Our First Day in France-June 14th

Secret Key Device
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Oh, what a day we have had!  We left Houston about an hour and a half late due to weather on the east coast.  After a late dinner, about 10 pm, we finally settled down for a good sleep. Armed with our blow up pillows, squishy eye mask, and ear plugs we were ready to sleep!  Surprisingly we slept pretty well and woke up pretty refreshed.  We arrived in Paris at 12:30, which was 4 a.m Elk Grove time.

After disembarking we learned our first rule: When walking from the terminal walk really fast and stay to the right.  Madeline and I were ambling along and were almost run over by fast paced Parisains who were annoyed by our slow pace.  Rule number two:  do not say "bonjour" to the policemen wearing Uzi type rifles.   They don't like it and don't think it is cute.

Photo from our balcony
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Next, we were looking for a cash machine so that we could get euros to get a luggage cart.  No luck!! But, we quickly found out that they are free and we didn't need to pay for them.  Somehow, while packing, the amount of junk we ended up having was too much, even though we ended up with carry-on sized luggage.

We retrieved our lugguage easily and started looking for Hertz rent-a- car.  After asking many directions we finally found the Hertz counter.  When we arrived at least three different people were speaking heatedly with the counter personel, none of them looking too happy.  Rule number three:  The French don't really wait in line, so if you want service you have to be assertive in a non-American way.  One gentlemen hopped in front of me and I kindly said that we were next. A French woman at the counter said, "Go for it"!! and smiled.  So I took that as a good sign.  Once I gave the agent my reservation number she started looking panicked and dailing over and over again.  A manager came to the counter and asked me if I could drive an "automatique".  Although I can drive a stick I didn't want to while driving around a foreign country.

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We were given an upgraded 4 door BMW.  The agent moitioned to the lot and said number "48".  Madeline and I walked around looking for a number 48 and couldn't find it so we hit the car alarm and finally found it.  Once we got in the car we discovered that there was no key attached to the key ring.  On the dash we see a "car start" and "car stop" button.  We keep pushing it, but to no avail.  Mad sees a slot for the secret car device, and places it in the slot. Voila!! But it still doesn't start.  Finally I flag down a Hertz worker who doesn't speak English but instructs me to put my foot on the brake, while pushing the start button, with the secret car device in the secret slot.  Yeah!!! It works.

Now our next step is to figure out the navigation device.  Is it a touch screen?  No.  Is it magic?  No.  Are the controls on the dash?  No.  Maddie, thank goodness, figures out the the control is on the console next to the emergency brake. After a lot of fiddling around and entering the address in Versailles to which we are heading, we are on the road.  Well sort of.....The voice, keeps telling us to go into the roundabout and take the third exit.  Envision this:  10 classes of 1st grade students, running in a circle, with no teachers instructing them, and then running off in all directions.  That is a roundabout.

After going into restricted areas, getting honked at numerous times, and pulling over at least 10 times, the woman on the GPS is finally giving us good directions.  Of course, it was all her fault.!!!!

We rolled into Le Cheval Rouge about 4:30.  It was built in the 1600's and was a livery for Louis the XIV.  Maddie took some pictures of the courtyard.  It is quaint and cute and so amazingly French. After unloading the car we went to dinner and had pizza at the little French cafe.  At first we felt like tourists, but as the day continue many French came to eat at the restaurant.  One Frenchman had a cheese pizza with over-easy eggs on top. It actually looked really good.  I had a small bottle of wine and the waiter brought a glass for Madeline but she declined!

Next French rule: Eat really slow and walk really fast.  The French take forever to finish a meal, which really is a good thing.  When they are walking it is at an aerobic pace!! Maybe that is why they are so fit. The French are not only thin, but soooo tiny.

Next, we went to a Granprix, which is a supermarket.  They have a lot of the same items we have, but they have the largest section of yogurt I have ever seen.

We are headed to bed now and will catch up on our sleep. This is a magic, unbelieveable time and we are loving it!!

Love to all,

Becky and Madeline