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Post by GitteK on Jun 17, 2007 16:28:09 GMT -5
Happily landed and settled in Hotel Utrillo. I'll tell you: do NOT choose this hotel if an elevator is crucial. I can just about fit in with my suitcase and my trolley - and I still have to suck in my fat belly not to hit the opposite wall !! ;D Weather: humid, but mild. People are sitting outside in the terraces on Rue des Abbesses eating and drinking and having a good time. My first meal was as first meals always are in Paris: I died and went to heaven !!! Why is it that 4 triangles of toast with ham, tomatoes and melted cantal cheese, neatly arranged around a bundle of green salad with mustard-vinaigrette can taste like something that came right out of a 5 star restaurant ?? 2 glasses of chilled Sancerre, naturellement. Next to me there was this company of 4 persons who had just finished their dinner - and then the 2 men lighted the biggest motherf**** cigars I have ever seen!! And of course I got all the smoke to suck in with my tartines. What the heck, the ham was smoked anyway... Now I'll hit the hay and be fresh for tomorrow !! This is GitteK live from Paris, France - writing to you on the free-of-charge hotel computer !
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Post by andi on Jun 17, 2007 16:30:56 GMT -5
Oh Gitte I am so pleased for you right now, glad you landed safely too ;D
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Post by sistereurope on Jun 17, 2007 16:40:33 GMT -5
Gitte! You are so right girl...how do the French make such simple things taste so divine?? Luckymama and I shared a bottle of Sancerre last night in a little French bistro in New York - we toasted you since I know it's one of your favorites. Glad to hear you had some in Paris, and that all's good despite being smoked out...
We await further news...particularly the descriptions of you view from rooftop vista...sigh...
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Post by annettecinca on Jun 17, 2007 17:28:54 GMT -5
Gitte! You made it! ;D You have been in my thoughts today. Glad things have gotten off to a good start for you
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Post by luckyluc on Jun 17, 2007 18:22:09 GMT -5
Ah Gitte, je suis tout a fait d'accord, in France the most simple food taste divinely. I am glad to know that you are in the place that make you happy! A lot of posters know exactly the felling. Enjoy every seconds...
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Post by geordy on Jun 17, 2007 18:30:17 GMT -5
Sounds divine!! Great attitude about the cigars..but hey you are in PARIS!!! (I always have to talk to myself about that!)
Enjoy tomorrow..and the next day..and the next..and the next....
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Post by Roniece on Jun 17, 2007 18:55:54 GMT -5
Gitte... wonderful news that you made it safely you have made me a little peckish with your choice of food too!! yum!!! have the best day, though according to my time frame you will most likely be sleeping at 2am in the morning yes?? hmmm.... maybe not, perhaps you are out dancing!! have fun Roniece
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Post by cybee on Jun 17, 2007 19:02:25 GMT -5
GitteK!! Yoohoooo! I certainly have been thinking of you today and there you are! In Paris!!! So glad your hotel has a free of charge computer! Well, so glad you are there safe and sound and I know you are going to have the most splendid time!!! I will take what vicarious enjoyment that I can from your stay (which is only starting! Yeeehaa! (as Shoesy would say...no, she would not say that now, would she? )
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Post by trechic on Jun 17, 2007 19:33:42 GMT -5
Thinking of you Gitte, and glad to hear you arrived and are getting settled in...Looking foward to hearing from you again, soon!! Travelling with you - is sure to be a blast!
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Post by Shoesy on Jun 17, 2007 21:15:13 GMT -5
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Post by Shoesy on Jun 17, 2007 21:41:10 GMT -5
This is really taking a while to sink in ...... Gitte is finally in Paris !!! HURRAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D
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Post by GitteK on Jun 18, 2007 1:08:10 GMT -5
Just another little story from yesterday.
When we boarded the airplane there was this Danish couple who were obviously firsttime-flyers because they were so confused about how to find the number of their seats. So I showed them their place, just behind me.
When we arrived in CDG, I could tell that they were not only firsttime-flyers, but VERY much also firsttime Parisians too, because they talked about if it would be difficult to find the place where the bagage could be picked up, etc etc. So I asked them, if they were going to take the train to town, because then I would show them where to go (we arrived in terminal 3). It turned out that they were going to Montmartre (more or less, it turned out), so I suggested that we share a taxi as I was going in that direction too.
A moment of hesitation - after which the wife told me that she had seen "on the internet" that a taxi from CDG to downtown Paris was 1,000 dkk (about 140 € !!!), so they might prefer the train..... I told them not to worry, it would be max about 45 € to share - and that when being firsttimers without ONE word of French it might be a good idea to seek transportation directly to their hotel. I imagined them first trying to find the RER, then arriving at Gare de Nord and THEN trying to find the metro to La Chappelle (yes, NOT exactly postcard Paris) - and THEN trying to find the street, Rue Pajol, with their - how shall I put it, hmmmmm: very modest hotel. They would have been running around all night, clueless. So they lit up in the biggest smiles and said that they would NOT leave me out of sight and how wonderful it was that I would help them.
In the taxi the wife had her camera ready at all times and was so excited to take pics of Stade de France (!!) and when I told her to look uphill for Sacre Coeur she exclaimed: "Then I'll HAVE to take a picture !!!" (at 21:30, very cloudy....) She also told me that it had said on the internet that Place du Tertre was just close by their hotel. Well, more or less, but I didn't have the heart to tell them when they got off at Rue Pajol.
During the taxi ride (rush hour, so plenty of time) I taught them the basics: "Bonjour, Madame" - politeness at all times, remember ! Keep your metro ticket until you get off Make sure that you arrive at the E.T. one hour before opening, so the lines will be shorter Be sure to see same E.T. twinkling at the full hour etc etc Somehow I envy them - it will be the vacation of their lifetime ! They see everything here for the very first time with those BIG blue eyes, jaws constantly dropping - it really warmed my old blasé heart. They told me that the husband works at home fulltime as a paid-for-by-the-state fosterfather for their niece and nephew and the wife works at a medicine factory. So they had made all sorts of arrangements to have these kids looked after, so that they could finally get away on their own for a bit. They will never read this - but I wish them a very happy vacation ! Your trusty reporter GitteK Paris, France
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Post by Shoesy on Jun 18, 2007 3:01:11 GMT -5
Interesting anecdote, Gitte, and I truly understand what you mean about that special first-time in Paris. I remember myself on the first day of my first European trip, which was to Spain. It was a bit rainy, but that didn't stop me from happily dancing in the streets....sort of like Gene Kelly doing his "I'm Singing in the Rain" routine. Gitte - You omitted one very important detail, though. How much did that taxi cost?
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Post by andi on Jun 18, 2007 4:57:23 GMT -5
Actually Gitte you could have done some recruiting for us while you were at it........LOL Have a great day ;D
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Post by holger on Jun 18, 2007 7:03:35 GMT -5
;D Gitte, You deserve to triply have a wonderful vacation with your concern for others! Will be watching for your posts eagerly. I wish that way back in 1957, we had noted in writing the name of the really small and not very nice hotel a friend had booked for us. It was about a block from Sacre Coeur. Had no locks on the door to our room and the toilet and shower were down the hall--the bidet and sink in the room. Porter wouldbring the cafe au lait and croissants in to the room in the morning, never knocking. But it was our first time in Paris and I still recall most of it, except for the name of the hotel since we did not book it and I don't believe we ever had anything with its name and we paid in cash. But we had a wonderful time as I think your "little chicks" will too. Merci bien. ;D ;D
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Post by trechic on Jun 18, 2007 7:54:57 GMT -5
Ohhh Gitte...How generous of you and how lucky for them!! I hope there is someone there to help me when they see me walking in circles when I arrive at CDG in 4 months and 8 days!!!!! OMG! I get butterflies in my stomach whenever I think about it!! Nervousness and excitement all at once! I saw Paris je et'amie yesterday and Avenue Montaigne! I loved the latter!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jun 18, 2007 8:53:45 GMT -5
Gitte, that's a great story (and a very kind thing that you did!). If you had not, they probably would have ended up in the "I don't see why people like Paris" column but now they will always remember that they were given help when they needed it -- and that good karma perhaps can counteract some of the nonsense out there!
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Post by Shoesy on Jun 18, 2007 9:01:59 GMT -5
I just thought of something. Perhaps when that Danish couple comes home, they'll want to post on TA, and they'll add their pleasant experience to the "French Courtesy and Gallantries" thread, which was started by......... none other than Gitte. O.K. This would be a story about a non-Parisian having done a good deed, but it still happened in Paris.
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Post by luvparee on Jun 18, 2007 9:34:52 GMT -5
Gitte~
Glad you arrived safely and thought of all of us back here just waiting for a word from Paris! Merci!!
What a wonderful gift you gave those people in their entrance to France -- they will never forget you and your graciousness!
Keep the posts coming -- you know we're all salivating on our keyboards!!!
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Post by susanb on Jun 18, 2007 10:46:15 GMT -5
Gitte, You really ARE the sweetest person. I hope that you have lovely weather, good food and wine and the best trip ever.......I'll really be looking forward to your trip reports.....but only if you want to send them. Don't feel like just because we are all waiting behind like rabid dogs that you MUST keep sending them. And too everyone else that's over there now, have a wonderful trip. s
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