Walking vs.driving

One of the best things in Argelès village is the ability to walk everywhere saving hours of driving time. Usually my errand commute take less time than finding a parking place elsewhere.

This morning I walked all of two minutes to act as Rick's translator at the hairdresser. 

It worked. 

He came out looking like he wanted. I could have had them do a Mohawk and he wouldn't have known until the first cut.

Next stop was the butcher. That was about three minutes or would have been had I not stopped to talk to Annie, who runs the frame shop. The butcher picked out and cut up in exactly the right size my lamb for my Moroccan lamb stew. I could have ambled to three others.

Then less than 30 seconds to the green grocer. Elisabeth didn't do the two-cheek kiss...she hugged me. Can't imagine that happening at a supermarket.

Also in walking distance, a goodly number of our friends, a church, a doctor, dentist, physical therapist, pharmacy, art gallery, book store, library, antique shop, movie theatre, five bakeries, a traiteur who sells prepared dishes,  and ever an artist or two.

At least five restaurants are within a five minute walk but Bartavelle remains our favorite.

Tea rooms and cafés abound and we are still talking no more than five minutes from front door to destination,  BUT if you walk all of  20 minutes you are at the beach.

And if you feel religious you are at the church constructed in the 13th century. That is about seventy steps from our front door. As we heard bells this afternoon we guessed it was a wedding.

We do have a car (although I went 20 years without one and saved a fortune) which with luck we never have to use or almost never have to use. The last car I shared with a friend didn't use a tank of gas from Feb. thru Nov. Our goal for our next flat in Geneva will be to duplicate convenience by living in the city thus not needing a car.