Visas and Vistas

Good things come to those who wait - or so we hoped.  We have been traveling in Europe now for four months. Hard to believe, right? I’ve mentioned the three month visa limit for U.S. citizens in the Schengen region during earlier posts. There was always the possibility that my long stay visa request could be denied and I’d be required to make a hasty exit to one of very few non-Schengen countries in Europe or somewhere father afield for our remaining time. I won’t go into all the details here but we returned to Lyon for a week of preparation after receiving a letter from the Office of French Immigration and Integration (OFII). There were forms to print, documents to assemble, a required X-ray at the only approved lab (to rule out TB I’ve heard), other procedures, and a good deal of worry.  

Single wheel transportation in Lyon.

In the interim, there was a complicating factor. I had had a recurring medical issue since July that I was told required surgery. So Dermot and I waded into the French healthcare system. My French is passable for locations frequented by tourists but wasn’t up to the task of answering medical questions. Google translate to the rescue - I armed myself with written descriptions of my symptoms and presented myself at medical facilities. I don’t have anything except hospitalization insurance here but I was treated far better than I expected. Visit to a Doctor - 25 euros; ultrasound - 39 euros! I had a referral for surgery but my initial inquiry  indicated the earliest appointment for a non-emergency was in November. I didn’t want to try other avenues until after my Friday afternoon visa appointment.

Hundreds of Florida turtles recuperating in Lyon.

As we waited for the OFII appointment, we had dinner at Laure's house, walked around Lyon, and ate fantastic food both made in our camper and at restaurants in Lyon. We walked through the huge Parc de la Tete d'Or in downtown Lyon that included a botanical garden, deer, emu and yes, hundreds of Florida turtles recuperating in Lyon.  Zoom in on that picture.  That's really what it says. I have no idea why these turtles needed to come all the way to France to recuperate but there you are. You just never know what you're going to come across when you travel.

After dinner at a restaurant one night, we walked through the streets of old Lyon which includes lots of renaissance buildings and loads of charm. People shun indoor seating in restaurants during this time of year so they spill out into the street-side tables. They are also masters of flood-lighting so the night views of buildings are incredible.

Click here for pictures.


I was very nervous that the OFII wouldn't approve my visa, but Friday finally came and I GOT IT! We wanted to celebrate but we weren’t free yet - there was still that pesky medical issue holding us back. Was it pushing my luck going straight from a win on the visa to try for a second on the surgery? Probably. But with the referral and ultrasound in hand, we drove straight to the medium-sized hospital where I’d had the ultrasound and asked for an appointment with a surgeon. I can only imagine how long I’d have waited in the U.S. with no insurance, no primary doctor, and poor language skills but a little over an hour later, I had an early Monday morning appointment. Amazing! 

I was so very excited! Now we were free to plan the rest of our trip without worry! Under doctor's orders to refrain from too much walking and remain "tranquil," I restrained myself and let Dermot do all the heavy work while I researched our way forward from Lyon. 😇 😜

On Monday, the surgeon explained my options and we both felt the best choice was to delay surgery until I returned to the states. At the end of the appointment, he asked if I had some form of insurance. Explaining I only had it for hospitalization, I asked him to charge whatever was customary. Charge for a surgical exam and consultation - 50 euros! As he wrote prescriptions, I told him how amazed we were with the care I had received on getting an appointment and he said this hospital was private. We're still shocked at the low cost of medical care here as well as how everyone we met seemed much calmer than in hospitals in the states. I'm not looking for a political debate here, just being appreciative. 

Where will we go next??    🗺  Tune in next week to see.