Showing posts with label Corsica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corsica. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Speaking of Honeymoons...a Chapter from the Roxiticus Desperate Memoir

Speaking of honeymoons (see PostBoy & MathGirl's Costa Rican Honeymoon post below), my most loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers have read a chapter or two from the Roxiticus Memoir about Rex & Roxy's honeymoon, but for those who haven't heard the story, here's a blast from the past.

October 1998, Le Maquis -- Porticcio, Corsica:

Wow...what to say?

Yesterday Rex and I took the ferry from Santa Teresa in Sardinia to Bonifacio on Corsica. From there, a woman taxi driver picked us up and started the 2 1/2 hour drive to Porticcio. Not 20 minutes into our drive, she tried to pass another car (or was it a bus?) on a curve, didn't make it back into her lane in time, hit an oncoming car and lost control of our taxi, swerving from side to side and eventually flipping our car over in the ditch on our side of the road. I didn't say anything the whole time... I was paralyzed with fear. Rex & I had both worn our seatbelts, which kept us safely hanging upside down from our seats. We undid our seatbelts and somehow crawled out the door of the car. I was bleeding from my elbow, which later required two stitches, but otherwise not a scratch.

I am thankful for so many little twists of fate: that we were not in a convertible, that we were not further along the road to Porticcio (we could have gone off a cliff), that I was not pregnant... so many little things that made the difference between life and death. I continue to pray, not certain who or what God is, but believing that someone is watching over us.

The ambulance and doctor came, oddly not very helpful...it was frightening to be in an accident in France, unable to communicate in French with most people (natives) unable to speak much English. The doctor and nurses were quite nice, very concerned that we not be afraid. The doctor stitched up my elbow, worried that it would sting -- after my brush with death, I was much more afraid to get into another taxi than I was of ANYTHING a doctor could do to me -- 2 stitches was nothing.

My greatest concern was for Rex. I did not want to be away from him. It seemed strange to me to know so quickly that I would be okay but not to know for sure what Rex felt. As it turned out, I think he was just shaken up, maybe even more than I was. As a woman, I am allowed and encouraged to express fear. As a man, I think Rex was grateful that I expressed enough fear for both of us. For example, I asked the policeman who took our report, as well as the nurse who helped with my stitches, to explain (in French) to our new taxi driver what had happened, and that he must drive very slowly and not pass any other cars. I know that Rex felt exactly the same fear of the taxi, but only I am allowed to express it.

Such a strange feeling, very similar to when I got hit by the taxi crossing 42nd Street to FedEx two years ago (1996). My thoughts then and now have been that such a stupid mistake could have put an end to such a wonderful life...but didn't. So I am grateful for another chance.

Have you been in a car accident that wasn't your fault? Advocate Auto Claims helps car accident victims re-coup the diminished value of your vehicle up to four years from the accident. Check out their web site for your FREE diminished value estimate to find out what you're owed!!


Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Honeymoon in Corsica: October 6, 1998

Le Maquis -- Porticcio, Corsica:

Wow...what to say?

Yesterday Rex and I took the ferry from Santa Teresa in Sardinia to Bonifacio on Corsica. From there, a woman taxi driver picked us up and started the 2 1/2 hour drive to Porticcio. Not 20 minutes into our drive, she tried to pass another car (or was it a bus?) on a curve, didn't make it back into her lane in time, hit an oncoming car and lost control of our taxi, swerving from side to side and eventually flipping our car over in the ditch on our side of the road. I didn't say anything the whole time... I was paralyzed with fear. Rex & I had both worn our seatbelts, which kept us safely hanging upside down from our seats. We undid our seatbelts and somehow crawled out the door of the car. I was bleeding from my elbow, which later required two stitches, but otherwise not a scratch.

I am thankful for so many little twists of fate: that we were not in a convertible, that we were not further along the road to Porticcio (we could have gone off a cliff), that I was not pregnant... so many little things that made the difference between life and death. I continue to pray, not certain who or what God is, but believing that someone is watching over us.

The ambulance and doctor came, oddly not very helpful...it was frightening to be in an accident in France, unable to communicate in French with most people (natives) unable to speak much English. The doctor and nurses were quite nice, very concerned that we not be afraid. The doctor stitched up my elbow, worried that it would sting -- after my brush with death, I was much more afraid to get into another taxi than I was of ANYTHING a doctor could do to me -- 2 stitches was nothing.

My greatest concern was for Rex. I did not want to be away from him. It seemed strange to me to know so quickly that I would be okay but not to know for sure what Rex felt. As it turned out, I think he was just shaken up, maybe even more than I was. As a woman, I am allowed and encouraged to express fear. As a man, I think Rex was grateful that I expressed enough fear for both of us. For example, I asked the policeman who took our report for the car insurance company, as well as the nurse who helped with my stitches, to explain (in French) to our new taxi driver what had happened, and that he must drive very slowly and not pass any other cars. I know that Rex felt exactly the same fear of the taxi, but only I am allowed to express it.

Such a strange feeling, very similar to when I got hit by the taxi crossing 42nd Street to FedEx two years ago (1996). My thoughts then and now have been that such a stupid mistake could have put an end to such a wonderful life...but didn't. So I am grateful for another chance.

Honeymoon Continued: October 8, 1998

Le Maquis -- Porticcio, Corsica:


More of Rex's Honeymoon Bests:
  • Most dramatic interplay of mountains and the sea I've ever seen -- on the road from Ajaccio to Porto.
  • Two brothers, maitres d', Antoine and George
  • Pounding surf off our terrace at Le Maquis
  • Onion ragout with poached egg
  • Gateaux d'chocolat avec vanilla gelato
Thinking back on our day in Corsica... started much the same as every day so far in Corsica, with "petit dejeuner" or breakfast of cafe au lait and assorted breads...croissants, pan de chocolat, etc. Today's included a shared cheese omelette and bacon.

As we were waiting for our rental car loans to arrive (no way I was letting anyone else do the driving), our taxi driver showed up with flowers to apologize for the crash. It shook me up to the point of dizziness -- she spoke almost entirely in French and was so emotional, I couldn't understand understand a word of it other than to know how sincere her apology was when she said in English "I'm so sorry" and thrust the flowers into my arms. She was in tears as she stepped outside to speak with one of the women from the hotel. I followed her out to make sure she was OK, and hope she understood when I told her in English that if she's OK and Rex and I are both OK, that is all that matters. I was so surprised to see her back behind the wheel of a new taxi -- either she feels nothing as a result of our accidennt, or more likely from her emotional behavior this morning, she is as shaky behind the wheel as I have been as a passenger. If your job is tto take care of your passengers, how do you get on with driving after turning your car over in a ditch, along with its precious cargo?


The rest of the day was a dramatic trip up the coast from Porticcio to Porto. It is more windy (or winding, I guess, curvy as opposed to breezy) and more mountainous than Big Sur. Rex was the most cautious driver, which helped me to enjoy it more, but the way people drive around here kept me white knuckled in terror for most of the trip. Really incredible views plunging down from the unusual rocks into the Mediterranean Sea.


And now it is time to dress for dinner with our two brothers Maitres d'...