then headed down to the local Collioure market, a farmers market on steroids, and bought ourselves a picnic lunch for later. Cedar also got an alpaca sweater, which she took 30 minutes trying on in the middle of the market vacillating between two options. Finally the family forced her into a decision. Her other highlight was finally getting her much anticipated oysters.
Then we hit the road for a 2-hour drive, which turned into 3 because the “Tom-Tom” lead us into a route that traveled up and over the mountains. In hindsight, it wasn’t the best decision by the lady inside the GPS.
Because of said route, we had to stop for gas. While waiting at the station Barbs grabbed something out of the trunk of the car. We started pulling out of the parking lot when the car started yelling at us for the trunk not being closed all the way.
Then we hit the road for a 2-hour drive, which turned into 3 because the “Tom-Tom” lead us into a route that traveled up and over the mountains. In hindsight, it wasn’t the best decision by the lady inside the GPS.
Because of said route, we had to stop for gas. While waiting at the station Barbs grabbed something out of the trunk of the car. We started pulling out of the parking lot when the car started yelling at us for the trunk not being closed all the way.
We didn’t think it was a big deal, so we finally stopped to fix the issue 5 minutes later, the first place we could pull over. As soon as we made the turn, there was a loud noise and honking from the car behind us. We looked back, stunned to realize that the trunk had come open and Hannah’s suitcase had taken a tumble 100 ft back. The car behind us stopped on a dime, only 2 ft before crushing her suitcase. So there we were, in the French countryside with our trunk open, luggage flying down the road and Barbs running to pick it up.
We finally made it to Carcassonne, where the medieval theme has never ceased to go out of style. Apparently. The only sight to see here is a great big castle from the 1100’s that guarded trade routes in that time. It is like Game of Thrones, but in real life. Barbs kept talking about how much it reminded her of Disney, meanwhile the rest of us found it creepy. Granted, the skeleton of the castle itself was amazing. Its walls are the original ones from way back when, and the views from it are incredible.
After touring the grounds, we ate dinner at a restaurant inside the castle walls. Also a little creepy. When it got dark, we took the night tour. AKA the same exact tour we took in the daytime, just sans sunlight. Rick Steves (the man who wrote our guide book, which we found out today that he didn’t even write), gave the whole ordeal 3 stars, and boy was he wrong.
We finally made it to Carcassonne, where the medieval theme has never ceased to go out of style. Apparently. The only sight to see here is a great big castle from the 1100’s that guarded trade routes in that time. It is like Game of Thrones, but in real life. Barbs kept talking about how much it reminded her of Disney, meanwhile the rest of us found it creepy. Granted, the skeleton of the castle itself was amazing. Its walls are the original ones from way back when, and the views from it are incredible.
After touring the grounds, we ate dinner at a restaurant inside the castle walls. Also a little creepy. When it got dark, we took the night tour. AKA the same exact tour we took in the daytime, just sans sunlight. Rick Steves (the man who wrote our guide book, which we found out today that he didn’t even write), gave the whole ordeal 3 stars, and boy was he wrong.
We will leave you with some lyrics that Hannah made up today on the long, windy, mountainous drive. She wrote them for either Johnny Cash or Meryl Haggard to sing, so please keep that in mind as you read:
I was drivin all over the road,
Cause I didn't know where to go.
Turned out I was lost,
And I didn't know where to turn.
My wife couldn't read the map.
But you never know what you're gonna find when ya get lost.
Cause I didn't know where to go.
Turned out I was lost,
And I didn't know where to turn.
My wife couldn't read the map.
But you never know what you're gonna find when ya get lost.
Tomorrow we are heading out (thank goodness) to another French town. We are really looking forward to it and as always, will keep Weebly informed of the matters at hand.
--Hannah and Cedar
--Hannah and Cedar