Barge, Bike and Uke! What Could be Better?

One last breakfast at our little hotel before we are off across town to Gare de Lyon for our train trip to Montargis.

Breakfast each day is 14 euros each...which we think could be expensive...but it turns out breakfast is always about 14 euros, and lunch and dinner is always 50 euros...no matter where or what you eat...unless it’s more!

View from the hotel window with the curtains and one without.  A city of roof tops and chimneys, walls and sky.

Since we have luggage, it’s the teeny tiny “lift” for us this morning.

We wait for our taxi to get to the train station.  Too many stairs in the metro for luggage and ukuleles.

Now, where are the ticket machines for trains going outside of Paris?  Nan asks the guy in red....he looks hopeful for getting answers.  He points back to platform N....so back I go.  The machines there do not seems to have any idea where Montargis is...or how to get there.  I am so glad we gave ourselves an extra hour.  After 30 minutes I happen to look around a pillar, and what do you know...a different looking ticket machine!  Ah ha!  And when I type in our destination it appears to purchase!  Taaa-Daaaa!  

While we don’t see anyone else with ukuleles, we bravely hop on board.

So wizzing through the city edges and then the French countryside, we ride along for an hour and forty minutes.  Seems we’ve come so far, yet we know it will take the barge 6 days to retrace this path only via canals and then the River Seine.  

Meeting up with Elaine and Thanya we head out for lunch in Montargis. (I learn it’s pronounced: Mon-TAR-gee)  This is possibly the best salad I’ve ever had...6 giant grilled shrimp, beautiful salad greens, grapefruit wedges and vinaigrette dressing.  Have to say, my coffee order is a cafe latte, and this one comes piled high with whipping cream!?

There's Elaine with her handy dandy French phrase book....suddenly I want one!

Yes, wine.

Steve’s espresso does not come with whipped cream....but you know he slips a spoon over for a little bit of mine.  To be fair...I have plenty to give away!

And what do we find on our way back to the barge?  We step out of our restaurant door and... a most famous praline shop...awaits.

Even though we’ve all just reaffirmed how full we are, and we cannot eat another bite...of anything...for a long long time....yet, here we are inside the praline shop where the free tasting bowl is front and center....

Yep....really really GOOD!

For later..they say....

Something tells me...this is going to be a great week!

More reminders of pup back home....

Back on the barge it’s introduction time.

Here is our Captain Kreiss, and then Chef Steffi and deckhand Petra.

This is bike guide Weiger from Holland.  He leads the rides, plans the stops, fixes the bikes, packs his picnic lunch with three sandwiches and speaks at least four languages...maybe more!  

Here’s your bike Nan.  You are going to love it.  

Today I am smiling....tomorrow not so much...

Hey, it’s the very same as Steve’s bike!  

Dave and Emily enjoying the Captains’ champagne toast to the week ahead.

Tonight I sleep really, really well tucked in my bunk in our pretty spacious barge cabin, very excited about tomorrow’s ride.