Interesting days

When you travel you are not exempt from the little emergencies that you have to deal with at home.  So it was at the end of last week.

I woke up on Saturday with severe back spasms, the kind that make it difficult to get out of bed or walk.  I don't have back problems typically, so I attributed the problems to getting soaked on my walking tour, driving for four hours the next day and being old.

The funny thing is, I didn't panic.  I figured it was a temporary situation.  I drove, with some difficulty, to the pharmacy and got an over-the-counter muscle relaxer and a back patch that was nothing like the Icy-hot one I was hoping for.

After a couple of hours of not feeling much better, I decided I would have to see a doctor for some drugs.  I went to the office in Margeaux that Angelique had listed in her information about the house.  It was closed, even though the sign on the door indicated it had hours on Saturday.  I looked up a number and called a local doctor.  She hung up on me when she realized I could not speak French.

So my next idea was to go to an emergency room.  I Googled the local hospital, which was about 15 miles away.  But it was on the other side of the Gironde River, so I had to take a ferry. 

Because I cannot speak or read French, I had no idea when the next one would be at the dock.  But there were a couple of cars in front of me in the line so I waited--for about an hour and a half.  Truth is by this time I was feeling a little better and I thought of just going home.  That would have been difficult since I was already in line, so I took the ferry.

The river was not that wide, but the ferry cost 25 euros.  A ripoff I'd say, but what was I to do?

For some reason, I did not take a photo of the ferry but I did of the dock as we looked back on it.  Not exactly posh.

The crossing was about 20 minutes and I got to the hospital soon after.  There was a nurse there who spoke English, thank goodness, and directed me to wait for the doctor, who I believe was 25 years old!  But he gave me some prescriptions for anti-inflammatories and pain killers and I've been on the road to recovery ever since.

I did not take the ferry back; I drove south until I got to a bridge.  Considering the wait time, it was actually quicker than the ferry.

Sunday and Monday I took it easy, though I did finish that drive to Verdon sur Mer at the top of the peninsula.  I was expecting to see a lighthouse that was a Unesco World Heritage Site.  But it was so far away, it was hard to spot.

Once again, beautiful beach, no one on it.  My exchange family visited Rehobeth on Monday.  They may be shocked at the crowds.

Anyway, Monday was consumed by laundry (I had to Google how to work the machine--Google has everything!!) and wonder why Europe never adopted the clothes dryer.

And also be annoyed by the fact that you can't take the top off a soda completely.  Why?

My next post will be about something more interesting, I promise.  My visit to a couple of wineries.