HELLO DELTA! WTF!

OR

Is this $#!% REALLY still happening!

Sooooo… as I'm enjoying my Scotch after penning that marathon NOWAT of the night’s tumult, my email dings and I see my requested ALERT to CHECK IN! 

So I tap the link and it takes me to the flight info which shows we’ve Already checked in but NOW - with all the hullabaloo about Viking screwing up MY ticket before the “Re-Fix”…  I see that it says

“NO SEAT for CharlesMR. - To Be Assigned at Gate”.

W T F!!!

I’VE LOST MY SEAT ON THE AISLE ACROSS FROM DL, THE ONE I PAID EXTRA FOR!!!

Tap-Tap-Tap/Dial-dial-dial…Ring-Ring

“Welcome back to Delta Charles! We see you have a flight today, how can we help?”  

YEAH, now even their freakin’ robot knows my name, apparently from registering my phone for...

Wait for it…

ALERTS!  

So… instead of holding, I choose - call me back in “3-10 Minutes”. 

The call comes in while I'm chasing the paperwork from the seat purchase and of course I drop the phone, disconnecting the call back.

Tap-Tap-Tap/Dial-dial-dial-Ring-ring…

Only to be “Welcomed again… “Do you want to cancel the call back… Press…?”  

No, Damn it… I'll wait. 

4 minutes later Bored Lana comes on and can’t understand what’s goin’ on.  She then asks:

"Do you want a Window or an Aisle…"

“I've Already Paid for an Aisle Seat… across from my wife… don’t you see the confirmation# from my purchase?”

“Yes”, she sees the confirmation…

“Do you want an Aisle or Window?”

Calmly, Softly, S-l-o-w-l-y...

“L i s t e n… L a n a…” 

After “One More Time” of the current and recent debacles…

“Please hold.”

10 minutes later an even more Bored sounding Lana comes back and say’s,

“OK try it now, do you see it?”.

“Yeah, Now I have my $15 seat back, 

THANK YOU!”

NOW, I have her check all the other seating stuff before I try to check in for Zurich at 8AM EuroTime/11PM PST and, being the weekend by then and me being in Europe, having no-one to call at VIKING "Air Freakin' Plus"!!!

All other seats are right and Bored Lana Thanks me for flying DELTA [as I'm wondering out loud WHY] and disconnects to the short one question Survey...

"On a 1 to 5 scale, 

5 being Strongly Agree - 

1 being Strongly Disagree, 

If You owned a business, would you hire the agent that just assisted you?"

Fill in the number you think I pressed...

There's more, but I gotta go... the Packing Ballet has already started - without me.

Where's that Damn Scotch bottle...

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The emptying the closet on the bed

Dragon Lady

THE PACKING BALLET

OR

Maybe just Half the Closet Dear?!?

“Quit whining, I’m REALLY traveling Light…as you mandated - {mumble-grumble - 'Crazy Little Italian Man.’}”

“Say What Dear?”

“Nothing, and why can’t I have MY Blow dryer?”

[You knew there would be dialogue about blow dryers ]

“I will repeat Dear…NO ROOM.  The Travel blower is just fine.”

Mumble-Grumble

Yup, the Ballet is in full swing, she Really has been frugal this time around but HE is still sizing it up as to if it will all fit.

[You know he’ll make it fit…
Happy Wife-Happy Life – except for blow dryers]

After last night’s multiple debacles with DELTA, Viking and Whatevah, he has been on the DELTA, U.S. State Department, The TSA, and Homeland Security websites, along with the Paris Metro info site, the SAIP [French Alert System to Inform Populations – they broadcast Security Alerts] and a Partridge in a Pear… wait, that’s different song. 

So far so good…

Fingers crossed, chanting a Tibetan Good Fortune Mantra… Oooooommmmmmm

With the Ballet just about finished, a quick Brunch, Shower, last minute recheck of passports, Euros, the right Credit/debit cards that don’t charge foreign exchange fees, sets him down to pen this quickie.

It’s 4PM EST and we now await Greg and Cristina to take us to FLL so there may still be room for Drama. Otherwise the next note will come from “Somewhere Out There” detailing getting There from Here.

Ooppppssss... there comes a Text from Fly Delta which he just accidentally deleted.  

OK... now the race for the Airport to find what all that was about.

Stay tuned... The may be DRAMA YET! 

  

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The In a Hurry to Get On With It

Dragon Lady

                                        

DEPARTURE CHAOS GALORE

OR

OK... maybe just a little.

We last found our erstwhile globe trotters waiting for their ride to try and beat the rain to FLL to find out what the latest DELTA Alert was all about… Nuthin’. 
Nobody knew Nuthin’.

OK... now armed with his Newly minted TSA PreCheck boarding pass [on his phone no less... no more paper for this guy] here's how it went when they headied into the TSA line with,

Wait for it…

You guessed it - 
Over-Stuffed Bags. 

Now, she promised to keep it light,

[Well it WAS all light weight stuff… individually, but she never promised that it wouldn’t overstuff her bag.]  And of course, DELTA and most others  have newly designed overhead bins and are now cracking down on carryon size with this nifty bag sizer that you couldn’t fit most women’s purses in [well at least not our Daughter-in-Law’s] so of course DL's bag far from fits and Cute L’il TSA Lady says…

“Un Unh - ya gotta check it in.”

“BUT Lady… we get this onboard all the time.”

“Un Unh. Ya gotta ask a DELTA agent – I can’t let that go through, regardless of your PreCheck status.”

So they call Nice DELTA Agent over who says, 
“Uh… can you maybe swap some stuff to another bag?”

It was the shoes [what else] all loaded on the outside pockets.

Sure… Chucky, aware of the new sized bins, knew it was gonna be tight  hell,… he always packs tight, so he left a little room in the laptop bag, and his bag, and her "personal item" carry on and a partridge in…  uh… wrong tune again.

Stuff swaping done, with a little shove here and a little grunt there and now her bag just wedges in halfway.  The nice DELTA Guy sees that Chucky is truly workin’ it and says, 

“OK I can let that through… enjoy your flight.”

Cute L’il TSA Lady Smiles, Checks our boarding pass’ and waves us through to:

TSA PreCheck – which is wide open, as is most of the other screening lines and we breeze through without having to bag lotions, disrobe, get x-rayed, wanded, full body scanned or deep cavity probed etc. until Chucky’s bag with his usual pouch of emergency tools makes the machine go BZZZZZZZZ.

“Is this your bag Sir," 
Says Smiling and Happy TSA Guy 
[Wow… that’s a first.]
"Can you step over here please?”

“The tool bag triggered an alert didn’t it?  It’s all on top, outside… right there." 
Say's nervously smiling Chucky.

"And yes they are all under 7 inches, Sir.”  

Says Smiling Chucky.  
[Always be polite to the Nice, Armed TSA Officers who have your timely departure to Paris in the palms of their very Handsome Hands.]

“I see that is true Sir, 
says Happy TSA Guy,
have a nice flight. Sir.”

Good thing Chucky didn’t pack his usual all-purpose travel tool with a file, saw, pliers, wire cutters, screw drivers and small blades [no Partridges]. 

Since they got their Global Entry Cards and PreCheck status just yesterday and he knew that the tools would register he made sure they were right on top - all legal sized and no blades.  In fact, he even left his usual travel cork screw home since it had a small blade.  No sense in messing up a good thing right outta the gate.

Speaking of gate…

Not Bad - 20 minutes from Curb to Gate.

Now to re-arrange the Over-stuffed Stuff before boarding…

Naaah Fuggehedaboudit.  
If it’s an issue in Atlanta we'll work it again.

This POST was started while waiting for DELTA flight 1527 to Hollywood for the connection in Atlanta [for which they have boarding passes, Real seats and a partridge in a… why is that tune repeating in his ear?].

So by the time you get it, THEY will be in either Atlanta, or Paris, depending on the Wifi in Atlanta.  The one at FLL STINKS.

We have Zone 1 boarding so stowing the Overstuffed Stuff should be easy, once we get past Very Tall Gate Agent, and of course when Chucky puts the phone with the boarding pass on the little Scanner Thingy… BZZZZZZ.

WTF!!! 
Now what?!?  Can this trip have more Left turns than Mario Andretti?

“Please see Senior Armando, who will check your passport.”

Apparently “International-Validate Passport” on the boarding pass didn’t register with Chucky since he made sure-TWICE that all the Passport info was correct in our file so Zone 1 was slipping past us as Senior Armando pecked at his computer. Glared at the screen, 
peck-peck-peck Glare-Glare-Glare… 
and so on till he finally walks us back to Seriously Tall Gate Agent, re-scans the boarding pass and…

DING - GREEN LIGHT! YEA!!!

The Overstuffed Stuff WAS a bit of a challenge in the newly designed “Miniature” overhead bins but do you think that could Stop Chucky?  Even Grouchy Blonde Flight Attendant was impressed that he got the bin to close when she swore that it wouldnt.

The Flight to Atlanta was uneventful and it was a bit of a lug and a train ride from Terminal 4 to Terminal 2 with a quick stop at the DELTA counter to make sure the “International-Validate Passport” issue wouldn’t pop up again at the gate then off to find a snack.

So… now the Wifi in Atlanta, is mediocre and since the stop for a quick bite took up most of the layover, he didn’t fire up the laptop until they got aboard DELTA Flight 84 to Paris.

Getting settled in was a chore with Chucky in and out of the overhead pulling chargers, laptop, iPad, and a Partrid... Ok enough with the damn bird… 

Time for dinner: Shrimp Salad or Chicken Something… or Vegetarian Lasagna and a Shrimp Cocktail… Can’t believe we’re even hungry but, yeah.

A little Wine with dinner, a full tummy but room for Coffee and a brownie and it’s time to nod off till Paris.

Stay tuned … the last check online showed the Train from the airport to Notre-Dame was still being Struck… 
Oh Joy…

In Atlanta DELTA International flights depart from Terminal 2 - at the very end, so it was Taxi-Taxi-Taxi until we reached Birmingham... 
OK, not that far... 
One quick right turn and our Driver Rockets Flight 84 Eastward into the night and...

THEIR ON THEIR WAY TO PARIS!

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The Checking out Inflight Movies

Dragon Lady

6.12 SUNDAY - BONJOUR PARIS!

OR

Let the U-TURNS BEGIN!

First... about last night… 

After the hearty {?} meal on Flight 84, he finished the previous post and tried for some sleep.  She was already sleep-masked up and snoozing like a baby, being one of THOSE that can put her head back and be out like a light. He on the other hand, couldn’t find a comfortable spot, positon etc, and of course his leg cramps kick in so needless to say, Chucky got no sleep on the plane.  And he knew that and jet-lag were gonna catch up with him a lot sooner than normal.

The Pilot found Paris without a hitch, [we thanked him on the way off Flight 84] and with a wave to Grouchy Blonde Flight Attendant, getting out of the terminal and to the trains was the next challenge.

Customs was a breeze:

“Bonjour, et Bienvenue a France, Monsieur.”

“Merci Monsieur, Happy to be here.”

Glare-Glare/Stamp-Stamp

“Au Revoir Monsieur, enjoy your stay in Paris.”

And we were off to find tickets and trains.

Wellll almost.

After explaining to her that there would be several stairs getting to the RER B train from CDG to Paris, and then a small hike [airport concourse type distance] more stairs for the change to the Metro 10 at the Saint Michel-Notre Dame, and then more stairs and a small hike from the Charles-Michel Metro stop to the Airbnb flat… Then came the debate: Train or Uber.

You just know Uber won that one and he orders one at e20 more than trains and hauling with a better anticipated outcome.

Finding Sortie 16, Terminal E to meet our driver Hamid in his Peugeot was another thing, with Chucky heading one way, then another, until he can figure out the correct direction...

and DL grumbling all the way,  

"Can you PLEASE pick a direction?!?" 
for sortie [exit] 16-2E, where he expects his Uber driver Fouad to show up in 10 minutes... then 9... back to 10… then 9… back to 10 and on and on.
  
30 minutes later, after a text and  a phone call, Fouad finds the right entrance to the lot outside Sortie 16-2E and rolls up with a big smile…

“Bonjour!”

Chucky Note:

You must always greet someone with a Bonjour or Bonsoir before anything else can happen 
{Our Latino subscribers understand this}

Fouad apologizes for the delay – well it was raining les chats et les chiens... 
{and SHE remarked that hiking and hauling in all that deluge would NOT make a happy Dragon Lady}

The trip to the flat was an easy 35 minutes and e10 cheaper than the estimate so it all worked out well.

Our hostess Yana, a cute, tall, and thin blonde who works in Ladies lingerie, was in the hall waiting for us with hugs, and kisses and Bonjour's all around. 

After explaining the keys and gate access token, showing us around, [not much to see, as with most European flats - pretty sparse] and giving us a few suggestions for dinner with Rod & Juanita later, she was off to her parents place for the next few days.

Settling in was easy and a call to Rod arranged a meeting at a Brasserie that Yana had recommend across from the Felix Faurer Station at the North end of their street. 

Since their flat was just South of us on the same street this seemed easy… 
Until…

Chucky and DL decided to stroll around and check out the Brasserie only to find that, being Sunday... 
it was closed.

A call to Rod with the change and they found that he and Juanita went out to do a little sightseeing by the river and got caught in the rain and had to hike back to their fiat to dry out to meet us at 7:30 – still down the block towards Felix Faurer.

We also got caught in the brief downpour [this would prove to be a constant thing] but WE had umbrellas, and it was back to our flat to dress a bit warmer after getting a little damp ourselves.

As we were leaving at 7:15 who comes bouncing past our front gate {that’s  how he walks - like Mr Bean, as Juanita calls him} but Rod and Juanita who had just stopped at the FranPrix market downstairs  from our flat.

Hugs and Kisses all around and we head out in search of somewhere for dinner, drinks and catching up.

Dinner at Brasserie A La Tour Eiffel [no Website] and drinks and deserts across the street at Charlie Birdy {both fairly unremarkable-although the last was a cute British Style Pub-Resto-Music-Spot with loads of FUTBOL FANS watching multiple games on the Teley} 
and just then... the jetlag finally caught up with Chucky.  DL wasn’t doing much better so they begged off a stroll or Seine Riverboat as originally planned since it looked like rain again and they had a very early day to meet WEGO WALKING at Notre Dame for the stroll around Paris.

Rod was unable to book a spot for WEGO so they opted to find other distractions and/or the Louvre and meet up for dinner later Monday. 

Hugs, Kisses and Au Revoir’s around and it was home to Crash…

The next post will cover Monday’s Hike through Paris, along with Chaos & Drama, U-turns and all. 

What... after all the Trip Gremlin inspired drama at the start of this trip, you expected it to be smooth sailing from there???

Silly You.

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The sooo tired she napped in the elevator

Dragon Lady

6.13 MONDAY- PARIS ON THE RUN

OR

How we saw Paris in 3.5 hours… well… at least some important stops.

Morning came hard, Chucky had a rough night with multiple leg cramps with a bruised ankle still swollen from the 13 hours in the air. [He’s outta shape and tomorrow we find some Quanine Water!] and still DL also tossed and turned all night so rolling out for her was a chore as well.

No time for coffee in the flat, we headed out to Charles Michel Metro for a trip to the La Sorbonne stop and then a short hike to meet WEGOWALKING  - Paul and Pauline - at Pont  au Double in front of Notre Dame.

Getting on the Metro was fine, getting to Pont au Double proved a challenge.

After several back and forth’s looking for the tunnel connecting La Sorbonne to Saint Michel-Notre Dame Sortie [which Chucky knew was there - just a block long hike] she insisted on backtracking to Sortie Saint Michel and found their way to a Café Stop on the Quay Orsay for a Croissant and Café.

Pastry in hand we found Paul on the Pont that leads to Notre-Dame checking in what was to be later referred to as his “Family”, as in “this Way Family” each time he bolted off to the next lecture spot .

Notre-Dame is one of those Marvels that you wonder how it got built and after all the abuse, how it’s still standing.  After you digest all the info in the link above, you'll understand why.

The tour had us galloping from point to point, Pont to Pont, monument to monument.  Starting at Notre- Dame past Kilometer zero [km 0 the spot where all distances in France are measured from Paris located in Parvis Notre-Dame - Place Jean-Paul II ], it was onto the Palais de Justice the Musee d'Orsay and The Louvre, through Jardin Des Tuileries – with a quick stop at the “Cleanest” public toilet in Paris [according to Pauline] then onto Place de la Concorde [where a lot of folks lost their heads during the French Revolution.  Not unlike the FUTBOL FANATICS roaming the city after several Pints before, after and during the EURO 2016 matches. A VERY Rowdy bunch even this early in the AM]

From the Place de la Concorde to the Grand Palais and Petit Palais’, past a remarkable statue of Churchill, across Pont Alexander [recently dubbed Adelle’s Bridge-you have to have seen the “Someone Like You” video to get that one - where just about every Bridge Scene in the movies is shot including Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, more on this one later] and into the park in front of Les Invalides, once a hospital for the wounded warriors of France, now a Military Museum and home to Napoleon's Tomb, where the tour ended.  

Whew… outta breath yet? 
We were.

The tour was supposed to end at Le Tour Eiffel, but increased security for the Euro 2016 and Fan Zone on the Champs du Mars - which we would later experience first-hand - dictated the change.  

But one last word on WEGO WALKING, Paul and Pauline.  There are people who are passionate about a subject and there are PASSIONATE PEOPLE who are consumed by their love of their subject.  Paul is the latter. One of the best and most informative walking tours we have taken. 
Yes he ran us... well truth be told, I would stop for a picture here, a picture there and then have to run to catch up, but he did keep a strong pace to each stop.
And Pauline was great at filling in tid bits here and there as well as giving suggestions, or helping some of the Family with advice on A to Z.  If in Paris, for the first time. Book these folks, they are TOPS!

After wrapping up the tour, which consisted of lots of anecdotes and “atmosphere” Paul thanked the “Family” and began answering delayed questions and giving directions etc, as did Pauline, who directed us to her favorite spot for lunch, which was on the way to the Tour Eiffel where we had tickets for 3:30PM.
And the journey there Dear Hearts, with all the drama that ensued is for the next post.

Now, I gotta crash, its still catching up with me.
More Monday in Part II

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The foot tired

Dragon Lady

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       

6.14 TUESDAY-VERSAILLES

OR

How the rain almost spoiled our day… but that really wasn’t what did.

“Sorry Monsieur, I can't sell you a ticket.”

“Por Quoi, Monsieur?” Asks Rod.

But Wait... we need to start the day...

Police sirens and the lady across the hall yelling at her kids beat the alarm to wake us up to a beautiful day.

Time to hustle the morning ritual and grab a croissant and coffee at FranPrix on the way to pick up Rod and Juanita. Then off to the Javel RER C station to buy tickets to Versailles.

A quick tour of their flat at 7 Rue De L’eglise, right down from us showed that they got the better deal for a modern flat on the ground floor. 

It was just a short walk to Javel but the ticket machines were a little balky.  Fortunately Chucky has no problem finding a willing soul to help and using the machine outside the station they secured tickets to and from Versailles Rive Gauche.  A short wait and they boarded train VICK along with an interesting tour group.

A lovely train ride deposited us a the end of the line. On the way to the Chateau, we pass a ticket office and since Rod hadn’t been able to get tickets online the day of the trip, we stopped and were greeted with:

“Sorry Monsieur, I cant sell you a ticket.”

“Por Quoi, Monsieur?” Asks Rod.

“It is closed due to Strike.”

W.T.F!!!!

Oh it just keeps getting better, just wait!

“It may open around 1000 -1100hrs but I cant sell tickets until then.”

“OK… we have tickets,” says Chucky, “lets go see how bad the lines are.”

So we traipse off to the Chateau and arrive to see a line all the way out to the Monument in the central arrival area.  Of course there are more buses arriving so Chucky leaves them to hold a spot and walks up to the gate to see if there is more info.  Now we bought the tickets online to “Beat the Lines”.  So much for that as it seems there is only one line in before the ticket office for security check.

Word from the other side…they’re still meeting, more news maybe 1030.

Back to “Our Gang” and watch more busses arrive and see the line stretch all the way to the bus lot

What started out as a Beautiful day is about to get a lot grimmer as… the clouds start to roll in.  Yup, 54F, its gonna rain and we're stuck outside in a line 300 meters long. 

We all have umbrellas, many folks don’t and the rains comes in sheets, with a 15 MPH wind… Oh Joy.

What isn’t covered by our meager travel umbrellas is quickly getting soaked and freezing.  Juanita finally breaks down and calls over one of the Senegalese vendors, who have everything from Tour Eiffel trinkets to scarfs, tee shirts, Umbrellas and PONCHOS!

A little haggle gets him down from e10 to e5 and she gets at least the top half covered, but all our bottom halves and shoes are soaked.

Do we wait, or do we bolt?  We’ll wait.  The rain is relentless and at 1100 we see a break at the front of the line - all heading back to the train.  A passerby confirms that its closed for the day.

NOW, it clears up.

Well, we all agree it was a lovely train ride.

Off to find something hot and a nosh along with some trinkets for the kids Then another lovely train ride back to drop The Westmaas’ back at their flat to get dried out.  We agree to meet up 1530 at to grab a quick bite before they head out to Gare du Nord and the EuroStar back to Jolly Old.

After sauntering up one rue after the other we settle on a “Que Cute” spot on the corner for some unremarkable eats and beer and that is that.

We walk Rod and Juanita back to their flat with hugs and kisses all around with a promise to make the London the Next trip.

We get back to the Flat to relax, catch up on NOWAT and after a brief nap decide to try and find Le Coup Chou for an authentic Parisian meal… but that little sojourn will have to wait ‘til the next post.

Are you having fun yet?  They REALLY are, in spite of the Trip Goblin’s trying to rain on their parade… Oh Wait… they did.

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The Ready for the next Adventure

Dragon Lady