Toulouse Arrival: Pix

A perfect day. Lovers descended on the square, drivers cruised in endless circles around the cafes and shops, an African youth choir sang to an appreciative, ever-increasing throng only 100 meters from our perch, and all the while your suave correspondent sat with a jacket over his head, shielding his laptop's screen from the blinding sun as we sought more accurate directions to Lieu-Commun.

As our hosts arrived, I realized that although we'd lost the Kangoo, we'd gained a measure of freedom. Far better to travel Europe by rail than by car.

Anxieties began to dissipate...