So we are finally back from our "vacation" in the South of France....although there were many good moments, our visit was overshadowed by our daughters 4 day stay in a Hospital in Bagnols sur Ceze. Instead of focusing on the negative you have to admire this photo of the coffee service offered to us in the ER ( Urgences ) at the Centre Hospitalier Louis Pasteur. After my daughter had an IV in her vein one of the nurses ( or the waiter? ) asked me "Vous voulez du cafe?". I had to nervously laugh at this incredible adherence to typical French tradition of graciousness. No matter where you go in France, you are always offered something...and when you are invited to someone's home for dinner or a party, bringing a gift is expected. The town of Bagnols sur Ceze is a great small town with lots of pedestrian streets and I got to look down upon the town and the moon shining above it while I lived in the hospital with my daughter as the "accompagnant". Although my worries were sometimes personally overwhelming and my daughters pain was too real for words, I had to smirk when I opened my meal to find a fabulous warm quiche lorraine, salade frisee, baguette, camembert and red wine!!! as I dined next to my daughter who was imbedded with tubes and catheters. Not your average hospital fare but not your average relaxing vacation either. And as I sit here still jetlagged from the experience, I'll make myself another cup of coffee and CURE myself of fatigue once again.
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