Thursday, January 23, 2014

Must we go?

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday, May 4, 2013

All too soon, it was time for us to leave France and return to Kansas. We had awakened at 7:00 and dressed quickly, so that the three of us would have time for pastries and coffee before the taxi arrived at 8:30. We picked up our breakfast of eclairs and then grabbed coffee and hot chocolate at a cafe near the patisserie. We carried our treats back to our hotel room and had a good laugh when Des showed us his cup of thick, rich, chocolate with the spoon standing straight up in it! It didn't take long for us to finish packing the last few items. It was such a sad moment when the taxi arrived and we had to say goodbye to our son, who was leaving on the Metro to catch a train back to Orléans. Our time together had passed all too quickly and I tried to hide my tears as we sped toward the airport.

The flight home was smooth and uneventful. The layover in Chicago was long enough for us to have lunch and kick back, though it was very hard to relax after the way we had been treated at customs. We were very upset that our seven dry sausages had been confiscated. It was the type of sausage that requires no refrigeration and will keep for six months even after it has been sliced. The officer treated me as if I were a criminal, speaking very harshly and ripping open the bag of sausage with his knife, even though I told him the package was open on one end. I always check the customs website before each trip out of the country, but had apparently overlooked the section regarding meats. It was a very sour note on which to end our vacation. However, we have many happy memories of our trip that will stay with us forever. We are already looking forward to next year! 

Early morning in a cafe on Rue Cler.


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