Upon arrival. the “truly charming” hotel had a not so charmed owner and fruity smell left over from the 1920’s! She was only speaking in French and to motion with the keys. Kind of a bitch you could say. I didn’t understand a word she said, although I got the gist of it.

The room is very tight quarters. It has a double bed, a wardrobe (with three wire hangers), a small cafe table, and two chairs, a nice open out balcony window (in the toilet as well), no bidet, just a walk in shower and sink, toilet room. I would put it three rungs up from the bottom level hotels.

 

Strike in Gay Paris

So I got a little settled in and tried to figure out how I would get to the airport in the A.M. to meet Helen. I wrote on a paper, using the phrases in French, that I wanted to reserve a taxi for the 6:30 A.M. Well she was a real big help. (Not.) She spoke only in French, motioning that I had to call, honking the horn, hailing a taxi… something about “tres dificil” speaking English if I call…didn’t understand the underlying, only overtones that she wouldn’t call, I had to call.

So I went to the phone downstairs, it was a pay one and I got change from her. Well, all of the taxi numbers I had in my book were busy, and I was soo frustrated I tried calling the U.S. Consulate which had changed numbers twice and had a French recording. Big help. I also tried to call United Airlines as I still wasn’t positively convinced her flight came into Charles de Gaulle. Also I was trying to call on the Air France shuttle to the airport to no avail.

Finally, after I went for the second time to get change, her husband (as I was cursing her out under my breath!) took me outside and he walked me to the corner showing me where to hail a taxi at a stand. There were 10-20 people waiting there already. I felt some of the stress gradually drain away. During the phone calling moments before I was stressed to the point of tears, but couldn’t break down, as I had to solve my situation.

Now that I felt better, I took a walk along the surprisingly nice and main Boulevard Montpairsse right around the corner. There were cafe and restaurant rows! I stepped in a nice pastry shop and got an onion tart (funny watching Iron Chef right now transcribing this and onions are the theme) which the very nice server offered to heat for me! And a large water bottle, and a berry tart – which turned out to have a delicious caramelized crust! He was so nice, he insisted on holding the bag until I put my money away, even though people were waiting behind me.

There I saw a wine shop across the busy street (and an accident with a car and motorcycle ran into it). I bought a red wine from Bordeaux for 25 FF and was a happy camper. Also I found an internet club close to the hotel, as well as two ATM’s which I tried!

At that point it was 20:00 or later and I returned to eat and to drink my wine on the balcony. I felt refreshed at having made it through the day!!!

Well it stayed light till 22:00 so I showered and wrote in my journal then tried to go to bed early before 23:00.

 

Continued 2 June, Wednesday 1999