It was quite a start to our trip to the Mediterranean. I think from now on I just call it the Med so I won't have to be concerned if I spell it right hereafter. We got a late start from IAH on the way to Paris. I've been on several trips over the pond so I thought for sure they could make up the time in the air. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. This time nada, we were late landing in Paris and missed our connecting flight to Barcelona. When folks tell you to avoid CDG airport in Paris they mean it. Well, we were late getting there for our 9 am flight to Spain and were immediately booked on the 3:45 pm. That's right...all day at CDG...or stay awake, hit the train into Paris for a couple of hours of sightseeing so that's what we did.
We made our way down to the RER train area, stood in line with 100 or more other people, spent some of the Euros I had gotten at IAH, paid the fare into Paris...8.50 Euros...and boarded the train to the Notre Dame stop. It has a french name but I forget what it was called...something Notre Dame...duh! After stopping at every stop between the two we got off the train, up the escalators and stairs and came out just a block from the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Wow!! It's totally impressive. We spend the better part of an hour or more outside, then inside...yes, it's free to get in the church...took in the very first part of a noon prayer service and then left. I admit...I got nothing out of the service. Maybe my french is just that bad...yes its bad. My "fr-english" is not very good either. Maybe it the combination of my southern accent combined with what is likely a terrible rendition of french...hence "fr-english"...I suspect that my spanglish is just as bad. I didn't get it...and those I tried to speak it to didn't get it either.
Well...after the few minutes of a french catholic prayer service we hit the street next to NotreDame...found a little streetside cafe for a bite to eat. Going on virtually no sleep for almost 24 hrs we thought it better to keep going than to stop. Kim ordered some quiche lorraine and I got fried eggs and ham...along with some french coffee. While we waited for the food and rested...we just people watched. Even in November the area around the cathedral was very crowded. The food was just outstanding and certainly the coffee was much needed. Then it was time to stroll the shops back towards our trainstop on the Seine river...try to make sure we found the right train back to the airport...security check and wait for our plane to Barcelona.
After an hour and half flight to Barcelona...we finally made it...unless you count finding the RENFE train...catching the train...making a connection at Barcelona Sants stop...finding the correct train to Estancia Le Franca...walking a few blocks...asking a local who showed us the next half block to our Hotel Oasis...that's pretty much our trip so far. Well, we did manage to do all that...get a shower after 30 hours of pretty much no sleep...walk a couple of blocks away to a nice area for some evening Tapas...potatoes brava...their version of garlic shrimp (prawns)...a nice mozerella cheese...and sundried tomatoes on bread drizzled with olive oil...a guitar playing guy...another who came and played the accordion...then back to the hotel our evening.
After we got back to the hotel...I bought internet access...3 Euros for 24 hrs...got online to see if I could use Skype and try to figure out why Kim's phone wouldn't work. After some back and forth and finally getting a decent connection...the nice lady at Verizon Wireless in the states...stayed patient with our connection...we walked through the problem...really on their end...and got Kim's cell phone working...3G network and all. Then it was time to call home and let the fam know we made it.
Today I feel like I got run over by a truck. We did have some breakfast...good coffee...and go for a walk near our hotel. Right now the bride is resting and I'm blogging. Later we'll venture out a bit further to take in some of Barcelona...hopefully Sagadra Familia...a gothic church 100's of years already in construction with possibly 100's more to go...then some dinner...maybe some paella...then a another good night of rest. Manana we board the ship. Well...that's it for now. I'm still trying to find a church for tomorrow morning...not much luck yet. I found one...I think...but will have to try to get some more info...I'm sure if I speak "fr-english" that will help. My spanglish is really bad.
Thanks for reading,
de & ke
We made our way down to the RER train area, stood in line with 100 or more other people, spent some of the Euros I had gotten at IAH, paid the fare into Paris...8.50 Euros...and boarded the train to the Notre Dame stop. It has a french name but I forget what it was called...something Notre Dame...duh! After stopping at every stop between the two we got off the train, up the escalators and stairs and came out just a block from the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Wow!! It's totally impressive. We spend the better part of an hour or more outside, then inside...yes, it's free to get in the church...took in the very first part of a noon prayer service and then left. I admit...I got nothing out of the service. Maybe my french is just that bad...yes its bad. My "fr-english" is not very good either. Maybe it the combination of my southern accent combined with what is likely a terrible rendition of french...hence "fr-english"...I suspect that my spanglish is just as bad. I didn't get it...and those I tried to speak it to didn't get it either.
Well...after the few minutes of a french catholic prayer service we hit the street next to NotreDame...found a little streetside cafe for a bite to eat. Going on virtually no sleep for almost 24 hrs we thought it better to keep going than to stop. Kim ordered some quiche lorraine and I got fried eggs and ham...along with some french coffee. While we waited for the food and rested...we just people watched. Even in November the area around the cathedral was very crowded. The food was just outstanding and certainly the coffee was much needed. Then it was time to stroll the shops back towards our trainstop on the Seine river...try to make sure we found the right train back to the airport...security check and wait for our plane to Barcelona.
After an hour and half flight to Barcelona...we finally made it...unless you count finding the RENFE train...catching the train...making a connection at Barcelona Sants stop...finding the correct train to Estancia Le Franca...walking a few blocks...asking a local who showed us the next half block to our Hotel Oasis...that's pretty much our trip so far. Well, we did manage to do all that...get a shower after 30 hours of pretty much no sleep...walk a couple of blocks away to a nice area for some evening Tapas...potatoes brava...their version of garlic shrimp (prawns)...a nice mozerella cheese...and sundried tomatoes on bread drizzled with olive oil...a guitar playing guy...another who came and played the accordion...then back to the hotel our evening.
After we got back to the hotel...I bought internet access...3 Euros for 24 hrs...got online to see if I could use Skype and try to figure out why Kim's phone wouldn't work. After some back and forth and finally getting a decent connection...the nice lady at Verizon Wireless in the states...stayed patient with our connection...we walked through the problem...really on their end...and got Kim's cell phone working...3G network and all. Then it was time to call home and let the fam know we made it.
Today I feel like I got run over by a truck. We did have some breakfast...good coffee...and go for a walk near our hotel. Right now the bride is resting and I'm blogging. Later we'll venture out a bit further to take in some of Barcelona...hopefully Sagadra Familia...a gothic church 100's of years already in construction with possibly 100's more to go...then some dinner...maybe some paella...then a another good night of rest. Manana we board the ship. Well...that's it for now. I'm still trying to find a church for tomorrow morning...not much luck yet. I found one...I think...but will have to try to get some more info...I'm sure if I speak "fr-english" that will help. My spanglish is really bad.
Thanks for reading,
de & ke
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