My current obsession: How I’m going to schlep both my big-a** suitcase and my bike box to the Paris airport (de Gaulle) on public transit for my flight home Saturday. Wow — that’s making my pulse go up just writing it. There’s no doubt that Paris does commute trains, both subways (the Metro) and suburban lines, very well. But just like the New York subway, the Metro isn’t particularly conducive to hauling personal cargo.
In the meantime, I’m camped out in a little hotel in the Latin Quarter called the Grand Hotel des Balcons. From what I can see, all the rooms in the hotel face west out onto the street, the Rue Casimir Delavigne. And every room has a little balcony. I’m up on the seventh floor (the top one), so I’m taken with the view even though I’m so close to the apartments across the way that I can practically inhale the occupants’ cigarette smoke.
I’m jealous!
I love the architecture and it says something that despite it being a narrow street there is something interesting to see out the window.
It’s nice you got to stay somewhere in Paris.
Your coming trial by metro reminds me of when Sakura and I made the trek to Tsukuba from Tokyo by train last summer after we moved out of our apartment. Three trains and an hour and a half with two large suitcases and two smaller bags. Not the best of experiences. Anyway hope it works out OK. See you soon.