“The last time I saw Paris, her heart was warm and gay, I heard the laughter of her heart in every street café.” —Oscar Hammerstein I
Paris is a beautiful city. One visit is not enough, You may come home wishing you could live there A very tiny apartment has a big price tag! So much for that idea, but one can wish right?
It was June, during the Paris Air Show, that my sister and I traveled to Paris to meet my husband. Two weeks in France and England. Both of us were very excited.
Adventure #1: The Wrong Hotel? Lots and lots and lots of traffic, crazy drivers and motorcyclists weaving in and out of traffic.) He dropped us off at “our hotel” and left to go back to the air show. Well guess what, we were at the wrong hotel. Scary feeling when you are in Paris and without your French dictionary. Neither my sister or I brought one. Our interpreter (my husband) was at the air show. This was before the whole world had a cellphone and Google! Somehow we managed to get to the correct hotel.
Adventure #2: Hungry anyone? My sister and I decided to go for a walk in this beautiful city and have dinner. We chose a very nice restaurant with a French menu and non-English speaking waiters. (Well, so they said.) We did manage to order a Coca-Cola. This word is the same in French as it is in English. Now what to order for dinner? Using our initiative, we looked around at what others were eating. Pointing out what we wanted, the waiter said, “Quack Quack”. Ok it was duck. This would work!
Adventure #3: Adventure to Montmartre. Two miles north of center city Paris is the area of Montmartre. This area is known for its artists. Pablo Picasso moved to this area in 1904. After climbing 197 steps, you arrive at the famous church, Sacre Coeur. Many tourists and locals sit on the steps and look out over the city. What a beautiful site. This church sits at the top of the 427 ft high hill, and was built by the architect Paul Abadie between 1875 and 1914. Want dinner and a show (or revue as it is known), visit the famous Moulin Rouge.
As my sister, husband and I were walking the area and visiting the small shops, it was decided that we needed a drink and the restroom. We picked this little café, and ordered a coke. We took turns using the restroom, and I was last. What a shock! No toilet, just a hole in the floor. Yes this is where it happened. Returning to our table, I found my sister and husband laughing. This restroom was worse than my grandmother’s outhouse. (Yes, she had one.)
Adventure #4: Locked out of the car! The day before we left for England, my husband decided to checkout where to return the rental car near the Gare du Nord train station. The next morning we were leaving from there on the Eurostar train to London. My husband opened then closed the trunk, and somehow locked the keys in there. With no success of him popping the door locks, he called the rental car agency to ask for help. My sister and I sat on the bench and watched the show. It was really funny, but we couldn’t laugh and upset the hubby anymore. One person tried to help with a clothes hanger — no luck after ten minutes. The painters that were working on an apartment made their entrance to see what was happening. We had quite a little audience. Still we weren’t laughing out loud. In the meantime, my husband told my sister and I to get the train to London, and he would meet us there. My sister and I agreed not to go on our own. Sooo, finally the person from the rental car came and popped the trunk. Yes, we were ready to go. After returning the rental car, we were running with suitcases through the station. We found our seats on the train, sat down, and it was announced, “The train will leave in ten minutes”!!! Something to remember right?
My sister and I still talk about this trip. It was crazy and fun. Something we both will cherish forever.
I hope you enjoyed my adventure. See you next time.
The Blogging Grandma