Versailles, Opéra Garnier, Galleries Lafayette, Getting Zoomed

August 8

We were up bright and early for our petit dejeuner at our hotel, where I took some pics of the hotel and the inner courtyard view from our window. Croissants, jam, yogurt, juice and hot beverages - the usual drill - to enable us to have my beloved Citroen C6 with its GPS back by its appointed +/- 0830 to avoid getting drilled for another day’s rental. Versailles is about a 30 minute shot from Paris. Shortly on our way, I stopped to top up the tank, so I wouldn’t have to try the same in Paris, where I’ve never seen a gas station. I noticed a sign to Marnes la Coquette. I’ve never been able to find where we first lived in the Paris suburbs. Until then, I believed it to be La Celle St Cloud, but now wonder if it was Marnes la Coquette. I wish I’d had some more time, as I’m reasonably sure I’d recognize the area if I saw it. We had a very nice house, but, more importantly, it might enable me to track what happened to the Hébrards, who lived across the street and with whom we’ve lost contact.

I dropped off the gang at l’ Opéra Garnier, so that they could sit with the baggage in one of the outdoor café seating areas, while I returned the car to its rue du Rocher rental location - good thing I had the GPS, as I have no idea how I got there. As I walked toward the metro, I spotted Sacré Coeur, and took a pic, as well as another, which I should be able to recognize.

Because I had to return for the camera, which I’d left in the car, it wasn’t until maybe 1000 that I got back to the gang, standing on the sidewalk, having learned that the cafes were either not open or didn’t want their bags clogging the sidewalk, and none had thought to ask anyone where bags might be checked… A few minutes later, I’d learned that the nearby Galleries Lafayette will accept bags for its shoppers.

Mom, however, wanted to complete her Swatch mission at 10, rue de l’ Opéra. After they’d had their teas and coffees, off she and the girls trotted across the street. Maybe 45 minutes later, Gerald sent me on a rescue mission. Upon arrival, whereas I had expected to see a dizzying array of selections in a huge space to explain the time that could be devoted, it was a tiny space. I repaired back to Gerald for another 4 € coffee while we waited several more minutes before they emerged, Mom having bagged her prey to match a checkerboard ring she’d scooped an earlier day.

Major task complete and with Kim anxious not to miss their 1500 return flight, we bid goodbye to all, and Lynda and I went to Galleries Lafayette to check the bags, stroll the floors and purchase some Parisian calendars for les enfants over Lynda’s objections about something to do with “junk”. I then made some enquiries as to where we might have lunch in the area without being ripped off, and it was suggested we look at nearby rue Joubert and its restaurants. We ended up at Café Gallery for onion soup and wine, then returned to Galleries Lafayette for more exploration. Only upon our return to Canada late Saturday eve did I realize that my jacket was left behind, but, within 12 hours of my asking, Bob Carlson was kind enough to retrieve it and offer to send it with something Maria wanted to send.

Our return flight was scheduled for a 1615 departure, so we hopped the Roissybus outside American Express at l’ Opéra for the roughly 45 minute return to CDG’s Terminal 3. I’m not going to further traumatize you with the ensuing detail beyond point form highlights:

- our TO ETA was 1845 Aug 8, from which we’d be joining a wedding reception after the 1 be drive to Nottawasaga Inn

- following an announcement that no one heard (you basically can’t hear any announcement in Terminal 3), people started queuing at 1530 for our 1615 flight departure

- following a delayed flight sign, I was told by an attendant at 1630 that they were waiting to have the plane cleaned, and they expected to be able to go in 5-10 minutes

- By 1730, it was the flight crew they said they were waiting on, but didn’t know their expected arrival, nor did they know anything about anything.

- At this time, I asked when they expected we’d be going – said they didn’t know, initially said they didn’t know how long it takes to load the flight on to the buses that go to the plane, then said 10 minutes, at which time I then said we were going to get something to eat.

- We bought a sandwich and lemon tart each for 16.60 € at the cafeteria! One of the attendants with whom I’d just been speaking had some discussion with the cafeteria people. We returned on her heels to an announcement that everyone would be given vouchers to eat.

- The other attendant that had been party to the last conversation told me to tell the cafeteria people to apply our meal to the vouchers - they refused and the attendant then said that what she had said is that I try. I’m told it was my decision to go eat, and my problem. As far as I’m concerned, they either knew meal vouchers were in the works, but chose to say nothing or no one kept them informed – either way, poor form. I try to call Zoom, which telephone number is indicated as invalid and the telephone eats the 2 € coin I put in. The extra coin change I have can’t be converted to $ CAN…

At 1930, when I return to the cafeteria to better understand the sequence of events, its manager suggests (1) we eat with our unused vouchers (we’ve eaten) (2) we put 2 juice drinks (@ 3.50 € each) per voucher (undermines my pursuit of airline recovery). All he cares about is making money off the situation from the airline or us.

- 1925 announcement that, due to technical difficulty, flight departure now 2200

- rumour that flight crew arrival issue because pilot left behind in Toronto

- rumour (accurate) that part being brought in from Amsterdam – turns out it doesn’t arrive until the morning, when it’s discovered it itself is missing a part.

- 2120 web crawl to airline web finds arrival 0945, meaning departure would be 0845 local.

- 2145 agents say to me they know nothing, better to give no information than incorrect.

- 2150 announcement to pick up bags in 10 minutes

- 2230 said to be matching names to hotels

- 0000 our bunch loaded on to bus, 3 having loaded before us - I ask 5 times, one after the other, in French and without attitude, if we’re going to eat tonight, to which an attendant finally replies we’ll be told everything at the hotel (that’s code for “no”) - 5 steps later, another attendant briefs each and every passenger – breakfast tomorrow, 1130 return bus for 1450 flight (code for “no lunch”, but at least this is the 1^st time someone tells us something)

- one of our party reports going to the Supervisor and suggesting that announcements would be a better way of providing information, to which the reply is that 1 on 1 is a better method. Duh?

- all wait on bus 45 minutes before being transported maybe 50’ and deposited at a building with 2 customs agents

- 0110 awaiting next bus with lower level baggage handling for 10 minute drive to Ibis Hotel after bus leaves - 2 buses to handle group of maybe 280, return cycle 35 minutes for each bus - when I give opinion to attendant that it will be 0300 before we’re in bed, she replies that we’re fortunate that we’ll be able to use the interval between the departure time to do other things…

- 0135 2^nd bus arrives and far side of lower level baggage handling filled by people far down the line, resulting in our bags not being taken - directed to shlepp them into the aisles of the bus.

- 0200 arrive at hotel

- 0205, while entire group queuing in hotel, party storms out, citing cockroaches and moths (turns out not to be true)

- 0230 in bed

- next morning, after a great breakfast, take the hotel bus at maybe 1000 to Terminal 2 and shlepp across to Terminal 3

- 1150, front of line when seat assignment opens, get left window seat to enable Paris view, plane reportedly empty and being sent from Glasgow

- 1430 on bus to convey to flight, turns out direct flight with passengers has been diverted and maybe 10 passengers, including ourselves are double booked. I suggest, in the same way that we (who were 1^st in line and 1^st seat allocated) were bumped, we should seat ourselves and bump others. We’re asked to wait until this full flight loads - I and others are considering the possibility that there will be no seats or wife won’t have the window seat she expected.

- 1455? takeoff, 2 hrs late

- 1800? Diverted to Ottawa because of weather and flight control at Pearson, sit on tarmac, as Ottawa airport won’t authorize gate.

- 1955 takeoff

- 2045 touchdown at Pearson

- 2155 bags start on carousel

- 2210 bags in hand

In terminal Supervisor totally out of it, with subordinates like deer in headlights, more interested in having cover than in providing information. Personnel at the Ibis Hotel and their bus were fabulous. Air crew on return flight were fabulous.

Good to be home.