# Going to France to See the TDF /was/ Nuts - Sort'a



## Talent312 (Aug 8, 2018)

In my last thread, I wondered if going to see the Tour de France was a good idea.
Now that I've been, I can say that it was definitely a mixed bag.

Arrival: Getting to Carcassonne was more of an adventure than I planned.
We flew Orlando-Miami-Madrid-Toulouse, and made it despite flight delays.
Well, we made it, but our bags only made as far as Madrid the 1st night.
So we spent 3 days in the same clothes (which we warned a wine tour guide).

Rental Car: My GPS unit was in our bags, but luckily the car came with one.
We even managed to get it into English-mode, but still missed a few turns.
By sheer luck, we managed to get back on track.

The Race: It was far more spectacle or parade than race.
First, sponsors had runners throwing goodies into the crowd. That was fun.
Then came the press cars, the VIP cars, the official cars, and team busses.
Then came the team cars, and finally, racers which were merely a blur.
And it was over.

Our B&B host drove us to the train station the next day 'cuz no taxis available.

Would I do it again? No.
But I am glad to have done it once and to have some souvenirs to prove it.
And I am glad to see a part of France I would not have gone to otherwise.

------------------------------
Addendum:
Getting on the cruise in Barcelona was also an adventure as the taxi drivers went on strike at 6AM on departure day (including Uber), which was ironic since the strike was over Uber coming to Barcelona. We took the Metro, walked, and then a bus (with our luggage).
-------------------------------
.


----------



## silentg (Aug 8, 2018)

Thanks for this. I don’t think we would go.


----------



## x3 skier (Aug 8, 2018)

Having watched the Tour on TV for several years, I wouldn’t want to see it in person.  Too little to see in a very short time.  Grand Prix or car/Air races, maybe, but something that whizzes by once, not my cup of tea.  Same thing for downhill, Super G or GS ski racing.  Slalom and Freestyle skiing, ok since the courses are usually short enough to see the whole or most of each run. 

Cheers


----------



## jehb2 (Aug 17, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> the taxi drivers went on strike at 6AM on departure day (including Uber), which was ironic since the strike was over Uber coming to Barcelona.



That’s just funny.


----------



## Talent312 (Aug 17, 2018)

I was told that Uber drivers feared vandalism from striking taxi drivers, so they stayed off the streets in self-interest.

I heard that some folks staying at hotels in Barcelona beat the 6AM start by taking a taxi to the cruise terminal at 5AM.  Of course, this meant a very long wait at the terminal, as no one was allowed to board until 11AM.


----------



## Carol C (Sep 2, 2018)

Tell us about the cruise out of Barcelona!


----------



## Talent312 (Sep 3, 2018)

Carol C said:


> Tell us about the cruise out of Barcelona!



Since you asked... It was for 12N on RCL's Vision of the Seas (a smaller ship).
A small group that we put together thru Cruise Critic shared tours and a dining table.

- Cannes, FR... Did a private backcountry tour of the hill towns above the Riviera.
- Livorno, IT (Florence/Pisa)... We did a tour to Cinque Terre (bucket list item).
- Civitavecchia (Rome)... Scratched the surface (Vatican, Trevi, Forum & Colosseum).
- Athens, GR... Acropolis (of course), New Museum & Plaka.
- Rhodes, GR... Supposed to see Lindos, but bus drivers on strike... so walked town.
- Santorini, GR... private tour to Oia, Imerovigli, and a great lunch at a secluded beach.
- Malta... bus & boat ride to the Blue Grotto caves and Marsaskala.

On return to Barcelona, we had a private transfer to the airport, and hence home.

.


----------



## Carol C (Sep 4, 2018)

Nice planning,..how do you find people to organize like that? Was there a language issue when looking for a tour guide at each port of call? And did your cruise critic group have just one sort of leader or did you have a committee to research options and then have everyone vote? I am fascinated about how these alternatives come about!


----------



## Talent312 (Sep 4, 2018)

Carol C said:


> Nice planning,..how do you find people to organize like that? Was there a language issue when looking for a tour guide at each port of call? And did your cruise critic group have just one sort of leader or did you have a committee to research options and then have everyone vote? I am fascinated about how these alternatives come about!



The group (3 couples + family of 4) formed thru posts on CC's "roll call" forum. One of us would post an idea for a port of call and ask if anyone else was interested. We'd then "talk" among ourselves via email. It was ad hoc. Not all did the same tours. Some would join one and the others another. Payment was shared via PayPal. I set up an onboard meet & greet (I prepared name tags).

Communicating with tour guides was not an issue. They all spoke English.
.
.


----------



## VacationForever (Sep 4, 2018)

Sounds like you did not go to Montserrat while in Barcelona, unless you have been there before?

It was quite an experience going to Montserrat when we were on a Celebrity Cruises transatlantic cruise last year and it stopped at Barcelona for 2 days.


----------



## VacationForever (Sep 4, 2018)

Carol C said:


> Nice planning,..how do you find people to organize like that? Was there a language issue when looking for a tour guide at each port of call? And did your cruise critic group have just one sort of leader or did you have a committee to research options and then have everyone vote? I am fascinated about how these alternatives come about!


Cruise ships also offer shore excursion options.  We normally do a mix of cruise ship's offerings and cruisecritic's ones organized through the roll call.


----------



## vacationhopeful (Sep 4, 2018)

Sounds like a nice ONCE in a LIFETIME trip. Sort of like New Year's Eve with the Ball Drop in NYC. (now off my busket list).

"Running of the Bulls" in Spain next?


----------



## Talent312 (Sep 4, 2018)

VacationForever said:


> Sounds like you did not go to Montserrat while in Barcelona...



I wasn't specific enuff. We did do Montserrat...
Mon-PM - Gaudi Tour (Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, etc.)
Tuesday - Montserrat combined with tapas+wine at a nearby winery.
Tues-PM - Tablao Flamenco Cordobes
---------------------------------------------

_VactionHopeful (Linda): "Sounds like a nice ONCE in a LIFETIME trip."_

One of a few 1-in-Lifetime trips we'll be doing while still ambulatory.
I'd prefer running of the bull-dogs to running of the bulls.
.


----------

