Hello from Paris!

Sorry for not blogging last night, but as with all well laid plans, our has had a change!  So, not knowing exactly what to say, I said nothing yesterday and waited until we actually had something to say.  As it turns out, Robert has had a slight urological glitch on the radar that we have decided was serious enough to require our returning home now rather than in two weeks.  We’ve decided that it didn’t require immediate doctor’s attention – he feels fine – but we didn’t want to wait until we got medical advice.  So … we drove back to Charles de Gaulle from Nimes today.  It was cold – about freezing, but clear, which was nice.  We drove up through Lyon – in fact, we drove along the Rhone and actually right next to the Musee des Confluence, where the Saone and the Rhone meet; it was fun to see Lyon again, which we very much enjoy!  From there, it was basically Macon to Beaune and then to CDG.  As it was a Saturday, we made really good time – about 7½ hours.  The difficulty is always what happens when one gets to CDG – turning in a rental car is always a challenge!  

 

This time, we dropped off the luggage at the Hilton CDG first, only to find that a HUGE gypsy wedding was in progress at the hotel!  I can’t even describe the wedding guests attire – but wow, I think Robert would look wonderful in a gold and black tux – especially with white tennies, don’t you??  And I have never, ever in my life seen so many wild dresses with beading, and feathers and sequins – as Robert says, it was like “Strictly Ballroom” on steroids!  The crush at the entrance to the hotel actually prevented us from getting to the front door, but we were able to find a side entrance, and R found a wonderful man to help us with our luggage.  (We had already checked in on-line.)  At any rate, he also provided us with instructions to the closest Total gas station so we could top off the gas and then we were able to return the car.  Check-in at Alamo – once we found it - was very easy, and we were able to get a really good rate for the week that we had the car.  From there, we taxi-ed back to the hotel to settle in.*

 

My chicken with potatoes and veggies

R's steak and French fries!

We’re here now for two nights, Saturday and Sunday, and leave on Monday morning for the U.S.  For dinner, we ate at the restaurant in the lobby, amid the wedding guests and the regular travelers.  I had a wonderful chicken breast in a truffle sauce with new potatoes and veggies, and R had their faux fillet with French fries, mine washed down with Prosecco, and R’s washed down with two glasses of Bordeaux.  Then, upstairs to our room, 812 on the top floor, and me, definitely for bed!

 

Tomorrow we will probably wend our way into Paris for the day and some sightseeing.  Not sure what yet, but we’ll just wait and see!

More later!

 

m

xxx

 

*A word about airports from Robert: Long, long ago, flying was fun but over the years, it has become an ordeal – in large part, because of the airports.  They simply are too big.  Among my most hated are Heathrow, O’Hare, Philadelphia and – probably the worst - Charles De Gaulle.  Once upon a time CDG consisted of three circular terminals but only Terminal 1 survives.  The other two have been replaced by Terminal 2 that consists of two parallel buildings divided into sections: One side has 2A, 2C and 2E; the other 2B, 2D and 2F.  Each building is about 1 km long and there is no means of transportation between sections.  No shuttle, no moving sidewalks – nothing!  The only way to get between terminals is by walking.