Total Eclipse

Europe saw its first total solar eclipse in 27 years! 

Sunny Spain

Most of Spain had totality, but in Sète, France, we just missed it - 97% for us!

We made concrete plans just a little too late...

Here's where I had planned to scout viewpoints - pink dots and red arrow. The blue lines show the direction of the sunset. Our eclipse peaked just before sunset, so it was low on the horizon (important to find an unobstructed view).

Then! Disaster! Eclipse glasses were all sold out! Pharmacies, supermarkets, all "non plus" (no more). 

Margareta's photo for proof

So, we did what any sane person would do - searched the internet for webcams 😜 - sent it to our TV, and watched from our air-conditioned living room 🤣

Here are a few captured shots - from Norway and Spain 

~~~

https://www.timeanddate.com/live/eclipse-solar-2026-august-12

Summer Time

Summer Time, and the Coolin' is Easy 🎼🎶

It's that hot time of year again, and we have a new Air Conditioner! And it was an *easy* install! 

I used my kit from before; the A/C came with a perfect drain hose, so I didn't even have to fuss with that!

The two things that took the longest were (1) cleaning the windows 😁 and (2) straightening the cardboard plug (it was crooked last time, but no more!)

Day 1 of the heatwave is done, and done in style 🤣

All My Bags Are Packed

All My Bags Are Packed 🎼🎶

(Well, almost...)

I'm Ready to Go 🎼🎶

(Yes, definitely!)

Spain is calling! 

Here's what we'll be missing 

VS this

However, the weather in between is mixed! We have some choices for our stormy drive here. The southern route is through snow country, and the middle route is longer (plus also perhaps snow). We've been on most of the northern route before, and the roads are pretty good - and not so mountainous!

Carmina Burana - Montpellier

For the first time ever, in almost 9 years of living in Sète, we went to Montpellier to see a show! 

We both love the music for Carmina Burana, and this touring company from Paris was doing the entire show - chorus, orchestra, *and* ballet - that was a pretty big incentive 😍

For me, the ballet added a lot; before, it was all about sound, and now I had a story to go with it!

~~~

Moaning and lessons learned:

It was pouring down rain! We had intended to go early, get lunch, then see the show. I'm glad we changed our minds and skipped lunch, because it was just miserable outside! 

The drive was extremely tense - rain, super bad Google maps directions for parking, worrying about flooded roads.

We should have waited a while after the show before leaving - it's been so long since I've had to deal with that, I had forgotten how crowded it gets at the exit.

The Corum has a lot of elevators, but at least 2 were out of order. We spent a lot of time looking for the right ones. 

We had balcony seats, but the audience wasn't big enough, so they closed the upper levels - we were upgraded to excellent orchestra seats 😊. The lesson - don't panic...

Weather Apps?

I've been trying out several weather apps, and today's forecast seemed like the perfect test! 

Here's Wunderground's prediction - windy afternoon, no rain

And MyRadar - windy with chance of some rain...

I'm happy to say, between the time I left home (1pm+), and the time I got back (almost 5pm), it did not rain at all! It was windy, and it definitely looked threatening...

Absurd Situation II

A few weeks ago, I had The Original Absurd Situation, trying to fly with a valid passport that expires in less than 6 months. Well, I was able to check in at the airport, no problem, with my US passport. And my parking reservation was fine. And I got to California for a nice visit. But, of course, 

The Saga continues!

I tried to check in online for my return - I'm going to France, and I have a French passport. Should be easy. But No! OK, I have plenty of time at the airport. The very helpful fellow at the Air France desk reviewed my situation, and explained that I couldn't check in online because my original originating flight (from France) hadn't been cleared up properly (it had been cancelled; I was rebooked on another day). I thought (and I'm sure he did too) that he was clearing it up. He got me checked in (and even managed an aisle seat 😁). (Do I have enough asides here (or do I need more?)?) 🤣🤣🤣

I was all set, checked in with my French passport, and thought to ask: I'm American, and I know it's illegal to enter or leave the US using a non-US passport; at security, should I show my US passport, or show the French one that is associated with my boarding pass? He said that he gets this question all the time - the pass through security is just that, it's not border control. So I should use the passport associated with my boarding pass. It's nice to have that all cleared up!

Speaking of border control...

When I was leaving France, transferring planes in Paris, getting *into* the international terminal, there were automatic face-recognition gates. They refused my US passport (too close to expiring), and I went to stand in line for an agent. That line was *not* moving, and people were all riled up (not a good place). I could see the other side, and there was no follow-up for documents (like ESTAs), so I went back to the automatic gates and used my French passport - bingo! Before they had this system, everyone went via an agent - you had to think about which line to us, depending on which paperwork they might want. Now, it's *fast!*

Once I arrived at San Francisco, I used my US passport as usual. There were no demands to see phones, just a quick question "do you have anything to declare?" - easy peasy.

All the rest of my travel back to France, I used my French passport. 

When I got home, I decided that it might be easier to have an account with Air France, so I joined. I also saw that I could apply miles from this last trip, so I did! Well... (wait for it!) My return trip was added, no problem, but the originating flight was not. More curious than anything else, I contacted them, and they looked into it. Yep, my originating flight was shown as "open, not used" 🤯 - so all that shuffling around was still causing problems! Anyway, that got fixed somehow.

I also thought, hey, my flight was cancelled! EU law says I should be compensated (beyond getting rebooked), so I filled out the form. A day or two later, the response is "denied" (in a nice way though) since it was due to a runway problem, not <enter meaningless static noises here>...

But NOW! I have my new US passport! 😅😁🎉

Passport!

We had a little excitement this morning! My renewed US passport arrived!

I hadn't realized that my old one was set to expire in September, and didn't have enough time (4-6 weeks) to get a new one before my trip. So when I travelled to the US, I had a few extra hoops to jump through. Airlines won't let you check-in online if you don't have at least 6 months of validity left on your passport...

Anyway, I got through that 🙄, and immediately (after recovering from jet lag) applied for a new one. 

Incredibly, it took 2 (TWO!) weeks and 1 day! 

I followed these instructions, and checked on the progress:

July 16 - mailed application from Sète 

July 18 - Collissimo tracking said it was delivered to the US embassy 

July 24 - Passport tracking said it was done, and mailed! Let's give them the weekend to get it from France to the US, and that's just 3 days to get the thing made!

July 28 - Collissimo tracking said it's on its way

July 31 - it's here!!!

What's the first thing I did? I added it to my airline account! 🤣🤣🤣

French Train - Example

Traveling by train in France can be great, but also a little confusing at first. Here's a little example of a relatively simple trip...

You can use other apps/websites, but here I'm using the SNCF app. The opening page asks where you want to go...

I entered "Sète" for the arrival, then "Perpignan" as the  departure, then the date I wanted. Notice that I have a choice about the type of ticket - there's "standard" but there's also a reduced price for 60 years or older (circled in blue). Then I clicked on "see prices" (circled in pink)

This gave me a list of possibilities. I can also click to see earlier or later trains. 

Notice that TER trains don't have reserved seating, and so (1) don't sell out, (2) might be standing room only, and (3) tickets can be used on TER trains at a different time on that same day and for the same destination and fare. 

TGV and InterCity trains are reserved. I'm picking the one circled (TER).

This is the information initially provided. However, they don't tell you the critical information you need when looking for your train at the station! The stations have arrival/departure screens that give the platforms for the different trains - the fastest way to find your train is to look for the destination. This is the *final* destination of the train not necessarily *your* destination. (It's the same for buses, BTW). Note that you can also use the train number, but for me, that's just more obscure.
So, to find out the destination, I clicked on the circled "Journey details"

The first train ends in Narbonne (which is where I will transfer). Transfers almost always involve going up or down from the arrival platform, across, then down or up to the departure platform. They're usually labelled "A" or "F" (etc), so look for the stairs/elevators and signs. Check the departure screen first, of course!

The second train starts in Narbonne, and ends at Avignon Centre. I want off before then, at Sète.

If I have a paper TER ticket (perhaps purchased at a machine), then once I know my train is coming soon, I "stamp" it at one of the little yellow machines (otherwise risking a fine). If it's electronic or reserved, I just go to my platform. Usually the platform (quai) will have a screen indicating how many cars, and where on the platform it will be (e.g., car 3 stops at section W). This is approximate (of course), and only really helpful for reserved seats.

Once settled on the train, I keep an eye on the stops, and head to the doors when mine is coming up (there's not much time to get off).

Here's a bird's eye view of the Sète train station (Gare). I can come straight out the exit/entrance (circled in blue), and turn left to catch the city buses (at the "gare routière" - outside of this picture), or I can meet someone in a car at the very-short-term "dépose minute" (circled in pink).

Busy!

This was not my normal kind of week! Summers in Sète are usually pretty laid back, with a punctuation of festivities here and there. This week...

Monday - La Fête Nationale (aka Bastille Day) 🇫🇷

Yes, it's a reused photo 😉

Tuesday - my 4th anniversary of Becoming French 🇫🇷

Wednesday - chores! Picked up my "SAM Pass" Sète city card, sent off my passport renewal at La Poste (line was out the door), through the Marché for green beans (unsuccessful) and cheese (found 3-years-aged goat cheese 😋😋😋), bought tielles for dinner, added bus tickets to my new SAM Pass, then home! 

Thursday - our 7 year old air conditioner finally gave up the ghost; we shopped for a replacement, finding one at the second place we tried. We had to wait 24 hours to test it out 🥵🔥🥵, and had to rearrange the room some more. It's awfully crowded until we can confirm it works and can get rid of the boxes and the old A/C.

Friday - fortunately, this was a somewhat cooler day, marking the end of the latest heatwave; sleeping without the A/C was bearable! And! The A/C works! But! It has that "new appliance" smell, so we ran it with the windows open for a while, and slept again without it. We also tried to book tickets for my next California trip - got right to the end of paying, when the site blew up! Without knowing whether the payment went through, or whether the flight is booked, we're in wait-mode for a few days 🙄

Saturday - woke up after a miserable night; humidity at 90%, fog shrouding the étang... More A/C, less and less smell - YAY!

~~~

Yes, this was the A/C that I had fussed so much with 😕. My drain-hose work came into play for just a couple of weeks! Luckily, all the window arrangements stayed the same 😜 and the new A/C came with a hose... 

Fireworks!

I'm surrounded by fireworks! Today is La Fête Nationale (Bastille Day) in France, and all our surrounding towns have fireworks going on!

There's a video here

On top of that, I got to see the 4th of July fireworks in California! Also from a convenient window 🤣🤣🤣

The Absurd Situation

The absurd situation...

I have an air ticket from France (where I live) to the US (where my family is). I tried to upload my travel documents several weeks ago, but the website didn't accept my US passport. It is valid, but expires in 3 months, so I assume that is why it wasn't taken. So, since I also have a French passport, I used that - everything looked fine, except that I had to add a US contact (ok, I have that). And there was a note stating that I might need an ESTA (waiver for visa-free travel to the US); this would be automatically checked when I check in for the flight. But of course, a US citizen doesn't get an ESTA. And I can't check in until the day before my flight. It's recommended to use their website to confirm that I will be able to check in. I do this, uploading my US passport, and it states that travel is allowed. But there's no way to connect that determination with my booking number. I remain suspicious.

Fast forward to this week. My flight is on Tuesday, so Monday morning, I try to check in. Nope, not allowed, since I don't have an ESTA. A while later, I get an email from the airline, with a link to upload more travel documents. Great! I do that (upload my US passport, and comment that it expires in 3 months), and I get to check in. I print my boarding pass, and I go to sleep, comfortable with my ability to fly the next morning.

4 AM the next morning... I have a message saying that my flight is cancelled, and they're trying to rebook me. I'll skip all that detail, and just say that it wouldn't work. I start a chat (yay!) with the airline, and I get rebooked for 2 days later. My booking number remains the same (that's important, trust me). That's not ideal, but the best option. I confirmed that I would still be able to check in without reloading my document. "Yes" is the answer (but not really).

The next day (the day before my new flight), I try to check in online. (Drum roll)

Here's where it gets absurd.

It fails (of course). I get the same type of email as before (saying I need to upload more travel documents), I follow the link, uploaded the document again, then it days I'm all set, able to check in. But I still can't! OK, I try to re-confirm via the same link, but it won't let me edit (I'm thinking I'd add a comment), and it still says I'm all set! Apparently, the site "thinks" they've cleared my booking number for check-in, and so doesn't need to again. But the check-in site needs a new ok for the new check-in (new flight, but same booking number). Sigh.

So I try the chat route as before - no answer.

I try a different app to chat, and get the auto-guy, who's no help; he just says to check in at the airport. At this point, I just want to leave feedback... Hah!

Now, I'm really just hoping my flight tomorrow isn't cancelled, that my parking reservation isn't cancelled, and that I can finally check in at the airline counter and get to California.

Summer in Sète

It's Summer! We left a few weeks ago for the Alps, and when we returned, it was Summer! First on the ToDo list was to get the Air Conditioner (A/C) set up 🙂.

I wanted something a bit more stable this time; last year, I tried pool noodles. This time:

I kept a bit of mangled pool noodle to block the light (along with some weatherstripping (bourrelet). I originally went to the bricolage (like a Home Depot) with a list, knowing what I had done last time, and what I wanted different. Well. They no longer had what I expected. OMG. And I hadn't planned on having to figure out "something else"... After some quite time with my calculator, I took the risk, and asked for a cut (non-refundable, of course). Here's what I ended up with - excellent, by the way!

One 80x60x10 mm board cut in 4ths. I used three pieces. One end fit perfectly in the shutter groove - it blocks the shutter from coming all the way down, and closes out the morning light 

The next section bolts (flexibly) to the center section 

Then we get a bit kludgey... I used a bolt to force the shutter-stop outward, and a rubber band to pull it in enough 

Then, a *whole* lot of velcro and duct tape to seal the exhaust and sunlight 

I had an old board from before, and turned it 90°, so had a hole to plug - cardboard bolted in did a great job!

Then, I moved the light-blocking boards from last year into place

Next - a hose for draining the water...

Update! After I don't know how many false starts, I finally got a hose connected! How many false starts, you ask? 

1) tried electrical conduit (too small, returned it)

2) got a converter to screw into the A/C outlet. The other end is supposed to fit a 1/2 inch diameter garden hose. I confirmed that it fit the A/C... (OK, so this isn't technically a false start).

3) bought a "1/2 inch diameter" A/C hose. Unable to fit it to the nozzle end.

4) bought a "1/2 inch diameter" garden hose (note that here, the don't usually come with nozzles). Tried to fit it on - no!

What finally worked: I used my clothes dryer rack to hold the end of the hose, ran a hair-dryer over the end to heat it up, then worked the end onto the nozzle. I had a clamp already threaded onto the hose (yay me!); after several runs, the hose was "far enough" on, so I tightened the clamp. Then I had to screw it onto the A/C outlet 🙄.

Then I threaded the hose out the window, hoping for an automatic drain.

We knew it wouldn't work (window is too high), but had to try...

At least now the bucket is easier to get to - we have to dump it before bed, but then it doesn't overflow in the middle of the night!

Another Update! Waaay too soon, the rubber band snapped 🙄, so I replaced it with twine - this time, I just wrapped it around the bolt head and tied it (much easier)!

And then moved the wood back into the window slot

Beach Afternoon

October in Sète has been cold and wet, but we had a couple of days of respite 🙂

This called for a trip to the beach!

Mountain Drive

Today we took a little drive into the mountains! It was a *hot* day (36°C / 97°F), and we took full advantage of the car's air conditioner 😎...

This was definitely a seat-of-the-pants day - at 11 something, we decided that we were going, so we took off. My only real goal was to get to the panoramic view point of Fontfroide - everything else was up for grabs. I looked up just as we passed this bridge at Lamalou-Les Bains, and immediately pulled off for a photo or two

We went on to another town, and tried to park - first to one side of the main road, then the other - we ate our picnic lunch in the shade, but didn't really see anything too inspiring - then we had a rather round about drive to get back to the main road. But, we're exploring, so...

On to Olargues! I followed the centre-ville sign instead of looping around the town - it's designated as a "Plus Beau Village" (Most Beautiful Village), and has a Devil's Bridge!

The town

Devil's Bridge (from the 12th century) 

View from the bridge 

I had parked the car at the Town Hall (shady, free, short walk to anywhere), so returned and then went on.

To the Panoramic! Wow, that road was winding! But worth it!

Heather, I think 

See all those mountains? And that road?

On our way back down the mountain, we stopped for another view...

Look at that isolated town!

Mountains!

Here's another view of the winding road...

We came back home along a slightly different route - all along our drive, no matter the route, we passed a *ton* of vineyards and tasting rooms! We did not stop, but it's filed away for later 😁