We have left the boat in excellent hands with our Boat Sitters. Our baby is trussed up like a Thanksgiving Turkey, and all things going well, this Hurricane that is in the Gulf of Mexico, currently, will pass north of the City, and carry on out into the Atlantic. It is causing us a small amount of anxiety, but there is nothing we can do from afar, and we have made all necessary arrangements, anyway. Management at the marina are totally 'onto it' in terms of what is necessary in these weather events, and we are well prepared, having done Hurricane Preparedness classes in Houston, back in 2013.
Our International flight was fully booked, on United. The stewardesses were saying it was a flight like no other...and not in a good sense. The food left a lot to be desired! seriously, United...go and see what the other airlines are feeding their punters, because the food we were served was shockingly poor. So many carbs and so much sugar! I have complained in the survey they sent me after we arrived...that was quick, was it not?
I remembered to take this photo just as I rounded the corner, and it is rather fuzzy as a result of being on the move...sorry!
This is just one of the many long and steep escaliers ...not steps either...just steep and flat! in this dull corridor.
This atrium of encapsulated escaliers in how you know you have arrive in Paris! I remember it well from 1981, when I was here, and perhaps it is time for a renewal?
We touched down slightly ahead of schedule, and thank goodness we arrived at the United terminal (the only good thing about this flight!) because the lines for immigration moved fast and we were out of there in a flash, bags in hand. Last year we flew Air France and the lines were horrendous, the air was hot and the body odor was appalling...just to mention a few negatives, lol.
We have decided that it is never a good idea to fly on a national airline to that country as that is the airline all the nationals fly, therefore long queues at the port of entry! makes sense, right?
So, bags in hand, we made our way to the TGV station. Our breakfast on the plane consisted of a pot of Yoplait Yoghurt...flavored, of course (sooo sweet!) and a croissant with a thingy of jam. And they brought drinks. That was it! Not a great meal to wake up to! Yes, I did get a couple of hours sleep, but woke several times aware that my jaw had dropped open and I was catching flies, as it were. Waz didn't get any sleep, he said. Our bodies were back in Florida and it was just midnight our time when we landed. 6.55am local time.
We had a bit of a wait for our train, so we attached ourselves to a lovely American couple from Savannah and invited them to join us for a breakfast top-up. We were desperate to have our first Grande Crème (they didn't get the Grande bit, so we got a single instead at Grande price) and a Pain au Raisin. Sorry...forgot to take photos of this! How could I?
Our new friends went on their way to the train to Avignon, Provence, and we sat down next to a couple from Melbourne, Australia, who were returning to Brittany, after their previous 6 month stay in Nantes, in 2014. We enjoyed their company and travel stories before heading down to the station together and the same train. We were getting off at Massey, changing trains and waiting an hour for the train to Rennes. They carried on further south.
I have to add something here....We ended up spending half our journey from Paris to Massey, standing in the vestibule of the first class carriage. Some lovely man (yes, we know it was) who was sitting very close to us, had such Body Odor as to make us feel ill. Seriously, it was disgusting! yes, it was a hot day, yesterday, but this was horrid. We didn't feel we could sit comfortably and relax, and there was little fresh air, if any, coming into the carriage. The lady sitting opposite him was making nasty faces, but we were the only ones to leave. Phew! Well, we had already been sitting for far too long, and there was fresh and cool air in the vestibule...fortunately!
Arriving at Massey, we again sought refreshments....it might sound like we eat all the time, but it was now almost noon. There was much construction going on around the station at Massey, and only one café. A moyen (medium) Cappucino and two filled baguettes...chicken Caesar...for lunch.
It was warm in the station café, so we ventured outside, bags in tow, and were delighted to find a street-side fruit stall.
Waz is looking skywards coz I am taking his photo while he is eating, I think...or perhaps he is wondering if the food actually tastes like something?? nah..first option! lol
The Massey road-side fruit stall was selling fresh dates...yes, fresh. So, being Miss Curiosity, and having the cheek of Ned Kelly..(he was an Aussie outlaw, for those who don't know), I asked if I could taste one. The vendor was very obliging, and handed me one that could have been riper, he said, but it was crunching and not unpleasant...just tasted a bit under-ripe, was all. Quite sweet though.
Some remedial work will be needed for that! I just hope they don't munt the whole thing on the return leg!
Two hours after getting on the TGV from Massey to Rennes, we were at the Train Station we were familiar with from our journey here last year. We like this station for a couple of reasons, and they both have to do with food...how unusual! :)
The things NOT to like at the station in Rennes, is that they are STILL under construction. I would hazard a guess that they will STILL be under construction this time next year, if we happen to arrive at the same time of year. When it is complete, the new station and surrounding buildings will be fabulous. If they adhere to the plans and drawings that are everywhere, encouraging the public to think positively about all the mess, then it will be worth a visit!
We had booked into a brand new hotel...hmmm....It is kind of like a Microtel, in the USA....except that you enter a space-ship to use the bathroom. Interesting this. Actually, I was just in there cleaning my teeth, and I thought "This is a jolly good idea, you know!" It is literally a capsule. The whole bathroom is one (or two) piece of fiberglass. The second piece is the roof, as it were. The walls are curved, which is nice, and the shower is quite large, which is great, but don't point the water at the door, coz there are holes in the door, and a large gap at the bottom...ok..enough information! The soap/shampoo comes out of an upsidedown squeeze bottle attached to the wall, beside the hand basin and again, in the shower. There are two thin bath sized towels (think small French people here!) and no hand towels or face cloths. They pride themselves on being 'green', so the loo paper almost literally disintegrates when wet! Nice feature that (tongue firmly in cheek!), she says! Oh, and no tissues either. This is NOT the USA!
They do make us a nice Café u Lait though, which is almost more important than tissues in the bathroom, en France. Just add it to the bill, Gaston!
It is an interesting place, this room. I like the décor...interesting, no? That's Waz setting up his computer on the desk. Never mind unpacking...first things first, no?
It was just about 4.pm when we went in search of fruit. We had happy smiles on our faces as we left the Hotel....we are definitely in our Happy Place, here in France. All things Breton are around us, especially Galettes and Crepes! They are peculiar to Brittany, or herafter known as Bretagne....although you can get Breton crepes pretty much anywhere.
There is so much construction going on around the station, and we were impressed with the new and old, side by side. I love rooflines, and theses were pretty cool!
The public art always impresses me. This faces Place Charles de Gaulle.
We found an underground supermarket...or should I say a Supermarket, underground. Better?
There we ogled the food...no other word for it, and perhaps people stared at us because not only was I taking photos, but the drool was making the floor wet...just kidding! :) We salivated our way around the supermarket, buying some grapes and four nectarines. Well priced!
On the way there, we passed a Gelato wagon...and the gorgeous colors begged to be photographed! This is Orange and Blood orange flavor.
The sun and warmth were leaving when we exited the supermarket and mall, but the reflections on this large building were excellent. This is one of many cranes on the skyline nearby.
We had enquired of food at a restaurant, earlier and been told that dinner doesn't start until 7pm, as I said earlier. Well, duh! of course it doesn't, but with travel-adled brains, we had forgotten this, and though we were wondering if we were more tired than hungry, we decided to go back to the room and eat some grapes. That took care of the worms for a while. We also had the staff downstairs make us a coffee! nice move!
Once the clock had struck 7pm, our thoughts turned seriously to the gnawing in our stomachs and we decided to feed the worms, as it were...Waz's favorite saying!
We settled on a Creperie that advertised Authentic Breton Galettes and Crepes. Great! We ordered...and received delightful food. Don't ask me to write what the Galettes were, but they included grilled chicken, a yummy peppercorn/mustard seed sauce, mushrooms, mashed potato (inside my galette) and Waz's had Goat cheese on top of his. Galettes are Buckwheat crepes, basically, and larger than crepes. These ones were washed with butter, and crispy on the outside, which was excellent. These are not American serving sizes, so we had room to share a dessert. We had ordered coffee, but forgot that this comes AFTER the dessert. We have to remember to order it WITH the dessert, in future. This is kind of like eating a jar of Lemon Curd (or Lemon butter, in the US) with crumbs and oodles of unsweetened whipped cream on top...and a few crumbs to finish it off.
WOW! Pucker up, baby! This lemon curd is fantastic...and good enough that we might just return tonight! We shared!
Having come away smiling...the bill for the entire dinner was 30 eur., which we didn't think was too bad.
Walking off the dessert, we came back to the hotel through the Train Station....it is a short cut! These murals are all over the walls of the station, where there is construction going on behind. Pretty!
Sleep came easily, around 9pm, and we didn't wake until 12 hours later.
But THAT is another story for another day. We are out of here to find dinner for tonight. Talk to you later, Aligator!
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