Changing Countries Again Part II

It was time to quit our Geneva home for our French one. We'd been comparing temperatures in both places and had postponed the trip several times. Both places had been disgustingly hot with temperatures sometimes in triple digits. Canicules, as the French call heatwaves, suck. Also because of a fire down south, we wanted to wait until the smoke cleared.

Accuweather was promising temperatures in the low 20°s/80°s in both places so we packed the car and off we went. If we stopped for nothing it would take six hours. We usually stop for pee and food breaks.

The canicule has left its mark. What usually is lush green scenery on both sides of the autoroute, was dead brown or yellow.

At one rest stop the tree bark that is usually brown with dark red patches, was oozing yellow.

Unlike most restaurants in France allowing dogs, those along the autoroute forbid them. We decided to go off route to Nimes Centre for lunch.

At the Cheval Blanc across from the Coliseum built by the Romans in the first century, there was table in the shade that caught the breeze such as it was.

Our waiter started out as a grump. "I'm going to warm him," I said to Rick.

Revealing we had a Montreal connection started it. 

Playing with words of the big boss being small in size, helped. 

He began to use a few words of English although most of the conversation was in French.

For desert I ordered Rick's desert, profiteroles with two spoons and nothing for myself.

"Does he have you permission to share," the waiter asked with a half smile.

"I promised not to eat too much," I said.

He brought the desert and two spoons. Rick's was a table spoon. Mine was a baby spoon which he replaced after receiving the proper giggles.

Back on the road we ran into a traffic jam. We decided to use the side roads, which meant we made steady progress just a slower pace if the autoroute had been traffic jam free.

Within the first hour of arriving we saw five people we knew, another major difference from living in the two countries. 

Although we've changed countries, much of life is the same. We read, we write, we revel in our dog, we take walks, we talk, we cuddle. The difference is more outside the house. 

No one has ever pitied us for our change of countries and we never forget how lucky we are.