It Takes All Day to Get to Paris! - Day 27

As we left the house this morning at 9:30a.m. to head to the airport, Gordon said it's a "guy dreich day". Guy dreich day?  "Gordon, what's a guy dreich mean?"  VERY MISERABLE is his response.  Today WAS a very miserable day weather wise when we started out.  As we headed up the Edinburgh Road along the Beef Tub the mists were filling the Tub just the way they are supposed to; thick and heavy.  When the Scottish men used to steal cattle from the English and drive them up north, they drove them into the Beef Tub and the heavy Scottish mist would blanket them under cover.  And the English tucked tail and went home empty-handed.  Today would have been a perfect stealing cattle day!

Because we had heard that RyanAir could be pretty persnickety about luggage and gate closings, etc. and because we didn't really know where we were going to park our car, we decided to give ourselves plenty of time to get to the airport; park the car and check in.  We left too early!

We wait!

A lot of young women wear their hair in what I call the "Snookie" hairdo.  Teased to death; pulled back  in a pony tail and bobby-pinned and sprayed with tons of spray.

We got to the airport, parked and went to check in.  We were there by 11:00a.m.  The counter didn't even open until 2 hours before the flight and we were an hour early for the counter to open!  Geez.  So we went for a tea and hung out until our flight departed on time at 2:15.

The RyanAir magazine featuring this "months" cabin steward!

Teeny Beauvois Airport.

Gordon with our teeny-tiny luggage!  6 days in Paris in those bags folks!

So aside from talking on the loud speaker almost the entire flight, the first thing the RyanAir cabin crew did was sell cigarettes.  And there were children on the flight!  Shocking!  But the short hour and 24 minute flight was over before we knew it and we were in Beauvois, France....about 77 km outside of Paris.

We had ordered and paid for SuperShuttle to pick us up and deliver us to our hotel but much to our chagrin the SuperShuttle desk ladies told us our shuttle was running late and we would have to wait.  How long, si vous plait?  "1 hour and 10 minutes."  Well that's how long it takes to get from Paris to the airport so that means the guy hadn't even left yet!  So I asked for "options, si vous plait?"  In the meantime I decided I needed to use the "toilettes" and to my surprise found NO toilet seat and some pretty strange looking 1/2 ply pink toilet paper...which reminds me, I have a piece of furniture that needs refinishing!  SuperShuttle girl got us a driver within 45 minutes but it took two hours to get us to our hotel because of traffic and because we had two other couples in the van with us......and, natually, we were the last couple to be dropped off.  Paris traffic on a Friday night is H O R R I B L E!  It literally took us 40 minutes to go about 3 short blocks at one point.  Gordon and I discussed if it wouldn't have been easier to get out and walk.  AND the hacking couple in the backseat must have been dying for their cigarettes but, fortunately, they didn't light up.

As we passed Notre Dame our excitement grew.  By this time it is dark outside and the lights of the city are glittering and festive and our fascination is heighten. 

Street scene.

The Academy of Music.

Drive by of Notre Dame.

Crossing from the Right Bank to the Left Bank.

When we reach our hotel finally we are very pleasantly surprised at how easy our check-in goes.   Pretty much, "Bonjour"....here's your key.  We are on the top floor, the 5th floor and there is an elevator about the size of Jillian's closet but we are happy for the elevator!  As we open our double door entry and look about our room at the hand painted tromp 'leoil  and decorative ceiling we notice a small balcony beyond double windows of sheer curtains!  I literally screamed and clapped for joy when I drew the curtains back and looked out over the little balcony.  No view of the Eiffel Tower but a quaint, adorable, little street scene.  We love it!

View from our little balcony.

Looking toward the Seine from our balcony.

And the other way!

And across the street?  None other than the Hotel California!

The tromp l'oeil in our room.

And cool lights and moldings.

Self explanatory!

Rentable bikes on the streets.  Great idea!

Cluny Crepes.  Gordon and I got the giggles calling to the George Clooney Creperie.  Tired!

We quickly unpacked and headed out to grab something to eat - by now it's 8:00pm and we are STARVING!  and literally right across the street is a quaint little restaurant that served us roasted chicken and roasted sea bass and lots of vegetables and roasted potatoes and the BEST soft bread and a bottle of rose!  Yum-Yum!

Then we take off for a walk through the neighborhoods and toward the Seine.  Along the way, Gordon needs a dessert crepe so we stop at a little outdoor creperie to make it happen in the Latin Quarter.  This place is bustling with college students.  The Sorbonne is not far and it's a total college hangout.  The kids are beautiful, polite and fun to watch.  Except for the fact that most of them smoke like chimneys...they are not unlike the college campus' our children attended or are attending.  As we made our way to the Seine along came a  huge mob of roller skaters!

Gordon's crepe making guy.

Adding chocolate.

Devouring!

Latin Quarter bustling 11:00 p.m. street scene.

Latin Quarter street scene.

The Seine with Notre Dame in the background and a tour boat on the river.

Lighted roller skaters.

Walking along the Seine at night is heaven!  The tour boats run one after another.  The face of Notre Dame is completely lit up.  Lover's are caught kissing along the banks of the river.  Groups of teenagers sit on the steps leading down to the river and drink cokes and laugh.  It's breathtaking and almost too hard to believe we are finally here.

We made our way back to the hotel completely exhausted and opened our balcony just in time to hear music blasting.  As we looked down onto the little street we see a mob of bicyclists riding by with a boombox blaring!  Only in Paris!

What a fascinating day.  We starting with bad weather and what seemed like an endlessly long trip and ended up dining outdoors on the Rue des Ecoles next to cobblestone streets and blocks from some of the most fabulous architecture, museums, garden, galleries, restaurants and shops in the world.  Can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

Lights out 1:15.