Day 4 continued: I didnt want to get into the angst that happens when one goes to bed without dinner after a 30-mile bike ride, but I had a dream that I was Joan of Arc. Horrified that Marie Antoinette flippantly said about her starving people, Let them eat cake, I started the French Revolution. I gathered the masses and waved blue, white and red flags mounted naked, hair streaming down, on my beautifully decorated horse. (No wait, that was Lady Godiva). Okay, our female heroes are centuries apart here, but it doesnt matter. I was conquering hunger from my goose down pillow. My eyes popped open. I turned on the light and scrounged around on the nightstand for that last square of Chocolate mint wrapped in foil. And there was that slightly brown half a banana... Finally it was morning and breakfast was divine. We resolved to never again miss the timing of a French meal. We had a 55 mile ride back to Toulouse. There was also a train station nearby...Hmmm... should we just relax? Four hours pedaling or a 30-minute high-speed train ride? Together we shrugged and said, Nothing Tou-louse! (Couldnt resist) It was late morning and the sun was behind us, which spotlit everything in front of us like a post card. Being Saturday, there were more children out playing on the banks. Each waved and smiled as we passed and their little voices sang, Bonjour! 26 miles to first stop, Villefranche du Lauragais. We had to make it during lunch hours, 12:00-2:00 or else. Pedaling like maniacs, we finally almost skidded into the outdoor cafe tables, packed with leisurely Saturday diners. The waiter smiled and remembered us, but shook his head. It was 1:48. As Frank was locking the bikes, I wiped the sweat off my face and looked pitiful, reassuring him that we would eat fast. He then sat us immediately and joked, same thing? Oui! (We had eaten there two nights before and Wow!) First the Foie Gras. I had a warm goat cheese salad, with greens so tender they almost floated into my mouth. Then a big sizzling croc came, bubbling over and crusted on top. Cassoulet, a regional dish made of beans, duck confit, pork sausage and other goodies, was invented during the hundred year war when the region was under siege. Leave it to the French to create something gourmet out of almost nothing. The waiter joked, Banana Split? Again? Oui! We then pedaled another 30 miles and made it back to Toulouse before 6:00PM. The little wooden door was open to the bike rental place. Thank goodness! Back to our sweet little hotel for a beer and a bath, and sweet dreams this time.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 13:38:39 +0000
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