Tuesday, 4th February, 2020.
I had persuaded Stuart that rather than book a safe, expensive door-to-door airport transfer to our accommodation, we should make our own way, to save money, see more of Paris and maybe even have some adventures along the way. This turned out to be correct.
Adventure #1.
We started off well, taking the driverless airport shuttle to the RER station, buying our tickets to our chosen Metro station Brochant (haven't remembered the alt keys for accents, will sort them out in due course) and taking the RER train to Gare du Nord. So far so good.
Now Gare du Nord is a very large station, with RER trains, Metro trains and several other sorts of trains coming and going all over the place. We decided that we had to go through some automatic gates to get to the Metro section. Stuart sailed through, but at the last minute I baulked, realising that as well as carrying a suitcase, I was wearing a backpack. This brought back embarrassing memories of the time I was trapped by the backpack in an automatic gate in London, flailing about like an upturned beetle until I was rescued by an unsympathetic attendant, who instead of enquiring kindly as to my welfare after this traumatic incident, chastised me sternly for not using the wider gate.
I was signalling to Stuart across the gates, rather effectively I thought, that I was going to look for a wider gate, when a kind French lady came along and shepherded me successfully through. She asked where we were going, and after consulting her map, told us where to go, which meant that we shouldn't have come through the gates after all. By lending us her ticket, she threaded us back through the gates, passing the ticket back and forth over the gate after each of us had gone through, in a manner which seemed to be highly illegal. We thanked her profusely and rushed off quickly before we were arrested.
Adventure #2 (the big one.)
After following the kind lady's instructions carefully, we couldn't find our way to the Metro trains, so went back again through the gates (successfully) and found them our way. We had to make four or five changes of line to reach Brochant, but after a while became quite good at finding the right line, right direction and right platform. Then disaster struck when a very crowded train came along. Stuart managed to insert himself and his luggage into the press of people, but before I could do the same, the doors closed and we were left staring through the glass door at each other in horror. Then off went the train and Stuart and there was I standing forlornly on the platform.
Adventure #3.
Well, we got out of that one much more easily than we might have, especially as we didn't have the use of our phones at that time. The next train, much less crowded, came along quite quickly and we were soon reunited at the next station.
The further we travelled from the centre of the city, the fewer escalators and lifts there were, so we found ourselves having to carry our suitcases up and down long flights of steps. I was quite bad at this, not being tall (or strong) enough to lift my suitcase high enough to clear the next step (going up) or the step I was leaving (going down) so had to bump awkwardly along one step at a time trying not to laugh too much. The most efficient way ended up being for Stuart to carry both suitcases, being of sufficient height (and strength) not to bump, and for me to follow up with our sundry bits and pieces. However, in one instance, a very elegant and beautifully dressed Parisian lady asked Stuart if he would like some help. I had to try even harder not to laugh.
Well, we finally reached our destination, and the lovely Magda was waiting to let us in. Our apartment is quite wonderful. The kitchen is well equipped but tiny, with room for only one person at a time (fine by me as that person is usually Stuart) but the other rooms are very spacious and comfortable. Our Parisian visit has begun.
Our lounge room, and the houses across the street.
The kitchen has a very pretty floor.
Stuart's room has a four poster bed but no hanging space, so he hangs his clothes around his bed.
My room has hanging space, but you have to squeeze in behind the bed to get to it. The cupboard that you can see houses an insect collection.
At the Green Door of our apartment.
We went out for an early dinner to celebrate our eventual successful arrival. Mussels and oysters for entree!
Then I had a genuine French onion soup. Yum!
I had persuaded Stuart that rather than book a safe, expensive door-to-door airport transfer to our accommodation, we should make our own way, to save money, see more of Paris and maybe even have some adventures along the way. This turned out to be correct.
Adventure #1.
We started off well, taking the driverless airport shuttle to the RER station, buying our tickets to our chosen Metro station Brochant (haven't remembered the alt keys for accents, will sort them out in due course) and taking the RER train to Gare du Nord. So far so good.
Now Gare du Nord is a very large station, with RER trains, Metro trains and several other sorts of trains coming and going all over the place. We decided that we had to go through some automatic gates to get to the Metro section. Stuart sailed through, but at the last minute I baulked, realising that as well as carrying a suitcase, I was wearing a backpack. This brought back embarrassing memories of the time I was trapped by the backpack in an automatic gate in London, flailing about like an upturned beetle until I was rescued by an unsympathetic attendant, who instead of enquiring kindly as to my welfare after this traumatic incident, chastised me sternly for not using the wider gate.
I was signalling to Stuart across the gates, rather effectively I thought, that I was going to look for a wider gate, when a kind French lady came along and shepherded me successfully through. She asked where we were going, and after consulting her map, told us where to go, which meant that we shouldn't have come through the gates after all. By lending us her ticket, she threaded us back through the gates, passing the ticket back and forth over the gate after each of us had gone through, in a manner which seemed to be highly illegal. We thanked her profusely and rushed off quickly before we were arrested.
Adventure #2 (the big one.)
After following the kind lady's instructions carefully, we couldn't find our way to the Metro trains, so went back again through the gates (successfully) and found them our way. We had to make four or five changes of line to reach Brochant, but after a while became quite good at finding the right line, right direction and right platform. Then disaster struck when a very crowded train came along. Stuart managed to insert himself and his luggage into the press of people, but before I could do the same, the doors closed and we were left staring through the glass door at each other in horror. Then off went the train and Stuart and there was I standing forlornly on the platform.
Adventure #3.
Well, we got out of that one much more easily than we might have, especially as we didn't have the use of our phones at that time. The next train, much less crowded, came along quite quickly and we were soon reunited at the next station.
The further we travelled from the centre of the city, the fewer escalators and lifts there were, so we found ourselves having to carry our suitcases up and down long flights of steps. I was quite bad at this, not being tall (or strong) enough to lift my suitcase high enough to clear the next step (going up) or the step I was leaving (going down) so had to bump awkwardly along one step at a time trying not to laugh too much. The most efficient way ended up being for Stuart to carry both suitcases, being of sufficient height (and strength) not to bump, and for me to follow up with our sundry bits and pieces. However, in one instance, a very elegant and beautifully dressed Parisian lady asked Stuart if he would like some help. I had to try even harder not to laugh.
Well, we finally reached our destination, and the lovely Magda was waiting to let us in. Our apartment is quite wonderful. The kitchen is well equipped but tiny, with room for only one person at a time (fine by me as that person is usually Stuart) but the other rooms are very spacious and comfortable. Our Parisian visit has begun.
Our lounge room, and the houses across the street.
The kitchen has a very pretty floor.
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