May 1&2 - Toronto to Marseille

 And we are off...

Thanks for the help getting to the airport Bruno and Jackson!  

As much as we read and plan and take measurements and weigh...  Something along the way will be a hiccup. 

We searched for the perfect bike boxes, and the best luggage box, we packed our bikes in boxes, we packed our bags in a box...

We booked the flights, paid for our bikes and bags. 

We booked the train, paid for our bikes and bags. 

But when we went through the doors to the train platform we were greeted with a negative head shaking frown. No boxes in the train 😳

So we juggled the panniers, squishing the front ones in the back ones, and had 2 each, and we just crossed our fingers, put on our smiles and carried those bike boxes into the train 😜

To be fair. There really isn't room for our bikes on that train. They were on the floor, in front of the luggage racks, blocking everyone's luggage. So Marc sat with the bike boxes, on the floor from Paris to Marseille. And I sat, surrounded by panniers, and considerate fellow passengers who allowed my personal space to expand into theirs. 

We are here. In France. 

The fields are alive with mustard and the vines are already a deep green, looking heavy with early fruit. And the trees are bent in the wind (hoping that will be at our backs!)

The train literally stops at Marseille. And turns back from the ocean, north. 

So we dragged our bike boxes out to the station entrance and built our bikes with the sun shining in the windows and the backdrop of Marseille and it's churches.

As we left the station, we headed to meet Pierre. Our first night and our first Warm Showers!  

We got a tour of the beautiful streets, old port, palace, and the south side. 

And ended up at Pierre's place, with a view of La Mer looking south, 

and a view of the Virgin Mary looking north, and a lovely meal with his daughters and... Of course. A Warm Shower 

We are tired