The convenience of traveling through Europe is that you can always reach a number of countries fairly quickly, which goes double if your hub happens to be Frankfurt. Less than an hour in the air will get you to Paris, one and a half gets you to the U.K., two hours to Rome, etc.
And despite the fact that you have only traveled that one hour, the contrast between Germany, France, Spain, Italy or name your European destination of choice couldn't be more glaring if you landed on the sun. That's the beauty of Europe.
For our latest trip, we take Lufthansa to Bordeaux, France, a flight that takes little more than an hour. Bordeaux's airport, of course, is relatively small by comparison, which also means that we find everything fairly easily. Here's the baggage claim, check. The rental cars are over there. This is not the madhouse Frankfurt is.
The rental car we receive is an Opel, albeit a vehicle with a six-gear manual transmission, plus the pop-the-clutch mechanism that is needed to drive in reverse. We were hoping for a French car, perhaps a Peugeot, but we quickly shrug off what amounts to just another First World problem. We have wheels. Let's do France...and Spain a little further down the road.
The difference between France and Germany first manifests itself on the roads. In France, there are actual speed limits, and people just don't seem to be the kamikazes we have in Germany. Big plus. I also notice that the line between lanes breaks a little more whenever there is an exit/entrance to the autoroute. I like it, it's the perfect heads up for both the driver on the autoroute and the driver about to enter it.
Our apartment is on Cours Barbey in a residential location, although not far from the river and downtown. We have A/C in our apartment, which is a big plus, since Bordeaux is absolutely broiling. We shop at a Casino supermarche, which is every bit the store the Germans have. Shopping in a German or French supermarket in the year 2019 is absolute bliss. We buy cheese and champagne (at French prices!), good food for the kids. The champagne, even at less than 20 dollars for the bottle, is godly, and we haven't even bought a bottle of the regional wine yet. We've come to the right place.
So far, I understand the French of the people around here perfectly. At the concierge, the guy is delighted to hear me speak French, despite the fact that his English is more than adequate. It all comes down to speed. The slower people speak, the more I understand them. A 90-minute French movie needs to take at least two and a half hours for me to understand everything.
That's Day 1 in Bordeaux. Time for a (long) hike the next day.
And despite the fact that you have only traveled that one hour, the contrast between Germany, France, Spain, Italy or name your European destination of choice couldn't be more glaring if you landed on the sun. That's the beauty of Europe.
For our latest trip, we take Lufthansa to Bordeaux, France, a flight that takes little more than an hour. Bordeaux's airport, of course, is relatively small by comparison, which also means that we find everything fairly easily. Here's the baggage claim, check. The rental cars are over there. This is not the madhouse Frankfurt is.
The rental car we receive is an Opel, albeit a vehicle with a six-gear manual transmission, plus the pop-the-clutch mechanism that is needed to drive in reverse. We were hoping for a French car, perhaps a Peugeot, but we quickly shrug off what amounts to just another First World problem. We have wheels. Let's do France...and Spain a little further down the road.
The difference between France and Germany first manifests itself on the roads. In France, there are actual speed limits, and people just don't seem to be the kamikazes we have in Germany. Big plus. I also notice that the line between lanes breaks a little more whenever there is an exit/entrance to the autoroute. I like it, it's the perfect heads up for both the driver on the autoroute and the driver about to enter it.
Our apartment is on Cours Barbey in a residential location, although not far from the river and downtown. We have A/C in our apartment, which is a big plus, since Bordeaux is absolutely broiling. We shop at a Casino supermarche, which is every bit the store the Germans have. Shopping in a German or French supermarket in the year 2019 is absolute bliss. We buy cheese and champagne (at French prices!), good food for the kids. The champagne, even at less than 20 dollars for the bottle, is godly, and we haven't even bought a bottle of the regional wine yet. We've come to the right place.
So far, I understand the French of the people around here perfectly. At the concierge, the guy is delighted to hear me speak French, despite the fact that his English is more than adequate. It all comes down to speed. The slower people speak, the more I understand them. A 90-minute French movie needs to take at least two and a half hours for me to understand everything.
That's Day 1 in Bordeaux. Time for a (long) hike the next day.
