The City of Lights
There has been a settlement on the site of Paris at least as far back as 5000BC. Around 225BC, a Celtic tribe known by the Romans as the Parisii, founded a town that they named Lucotecia on the Île de la Cité, an island in the middle of the Seine. In 508AD, Clovis I, the first King of France, established his palace here and, in the 12th century, it became the site of Notre-Dame de Paris. Today over 2,000,000 people populate France's capital.
In 1667, Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie was named the Lieutenant General of Police for Paris by King Louis IV. To make the streets safer, he had lanterns placed on almost every main street and residents were encouraged to light their windows each night with candles and oil lamps. From this, Paris gained the sobriquet of La Ville-Lumière - "The City of Lights".
The Flew family has several ties to this land and specifically to this ancient city. Referring back to my web page ...of Cabbages and Kings, you will see that, through our Curtis line, we have a direct relationship to the original Capetian line. My 31st great-grandfather, Hugue Capet, reigned as "King of the Franks" from 987AD to 996AD.
When I arrived at Charles de Gaul Airport, the first thing I noticed was that it is a very large airport. After touching down we had a good 15 minute taxi to our gate. In the far distance, I could see other planes landing. Upon deplaning, it was another 15-20 minute walk/tram ride to customs. I do not understand why the International terminal is always located so far from the rest of the airport.
Unfortunately, this was just the beginning. Once I reached Customs, it took me nearly 2 hours to clear. And then it was another long trek to baggage claim. It had been so long getting through Customs that they had taken our flight off of the display board.
Eventually, I was able to negotiate this maze and, finding my way to the exit, found a young lady holding a UniWorld Cruise sign. We had one final trek to get to the exit and our driver who finally delivered us to our hotel. However, I cannot skip the ride to the hotel that reminded me of our time in Sicily. Not only were the automobiles weaving and cutting each other off, but there were scooters weaving in and out of the lanes as if they were immune to any rules of the road. In due time, we arrived here at the Hyatt Paris Madeleine Hotel.
Even with all of the delays along the way, we were still several hours ahead of checkin time. We checked in with the desk and were told that we would receive a text when our rooms were ready. With that, I decided to hit the streets of Paris. Wandering within a few blocks of our hotel, I chose to grab a quick bite at take-a-way called La Piadina Anjou. Here I got a sandwich of ham, lettuce and tomato on what appeared to be a grilled flour tortilla with fries (listed on the receipt as frites).
I made my way back toward the hotel with bag in hand and sat at a bench across from the Hyatt to have my first meal on French soil. I had no more than finished it when it started to rain. I had brought my green rain jacket that had traveled with throughout the British Isles...but, of course, it was in my back pack across the street. I decided it was not time to quibble over the possibility that I might be arrested on my first day in Paris and hastily jay walked across the Boulevard Malesherbes to the Hyatt.
Checking with the desk I found that my room was ready and proceeded on to take advantage of the facilities there. I had only been in my room a few minutes when, with knock at my door, my bags arrived along with Mme Sylvie Blet, our hostess from UniWorld. She greeted me and reminded me that we would meet downstairs at 4:30 for drinks and what she called a "blah blah" which is apparently French for talk.
At the blah blah I met several others some of whom I found out later were not on our cruise. However, two young ladies from Minnesota (Robin and Sue) were on our cruise and we hit it off. After the blah blah, Sylvie offered to take those that wished on a little walking tour. So, along with Robin, Sue another couple (not on our tour) we walked to Place de la Concorde, a major public square decorated with fountains, statues & an Egyptian obelisk and also the scene of the beheading of Marie Antoinette. Unfortunately, just as arrived, so did the rain. I was able to snap off a couple of quick photos, including the top of the Eiffel Tower in the misty distance.
With that hasty introduction to Parisian history, we headed back. Along the way, Robin, Sue and I decided to stop at the La Boissy D'Anglas Restaurant for a bit of dîner (which is of course, dinner). I had a bowl of delicious French onion soup (or what the locals call onion soup) along with some excellent baked mussels. Afterwards we made our way back to the Hyatt where I now sit typing this.
It is now well past my bed time and it has been a long day. Unfortunately, I am having some problems getting my photos to load and it will have to wait till another time (along with proof reading the above).
And with that, I bid you a bonne nuit.
To L'opéra et L'église