6.13 MONDAY-PART II FINDING LE TOUR EIFFEL

OR

How Uber let us down.

So here we are at Esplanade de Invalides debating taking the RER to the Eiffel or an Uber or walking to Au Petit Sud-Ouest the bistro suggested by Pauline.  Already sapped by the run through Paris, Uber it is.  Of course getting an Uber driver to find the Metro Invalides stop is another thing, even when we pin it on the map.  

Herve finally arrives and were off to lunch… 

or maybe not. 

The security that surrounds the Champs du Mars, the designated FAN ZONE is a steel curtain of police and we are stopped 2 kilometers away from our destination, and 2.5km from Tour Eiffel.  Herve must let us out, where we don’t know, so out comes Google maps as Chucky tries to locate a route to Au Petite Sud-Ouest.

“Uh… This Way.”

“Are you Sure?”

“Uh...Yup.”

"Are you Sure"

“Hm… Maybe we'll ask this cop?”

“Bonjour, Monsieur, [always say Bonjour] 
Parlez Englaise?”

“Oui”

“Can you direct us to Avenue de la Bourdonnaise?”

“Je Ne Sais Pas.” {I have no Freakin' Idea}

“Wonderful… MERCI!”

‘à votre service.”

Back to Google maps.

“OK, I got it now.”
This goes on for about 3 blocks until we arrive a the corner of Walk and Don’t walk, otherwise known as ... another police barricade, somewhere near Avenue de la Bourdonnaise [he thinks].

After 2 back and forths searching for the right direction ON Avenue de la Bourdonnaise, HE finally stops at the lovely lady Gendarme and asks directions and she points him in the direction he had headed the first time.

Dragon Lady, {grumble… mumble…}

“Damn Sicilian… I told you this was the street.”

And they were off to find Au Petit Sud-Ouest, which as they approach find… its closed 

{Merde!}

“Ok now what?”

“Wellll… We head back to the Flat, 'cause I just realized we left in such a hurry this morning for WEGO, that I left the Effel Tickets there.” 

{Oooppppps}

“You WHAT?!?!” 

{Double Merde!}

So as they head back the way they came, passing lovely lady Gendarme who is just grinning at this scene, Dragon Chic says:

“You have it on your Phone, Don’t you remember you e-mailed me my ticket and showed me yours on your phone?”

“Yeah but I cant find it.”

After serious searching, she shows him how to find lost stuff on his Android [she has an iPhone… how does she know this stuff?!?]

And VOILA!!!, there it is.

“Now FEED ME DAMMIT.”

So a relaxing stop at Le Toureville on the corner of Walk and Don’t Walk for some delightful Penne with Garlicy Tomato sauce [not bad] for her and His First Parisian Croque Monsieur…[all others have poor American pretentious attempts.]

A couple glasses of a lovely Pouiily Fume [over priced] and they were off in search of Gustav’s masterpiece.

Once more past, now Grinning from ear to ear, lovely lady Gendarme who waves back at Chucky’s weak wave bye-bye.

Le Tour Eiffel was just where it was supposed to be… surrounded by a garrison of Gendarme’s, sultry tourists and 10,000 of our dearest, personal FUTBOL Fan-atic friends.

After braving security:

“Please throw your water away.”

[it’s like and AMC Theatre – Throw yours away so we can sell it to you inside!]

We head to the reservation line and… More Security, this one with an X-Ray machine and metal detector. 

“Place Everything on the belt, bangles and call phones in the bowl and step this way…Thank you.”

And we’re shown the head of the line since we had reservations.

Remember Italy 2001, where she left her camera, fanny pack with passport etc at Security at MIA???

And Chucky had to imitate an O.J. Hertz commercial racing back to get them?

Not this time… She got Lucky, the nice security guard come through waving her day travel bag:

“Does anyone recognize this?"

As she sheepishly raises her hand.

OK Scores even this trip… 

His multi trips past lovely lady Gendarme… and her forget the Bag Trick.

The trip up the tower was un-eventful, the view Spectacular but very windy, getting ready to rain.

Pictures from every side and down to find a way home.

The closest metro would still leave them with a hike home and Uber gets another chance.

Chatty Emin found us on the corner of Walk and… oh wait, that was back there…

The corner of Pont d’Elena and Quay Branly with a little coaxing [remember this spot… it plays a big part on Wednesday] and delivers us to our flat in short time.

A quick stop at FranPrix market for some finger food, a bottle of wine and 6 pack of liters of water, and it was upstairs for a leisurely nosh, sipping wine an rehashing the day for his notes… a quick polishing of Bonjour Paris [he's a bit behind] and crash.

Next up… a surprising trip to Versailles.

Wait… did HE say surprise? 

We'll you just have to way for the next ***ALERT*** to find out.

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The Already snoozin’

Dragon Lady