Time zone change syndrome. Desynchronosis. Jet lag. A rose by any other name…no matter what you call it, few escape it and we sure didn’t. But sharing coffee and laughs with your sister at 4:00 am is priceless!
We Were Late For A Very Important Date
We were late meeting Clarice at the airport. I blame the Women’s Cup and the bazillion people at Chatelet-Les Halles getting on trains to Stade de France. Really though, there were several factors.
First, we didn’t count on a 30-minute visit to the Metro Office Window to exchange a prepaid day on Navigo from zones 1-2 to zones 1-5. Eventually, it got sorted and I left the window with a non-functioning Navigo but a ticket to the airport and back.
Second, we had no idea there was a sporting event at Stade de France, a stop on the way to the airport, and so the station was packed. ALL the Parisians were there. We couldn’t get on the first train to the airport, but luckily the next train was express with far fewer stops.
Third, we figured it would take Clarice as long to get through passport control and baggage claim as it took both of us. Luckily for Clarice, she got a short passport line and her bag was waiting for her on the carousel. Unlucky for Clarice, we weren’t there to greet her when she emerged from baggage claim. Boo.
Poor sisty! Thank goodness for cell phones! We finally met her near the airport train station so turned right around and got back on the train to Paris. Once on the warm and long train/metro ride to our hotel, Clarice started fading fast. We dropped her stuff at the hotel and went for a short walk in La Defense and to dinner.
Wandering Through Paris in a Fog
Our first day in Paris started very early. Clarice and I both woke up somewhere near 3 or 4 am, so we made coffee and chatted until Ron woke up. Then we spent time wandering the city, fighting off the mid-day I’m-so-tired-it’s-painful phase and grabbing a bite to eat here and there. We saw the outside of the Louvre, walked through the Palais Royal (strangely I have no photos of that?), we got as close to Notre Dame Cathedral as we could, wandered over to the Trocadero, saw the Eiffel Tower and strolled through the Left Bank before calling it a night.
Still, A Very Important Date
One very important thing also happened on this day. It was Clarice’s birthday! We sang happy birthday to her, but our plan to get candles, something to light them with and a pastry of her choice was foiled by Sunday. Most all of the shops are closed on Sunday! Boo! So, the birthday celebration would have to continue for another a day.
