We made it to Paris!

 

We picked up a rental car at Tucson airport about noon on Tuesday, (cute little Nissan) and returned home to drop off our car.  Loaded up the rental and were on our way about 1:30 pm.  Actually not too much traffic, which was nice, and we reached the DoubleTree Phoenix Airport (our favorite airport hotel) about 3:30.  Got settled in our suite, only to discover that Caltech’s observing partner in China had FINALLY come in with their requests for observing time while we were making our way north – giving R plenty to do.  Fortunately, R was able to get in a few hours on the project both before and after dinner with the result that he felt very good getting on the airplane on Wednesday.

 

We had dinner at the hotel’s restaurant Brix, which, while rather pricey, offers some very good options!  In this case, I had their Brix burger with cheese and bacon, and it was excellent!  R had their special of the day, rigatoni and sausage, which was delicious!  Unfortunately’ no photos as the camera was definitely safely stowed!  Back up to the room and I was asleep by 8:30 pm.  Up about 4 am as we do like to be early for flights!

 

Actually, a good thing we do – we left the hotel at 7 am for our 10:50 flight from PHX to Salt Lake City. Dropped the rental car off and took the train back to the airport, and down to drop off R’s suitcase with Delta.  And there was quite a line!  Turns out, apparently all computers in the airport for all airlines were out for two hours that morning!  Talk about a mess!  All the check-in kiosks were down, and the desk agents somehow had to go “behind the scenes” to print out luggage tags!  We kept seeing the same staff people running back and forth and coming out with labels in their hands!  Oh boy!  Finally, as we were waiting, R observed that the kiosks seemed to come back on – so I was the guinea pig and tried to get R’s baggage tag – and it worked!  Got his bag tagged but still couldn’t drop it without going through the line, as all the reservation computers now had to be rebooted as well…took 45 minutes to get to drop off … and as I say, SO glad we left early!  From there, upstairs to security, and literally, we were through that in something less than 3 minutes!  

 

We were in Terminal 3 at PHX, which is a lovely big terminal – and of course, as R would say, we were at the very END of a very long terminal building!  Found some lovely seats with power plugs included, so settled in to wait for our flight to SLC.  It arrived on time, and we actually got off a few minutes early!  Surprising, as I think every seat in the plane was taken!  A VERY full aircraft, but a very smooth flight – about an hour and a half, and voila! Into Salt Lake City!

 

Landed in Salt Lake at the very last gate but, this time, our connecting gate to Paris was actually immediately opposite where we got off!!  I mean, how often does that happen??  Found some nice seats and settled in to wait the hour or so until our next departure … did have one hitch, though!  As I was coming from the Ladies back to our seats, I managed to find a patch of water on a very slippery tile floor, and yep!  Down I went!  It’s amazing how one tries to catch oneself when one falls!  I mean, I don’t do it for a pastime, but when my foot started sliding out from under me, I managed to wrench myself round so that I could cushion my fall.  Still really hurt though!  Some very nice people immediately came to my aid to help me up and steady me, and escort me back to Robert.  I truly, truly appreciated the kindness of these lovely people who wanted to make sure I was okay, first to get up at all, and then to move around!  Have to admit, I was more than a bit shaken – not to mention wet, as there was definitely water on the floor.  My shoulder and wrist did hurt for a bit, as did the hip on which I landed, but by the time we started boarding, I was feeling pretty okay.  It’s just so quick that something like that can happen, it’s really scary!

 

On to the plane, and into Delta’s Comfort Plus seating, which was about five rows of two/three/two seats, and very comfortable!  We had the bulk head, which I really like, as no one was in my lap!  And very shortly, we were on our way!  One comment that I would like to make here:  Somehow, a 10 hour flight is WAY shorter than a 16 hour one, which was the last international flight I was on, so this actually felt like a breeze!  Really good food – roast chicken in a tomato sauce with veggies and an excellent salad of greens and parmesan cheese and cherry tomatoes, and excellent service!  Lots of water and juice continued circulating throughout the flight, as well as trays of snacks!  Chips and Cheese-its and full-size Hershey bars!  Not too shabby!!  Definitely would recommend Delta’s Premium Economy!

 

Movie selection was okay – but the new Jurassic World: Rebirth – not so good, but now I’ve seen it, I probably don’t need to see it again!  And before we knew it, we were landing at CDG!

 

Walked … and walked … and walked once we were off the plane - never a bad thing, after sitting for 10 hours, but these corridors seemed really endless!  [Note from Robert: They didn’t seem endless, they were endless!]  Very gray but early morning here, down into customs and immigration.  Well … interesting.  Got in the line for US/Canada and a couple of “others” – and for about 5 minutes or so, it didn’t move at all!  Then, as the hall started really filling up with passengers, things started to move – or at least our line did.  We finally filed into a row of machines – similar to the ones we had gone through at Heathrow last year.  First, you scan your passport (glasses off, like your passport photo).  Then, if the passport passes muster, two plastic doors slide open and you walk into a small private corridor (knowing that there are lots of others doing the same thing on both sides of you).  At this point, you walk to the end of the small corridor (about 3 feet) and there’s a camera.  You look into the camera and it centers on your face and takes your photo.  If all goes were there, then the second set of clear glass doors slide open and you through.  In London, that was it, but here in France, there are actual people to STAMP your passport!  Amazing!  R has had his new passport now for a couple of years, and I think this is the first stamp in it, because most countries aren’t stamping passports now!  Very exciting!

 

Now over to wherever they’ve assigned your luggage carousel.  In this case, all the luggage was already offloaded onto the belt, and was going around … so we were able to get R’s case and be ready to leave the airport!  And out, as I say, into a gray Paris morning, about 55 degrees.

 

Headed to the taxi rank, as I for one was too tired to figure out where to find Bolt (the best alternative to taxis in Paris) and into a lovely cab to take us to Hotel Elysa.  Between the traffic (bad, as it was rush hour) and a very conservative driver who, I don’t believe, really knows Paris all that well(!) it took over an hour and a half to get here!  He wanted to go along the Seine, which, as anyone who knows Paris can tell you, moves at an absolute snail’s pace at ALL times, but hey – he was driving!  Finally made it here, and we collapsed into our room.  R decided to do a little bit of work, and I had a nice nap!  I’m up now, and it’s about 1:45 pm.  I’ll be getting R up soon, as there are some things I want to do today (I know, it’s a travel day…) and I also want him to sleep tonight!

 

So, more later! Settled in our lovely room at Hotel Elysa, room 402, a triple room on the 4^th floor.  Certainly not the largest room we’ve ever had, but it is large according to Parisian standards, which is nice!  Huge king-size bed with a nice couch as well as a desk and two spaces for luggage.  Also a single chair and a small round coffee table, all very convenient for holding “stuff” – of which we seem to have quite a bit!  

 

Out to a having-rained afternoon about 2:30 and first to the Luxembourg RER station right around the corner to charge up our Navigo Decouvert  transitpasses.  We’ve had them for several years, and they have our photos on them, and whenever we come to Paris, we can just recharge them for a week or for a day.  In this case, we’re doing day today, as we’re out on Sunday, but it makes it SO convenient for just hopping on and off buses and the Metro and RER whenever/wherever we are.  

 

So, with cards loaded up, we next headed just down St. Michel to the MINES Museum, which has been there for years, and we never knew it!  It took an article in the NY Times to show us – and it was literally less then 3 minutes walk from the RER station!  Followed the signage to the second floor, and voila! We were in the mineral museum!

Me in front of Luxembourg Gardens fence

R's favorite mineral - Rhodochrosite!

Some stunning fossils!

More Rhodochrosite

Always did like emeralds...

 

Quite a fascinating display of rocks and minerals – both of which we love, from all over the world!  It was funny seeing some copper from the Copper Queen mine in Bisbee, Arizona!  A friend from home!!  They did have some polished gem stones near the end of the exhibition, and apparently even something from the French Crown Jewels collection!!  However, those had been removed following the heist at the Louvre, and you can see the information as it was posted on the display space.  Very interesting!  Obviously, if thieves were able to break into the Louvre in broad daylight, they’d have a field day at this place, considering the age of the display cases!  At any rate, a very enjoyable and highly recommended museum, if your interests are at all mineralogical, which ours tend to be!

 

Looking down a path in the Luxembourg Gardens

From there, we headed back to the hotel so that R could get another hour+ of work done, and I could take another nap!  Out again about 6 pm to head to one of our favorite Paris restaurants – Relais de l’Entrecote on rue Saint-Benoit, just off Rue Saint-Germaine des Pres.  We have been to an Entrecote in Lyon several times, and while it is good – and from the same family – this one on Saint-Benoit is really fantastic!

 

Took the RER this time, as we figured one change of Metro/RER lines was worth getting really close to our destination, rather than several buses that headed in that direction.  (We really do prefer buses, but sometimes … Metro can be great!)  Arrived about 6:15 pm – they open at 6:30, but of course do NOT take reservations! And R estimates that the line was already about 50 yards long!  I was fairly certain we’d have to wait for diners to finish before we got in, but really, the place is BIG, the tables set VERY close together, and those waitresses really MOVE quickly!  As a result, we worked our way up to the front of the line and were seated in about 15-20 minutes!  Great, especially as we were both hungry, not having had anything to eat since our very good breakfast quiche this morning on the airplane!

 

For anyone unfamiliar with Entrecote (which is a particular cut of beef steak) they basically serve one thing:  Entrecote!  Surprise!  And it works as follows:  Once you’re seated, you are asked two things: How do you like your steak (well-done, medium or rare) and what do you want to drink?  That’s it!  No more choices until it comes to dessert!  And rarely does anyone ever get to dessert, because the portions are so large!

 

Relais de l'Entrecote -- with line forming!

Excellent salad & bread!

Entrecote with secret sauce and frites!

We were seated between a young English couple on one side (very nice!) and three young American students who were thoroughly confused by the entire process.  Everyone gets the same salad – frisee and mixed lettuces with walnuts and a French mustard vinaigrette dressing – yummy!  Then, as soon as you’re finished with that, your plate of entrecote with “sauce secret” and a heaping pile of frites is placed in front of you.  It was, as always, absolutely delicious!  Then, just about the time that you think you’re full – they come with the second portion of entrecote and frites!  Wow!  Very hard to finish, actually – which is why I think in all the years we’ve been going there, we’ve only had dessert once!  All washed down with a bottle of sparkling water and a lovely split of St. Emilion Bordeaux wine.  

 

After waddling out of the restaurant, we then headed back to the Metro Line 4 for three stops and Cite – and – Notre Dame.  I had tried unsuccessfully for the past week to get reserved tickets (they’re free, but we didn’t want to stand in line!) but kept getting SOLD OUT.  So, delving further on-line, I found that most people don’t get reserved tickets either – they’re only available up to 3 days in advance, and then only in small numbers – which apparently are snapped up immediately!  Don’t know if tour groups are doing it, or what.  At any rate, I read that early mornings (they open with 8 am mass) and late afternoons are better, but particularly Thursday evenings, as they are open until 10 pm then!  So – today being Thursday, that’s where we headed.

 

Those folks posting on-line knew what they were talking about!  We quite literally walked right in (after, of course, going through the Disneyland-maze of barricades) the front door!  And, it was sensational.  This will come as no surprise to folks who know me well, that I tend to get very emotional about things.  I cry at all weddings, funerals, baptisms and graduations (which was tough, because I did three a year at Art Center for years!)  So, of course, I started to cry!  And I sobbed … so if I look funny in any of the photos, that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!  I guess it’s that when it was burning, I felt so badly for our young friends Margaret Rose and Ava Louise, who I felt would never get to see it in their lifetimes!  But I was SOOOOO wrong!  It looks absolutely SENSATIONAL inside!  It’s white and clean, and the painting has been all refreshed – as Rsaid, it hasn’t look this good in 1,000 years!!  And, making it even better, there weren’t even that many people inside!!  So, for a great memory and travel experience, go to see Notre Dame late on Thursday night!  It was wonderful!!  

 

The building just glows at night!

And the inside is so white and clean!

The restored rose window!

Colors refreshed everywhere!

Spectacular pillars!

Beautiful memorial!

Leaving ND about 8:45 pm we walked back to St. Michel to catch a bus back up the hill to our hotel.  Arrived here a little after 9, and now I’m rushing to get this done and posted so I can get to bed!  R is already sound asleep sitting up on the couch, but I’m going to have to wake him up to proofread and get the photos downloaded … I’ll make it to bed sometime (hopefully!)  As it turns out, not sure what’s on the schedule for tomorrow day, as we don’t have Louvre tickets until 5:30 pm tomorrow night!

 

So, glad to be back in Paris, and more tomorrow!

Much love,

m

xxx