The long trip is over… and we have arrived in Marseilles!  Traveling with a large group is definitely not my preference, but I have to give props to the leaders who have arranged this one. The steps on my journey were: travel from northwest Iowa to Minneapolis on Saturday, fly to Boston on Sunday to meet the group, fly to Dublin, then Marseilles on Monday evening, arriving in Marseilles around 4:00 p.m. local time. The trip went smoothly except…my granddaughter Sydney who slept very little but fussed loudly a great deal. It was un cauchemar, a nightmare for us and everyone around us. But what can you do? Sleeping on a plane is hard for many of us anyway, and we got through it. 

The drive from the Marseille airport to the centre de la ville takes about a half hour by bus. We were dropped off on a busy city street, because the narrow streets in this very old city are, of course, impossible for a bus to navigate. Having said that, we will be taking city busesand the Metro to get around when it is too far to walk with a toddler in her stroller. As I drove my car the last time before I left home, I thought, “I’m going to miss my car!” But that is a small sacrifice for a big adventure.

We arrived at our Airbnb rental and met Sirine, our host, who very kindly showed us the ropes with her sweet toddler girl in her arms. We are very happy with our apartment. It is within walking distance of everything we need. The kitchen has all the conveniences we need, and the living/dining room and bedrooms are comfortable. The bathroom is generous in European terms. In a day or two we will need to purchase all the basics including food, paper goods, detergent, etc. No problem; the supermarket is only a ten minute walk away. 

This morning (May 27) I navigated the neighborhood on my own for the first time. I went to the small neighborhood grocery, where the cashier was very nice. I was able to ask where the eggs (les oeufs) were, and I asked where I could find an ATM. The store is great for creating a charcuterie board, but we will not patronize it more than we have to. I paid 3.09 Euros for a pound of apples! We are very spoiled in the Midwest US, where I only pay $1.50-1.75 per pound of apples. I purchased a few things for breakfast and lunch, then made my way to a nearby patisserie, where the proprieter was also very friendly and helpful to this americaine. I bought four croissants, of course!

So, we managed to obtain the bacon, eggs and croissants we needed for breakfast. And I made myself the tea I love to have at breakfast abroad, for some reason. 

One of the biggest challenges I will have in France is resisting the amazing pastries here. I’m accustomed to watching my diet carefully, avoiding too much bread and rarely eating pasta, and exercising six days a week. Well, at least we will get our exercise by walking everywhere, and I can probably “tolerate” one pastry or fewer per day. It helps, actually, that my son-in-law must eat strictly gluten free, so we will not have pastries in the apartment. 

What a treat it is to share this adventure with my dear daughter and her family! Five weeks will be a long time together, but we will give each other space when we can. The biggest thrill is being with our precious granddaughter while she is learning new words every day and making us laugh so often. Sydney is goofy and usually very happy, unless she is flying over the Atlantic Ocean, apparently. Her mom and dad, Karen and John, are very easy to live with. Karen and I have traveled together a few times before she married her new travel partner seven years ago. We couldn’t be happier with her choice. John is a gift from God, full stop.

Finally, I will mention that today is my wedding anniversary. My thoughtful husband Dean sent me digital flowers and a loving message. I left a card for him at home. We are staying close in heart thanks to the wonderful technology of cell phones, email, and digital movies/photos. Sydney knows her Oma and Opa (grandma and grandpa) very well thanks to frequent video chats, and we will do some of those with Opa while I’m here. Dean and I have been married 48 years today. He is my gift from God, also full stop.