How wonderful to wake up inside the ramparts of Carcassonne! Liz and David and the kids met us for the walk down into the "new" city (La Bastide - 17th/18th century). A relaxing breakfast with our friends and then we had decided to go to the train station and get our tickets for Geneva BEFORE Tuesday morning!!
After waiting in a line for the single ticket agent, we were once again confronted with an agent in the tourist industry who insisted on speaking quick French rather than a) slowing down for my obviously English ear or b) speaking English which, I have been told, is considered the universal language!! I can only imagine the frustration that Americans, Koreans, Dutch etc. must experience when having to deal with an unfamiliar language and personnel who almost take pleasure in confounding the tourists! I at least have enough French to be able to speak and understand some of the language. The shopkeepers have been so kind and patient and yet I have had difficulty with the attitude and lack of compassion from the people in the tourist industry. I may need to write a letter!!
The first word we heard when we made our request was.."complet!"....then she looked at me...and just waited!! Fortunately, "complet" was a word I knew - but didn't want to hear!! What else was available if not this train?!! She started punching away keys on her computer, frowning, sighing...and the line behind us grew longer and longer...and more impatient! We tried to say we could wait while the people behind us were served but she wasn't listening! Finally, she gave me a paper with a possible connections and we got out of the way. We quickly moved to the back of the line and waited to start again!! When we got to the front of the line and I handed her the paper, she started tapping away again..."complet"!! In just a few minutes?!!! So we started all over again! I must say she did eventually warm up and even smiled as we continued to try to stay upbeat and positive! We finally got a connection to Geneva - and we will even see Montpellier, Lyon and Amberieu on the way!
With that sorted out, we headed up to La Cite - uphill all the way!! What an incredible sight! 52 towers and 2 rings of walls around the town! 
And there at the gate was the "Old Woman of Carcassonne" herself! The legend is that when the city was under seige by Charlemagne, an old woman in the city suggested feeding their lone pig the remaining grain and throwing it over the city walls to convince the attackers that the city had enough food to withstand the seige. There was some grumbling but the locals agreed and, sure enough, the attackers withdrew thinking if the city had enough grain that they could still feed their animals, a surrender would not come about any time soon!
Friends had loaned me a copy of Labyrinth by Kate Mosse so not only did I have a medieval unit to draw on but the fabulous story of the Cathars and the inquisitions of the 13th century and the Chateau Comtal. 
Great medieval features!
And, would one of my blogs be complete without a view?!
And then there are the poppies!
It had been overcast in the morning when we woke up but turned out to be another gorgeous, sunny, warm day! Perfect for walking and exploring and working up a good appetite! A fabulous salmon dinner with the Van Den Kerkhof Goldstein family - great to have some home cooking again!
Tomorrow we will explore the "new city". There are some fabulous buildings, a basillica and an old cemetery. A city steeped in history and certainly another highlight of this already amazing adventure!
