Drive to Paris, French strike implications, train to Lourdes, ride to Pyrenees

Today was a travel day for us. We all said our goodbyes to the Rogers family in the wee hours of the morning. A travel center on the way allowed us to fuel up and indulge in a bonus self serve Starbucks!! We lived, laughed, and loved for 7 days. We ate, drank and were merry for 7 days as well! Our hearts and souls were full with friends and fellowship.

We saw key sightseeing places along the way to the car rental in Paris.

Then we ventured south to the Pyrenees to rendezvous with my sister and family. 

France has had a lot of strikes more recently due to the president raising the retirement age. Fortunately in France there is a law in place that mandates a 48 hour notice of strikes. Our train from Paris to Lourdes was canceled a few days ago. Randy quickly rearranged our tickets and placed us on a different train route. Our new route went from Paris to Bordeaux and Bordeaux to Lordes. The first leg was normal. The second leg was an experience that was blog worthy for sure and here it comes….

Ohhhhh Laaa Laaaa the train prior to us was canceled. The train after us was canceled. Therefore three trains were crammed into one train without seat assignments. Unfortunately, our train was packed like sardines. Fortunately, we had seats. Randy stood the whole time. All this to say for 3 hours we rode in the luggage rack. Unfortunately, my face was 12 inches from a guy’s bottom for 3 hours. I know what you readers are all thinking…fortunately he did not fart! I enjoyed facial expressions and eye contact with the lady next to me. Fortunately the kids enjoyed the luggage rack. Zach even found a way to relax with his head resting between luggage and the rack.

At last, we arrived in Lourdes!!! It was so good to see Jan and family. We rode in a nine passenger van on hairpin turns at dusk. For the next two nights we will be in the Pyrenees with cousins and my sister and brother in law.