Saturday May 7, 2011

After a very crazy day on Friday, I got to the airport and off to Paris for a week. The flight was good, seemed so short after the 18 hours to Manila.. and that is just flying time... 7 was nothing. But that Valium still worked well. I met this great woman named Mary Ann.. we had a lot in common.

Well I got to Paris on Saturday morning and as expected I had 2 pickups at the airport. it was a miscommunication which to Marc I appologize. My neighbor who I am staying with picked me up and then at the last minute I chatted with Marc and then I had that feeling. I felt great Saturday morning... took a shower and then was told to pack my back for a weekend away. We had plans to go to Mont Saint Michel later on in the week but that didn't work out for Dave. So off we went Rosemary, Dave and I to Mont Saint Michel. This is a walled small town with an abbey at the top. It sits off on the west coast in this inlet. You have to google it and read all about it. It was beautiful. I had seen a picture book when I was a small child and ever since then I have wanted to go. So here it was.. a 45 year old dream.. who knew then that the world would change so drastic for me that it was becoming a reality.

It was about a 3 hour drive. Great day for a drive.. sunny and nice. They made plans to stay in a hotel outside of Mont Saint Michel in a small town 9 Km away called Ducey. It was a cute little town.. We checked in and off we went to the Mont. We drove in, parked the car and found out the tide was not going to be an issue for this day for parking. You park in the flats of the sand. We had this great lunch in town below the abbey. I had mussels with smoked salmon and of course a glass of champagne. I have drank so much champagne since touching down here in France. I love the French customs. The weather at the Mont later on was a little cloudy and we did get some sprinkles but it added to the atmosphere of the locale. Then Dave and i did a tour of the abbey which was great. We did the audio guides which are always so good. This one was no exception. I took so many great pics which I will get eventually posted. It is so strange but I haven't had a free minute to do any logging in the blog. It is now 1:17 AM local time and I am trying to get the 1st 3 days written down.

For Dinner we went to this great hotel restaurant in a small town next to Ducey. Again Champagne.. I had this appetizer of cured ham and salad...and cheese. It was so good. For my entree I had grilled Lobster.. OMG!!!!!! it was great. for dessert I had raspberries with this pistachio merrienge cookies and some creme fresh. Funny thing Rosemary had the same thing and realized we ordered the wrong one when the raspberries came.. and we wanted this strawberry thing. Oh well.. it was still GREAT!!!! We drove back to the Mont after dinner to see it at night time. The whole Mont is lit up and you can see it from quiet a aways away. It was beautiful at night as well. We got to bed late... (everything here is late)..

Sunday May 8, 2011

The next morning we got up and had breakfast at the hotel, packed our bags and we were off to Dinan. By the time we got to Dinan it turned out to be a sunny and warm day. Dinan is a cute little town south of Mont Saint Michel. We got out and went thru this beautiful church and this old cool building of Art Expos. It was all very different and not expensive.. I was so tempted to buy something but didn't. I am sure I will live. We finally got on the road but we had to get gas. Stopped at this gas station that had a fast food restaurant there. They had this huge chicken and hamburger sign post. So I had to take that picture. The drive back was a little longer than the ride out.. Traffic is pretty bad getting back into Paris. Well we got home, and a light dinner of crackers, cheeses, radishes and of course champagne. Next thing you know it is like 1:00 AM. I stayed up an hour longer to try to get some things for this week's schedule arranged.

Now most websites here in France that are tourist related are in English. However they are set up with a different train of thought. They are a little confusing. Rosemary and I kind of planned out my schedule and I finally gave up and went to bed and said I would finish it the next morning with the help of Rosemary. Day 2 closed again way after midnight.

Monday May 9, 2011

This morning Rosemary and I got on line and tried to buy as much as I could ahead of time for tickets for things. Again working with those websites... was crazy. All of a sudden it was 1:00 and Rosemary's friend called and asked if they were on for 2 PM? So we hurried and cleaned up, I got out of there and finally got my day started. Today was planned to just roam the streets. Again weather was Sunny and warm and perfect for walking around. I went to the district of Marais... it is a section on the right bank (north of the Seine river) which City Hall (Ville de Hotel) is located along with the gay district. When Rosemary and Dave moved to Paris a few years ago, I had found this box of tour cards.. it is a really cool thing. it has a map of the area and is drawn out so you know where to go on one side, but the other side describes what to do or see etc. Marais had 3 separate cards. Rosemary loves them and I do too. So I did a little shopping, had this smart little lunch in a cafe, (water this time - no champagne).. bought a shirt, a gift for a friend of mine... I could have spent so much money in a very short time .... but didn't.. at least on clothes. I am spending enough money on the vacation alone ... which is worth it.. but don't need the clothes anyway. And so many scarves.. but so far I am winning Craig 1... scarves 0.

Had a great day.. didn't take many pictures.. you can take so many street scenes.. i travelled by the Metro which is very good. It goes EVERYWHERE.. along with the trains it is very easy to get around. So finally came back to the house about 7:30.. stopped off at the Eiffel Tower (that is Thursday) and took a picture. I got home and Rosemary was playing Majong with her 2 friends. I realized on my way home that I had forgotten per my plan to stop at the Shangri La here in Paris to check it out for our dinner for Thursday. So I trucked on over.. not too far away. I was kind of curious to see what it was going to be like compared to the Shangri La in Manila.

Well it couldn't be more different. This is very French.. and very beautiful. It is actually 2 buildings.. one 6 floors, 1 7 floors. The 1 part is the original house of the nephew of Napoleon Bonapart. Then the French government took over and added a whole building to it years ago and used it as offices. and Now after a major renovation... it is now the Shangri La Paris. It couldn't be more different in build as well as the local and culture. But the people treated me the same. No one to open my door for me.. automated... no bomb sniffing dogs, in fact I didn't see any security at all. I think I saw 5 people total form the time I walked in to the time I left. That would have been 30 in Manila.

I was trying to get reservations for Thursday at the restaurant by using my points. They have only been opened since December and this restaurant has a great chef and has been booked for months. We are going to the lesser restaurant (same chef) which is very lovely. Of course we have a combo of french and asian menu to pick from. The pool will be in indoors, and will have a spa and a gym eventually. not to many rooms it sounds like compared to 28 floors total in Manila. I took a few pics there and got back to the house. Judy's husband Carl joined us, Dave came home from work and we were off to dinner to an italian restaurant. Was pretty good and the waiter/owner was cute and funny. Again.. another late night. Got home and then got things ready for tomorrow.

Tomorrow's is Champagne day... I am taking the train to the town of Reims. It is pronounced like Rance (rhymes with France).. don't see that one. So I am going to do some sightseeing and then try to get in to a tasting. There is a small one GH Martel but I got an email saying that you can only book by phone. so I will try to call in the am for tomorrow afternoon. Tattinger didn't reply and Vueve-Clicquot said week ahead. So i am going to just show up to Vueve and see what I can talk my way into.. But hopefully I will get some champagne tomorrow. 2 AM... and my phone is going off at 7. I am already to go.. so won't take me long to get going. So far vacation is great....

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Today was Champagne Day... I tried to make plans for different caves/champagnes, but you had to call and I didn't have enough time or talking in french just wasn't going to work. Reims is 45 mins away by train and I had to get to the train station by the metro. So I gave myself a little extra time to make this all work. Well I got up and got out the door on time. I got to the train station with no issues. After living in Boston for 20 years I know I can get around subways. Well here I am at the train station. I had a problem getting my ticket to print from the Kiosk. I pushed the english flag and it was english but the way they program these things ... well it is just different than we would in America. I tried to go to the Tourism office and she was in there but wasn't open. So I thought to myself.. IF this was the amazing race, what would I do? Well I went back, played with again.. and eventually I got it to print. Still on time for the train. But then I was thinking sometimes the people on Amazing Race are so stupid. But in reality, they are just in a hurry, and not thinking, or haven't traveled and have no clue. So I guess they are not so stupid afterall..

The train ride was a cinch. Got there and it was 80 degrees and sunny. Reims is a quaint little town which shops, and this great blvd when you get out of the station. I walked to the tourism office near the Cathedral. I finally met my first French person that gave me grief with english vs french. I asked her if she spoke English and she said no. I went to another person in a different section. Got what I needed and she told me that peer would take care of me. I asked her if she spoke english... (the same person mind you) and she answered with no hesitation.. oh yes. Well I went back... basically she knew I wanted her to call the winery for me which he reluctantly did. She gave it about 3 seconds and hung up and basically said Sorry. I left. you could just tell that she was a bitch.. but AT the Tourism office of all places?

I walked up to GH Martel and they said I could get in at 3 for a 1 hour tour. GREAT. That was my first choice. I then went to Vueve-Clicquot.. they said I could get in at 2 but it was an hour and half. That wasn't going to work. I went to Tattinger and they got me right in at 11:30. It was a great tour and learned a lot. After the tour I went back to the Cathedral, went thru that and it was beautiful. I even got to hear the organ play for the first time .. usually they are never there and just an empty church!!!

I went back to GH Martel and had another great tour. It was just 5 of us.. a couple from Melbourne, and a couple from Northern England. They were so great... I then took a taxi back to the train.. I had been walking all day. I got on the train, and another incident of no french.. but I got thru it. However suffice it to say NOW.. I can maneuver train stations in France, kiosks for tickets... and getting great at the Metro.

I got home back to Dave and Rosemary's about 7.. played with my computer, (pictures are on facebook) and we had dinner eventually and now again it is 12:09 and I am beat!!!! tomorrow is another day.. I am going to Versailles - the Palace.. can't wait.. should be fun. I see weather wise cool, cloudy and possibly rain. So we will see. But for now.. another day..

So off to bed..

Enjoy life one and all.

Manila March 4th thru the 24th.

Monday March 7th, 4;45 AM local time.. (My Sunday afternoon)

Hello All!!!!

Here I am once again at my home away from home.. The Shangri La Makati here in Manila. i left Friday at 6:30 in the morning.. and just a mere 30 hours later.. my friend and co worker Marie from Philly arrived here at 1:30 AM Sunday. The trip was a little longer than usual due to some changes at Delta. The negative changes are longer layovers in Detroit both coming and going as well as 2 hour later departure here in Manila. The positive change was for the first time we were on a NEW Boeing 777.. so different than the old airbus.. which is bigger (has the upstairs) but was an old NWAir plane. So this trip I actually watched a movie.. That kid movie with Annette Benning and Julianne Moore.. was good.. and 3 episodes of Weeds Season 4 which was nice. I slept most of the rest of trip thanks to Valium.. Love Dr Stern!!!

The last 4 hours from Nagoya Japan to Manila was dead.. no one in my row so was nice to stretch out and be really comfortable. Poor Marie tho didn't sleep at all.. So I haven't seen her since we got here so she probably has been laying low most of the day.

We got in and I unpacked everything which is my normal routine, I put everything away, ironed all the folded wrinkles out of my shirts and slacks and set up my little house. I am on the 28th floor which is the top floor.. great view and also a member of the Horizon Club (Diamond member) which is based on all my time here. So yesterday morning at 5:00 I went to the gym, did my 3.2 Km walk, stretched, and sat in the steam room for 20 minutes.. Then I showered and instead of eating in the restaurant in the hotel I ate in the Horizon Club which is so much nicer.. I am being a little more unsociable this time around. I am going to try to really enjoy myself more. I weighed myself in the gym and I have gained the 3 lbs I lost in February.. so back to eating good again. So for breakfast I had fresh mango, fresh pineapple, watermellon, chedder and swiss cheese... which is the creamiest cheese they get from New Zealand. Also had some fresh proscuitto, 2 eggs, ham, with a piece of wheat toast, small portion of poached salmon, and pork and beans.. not the van camp variety, but fresh with herbs and spices and it was so good. Along with carrot/orange juice and capoucino.

After breakfast since the sun was out I went out to the pool from 8:30 to 11:30 and enjoyed the warmth of the sun and cool water in the pool. From there I went shopping for a few items I either needed or forgot and then headed over to The Spa at 1:45. I had the works again.. Exfoliation with Sea Salts, then a shower, a full hour body massage, a hour facial, manicure and pedicure which came to a grand total of 145.00 including tips for the 4 young women. I was sleeping thru the massage (she said I was snoring).. but it felt so good. The best 3.5 hours I ever spend in this country.. (Thanks to my friend Erick Ducut for this find!!!).

I meandered home and got into bed for a 3 hour nap. I got up at 9:00 last evening, showered and headed over to Greenbelt Malls for a dinner at the Chattuah 1774. I had this wonderful tomato based seafood soup, with little clams, scallops, white fish with a sauce that was made with sweet fresh tomatoes and herbs.. little toasts with some kind of pate.. For my main meal I had the best Pork Scallapino again the marinara sauce was made with the fresh sweet tomatoes.. and the pork was lightly breaded with something homemade and oh so delicious.. No desert.. :) I got back to the hotel tonight around 10:45. Puttered around the room for a little while, then went to Starbucks and saw my night crew friends, got my coffee and some banana bread and returned back to the what I fondly call the lobby of the hotel ..."my livingroom". Basically at the midnight hour, the grand lobby of the Shangri La Makati becomes me, my staff of many ... front desk people, the front drive up people, the security people not to mention the flower guys. A note to this weeks arrangement. the main "green" thing that makes up most of the arrnangement took 10 guys to get that up from the floor on to that pot. Last weeks was grandiose compared to the basic and bland of this weeks.

Now some antedocts of the day. Everyone here was so welcoming yesterday everywhere I went.. the people at The Spa even were excited to see me.. :) I must have had Carl Jevring on the brain today.. Carl is my "Swedish" friend that was in Philly for some years before transfering with Ikea to Amsterdam this past summer. There were 2 guys at The Spa that reminded me of Carl. The first one didn't speak and really looked like Carl so not sure where he was from. The 2nd guy had the face of Carl but not the blond hair. He was from France and very talkative and outgoing.. NO ONE at The Spa ever talks.. :) So Carl. I was thinking of you today. I am so relaxed and ready for the start of a hectic work schedule. Tonight in the living room I went on my work computer and got caught up from being out of the office on Friday, so now I am so ready to hit the ground running tonight at work. I also got all my personal finances up to date, and EVEN started my next voucher for this trip. Now I am getting the blog updated, and need to get out of here soon.. My "living room" is going to become a lobby of a 5 star hotel very soon.. and here I sit in blue gym shorts, Ptown t-shirt, with a cord for my computer stretched over the sofa to the outlet.. Back to the reality of where I am.. I really like it tho as my living room with a major staff.. Oh how I could be rich .. and LOVE IT !!!!!!

I am going to try to download a few pics.. Last weeks flower arrangement I took when I first got here, and then tonights flower arrangement for this week, along with a picture of Carl if i can find one.. So this week.. work, hopefully pool after work each morning if the sun is out, and the gym... walking 3.2 Km (2 miles) before work.. and running after work somewhere.. and then sweat in the steam room and enjoy my 5 star life..

To get you caught up on the future of my travels. April Tim and I will be going to Florida (Ocala) for the family reunion. Nancy and Garris have a rance with some beautiful animals.. The picture of me and Silk are from our last trip there. Come May I will be going to Paris and surrounding areas staying with my neighbors that have a house across the street from us in Philly (Dave and Rosemary), and then a week to see Carl Jevring (my Dutch Friend) in Amsterdam.. another reason to try to find a picture of Carl. Those trips are all scheduled, and basically paid for. In June it is looking more and more that I will be returning to Manila for 3 weeks, and then in July off to Ptown for Bear Week, and then to Capetown South Africa with Tim who has an International Education Conference. I am waiting on his itinerary for his flights so I can try to get on the same flights returning with him to Philly. Then that all will be done and all set.. YEA!!!!!

So with that. enjoy the week, and really really stop and take time to smell the roses, enjoy your view whatever that may be.. don't go thru life missing 1/2 of the trip in anticipation of the final destination..