Leaving Paris & My Journey Home.

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“When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'.” G. Marx

And I've got to sum up my trip by saying, "Damn, that was fun"!

I had a fantastic, phenomenal time in Paris, and furthermore, it was great reconnecting with my old friend Marth, & reminiscing about the "good old days". It was also a wonderful opportunity to make some new "good old days" memories that we will laugh about in the future, and that will live on for a lifetime in my memory. We forget that every day we have, will eventually become a "good old day".

Everyone should have that one friend that you can talk nonsense with, and that nonsense is respected! And...it was nice to do something on my own, without worrying about everybody else's needs, no making sure everyone had packed enough underwear, (Marth was on her own in this regard), and I didn't have to nag anyone to brush their teeth & comb their hair! (Well I did nag Marth once or twice about that!) Ah, a day without laughter is a day wasted!

So I left Paris for home on Saturday and will classify my journey in three parts called:

1. Sunshine & Roses

2. Sunshine (no roses)

3. Survival of the Fittest

So to begin...

Sunshine & Roses

I was up at 7:3am, finished packing & we headed out for breakfast. Paris is eerily quiet on a Sat. morning. We had a "petit dejeuner" breakfast for $11.50E or $14.83 CDN (approx) for a cafe creme, orange juice, 2 eggs & ham, and toast. I found that expensive for a meal that I can make for $1.50 at home but I kept my grumbling to myself and it was after all, our last meal in Paris together.

Marth has a thing for cafe creme, and I'm not a big coffee drinker but I had one with her & I just don't see what all the fuss is about. To me, it looks like a cup of air, with whipped frothing on top, and sort of tastes like coffee but you have to drink almost a third of the way to taste coffee & they charge you one arm for it. (each to their own). I guess I like my coffee like my men; solid & strong 😊 Oops, men should be "man". (I only have one...seriously Al, only one!)

After breakfast, we did a final bit of shopping. I really like this one store called Camaieu. If I had to say what it's like, I'd say it's a cross between Le Chateau & the Garage. Anyhow, they've got beautiful scarves, clothing, coats, hats, gloves, funky boots, and I LOVE their costume jewelry. Very unique. SO I picked up a few more things for some deserving loved ones at home. It was a leisurely few hours of soaking up the last remnants of Paris before heading out.

Marth came with me to the airport which was a nice gesture. Our cab pulled up, & this petite wiry French woman hopped out of the cab, grabbed my heavy suitcase like it was a Kleenex box and threw it in the cab with my other two bags. Well, she ripped down the streets like it was the Indie 500; and then we got onto the express way, and boy if you were in her way, she flashed her lights, honked, zipped around cars while also talking on a hands-free cell telling her son where to find sandwich fixins' in the fridge! (I looked at Marth and smiled; it was like seeing me in the front seat driving us!!!) I like a strong woman who can get the job done.

SUNSHINE...

Check-in went very smoothly at the airport; there was one couple in front of us!! Passing through this beautifully Christmas decorated airport, I noticed people with dogs & cats, & I have to say, even their pets are well-groomed & well dressed, and further well-behaved. It was a different scene arriving in Ottawa; kids were unruly, running around, whining, with runny noses & hair sticking up. (We need to take a page out of the Parisians book!)

I had time for a quick drink in the Paris airport, then they called us to start boarding & the lines were long. Then they announced it would be delayed for about 20 minutes (collective groan). Two people cut the line in front of me, and I let them, they were seniors and were looking very tired.

I had pre-checked in and got row 22 & a window seat. There was a man on the aisle seat & no-one sitting between us (YES!). The flight was long- 7 hours & 10 mins., but it is luxury & comfort all the way & no lineups for the bathroom.

Within an hour, a hot meal of your choice of chicken (or fish) was served, along with vegetables, bun & butter, bottled water and an oatmeal cookie. They served wine, and so I ordered 2 mini-bottles (equal to one wine glass). The guy ordered a red wine, and after the cart left he said, "I didn't know you could order two"! Stick with me buddy; we'll go places! (Food & wine and beverages were free on the flight to and from Paris). Air Canada was great to fly with I will say.

I did have a screaming 2 year old in front of me most of the way, but his father tried to keep him occupied. He was a cute little boy, but that is a long trip for anybody. His mother was totally inept with him, perhaps because he would slap her in the face, and then she handed him off to his dad without any admonishment (punishment). She also decided her chair was a rocking chair with this constant rocking back & forth, and a few times things flew off my tray. Luckily it wasn't my little bottle of wine, or she'd have found herself launched into the cockpit (smile). I really do wish people would read about airplane etiquette. One of these days I will write a book called, "Airplane Etiquette for Dummies, Idiots and Anyone Else Who Falls Into These Categories."

I was pleased my airplane companion didn't want to talk my ear off about his indigestion problems or the fact he had a "wild time in Paris", (wink wink nudge nudge). He also didn't try to crawl over me to see the plane take off; I've had that done to me by Marth, and my opinion is, if you want to see the world from that far up, book your own window seat, or get a parachute.

So it was off to a good start, I had good comfortable seating on the plane, and I was heading home to see my little family who I missed. Nobody was going to rain on my parade & I was sticking to that happy-go-lucky frame of mind even if it killed me...(and it damn near did).

I watched 2 movies on the plane (movies are free too!) I highly recommend:

"Big Boys Gone Bananas", a riveting documentary made by a Swiss director (Gertenn) about Nicaraguan banana plantation workers who brought a lawsuit against Dole because they became infertile & suffered health effects from pesticides & wanted it banned. (Dole's CEO even admitted wrong doing in a court of law!)

Before the movie could premier at a prestigious LA Film Festival, a cease & desist order came from Dole saying if the film proceeded the filmmakers would be sued. (Nobody at Dole had yet seen the film, but they stated that it contained “glaringly false defamatory statements.”)

The intimidation worked, the festival caved & moved the screening to a remote location. So, Gertten did something amazing; he filmed this entire process of Dole's corporate bullying, scare tactics and media spin and a new documentary was born (it's been called a David Vs Goliath story) but this is more about defending the right to freedom of speech and what happens to a documentary filmmaker when he goes up against a large corporation & how far they will go to protect their brand. It was so riveting I didn't even notice that screaming child! There's one amazing twist too which turns everything on its head which I won't reveal. Trust me, this is a "MUST SEE" to see how it all ends.

The other movie is "Bernie", with Shirley Maclaine & Jack Black. It's a brilliant dark comedy (ie both drama & comedy) inspired by real-life events of a happy-go-lucky chubby Texas mortician Bernie (Black) who befriends the small town's wealthiest & meanest widow (Maclaine) and then kills her & hides her death, while he spends her money lavishly on the poor town folks (I'm not giving away the ending; it's on the description!) It is hilarious, and they used some real Texas folks, who recount their version of what really happened in a gossipy way that will have you laughing out loud! Here's two memorable quotes from the movie: One of the townsfolks talking about the mean rich widow, “That woman walked around with her nose so high, she could have drowned in a rainstorm.” Another towns folk: "The jury had more tattoos than teeth and not a brain cell among them." OMG, I was killing myself quietly while reading this...

(PS there was talk of an Oscar nomination for Black but sadly the movie got little press). I am going out to buy this movie so Al & I can laugh ourselves silly!

OK done Part One & Two of my trip. If you're eyeballs aren't falling out, feel free to click on the next blog, part three; Survival of the Fittest! (PS I haven't had time to download more pics; will do soon. PSS the next blog is long...sorry about the novel.)

"Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." ~

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Comments

[Leah]

Awe, sounds like you had a wonderful trip.

[Playagal]

Leaving Paris
Hi Leah, it was quite memorable. If that last blog didn't say it all, I don't know what would!