He'll sleep well tonight, I'm sure!
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Strike day travel...part deux (two)
Paris! Paris! Ok, let me back up a bit. When we heard about the strike, I first got really nervous. Then I prayed. Then I kind of relaxed, cause I felt confident that the good Lord had a plan for our day today, and I just needed to sit back and let it unfold. If we got trains, great. If we ended up sticking our thumbs out on the autoroute, fine. Well...not only did we get to Paris by 11:30 am, we got to spend the day there before heading out to our airport hotel! I feel very blessed!
By 12:30 we had bought our metro tickets and were out the door. We got on an Batobus,
Which takes us down the Seine to all the major sites. Since we've been here before, it was really fun to get around! We went to, but not in, the Louvre
We went to the Eiffel tower
And we went to the Notre Dame!
This is probably the single most complex, beautiful building I've ever seen! Pictures simply cannot do it justice. Not even remotely.
This dog was VERY intent on doing the doggie sniff...
Then gave Scrat a kiss.
Eventually, we ripped ourselves away from our whirlwind tour, got our luggage, and headed towards the airport. This is where we met our guardian angel. We expected that the ticket we bought was a metro line...instead, it was one of the regional trains that is subject to the strike!! As we arrived at the Gard du Nord stop where we were to catch our train, a woman overheard our confusion and offered to escourt us to our platform! She said she used to work there and knew right where to go. Sure enough, she found it for us...and we left 5 minutes later! Wow, it really was like being carried on the wings of an angel! Then, a few stops down the line, the conductor announced the train was not going the entire route, we'd have to get off and wait for another one. Darn...not out of the woods yet. Scrat did, however, make another friend...
He's sure a magnet! Anyway, after changing trains, and a 20 minute delay on the new train, it was about 9:00 by the time we reached the airport, and about 9:30 by the time we shuttled to our hotel! Time to tuck in so we can shuttle back to the airport in the morning!
Ok. Here goes our wild day in Paris.
Get in 11:30. Stow luggage and get ourselves to a great bistro for some very yummy salmon quiche
By 12:30 we had bought our metro tickets and were out the door. We got on an Batobus,
Which takes us down the Seine to all the major sites. Since we've been here before, it was really fun to get around! We went to, but not in, the Louvre
We went to the Eiffel tower
And we went to the Notre Dame!
This is probably the single most complex, beautiful building I've ever seen! Pictures simply cannot do it justice. Not even remotely.
Scrat made a friend there!
This dog was VERY intent on doing the doggie sniff...
Then gave Scrat a kiss.
We sat next to the Notre Dame for a glass of wine with a meat/cheese plate. Ahh, Paris.
Eventually, we ripped ourselves away from our whirlwind tour, got our luggage, and headed towards the airport. This is where we met our guardian angel. We expected that the ticket we bought was a metro line...instead, it was one of the regional trains that is subject to the strike!! As we arrived at the Gard du Nord stop where we were to catch our train, a woman overheard our confusion and offered to escourt us to our platform! She said she used to work there and knew right where to go. Sure enough, she found it for us...and we left 5 minutes later! Wow, it really was like being carried on the wings of an angel! Then, a few stops down the line, the conductor announced the train was not going the entire route, we'd have to get off and wait for another one. Darn...not out of the woods yet. Scrat did, however, make another friend...
He's sure a magnet! Anyway, after changing trains, and a 20 minute delay on the new train, it was about 9:00 by the time we reached the airport, and about 9:30 by the time we shuttled to our hotel! Time to tuck in so we can shuttle back to the airport in the morning!
Phew. What a day. What a trip!
Strike day travel...part Un (One)
Well...with still no plan, we decided to pack up and go the the train station at 9:00, cause that's what time the guy last night said it opened. Upon arrival, there were tons of people there already...and NO ticket agent. GRRR...
We saw on the departure board there was a train departing imminently for Dijon. Our tickets were to Paris thru Lyon...but we decided to hop on anyway. If we get fined, so be it. Dijon is closer to Paris than Lyon!
It's 9:30. In Dijon, the ticket counter was ALSO closed! I'm starting to see a pattern...
We see a Paris train on the reader board that leaves in 8 minutes. Well, in for a penny in for a pound...without a ticket for this train, we go to the platform. Tons of people. There's a platform conductor man telling people to move down to the end of the platform, as they do when the train has been shortened. We learned about that in Italy! Being faitly comcernrd that we don't have a good ticket, I asked him "Parlez Vous English"? Oui! I told him our ticket is for a different train...what should we do? He quickly said..."Is it for today?" Yes! His answer was music to my ears..."It's ok...as long as it's for today, get on the train!"
So, here we sit...top level of a high speed (about 200mph) train going to Paris, at 10:00 am! We then only have to find a way to the airport, which has to be possible somehow. We're hoping to get that figured out, then stow our baggage and play around Paris for the day before getting to our hotel tonight.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Scrat's last night in Beaune
Scrat seems to make friends wherever he goes! We just sat down for dinner, and...like a magnet,
Up comes a feret named Cleame! They were fast and easy friends.
Then, we went to sit in the city center park. Almost immediately, Scrat attracted his biggest admirer yet.
Aawk! Fortunately, we were there to wrestle him out of the jaws of certain death! Now he's...ah...drying out.
Up comes a feret named Cleame! They were fast and easy friends.
Then, we went to sit in the city center park. Almost immediately, Scrat attracted his biggest admirer yet.
Aawk! Fortunately, we were there to wrestle him out of the jaws of certain death! Now he's...ah...drying out.
Scrat's done for the evening. Maybe longer. So, well tucked in to the Scrat Pack, home we go, to pack for our big adventure tomorrow...finding a way to Paris!
Wine tour day!
Finally, the day I have been waiting for...actually since we were here 4 years ago! It certainly did not dissapoint, either!
We toured from Beaune north, almost yo Dijon. We tasted 6 wines from a very small winery in the Corton area, 3 whites and 3 reds. Very good all of them, of course the Ladoix premier cru was the best. Then off to Nuix St Georges for a fabulous lunch at a reataurant that has a very good selection of wines by the glass. I still can't get over how great the wine by the glass is here! We had 2 premier cru red wines...but I can't come up with their names, as Paul picked them for our meal.
This chateau has amazing history going back to 1058! Besides their amazing wine, they are also known for their wine celebrations and top level annual tastings.
Here we are at Romanee Conte, some of the most famous wine in this entire area.
It's so womderful to see in person all these wines I've seen in name only for all these years! I can see now what sets apart the Grand Crus, the Premier Crus, the village wines, and the regional wines!
Scrat of course had to see for himself. We showed him the rockiness of the soil! It was fascinating to see the soil difference between one side of rhe road, which may be Premier Cru, the other side of the road with Grand Cru!
Neither made me tear up like that 2006 I had a couple of nights ago, but they are both very yummy!
We met our guide Paul...looked around for the others we would be touring with...amd saw...nobody! What fortune to have a private tour of Burgandy for the entire day!
We toured from Beaune north, almost yo Dijon. We tasted 6 wines from a very small winery in the Corton area, 3 whites and 3 reds. Very good all of them, of course the Ladoix premier cru was the best. Then off to Nuix St Georges for a fabulous lunch at a reataurant that has a very good selection of wines by the glass. I still can't get over how great the wine by the glass is here! We had 2 premier cru red wines...but I can't come up with their names, as Paul picked them for our meal.
Then, off to the Chateua du Clos de Vougeot.
This chateau has amazing history going back to 1058! Besides their amazing wine, they are also known for their wine celebrations and top level annual tastings.
We got out into the vinyards as we drove,
Here we are at Romanee Conte, some of the most famous wine in this entire area.
It's so womderful to see in person all these wines I've seen in name only for all these years! I can see now what sets apart the Grand Crus, the Premier Crus, the village wines, and the regional wines!
Scrat of course had to see for himself. We showed him the rockiness of the soil! It was fascinating to see the soil difference between one side of rhe road, which may be Premier Cru, the other side of the road with Grand Cru!
In any case, the entire valley of production is only 1-3 miles wide, and maybe 30 miles long. It's divided up between humdreds of producers...some may only own 3 rows!
At our last tasting, we bought these treasures
Neither made me tear up like that 2006 I had a couple of nights ago, but they are both very yummy!
Paul was kind enough to bring us to the train station to try to help us figure things out...and found out things do look rather bleak for tomorrow! The ticket agent wasn't even there, the machine wouldn't accept our paper ticket to exchange. There was a guy there that Paul talked into trying to help figure out how to best get to Paris....but he couldn't say for sure. It looks like we'll go back first thing tomorrow and try again. We do know rhat the train we are booked on is cancelled. Argh!! So, now all we can do is go out for a last dinner and pray tomorrow turns more hopeful! Maybe we can get more of that 2006 wine...
Monday, June 11, 2018
Dinner #2 in Beaune
We're making good on Peter's suggestion to 'spend all your money'...on fine dining here! For dinner, we had a Grand Cru white with a cheese plate, which probably really confused our waitress, who is used to serving the cheese plate AFTER the entree. 
The wine was
For our entree George went right back to the beouf borgeounon(sp), while I had chicken in a burgundy sauce with mushrooms. Both came with the best au grautin potatoes either of us have ever had. Mine FINALLY came with some vegetables! This dinner was somehow even better than last nights!
Of course we had another Grand Cru wine...
Scrat even had some! He's becoming quite cultured!
Tomorrow, while '45' meets with Mr. North Korea (maybe), we'll be touring and tasting in the Burgandy vineyards. I for one will give nary a thought to world events. They'll go on, for good or not, while we enjoy our slice of heaven right here.
The wine was
For our entree George went right back to the beouf borgeounon(sp), while I had chicken in a burgundy sauce with mushrooms. Both came with the best au grautin potatoes either of us have ever had. Mine FINALLY came with some vegetables! This dinner was somehow even better than last nights!
Of course we had another Grand Cru wine...
Scrat even had some! He's becoming quite cultured!
You may notice I'm wearing long sleeves. During dinner, it began to rain. Then it began to pour. Then it continued to pour! We kind of anticipated this after the rain last night, so we sat well under cover tonight. It's a good thing the French aren't in any hurry with dinner service! All we had to do was wait for it to end, and meander thru the very wet streets home! Scrat, however, had enough rain this morn and tucked in for the ride.
Tomorrow, while '45' meets with Mr. North Korea (maybe), we'll be touring and tasting in the Burgandy vineyards. I for one will give nary a thought to world events. They'll go on, for good or not, while we enjoy our slice of heaven right here.
Bathroom breaks
The Italians are so attached to their bidets, even at cafes they have an option. So, just as I get used to this and have come to appreciate the option...
We go to France. I haven't seen one yet! In this restaurant...
One toilette and two sinks! In our hotel bathroom,
A toilette and a bathtub with two showerheads...but no shower curtain!
It all gets the job done, but I'm sure looking forward to my home bathroom!
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