Boats, Trains and Automobiles. Part 0: Preamble.

For my final week in Europe, which coincided with a weeklong break in Zarita’s classes and her birthday on the 27th, we planned and executed an ambitious tour through France by overnight sleeper train and automobile. We took an overnight train from Paris to Venice on Thursday night, spent Friday night in Venice and then took another overnight train back Saturday night, but this time disembarking in Dijon France. From Dijon, we rented a car and drove all day Monday to Strasbourg France, passing though the Alsace wine country. Finally on Tuesday, Zaritchka’s birthday, we drove back to Paris just in time to get totally smashed in celebration of the 21st and most legal annual celebration of her birth. Obviously, there’s a lot to share so I think this time, I’m going to break the story up into 2 parts.