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Monday 26 August 2019

T stands for a Tale of Toulouse!

Hello everyone! I've been having some crafting time and some sorting time...nothing too taxing though!
We are at last having some Summer weather! 
I apologise for not getting to visit everyone last week!

Toulouse!!! 
It's a long tale to tell, you may need to grab a drink!!

Our visit to Toulouse started with a train journey from Avignon.We had spotted a cafe in Arles at the station so planned on buying some lunch there - we were due to have a 30 minute stop so thought we might have time for a coffee too! Unfortunately it wasn't open on Sundays...so no coffee and a prospect of no lunch.


The station at Arles has some lovely art work - it was hot so I wet my 'magic' scarf and put it on my head....thanks for that flattering photo dear!!!
I had some nuts and biscuits in my bag and we both had full water bottles but we looked forward to buying some lunch from the buffet carriage...which we soon found was shut! Fortunately there was a trolley that finally got to us at around 2.00pm and we had a welcome, but quite stodgy sandwich.You can also see that I pushed aside my little journal.
The coastal route and on up to Toulouse provided some lovely scenery though! Sorry about the poor quality - the train windows weren't very clean





By the time we arrived in Toulouse we had finished our water but we knew that our apartment was only a 7 minute walk away! We had been told to ring the concierge when we arrived at the station and he would meet us. We rang the number...several times...and got a recorded message! We decided to walk to the apartment - no one there...and it was hot!(Did I tell you it was hot?) The gate was shut and, as it was on the sunny side of the road we crossed over to wait in the shade...of course I continued to ring...nothing! Hubby crossed back over the road and enquired at the cafe next door! The chef said he had seen the owner earlier in the day so he assumed all was well at that point and asked we would like to come and sit down, which we did, and had a cold drink! At last the chef said that the owner had arrived...by this time over 2 hours had passed....and it wasn't the owner, but another apartment owner who had his wife and two people to use his apartment. 
I decided to ring the booking agent but went into a queue ...meanwhile hubby had gone outside to see the other owner who knew our owner and had rung him and passed his phone to hubby! 
At last I got through only to find that hubby was already sorting something out! 
So that should be that...but...he was quite a distance away and could be there in 40 minutes! When he arrived he was very apologetic and told us he had no idea what had happened to his usually reliable concierge and told us to wait until he and his girlfriend had checked the apartment.....
Five minutes later he was back and said there was no way we could use the apartment and would we mind staying in a hotel for one night until he could get the apartment clean! Fortunately the hotel was a short walk away and in a chain we often use! He helped with our luggage and paid the bill.
He was such charming young man and we felt sorry for him that he had been let down.

By the time we got in the hotel three and a half hours had passed! We had a freshen up and at last set off to get ourselves a meal!
Toulouse is a big city and lots of restaurants were open.

It's now time to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands For Tuesday.

We both had salads, mine with goats cheese tartines and I think hubby had a Caesar salad. Hubby had a beer while I stuck to water.

The next morning we had a phone call to ask us to collect the keys from the concierge at our apartment at midday....great we thought, except that he was there to clean the apartment and we would not be able to actually move in until 2.30!
So we went for a meal...
Oh! So that's it you're thinking...when we arrived at the apartment we went across to the supermarket and bought basics and some salad for our evening meal. 
I picked up a folding chair and it fell apart...and the socket for the coffee machine kettle could only be accessed by moving the dining table....not a problem, no really, not a problem!!

It was quite a warm night but we managed, then found an electric fan so we could at least have a cool breakfast (hubby had been about 100 yards down the road to the Boulangerie)....NOPE!!! The fan didn't work so we called the concierge who came straight away...couldn't fix it ...rang the owner and we gathered that he was being told to fix it in exactly the same way he had tried to fix it himself...all to no avail and the owner said he would be there at Midday with a new one..which he was..so we were able to go and get a meal

Now, you can see by now that about all we had done was eat, and our cameras show this
Over Sunday and Monday we only have the train photos and these of the view from the hotel room!
 Toulouse is being updated and I hope we can go back and see this area one day
We also have one of the building that housed the Tourist Information centre

Oh! The concierge...he had had a family crisis, didn't ask what, and hadn't got his phone with him! 

Did we we give this place a bad review...no...it was no-ones fault and it is in a lovely area - improvements to the road were made before they started on the Station area and has all the facilities needed...I did however point out the shortcomings to the owner and I am currently updating his booklet as it had quite few things missing or poorly explained! We have spoken on the phone a couple of times.
Yes, we would stay here again! It was close enough to all areas we wanted to visit.

More of the fabulous places we visited another time!!

Thanks for looking, Chris


16 comments:

kathyinozarks said...

Wow what a long wait time for you both-these things do happen, good of him to pay for your hotel stay. perhaps it will better next visit.
Happy T wishes Kathy

My name is Erika. said...

Now that is surely a travel adventure. Not as smooth as it should be though, bit you sound like you had a good attitude and made the best of it. But I think it happens to all us travellers sometimes. It makes a great story though. Hope T day today is much smoother and you get to make some lovely art. Have a good one. Hugs-Erika

Linda Kunsman said...

wow - dear Chris- what an adventure for sure!! You handled it so splendidly- much better than I know I would have, so, good for you!!! I don't jump to giving bad reviews either though. Thanks for sharing your delectable meal, and the city of Toulouse. Happy T day!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I think this adventure was even more adventurous than visiting a museum or cathedral, but far more stressful, I fear. I can't believe you took it in stride. I am not sure I would ave stayed so calm, but you are more like Sally and I am a hell raiser in cases like this. So glad that in the end, all turned out decent. Not good, not perfect, but decent. And of course, eating and drinking is always fun, too. Your salads looked great, but I won't comment on the stodgy sandwich.

Thanks for sharing your Toulouse adventure, your salads and your drinks with us for T this Tuesday. I was stressed just reading your tale. You are a rock, dear Chris.

Helen said...

well that was a disappointing stay but I am glad you didn't kick up a fuss - I am not sure I could have in a foreign language! I hope you get to visit again and have more success (and comfort)

Valerie-Jael said...

Sounds like you had lots of experiences while travelling, and not all of them good. Thanks for sharing the photos. Why are sandwiches on trains always stodgy, wherever you are in the world?! Your salads certainly look better! Have a wonderful week, happy T Day, Valerie

Meggymay said...

I don't think I would have been so calm Chris, you didn't let it spoil your holiday. Toulouse seems an interesting destination, but I hope if you return there you will have a stress free stay and a good place to stay.
Happy T day wishes Chris.
Yvonne x

Rita said...

You are much more forgiving than I would have been, I think. But it does sound like he tried to fix things and listened, I guess.

Even the pictures look hot and humid--LOL! I loved your magic scarf! :)

Kate Yetter said...

Toulouse looks like a beautiful place and it sad that they were renovating some of the main areas. Not to mention that it sounds like you spent a lot of time waiting around. At least you got some nice pictures and quite a tale about the apartment building. Hopefully your next visit there will be less warm. I love that art at the train station.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

Divers and Sundry said...

I love your blue outfit :)

That confusion with your apartment took up so much of your time that you could've spent _doing_ something :( That's what would've upset me :( It was kind of you not to give the place a bad review, but I know I'd thank you for giving an honest one just so I'd know what to expect. Broken furniture and appliances that don't work and the concierge not notifying the owner so someone can be arranged to fill in to get your room ready and meet you was certainly _somebody's_ fault -or at least somebody's responsibility. All these issues were avoidable if he'd been responsible. I'm thinking a hotel would be the safer option for me given your experience. Yikes! I prefer my adventures to be fun ;) That said, I'd have smiled along with your hubby just to be in Toulouse :)

Happy T Tuesday :)

Sharon Madson said...

What a deal! I am sorry for all of that, but you have more patience than me or my husband have! At least they paid for the hotel. Your photos were even good through the train window. :) Happy T day!

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, what an adventure! I'm glad the accomodation was all sorted in the end and Toulouse looks a lovely area 😁. That goats cheese salad looks so yummy too! Happy T Day! Hugs, Jo x

CJ Kennedy said...

What a lot of patience you have. I'm not sure I would have been as chipper looking as your Hubs. I did enjoy the pictures from the train. The old architecture is quite beautiful. Are they putting in a skating rink? Do you know what that oval area is going to be? Looking forward to seeing more of your trip.

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Wonderful photos of the area. You are more tolerant than I would be in that same situation. It sounded like one mishap after another with that place you were supposed to stay. Happy T-Day! (Sorry for being late.)

Eileen The Artful Crafter said...

I really enjoyed this post, Chris. In fact, I love all your travelogues. I get to see parts of the world I'll never visit - through your eyes and (usually) wonderful photos - lol. I'm inspired by how, when things go awry, you always have a Plan B and sometimes you end up with some extra-special experience like getting a private visit to a church that was closed to the public.

I giggled at the photo, but thought, "that's a very practical solution." Lovely ending with the apartment owner too.

Happy T-day! Eileen xx

Caty said...

OOOh what a big adventure Chris !! You have been so clever, nothing could trouble your holidays !! and Toulouse may be wonderful, as so pretty you are with your blue scarf !! Yummy meal !
I wish you a very nice weekend, enjoy, and I send you big hugs,
Caty