On Monday March 7 we traveled from Paris to Saint-Malo. Got up early and had our breakfast at the Hotel Opera Plaza. It consisted of yogurt, breads, butter, jams, orange juice, coffee and fruit. Same breakfast we had each day in Paris. The croissants, baguettes, chocolate bread and raisin bread were delicious. Paid our hotel bill and headed out to get a taxi.
It took all of 30 seconds to get a taxi for Gare Montparnasse which is on the other side of the River Seine. It was a nice ride of about 20 minutes through the streets of Paris. The taxi driver was very expert at darting and dodging through traffic. We arrived in plenty of time. Purchased a ham and cheese sandwich and an Orangina to have for lunch on the train.
The train ride was good. We had first class tickets and enjoyed the spacious seats. After lunch and a 3 hour trip we arrived at the Saint-Malo train station. We were met at the platform by our friend Jean-Louis Heleu. It was very good to see him again after almost 18 months away. Of course he took us to see the ocean before heading to the apartment. It is always good to see the ocean. So intriguing and mysterious.
Our apartment is in the Intra-Muros (IM) which is the old walled city part of Saint-Malo. The road in front of our apartment building is quite a mess. The water utility company is replacing pipes in much of the Intra-Muros. But it was good to open the door to the building, climb to the 3rd floor and open our apartment door for the first time in 16 month.
Jean-Louis had turned the heat on in the apartment a couple of weeks ago so it was nicely warm.
So we spent the rest of the day unpacking and getting things going. Everything was in good shape. I even got the water heater working. It always is the most difficult appliance we have. The gas seems to take its time getting to the heater after being unused for such a long time.
That evening we had pasta for dinner. Sandy found some Barilla Pesto sauce in the cupboard. That and Barilla Pipe Regatta pasta made for a delicious meal. Especially with our fresh baguette of bread.
Tell me, honestly. Did you feel like you were arriving home? With all the moves you’ve made in the last few years, this has been the one constant. You are an inspiration to Caron & I. We are so envious of your worldly travels and adventures. Our trip to Wisconsin Dells must have seemed small time compared to the places you go. Maybe one day, we will have a worldly adventure with you two.
Hi Bill: It definitely felt like coming home. I had tears in my eyes after walking from room to room. We loved “touring” Paris for four days before taking the train to St. Malo where our apartment is located. I didn’t feel stressed at all in Paris due to language differences. Public transportation, style of hotel, type of food in the breakfast room, and many other things were familiar. I remarked to Phil that I was comfortable right away in Paris. Any trip we take in the U.S. does not seem small, just different. Our expectations and U.S. customs are different than when we are in Europe. We enjoyed ourselves and loved spending time with you and Caron. Caron would have loved being in Paris with us. It is really beautiful! I even saw a street sign with her name, spelled the same way, on it. My advice when thinking of future travels is don’t put it off. Hope this helps, book your trip soon, and we love to see your comments. Sandy