Cities of Light Prague to Paris Final Destination PARIS at last

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Today we bid a fond adieu to the Viking IDI and its wonderful crew. This morning at 7 AM we had to have our luggage outside our staterooms ready to be loaded onto the bus for our long day of travel to Paris.
It was with mixed emotions enjoyed our final breakfast in the main dining room and said goodbye to Gianny, Yanni, and Belle. They were a pleasure to be with and a delightful addition to the voyage.
One very important thing you need to do when preparing to leave the ship. Check, double check, and check one more time that you have everything you came with. There is no turning back. If you left something in the cabin, it is gone!
Another important departure procedure is to pack a day bag for the bus trip. We were making two stops along the way so you need to be prepared with a light jacket or whatever makes your walking tours comfortable. Today was forecast for rain so we had an umbrella as well.
It is also important for you to bring your passport with you. If you are in the EU, you do not need this for border crossings, but you DO need it to check into your hotel.
You may think, "Wait, my bag is in the bus luggage compartment. I will retrieve my passport at the hotel" Not gonna happen!
It may take up to a few hours to get your bags to your room, especially in a large, urban hotel. Unfortuately, bellmen in the EU are not as efficient or concerned about you getting your bags as they may be in the US. Also, be prepared with your passort, any vaccination documents that may still be required, and some local currency. You will be glad you did.
Our first stop was in Luxenbourg where we visited the American Cemetary dedicated to the US service men who lost their lives defending our way of life at the Battle of the Bulge.
The cemetary is the resting place for 5076 US Servicemen and 4 British Soldiers. It is also the final resting place and memorial to General George S Patton. He was credited with developing the strategy that allowed the allies to win the war. He died in a freak car accident and wanted to be buried with his men. The memorial is beautiful and moving. If you get a chance, it is well worth the 30 minute visit.
Back on the bus to our next stop Reims to see the Cathedral of France, aka Notre Dame du Reims.
This Catholic cathedral was begun in the year 1207 and is still under continuing construction and renovation. The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is of significance as the place where King Clovis was annointed using the sacred oil of Sante Ampoule.
The legend says that when it was time to annoint Clovis, a white dove came down from the skies carrying a tiny glass ampoule of holy oil. Archbiship Saint-Remi saw this as a sign from heaven and used the oil to annoint the king. Since that time, a drop of this oil was used in coronations of kings through 1825.
Legend says the ampoule still contains some oil which will be used to annoint a future king...if and when there is one.
One important thing to note is that we are now in France. The French are not tolerant, are not in any hurry, nor do they care for tourists. You will need patience in dealing with the French.
Also be prepared for sticker-shock when dining. We sat at a lovely cafe overlooking the Cathedral. We enjoyed a simple meal with Dan and Barb of four hambergers, french fries, two beers, and two orange Fantas. This set me back $100! So, be aware, the menu will be entirely in French, it will be a rare waiter who will help you decifer the listings, and you will dig deep into your pocket.
I also learned, much to my chagrin, that AMEX is not favored in the EU. Mastercard, VISA, and cash are king.
We dined at the restaurant, bought some chocolate filled with champaign from the region, and boarded the bus for the 2 hour drive into Paris, our final destination for the next 4 nights.
We arrived in Paris to the Hyatt after a harrowing bus trip through some of the most treacherous traffic I have ever had the privilege to be a part of.
A moving mass of people, cars, buses, ambulances, police cars, motorcycles, and bikes all vying for the same few inches. We literally missed cars etc. by inches as we made our way ever so slowly to the hotel.
We did get a great chance, however, to view the city. We crossed the Seine, saw the reconstruction of Notre Dame du Paris, passed the Louvre, the palaces and government buildings, and so much more. Paris is in the process of annexing its suburbs and when it does it wil be an amazing city with 2.7 million inhabitants, still growing every day. I would never live here for a day! Give me the Bavarian countryside any day.
Check in was quick. We pulled our luggage from the pile in the lobby and dropped everything in our room. Back down to the lobby to meet with Dan, Barb, Claude, and Rosemany for a walk through the area to find a nice local French restaurant.
The area around the hotel is busy with many options to dine, drink and shop. The first order of business was a bank ATM as I was completely out of cash. A short walk outside and our mission was complete.
Rosemary was put in charge of a dinner location with Cathy and Barb appointed consultants. Rosemary found a nice French sounding place, but the men did not hear her call to stop so we kept walking! The women folowed suit until I pointed out a place called Scorzo across the street. It looked French enough and had a pleasant outside dining option.
We sat down to learn it was Italian food, and when we ordered, we discovered some very nice Italian food indeed. We ordered some drinks, plates of pasta, veal parmigiana, veal chop, and veal marsala. It was delicious and the company was delightful. This was our last dinner together as Cathy and I head out tomorrow to the Cabaret for dinner and Rosemary and Claude prepare to head to Florence for their daughter's destination wedding.
We have one more included tour in the morning where we will bid our farewells. This vacation is all too rapidly coming to a close.

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