Before completely signing off Duane feels compelled to add a few parting memories of RoggowAdventures 2012. Vacationing with Relatives is not nearly as horrific as one would think. No, really! We had a great time with Betty and Chris and would do it again in an instant. Next time, however, Chris must hit his "Auto Immune" button before leaving "The Villages." Sorry Chris. . . . . Duane never likes to utter absolutes, but this may be our last trip to Italy. Holy Smokes we Love the place, but we have done it 5 times now and must move on. . . . . . As much as we enjoyed our time with Betty and Chris and all the nifty places we visited we still think that renting a car and hitting the backroads is our favorite way to vacation. One misses the wednesday farmers market in St. Giron when on the trains going from one BIG sight to another BIG sight. One MUST experience the St. Giron Market!! . . . . . . . When back on the plane headed for home we've always said, "We are glad to be going home to the United States of America." We still say that. But after almost 20 years of extensive travel in and around the world we have learned one thing. We, the USA, don't have all the answers and we should open our eyes and ears and learn from other countries now and then. They don't have all the answers either, but they do some things very well and several things better than us. Wake up America listen to the rest of the world once in awhile. They've got some nifty ideas. There are no clear winners here as each country has its own demons, but everyone could be smarter if they would lay down their flag once in awhile. . . . . . . The argument is over: The French do food better than anyone else. They just do. . . . Case settled. . . . . . That said, Duane thinks we won't go back to France either. "Been There - Done That" is the operative phrase here. (We've been to France 6 times). . . We are probably not done traveling (Horrors!!!), but we must branch out and see some new stuff and when I say "New Stuff" I mean really new stuff. Paula doesn't know this yet, but she will get the hang of it. She is, in case you wondered, the BEST traveling companion in the world. Duane's a lucky man!

Cars, trains and more trains. . . . Getting to Paris never seemed like this big of a deal before. Now it takes all day. Good thing we are vacationed out! Just riding the train is kind of nice. Paula booked First class, so we don’t have to ride with the farm animals, etc.  Today may be a little random as there is no great vacationing to report on.  Observation one: When we rode the high speed train in China there were numerous little Chinese people at the end of the line scrubbing down their nice, clean, snappy train engine. Wow did it shine! It was spectacular!!  In France the engine looks like it was last washed when it left the factory many years ago. Since then it has collected bugs, grease, grime, dust and dirt. . . It looks like crap. Still, it runs like the wind, so we don’t mind. The rest of France (Except for the ever present dog poop) is clean as a whistle. Observation two: The French do LOVE their dogs! They take them everywhere; restaurants, shopping malls, grocery stores, to the beach, vacations, on the trains. . . Everywhere! And we’re not talking service dogs, we’re talking about dogs of every size, breed, stripe, purpose and demeanor.  Duane does not approve. Mostly he doesn’t approve in the ever present doggie leave-behinds (Poop). Observation three: Except for the ever diligent Germans, the rest of southern Europe is in trouble because they just don’t like to work very hard. On the way to the train station this morning at 9:00 AM on a Monday morning we noticed very few people out and about scurrying to work. We asked our taxi driver about this. . . . . . . He said, (And I quote) “They’re probably still sleeping. They won’t get up until later.. . . . What? ? ? It seems they like the Biarritz Life Style. . . . Sleep late 8 months of the year and don’t work much. The other 4 months (Tourist season) they work like crazy. Nice deal if you can get it. But working 4 months a year pays the bills? ? ? ?  Observation four:  The French, in particular, have been great hosts. Even in Paris we found English speakers, polite, agreeable, helpful and accommodating. If the French have ever been rude, obnoxious and cold, we have not seen it. We love these goodly people and Duane, in particular, is excessively fond of their food. For the bread alone it is worth a trip to France. Many more do speak English these days (They do learn it in school) and most are happy, even eager, to use it. They like to practice. . . . I’ll stay out of their politics as it is as smelly as ours. Observation five: Everything is EXPENSIVE!! This trip, even though the exchange rate is better, we have noticed that most things are VERY expensive. Yesterday we paid over $10 US dollars for two small coffees. That’s just wrong.  Duane figures that when you’re not selling very much stuff you have 2 choices. . . . Sell more stuff or raise the price. The French decided to Raise the price. It does not seem to be deterring the tourists. Time will tell if this is a good decision. Duane thinks not, but then he was the one that just said, “It is worth a trip to France just for the bread alone!!”. . . If the French can keep a lock on bread, crème brulee, foie gras and croissants they just might make it after all. . . . Observation Six:  We drove the Fiat Punto like a truck, race car, hauler and sedan. . . . It worked well. Not exciting, of course, but everything held together. We had a diesel and we got great gas mileage. I didn’t keep track, but we drove all over (Really, ALL Over) and only put in about 10 -12 gallons of diesel fuel. . . America needs to get its act together and make diesel cars again. They are clean, efficient and quiet. Diesel fuel is about 2 dollars cheaper a gallon over here. Much smarter.    

Things are winding down in France. Today about all we have to do is drive to Biarritz, hotel up and get the car turned in at the airport. It has dawned cloudy, but with the weather patterns here it may turn sunny at any minute. (it did!) Tomorrow we catch the TGV train for Paris and one last night before flying home. One observation we’ve made is that we’ve seen very few Americans in this part of France. Could be that no one comes here (It is WAY off the beaten path) or that Americans are just staying home. I suspect that most are still traveling, but to more mainstream places like Rome, Florence and Paris. We’ve been told to avoid London at all costs as the Brits are NOT ready for the Olympics and it will be a madhouse. The Underground is STILL not working and most everything else is in a state of disrepair. I doubt it is that bad, but if you are not actually an Olympic athlete, I expect you should stay home.  You know who you are.

Getting to Biarritz was a breeze. We turned the car in first and then took a taxi to our hotel on the beach. These people are surfing! Not just one or two, but dozens of sun and surf crazy dudes and dudettes.  Biarritz turns out to be a dynamite little city and we amuse ourselves with a walk along the beach walk. Now all we have to do is see if we can get everything back in our bags. We’ve had this little pile of goodies growing in the trunk of the Punto and now that has to be integrated into the baggage.  Duane has little hope, but has planned ahead and will leave behind his flip-flops and misc. odd T-shirts/undergarments. He must make room for his new Pikolinos and Paula must make room for her linens, pottery and miscellaneous other acquisitions. Hope springs eternal!!

Saturday moring in St. Giron is "MARKET DAY!!". . . We are thrilled and this one does not disappoint! All of south-central France shows up to show, sell and shop. What a day! This is truly one of the best things we love about France. All of the Little French people come rushing out of their houses with their straw market baskets to shop for the day, the week or the year and they do have the best time. This one was really great because we are almost certain we are the only aliens. Everyone else is uniquely French and loving it. No showing off for tourists, just The French being French. As this town is near the border with Spain and near the mountains (Pyrennes) and has shreds of Catalan and Basque culture it is abit raucous, rude, dirty, rustic and earthy. We love it! There are shades of 1960s hippie culture as well as a healthy dose of Agriculture culture. As with most of these markets they are selling EVERYTHING. Meat parts are the most entertaining. Rabbits are skinned right down to their head, Including the head, (Eyeballs intact) gutted and left out in the open with its head stll on and its liver still attached. Whatever you do, DON'T cut the liver off, it will make great rabbit liver stew! Chickens are served up the same way plucked and gutted with the feet, head, beak, comb and all, still attached. It looks rather freaky. In one basket are the live rabbits for those who want to dress their own. I could go on forever about the wonders of Market day, but the best part was saved for last. Paula made a fatal error and allowed Duane to walk past the Pikolino stall one too many times. Just like a magnet, Duane is sucked in and before long discovers that he is a perfect size 43. A new pair of Pikolinos will accompany Duane home!! Hurray for Leather shoes from Spain!!
We rush back to meet our checkout time, discover what Duane's single Malt Scotch cost, faint and hurry on to the west coast. On the way we drive through some of the most beautiful farm country on the planet. Green, green, green, semi mountainous, full of trees, grass, wheat, corn, cows, sheep, horses, ducks, geese and assorted goats, rabbits and lambs. Just gorgeous! We discover once again that one can get lost and not really care all that much. . . . you eventually come out the other end. As we enter Basque country we notice a Big change in architecture and the overall neatness of things. Here is the way Duane believes this all happened. . . . . The Mayor of this part of France (Pyrennes Antiquaine) woke up one day and noticed he had WAY TOO much White and Maroon paint from a recent repainting project. So he decides to buy even more white and maroon paint and then he sends out a Mayoral Notice suggesting, in his most pursausive manner, that everyone ought to consider painting their house White with Maroon trim. Everyone considers this and shortly a loud cry goes up from the goodly people of the Pyrennes Antiquaine . . . . . "COOL!!". . . . . And so they did! I kid you not. . . . . . Every house, barn, side building, office, school, post office and fire station is soon painted White with Maroon Trim. It is Stunning!! We did see one outlaw who trimmed his house in blue, but I think they stoned him. We approve!
Arrival (Eventually) in St Jean de Luz is quick, cool and efficient. Thanks to Paula's internet skills, we find a suitable hotel within minutes and settle in. This is a great beach town complete with beach, surf, sand and way too many people. But despite all that we walk all over, get lost, buy chocolate ($10.50 for a small basket full of chocolate balls) and make it back in time to Skype with Piper. A nearly perfect day (Including getting lost several times.)

Duane opens the window and sees FOG and decides NOT to ride the "Little Yellow Train" today. Then Robert (Rowbear) returns from his croissant run (He goes out every morning for fresh Croissants) and announces that just around the corner the sun is shining. Duane makes a mad dash fro thr train station and arrives just seconds ahead of a group of ancient Germans who want tickets too. Duane oout manuevers them and deftly lands 2 roundtrip tickets to Mont Louis. Breakfast with Rowbear and Leanda (Linda) (our newest best friends) and then to the train. We almost are forced into the train car with the ancient Germans, but Paula eyes an opening in another car. Zoom, we are in. This turned out to be great fun as we have landed in a car full of Belgiums intent on hiking the entire length of the Pyrennes. We had great fun with them all the way (They speak great English) to Mont Louis and vowed to visit them in their home town of Kent. Maybe next year.
Now to the "Most Beautiful Train Ride" in France. . . . . Well we can report that we have ridden trains ALL over the world (France, Italy, Germany, England, China, Spain and Alaska) and can now announce that the French are correct. This a a dynamite train ride. Almost as good as the train out of Skagway, Alaska!! What we learned a few hours later is that when motivated (And going in that direction by car anyway) One can bypass the train (And the pricey tickets) by simply driving up the parallel road. . . . . Now we know.  Taking the train does avoid the car wreck however.
After saying our goodbyes to Robert and Linda and collecting the Fiat we take off up the road following the same route as the train (Without the irritating tracks). The drive up and beyond Most Louis is beautiful and worth an entire day of mountain driving (Duane really wants the Boxster). This ski Resort country with a new mountain in every direstion. But after a whole day on the road we are ready to get settled in for the night so we stop in the little town of St. Giron (or something like that). Tomorrow we will head to the Atlantic and St. Jean de Luz. Great day, but Paula is glad to be out of the mountains.  I think we are winding down. . . .      

Slow news day. . . . We woke up in Colliuore and it was sunny, warm and dazzling. Then we got in the car and headed North. Cloudy, cold and dull made up the rest of the day and the scenery was even dreary. We had lunch in Prades. This is a little town that is trying hard not to attract tourists. . . Any who make it here are lost, misguided, confused or all three. Lunch was fine, however, but very pricey for a dreary little town. We drive on to VillaFranche de Conflent, the home of The Little Yellow train, but it is hard to find. One would think that their #1 attraction would take top billing on the tourist walls, but NO, they hide it. . . . . Must be a French thing. It is too late to ride today so we hunt around and finally find a nifty little B&B run by Robert (RowBear). The B&B is just steps from the train station, so very handy. Now that we've found it and have a room everyone says it is the most beautiful train trip in all of France. We shall be the judge of that. That is all. We have free wi-fi and free breakfast. Life is good.

Hey Winos!. . . We have found the source of most of your problems! The French are growing grapes by the boatload load over here! Today we drove from Carcassone to Collioure and found nothing but vineyards. . . . This will provide way too many grapes. . . Seriously, who drinks this much wine? I know. . . You do! . . . . . . Whatever. . . . The drive was spectacular!!!
Breakfast in Lagrasse (They were playing Donna Summers on the radio. . .  "Hot Love!")  and then Collioure . . . . . .Collioure is our new favorite sea town (Positano excluded, as it will always be the BEST), but this is a championship city and we may never leave.  It's got seaside, castles, cathedrals, museums, a Wednesday Market,  shops, ceramics, linen, artists, gelato, galleries, seafood, vino and much, much more. I will try and post pictures, but the wi-fi is a little cranky. You'll just have to take my word for it. Unlike many other towns which get much of their charm in that they haven't been painted in 50 -75 years, Collioure (ALL of it) looks like it was painted last week! Seriously, it is painted up in the most grandest of fashion in all of the latest and greatest colors. If the picures hold, and they never do, you can see for yourself. . . It is truly remarkable. And the people are nice. . . Every single one of them. It is like a whole different country. Gotta go. . . . Paula is already asleep and we must be up in the morning for "Market Day!"