St. Louis to Detroit to Paris - Oct 11 and 12, 2008
20081011&12 – St. Louis to Detroit to Paris: Both of our flights left on time and arrived early. Got to STL airport two hours before flight time because the airlines worry about long security lines. Well, we were at the gate within 15 minutes of entering the airport. So we had a long wait. I had a CPK Thai chicken pizza for lunch and Sandy and Sharon joined us about 12:30 for our 1:35 departure.
Once in Detroit, we walked from one humongous concourse to another humongous one. And the Levins took us into the very plush NWA Club for our five hour layover. All four of us got onto our laptops with the nice free WiFi. We played, worked, read, sat, ate until it was time to get aboard. The concourse is so long there is a tram inside it to take you to your gate. We settled into our seats on Northwest flight 50 on an Airbus 300.
Dinner was served about 10:50 Detroit time (4:50 AM Paris time). Robin was given a very nice entrée and mine was okay, but not as good as hers. We both listened to our iPods for a long time before dinner and then afterwards. I tried to sleep, but was too cramped and only got about an hour plus overall. I got up several times just to unkink my knees and feet. Next time, I will probably put my backpack overhead so I have more room to stretch out. Naturally, Sandy got a full night’s sleep since he took a pill upon boarding, had eaten before he got on plane, and went right to sleep. And they were in business class as well with plenty of room.
Breakfast was simple and served about 9:30 Paris time. We arrived around 11:00, half an hour early, and taxied around and around for a very long time before we were put at a gate. Went swiftly through passport control and there is no customs to go through. Took taxi into city. Stopped at our hotel since they manage the apartments where the Levins are staying and gave Sandy the key. Our room wasn’t ready yet, so we left our suitcases, took our backpacks, and met the Levins right around the corner in front of their building.
We walked over to the Place de Bastille and went to the neighborhood street market (here every Thursday and Sunday). Lots of nice food as well as other stuff. Sandy bought stuff for dinner (roasted chicken, cheese, bread, greens for a salad, etc.). We snacked on falafel and humus from one of the booths. Then to the ATM for some money and back to the apartment. Robin and I returned to the hotel and our room.
Room 30 is up three flights of a spiral staircase with the steps small and tilted a bit downward. A schlep to say the least. You have to put a magnetic key in a slot in the room to have power. Great energy saving method … not here, no power since the key to the room is also attached to the mag card. Room is nice, but they took the two double beds and put them together into one bed and there is also a smaller cot-size bed. I asked about this at the desk (down three flights and up again) to find little sympathy. I will work on it again tomorrow since they have to make the bed in the morning. Then I plugged in my laptop to see about WiFi. Yep. It’s there. However, it’s costly. I had to go down again to find out access and fees. It’s about $26 a day for unlimited service. Good thing is that most of the parks in Paris have free WiFi and I think we can use the one the Levins use as well. So, updates and pix will be slower than usual getting online.
While Robin slept, I went with Sandy to a local market to buy wine for tonight and some other staples for their apartment. Looked at Paris maps to get my bearings and borrowed a couple of them. Then I walked past the hotel and down to the Seine to a bridge that goes to Ile St. Louis. Nice views down the river. Back at the room, Robin was still crashed. Supposed to go to Levin apartment for dinner around 6:00-6:30,
Had nice dinner of roast chicken, green beans, salad of lettuce and tomatoes, and several kinds of cheese (all purchased today at the street market) and a bottle of wine. Excellent dinner overall.
I could connect to the Internet from an open WiFi in the building, could read/send email, but could not send pictures out to Flickr. So, will have to wait. And then I kept falling asleep as I was talking to others. So, we went home and were in bed with the lights out at 9:00.
Once in Detroit, we walked from one humongous concourse to another humongous one. And the Levins took us into the very plush NWA Club for our five hour layover. All four of us got onto our laptops with the nice free WiFi. We played, worked, read, sat, ate until it was time to get aboard. The concourse is so long there is a tram inside it to take you to your gate. We settled into our seats on Northwest flight 50 on an Airbus 300.
Dinner was served about 10:50 Detroit time (4:50 AM Paris time). Robin was given a very nice entrée and mine was okay, but not as good as hers. We both listened to our iPods for a long time before dinner and then afterwards. I tried to sleep, but was too cramped and only got about an hour plus overall. I got up several times just to unkink my knees and feet. Next time, I will probably put my backpack overhead so I have more room to stretch out. Naturally, Sandy got a full night’s sleep since he took a pill upon boarding, had eaten before he got on plane, and went right to sleep. And they were in business class as well with plenty of room.
Breakfast was simple and served about 9:30 Paris time. We arrived around 11:00, half an hour early, and taxied around and around for a very long time before we were put at a gate. Went swiftly through passport control and there is no customs to go through. Took taxi into city. Stopped at our hotel since they manage the apartments where the Levins are staying and gave Sandy the key. Our room wasn’t ready yet, so we left our suitcases, took our backpacks, and met the Levins right around the corner in front of their building.
We walked over to the Place de Bastille and went to the neighborhood street market (here every Thursday and Sunday). Lots of nice food as well as other stuff. Sandy bought stuff for dinner (roasted chicken, cheese, bread, greens for a salad, etc.). We snacked on falafel and humus from one of the booths. Then to the ATM for some money and back to the apartment. Robin and I returned to the hotel and our room.
Room 30 is up three flights of a spiral staircase with the steps small and tilted a bit downward. A schlep to say the least. You have to put a magnetic key in a slot in the room to have power. Great energy saving method … not here, no power since the key to the room is also attached to the mag card. Room is nice, but they took the two double beds and put them together into one bed and there is also a smaller cot-size bed. I asked about this at the desk (down three flights and up again) to find little sympathy. I will work on it again tomorrow since they have to make the bed in the morning. Then I plugged in my laptop to see about WiFi. Yep. It’s there. However, it’s costly. I had to go down again to find out access and fees. It’s about $26 a day for unlimited service. Good thing is that most of the parks in Paris have free WiFi and I think we can use the one the Levins use as well. So, updates and pix will be slower than usual getting online.
While Robin slept, I went with Sandy to a local market to buy wine for tonight and some other staples for their apartment. Looked at Paris maps to get my bearings and borrowed a couple of them. Then I walked past the hotel and down to the Seine to a bridge that goes to Ile St. Louis. Nice views down the river. Back at the room, Robin was still crashed. Supposed to go to Levin apartment for dinner around 6:00-6:30,
Had nice dinner of roast chicken, green beans, salad of lettuce and tomatoes, and several kinds of cheese (all purchased today at the street market) and a bottle of wine. Excellent dinner overall.
I could connect to the Internet from an open WiFi in the building, could read/send email, but could not send pictures out to Flickr. So, will have to wait. And then I kept falling asleep as I was talking to others. So, we went home and were in bed with the lights out at 9:00.
posted by Bud Hirsch at 5:02 AM
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