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In my last thread, I wondered if going to see the Tour de France was a good idea.
Now that I've been, I can say that it was definitely a mixed bag.
Arrival: Getting to Carcassonne was more of an adventure than I planned.
We flew Orlando-Miami-Madrid-Toulouse, and made it despite flight delays.
Well, we made it, but our bags only made as far as Madrid the 1st night.
So we spent 3 days in the same clothes (which we warned a wine tour guide).
Rental Car: My GPS unit was in our bags, but luckily the car came with one.
We even managed to get it into English-mode, but still missed a few turns.
By sheer luck, we managed to get back on track.
The Race: It was far more spectacle or parade than race.
First, sponsors had runners throwing goodies into the crowd. That was fun.
Then came the press cars, the VIP cars, the official cars, and team busses.
Then came the team cars, and finally, racers which were merely a blur.
And it was over.
Our B&B host drove us to the train station the next day 'cuz no taxis available.
Would I do it again? No.
But I am glad to have done it once and to have some souvenirs to prove it.
And I am glad to see a part of France I would not have gone to otherwise.
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Addendum:
Getting on the cruise in Barcelona was also an adventure as the taxi drivers went on strike at 6AM on departure day (including Uber), which was ironic since the strike was over Uber coming to Barcelona. We took the Metro, walked, and then a bus (with our luggage).
-------------------------------
.
Now that I've been, I can say that it was definitely a mixed bag.
Arrival: Getting to Carcassonne was more of an adventure than I planned.
We flew Orlando-Miami-Madrid-Toulouse, and made it despite flight delays.
Well, we made it, but our bags only made as far as Madrid the 1st night.
So we spent 3 days in the same clothes (which we warned a wine tour guide).
Rental Car: My GPS unit was in our bags, but luckily the car came with one.
We even managed to get it into English-mode, but still missed a few turns.
By sheer luck, we managed to get back on track.
The Race: It was far more spectacle or parade than race.
First, sponsors had runners throwing goodies into the crowd. That was fun.
Then came the press cars, the VIP cars, the official cars, and team busses.
Then came the team cars, and finally, racers which were merely a blur.
And it was over.
Our B&B host drove us to the train station the next day 'cuz no taxis available.
Would I do it again? No.
But I am glad to have done it once and to have some souvenirs to prove it.
And I am glad to see a part of France I would not have gone to otherwise.
------------------------------
Addendum:
Getting on the cruise in Barcelona was also an adventure as the taxi drivers went on strike at 6AM on departure day (including Uber), which was ironic since the strike was over Uber coming to Barcelona. We took the Metro, walked, and then a bus (with our luggage).
-------------------------------
.