Some Rules Never Bend

Pages From Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday/Sunday, June 3 & 4 2017

Imagine the excitement of the three of us - me, Craig, and our granddaughter Janey as we arrived at our local airport for our big adventure. We were all looking forward to 3 1/2 weeks in France with Desmond! And now imagine the shock of being told that you will not be allowed to board the plane because your passport is due to expire THREE MONTHS FROM NOW! Craig was turned away as Janey and I stood there in horror, all of our plans crashing down around us. We were so stunned that we were unable to react. We said goodbye to Craig, who promised to follow us as soon as he was able, and as we were going through security the reality hit me like a ton of bricks. I was practically sobbing as I made my way through the line. Janey tried to comfort me as best she could. I squared my shoulders and decided that this unfortunate plot twist would not ruin our vacation.

Janey turned out to be an excellent traveler. She was adept at reading airport signs and following directions and she helped tremendously. Our flights were back to back with no layover: Wichita to Houston, Houston to Chicago, Chicago to Paris. We were delayed at the gate in Chicago and had just five minutes to make it across the terminal for our connecting flight. That plane was completely full, and we were seated in the middle at the back. There was a lot of turbulence, but Janey took it all in stride and remained completely unruffled.

We were very happy to meet up in Paris with Desmond after we made it through the long line at border control and retrieved our luggage. Des had thoughtfully brought along coffee, pastries, and sandwiches for our bus ride, as there were no trains running between Paris and Orleans that day, due to maintenance. 

At last, we reached Desmond's apartment and were able to put our luggage away and have a bite of lunch. We greeted Azur, gave him some treats from America, and then walked to the old part of town to show Janey around a little. She was in awe of the beautiful architecture and happy to see for herself the lovely town where Des lives. It felt good to get out and walk for a while after the long travel day we had endured.

Welcome to Orleans!

Janey on the bridge. 

We decided to have a barbecue since it was such a lovely evening.  Janey helped with setting the table and even tried to clear a path in the overgrown courtyard. Just as the sausages, turkey, and potato puffs were almost done, Chris and his parents arrived to say hello. We insisted that they join us for dinner. Des quickly prepared more food. We had a fun meal together outside in the cool evening air. I was happy to meet Chris' parents, Marilyn and Rodney. They had to leave just before dark because they were biking. Des, Janey, and I cleared the table and carried stuff upstairs. Later, we ate incredible desserts. They were decadent little cheesecakes with a chocolate crust and topped with ganache. By then, we were exhausted, so we unpacked and went to bed.

Of Pastries and Kings

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal:  April 12, 2014

I awakened early on my first full day in Orléans. I had slept deeply and felt refreshed. I had dozed a bit on the flight over, and had high hopes of avoiding the bleary-eyed fogginess I usually experience. We had coffee together before going out. Desmond had bought a cute set of dishes for me to use. They were in deep pastel colors with flowers and owls on them. I enjoyed drinking my coffee from the cheerful mug. 

Once we were dressed and ready to greet the day, we walked over to Halles Chatelet where we purchased pastries from the little bakery there. We carried our treats to a cafe and ordered coffee to go with them. The raspberry macaron that my son recommended to me was perfection! It was filled with a lightly sweetened, thick cream of some sort. We couldn't figure out exactly what it was. It tasted like a mixture of butter and cream and it was so firm that it cut like butter. The outside edge was studded with large, sweet raspberries. 

Bliss in a raspberry macaron.

Walking through Orléans after breakfast, we did a little window shopping. There are many unique shops there, and as in most French towns, quite a few of the shops specialize in one product. We passed a shop which sells nothing but local honey and honey-related items. The window was charmingly decorated with an enticing array of delights. And the shoe stores! I know I have mentioned them before, but I never cease to be amazed at the number of shoe shops and the variety of footwear they offer. In the U.S. it seems as if every store carries identical merchandise, but these stores have such a bounty of styles and colors! 

We walked on in the spring sunshine, simply taking delight in being outdoors on such a lovely day. We wandered over toward the Hôtel Groslot, which has a beautiful garden in the back. The tulips were especially pretty. Hôtel Groslot is a 15th century mansion which was once used as a town hall and now serves as a lovely place for weddings and civic events. King Francois II died there at the tender age of 16. His royal surgeon had recommended a trepanation to relieve pressure on the brain. This idea was vetoed by the bishop, who stated that no one should ever see into the mind of a king and so the young king died. Or so the story goes. Anyway, the Hôtel Groslot is well worth a visit.

 A back view of the Hôtel Groslot in Orleans, France.

Such lovely gardens!

TRAVEL TIP: Before leaving home, make copies of your passport, drivers license, and credit cards. Carry the copies with you in your luggage or another place separate from the original documents. If your wallet or purse is stolen or lost, you will need the copied items.

A Dream Realized

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: February 21, 2009 

It was Saturday, February 21, 2009 when I got my first glimpse of Paris. I couldn't believe that we had truly arrived! It was was like a fairy tale to me. Our son's move to France had created a void in our lives. He is the baby of the family, and we had suddenly become empty-nesters! It was quite an adjustment. Craig and I had quickly decided that his year of study abroad was our golden opportunity to visit the land of my dreams. We naively thought that we would never get another chance like this. It was very exciting to be making plans for our visit. Our first step, of course, was to obtain our passports. I highly recommend that if you ever entertain even the merest thought of taking a trip outside your country of residence, get your passport early! Fortunately, we had allowed plenty of time, because my passport failed due to a clerical error and I had to begin the process all over again. But at last our plans were made, passports had arrived, our hotels were reserved, and plane tickets purchased. We were really, truly, GOING TO FRANCE!

March is not the optimal time of year to visit France. Especially early March. But due to work schedules and other concerns, this was determined to be the best time for us to get away. The two flights were uneventful, which was wonderful, since I am a nervous flyer. The longest flight I had experienced before this journey was an 8 1/2 hour trip between Honolulu and Dallas. The 10 hour flight to Paris was mind-numbing. (It numbed other parts of our anatomies as well!) We had both attempted to sleep on the plane, but neither of us had much luck in that endeavor. Desmond had planned to meet us in Paris, where we would do a bit of sightseeing before making our way to Orléans . Upon landing at Charles de Gaulle airport it was wonderful to see his smiling face and to immediately be steered toward an airport cafe where we experienced our first French pastries and coffee. The café crème was a delight! And don't let the cream fool you into thinking this was a wimpy, watered-down cup of java. It was strong, and provided just the jolt my jet-lagged system needed. 

We were soon on our way to the center of Paris! The drive from the airport was a bit congested. The view - well, I may as well have been back home in Wichita! The scenery was your typical industrial park view of factories and office buildings. However, my disappointment soon dissolved into delight as we began to enter the outskirts of the venerable old city. The architecture rapidly changed, and soon we were truly in Paris! We crossed a river OMG THE SEINE! and then, as the taxi rounded a corner, there before us stood the Arc de Triomphe! I literally had tears in my eyes as I realized that my dream had indeed come true. I was so completely in awe of everything around me, that I forgot to take pictures! I did manage to snap a quick photo of the famous monument before we turned toward the street on which our hotel was located. I had researched Paris hotels in our price range, and had settled on the Grand Hotel Leveque, which is located on the popular pedestrian street of Rue Cler, a beautiful cobblestone avenue that is lined with cafes, restaurants, shops, and hotels. We happily settled into our triple room, which even had a large bathroom (I had been warned many times in articles and blogs to beware the tiny Parisian bathrooms). After a short rest, we set out to explore the City of Light. 

The Arc de Triomphe. My first photo of Paris.

Le Grand Hotel Leveque in Paris

A view on Rue Cler from our hotel window.

Travel Tip: Carry a purse or bag that can be worn cross-body. Your bag will be much more secure, and you will have your hands free for taking photos.