My Fourth European Adventure - Italy

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Somewhere over either Brittany or Normandy, France, Friday, November 18, 2011

I departed Houston this afternoon at 4:15 to fly to Rome, Italy for vacation. I am currently flying over France and will be landing in Paris in approximately 29 minutes. The on-screen flight map shows that we are flying just south of Bayeux and Caen. This reminds me of my first trip to France just over four years ago. I wish I had blogged that trip, but I still have blogs from my trip in 2007 to Guatemala that remain unfinished and unpublished. So I may never get around to blogging about my first trip to France and Europe as well. Just now I'm seeing a sunrise-lit blank of clouds out the window to my left. Well I also see the lady in the window seat and her four year old daughter sleeping next to me too. This girl kicked me all night as I tried to sleep.

So I remember that first trip to Paris with my sister Georgia, my brother-in-law Ben, and my sister's two friends Laura and Pat. Thanks Pat for helping to make the trip possible with the buddy pass. :-) On this trip to France, we visited Caen and Bayeux en route to the D-day beaches and cemeteries. That was such a memorable trip. Normandy is such a beautiful place. We ate so much good food on that trip. I got so museumed out and walked so many blisters on my feet that I hobbled to most of the sites the last few days. You can really walk everywhere you need to go in Paris and if it is a bit far you can always take le Metro. It was on this trip to Paris that the European travel bug bit me and actually took hold quite strongly to my being. Traveling to Europe has become one of my favorite things to do. I am so addicted to it. I love saving my money all year and planning my adventures. This trip will be only for 12 days and will only include Rome, Sorrento, the surrounding areas, and a 12 hour layover in Paris on my return to Houston. My boss warned me about taking cabs in Paris at midnight. I really wouldn't mind a Paris cab ride like the ones Gil took each night.

Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris, France

We landed in Paris among lots of fog. I cleared immigration and headed over to terminal 2F to wait for my connection to Rome. I'm really craving a chocolate croissant and a coffee but I will wait. We were served a small breakfast on the flight before landing so I am full.

This airport is really huge. This terminal is really modern and nice. I remember on that first trip to Paris I had to arrive alone after my sister and the group. I had never been to France before and spoke maybe ten to twenty words in French with horrible pronunciation. I felt just like I did when I jumped out of the boat on a shark dive I took once -- scared to death of the sharks that were swimming in what seemed to be smaller and smaller circles around the rope we were to hold onto and descend to 75 feet. I suddenly realized that I couldn't communicate with all the people around me. But I dove right in and had the time of my life, only butchering the French language a few times enjoying the challenge with a a healthy amount of trepidation. I loved the chocolate croissant I had in the train/metro station, even though I couldn't figure out how to pay for it with all the euro coins and not understanding the numbers that the coffee shop attendant stated to me. I guess it was the speed with which she spoke or maybe I hadn't studied that far enough into the French numbers. However, a kind gentleman pointed to two or three coins in my hand and helped me get the correct change to the lady. Wow what a great welcome and croissant. Later in the week when I ordered a baguette and a coffee in the cafe across from my hotel, I decided to ask for butter. Remember what I told you about my pronunciations? The server returned to my table with a pint glass of beer. I must have looked really shocked because he lingered long enough for me to play a quick game of charades making a spreading motion over the baguette with my knife saying the word that I thought was for butter. He said, "Ahh oui, beurre?".

Well now I speak a little more French than then and love the adventure of traveling in France. Thanks to my sister's friend Pat and my sister for helping me to run in to the European travel bug.

I will close for now as they are starting to board my flight to Rome. On to a new adventure in unchartered territory -- the Leonardo da Vinci - Fiumicino airport in Rome and try to get on the right train to Rome and find my hotel.

Au revoir Paris. A bientôt.

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