Toulouse

Derek was sharp enough to inquire about bumming a ride into Toulouse early this morning. Debra flew back to NYC and we landed at the airport with her. Getting a shuttle into Toulouse was easy enough (only 4 Euros each!) and it took us directly to the Gare so we were able to purchace tickets for a 5pm return. (13 E each)

We walked from the Gare into the city center and found a large FNAC where Derek would have a large selection of books and music to browse from and I could look for a battery recharger for my camera. Lets just say Derek had much more luck than I. Even if I had found one it would have been set up for 240 V and that wouldn't be good for the long run.

Toulouse reminds me a great deal of Richmond. It is an industrial/research city with several universities, a rich history, a river and a canal that still play a role in its functioning. The museums and cathedrals were lovely and inspiring but I am sure it must be a tough place to make a living as an artist. (If anyone knows a place where it is easier to make a living as an artist please email me!) I could definitly spend more time in Toulouse though I think I know the train station like the back of my hand. It is the Atlanta of the SNCF rail system in SW France.

I left Derek at the FNAC and just wandered through Toulouse's gardens and the old city and enjoyed my own company for awhile. I loved the Jardin Royale and wish I had more time to explore the elipse further down the canal. We were lucky the weather held. It would have been a much different excursion with more heat or rain.

One of my goals on this journey was to look into travel possibilities at the Toulouse train and bus transportation centers. This always proves to take longer than I have time for but I did learn that a trip to Lourdes is about 60 E RT and a night bus to Madrid is 99E RT. I could do either but if I leave the region it makes more sense for me to do a circle and see several things than a few RTs... the time to get in and out of Valence D'Agen plus the expense of getting from Valence D'Agen to Toulouse . Its just sheer luck that we could make it in today with only a one way expense. Normally it would cost 70E just to ride the van one way. Thats a bit hefty and twice as much as it is going to cost me to fly from Toulouse to Paris at the end of this residency. The train is cheaper but if there is any luggage its a bit of a walk (45 to an hour) from Auvillar to Valence D'Agen.

Still no plan of action. Tonite I'll sleep on it if I can recover from using the public W.C. in Valence D'Agen. It was a shocking experience and I thought I'd seen it all. Derek warned me. Now I know.