This trip has been a great experience and fun for both Dianne and me. I am glad Dianne got to see Paris, a place she has wanted to visit for a while. But the trip did not start out as smoothly as I would have liked. Best laid plans. So as we were getting on the plane from Indy I got an email apologizing that the transfer I had booked from the airport had been cancelled. Seriously we were group two and they had just called Group 1. So I thought we would simply Uber when we get there. Apparently they weren't allowing Uber to get to Charles Du Galle airport. So we decided to taxi. (Side note the direct flight from Indy to Paris is great and the I know since we left there was a problem on one flight, but ours was perfect.) So we got on the taxi line. Inefficient but okay we got a taxi. Our driver spoke no English, no big deal, but his French was heavily accented so that was a problem. Anyway he had GPS and I had the address. If only he would use his GPS and follow it. He kept turning down alleys ignoring the explicit directions from the TomTom. Now I do this sometimes but only when I know where I am going. In his case, he had no clue. At one point I knew it was right around the corner and I tried to tell him. He just kept repeating that it is "Tres difficile". We got there. Good. We could now start our day. We got on the subway but we soon learned transportation would continue to haunt us. The station to change trains was being renovated. Apparently Google doesn't know all. So we got off the train about a mile or so from where we wanted to because I couldn't, on the fly, figure out the right connection until it was too late. It was a nice walk though, we saw the facade of Notre Dame and the destruction from the fire. We walked along the Seine and made it to the Louvre where we eventually caught up with the bus that we had tickets for to ride to all the sights and figure out what to do with our days. We were beat so a quick meal and our first taste of wine in France and then off to bed. Sleep came easily. Since then everything seems like it was go go go. We toured the Louvre. Getting in early allowed us to quickly see the popular items with little crowds. Mona Lisa and Venus De Milo were two amazing moments. However the Louvre has so much to offer. We have since been to the Catacombs, The Rodin Museum, The Chocolate Museum...where we had real Aztec style hot chocolate, Normandy on a 14 hour journey which was fun, tiring and thought provoking. We saw the sights you would think, walking and shopping along the Champs Elysee and the Arch de Triumph. Lots of rain thought dampened the days until today. The neighborhood of the Catacombs were we were today was so alive with cafes, food markets and just a variety of people. We ate a late lunch at one cafe and watched the world go by as people of all walks of life and races, creeds and nationalities moved down the street. At times we were hearing 5 or 6 different languages. After shopping for some fruit we stumbled upon a Scotch tasting the no one was particularly interested in so we spoke with the woman running it for a while and I tasted an Islay Scotch I have never had. Caol Ila. Wow. Her dream was more French people would embrace Scotch.
Things I have noticed though:
1. I can read and understand a lot of French, but can't produce it easily anymore. In fact I translated the name of a cafe earlier today and right this minute I can't tell you the name in French but I can in English.
2. Tipping is not common here. We truly surprised someone when we gave them a nice tip that they deserved.
3. Motorcycles and scooters are everywhere and ridden by everyone. I saw an elderly (older looking than I am) nun on a motorcycle.
4. A lot of bathrooms are gender neutral and some become them even when not marked so. While there is always a form of privacy it is weird to wash my hands next to a woman who is a stranger putting on make up in a public bathroom. At a ritzy shopping mall.
5. The reputation of the rude French not speaking English is way overblown. In fact often my stumbling French has been met with a smile and nice English. However, at the cheese shop, the non-English speaking owner, while very nice, was frustrated by our requests. He wasn't rude, just wished we had a better idea of what we wanted.
6. The Metro is easy, even when crowded, and there are people to help you during rush hour.
Overall the trip so far has been glorious. We are about to go out to a light dinner and more wine, then bed. An early train to London where I hope I have better language skills :)
I feel blessed for being in this great city.
Things I have noticed though:
1. I can read and understand a lot of French, but can't produce it easily anymore. In fact I translated the name of a cafe earlier today and right this minute I can't tell you the name in French but I can in English.
2. Tipping is not common here. We truly surprised someone when we gave them a nice tip that they deserved.
3. Motorcycles and scooters are everywhere and ridden by everyone. I saw an elderly (older looking than I am) nun on a motorcycle.
4. A lot of bathrooms are gender neutral and some become them even when not marked so. While there is always a form of privacy it is weird to wash my hands next to a woman who is a stranger putting on make up in a public bathroom. At a ritzy shopping mall.
5. The reputation of the rude French not speaking English is way overblown. In fact often my stumbling French has been met with a smile and nice English. However, at the cheese shop, the non-English speaking owner, while very nice, was frustrated by our requests. He wasn't rude, just wished we had a better idea of what we wanted.
6. The Metro is easy, even when crowded, and there are people to help you during rush hour.
Overall the trip so far has been glorious. We are about to go out to a light dinner and more wine, then bed. An early train to London where I hope I have better language skills :)
I feel blessed for being in this great city.
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