Somewhere over the ocean , we crossed into Saturday and Day 2. Word got around the plane that part of the 2014 madisonsundaycyclicts crew was on board so the staff tried to find our leader, Lauri, better accommodation’s.
First class was booked . . .
. . . as was second or business class
but they did find her three seats together that she was able to stretch out on for a little ‘cat nap’ as we winged across the Atlantic It was quite a trip. We left Chicago an hour late and encounter some of the roughest weather, for at least 45 minutes, over the wilds of Canada. We were all glad the plane held together!!!
Seven hours later we landed at Charles De Gaulle aeroporto that looked like it had been designed by Disney or the water slide creators in Wisconsin Dells.
We were met by our VBT rep, Pierre, who gave us the 411 and sent us off on our 45 minute van ride to the . . .
. . . Pullman Bercey Hotel, a modern glass structure near the river and right next to Bercey Village, a trendy little shopping area.
In true msc fashion the first thing we did after checking in was go in search of food and beverage!
. . .oh and we found it. Here is a nice salmon club with pomme frities scored by yours truly.
Homemade pralines served hot off the grill. Nice bike setup!
Dinner plans were made and the whole group planned to meet in the lobby at 6:30pm. What to do until then . . . emJay and RR couldn’t resist a little 1.5 hour nap to help solve the sleep deficit from the night before.
After a quick hour and a half nap we felt refreshed and ready to hit the town. The herd assembled in the lobby at 6:30pm and met up with Becky, Charlie and Diana and John, who had been in Paris since Wednesday, and had just returned from a full day out on the town. Having FULL stomach from a late lunch they passed on dinner with the gang.
Kim had read a great restaurant review in the NYT’s about a restaurant in in Paris and here we were three days later heading off to it to form our own opinion.
Getting there would be an adventure in itself when we lost Jim on the metro platform to a ‘quick closing door’. Not sure he knew where we were going, Fernando hopped off at the next stop, waited for him and they both met us four metro stops down the line. Lot’s of laughs and we hand’t even started drinking yet!!!
Jim and Fernando reunite with the gang again!
Because of our bumpy overnight flight most had not slept for many hours so we had a 7:00 reservation in order to eat and get a good nights sleep. No problem getting in at that hour since no Parisan in their right mind doesn’t even think of eating until about 8, 9 or 10PM!
The doors place was not even open we we arrived. We felt like a bunch of retirees in FL waiting for the daily 5:00pm early bird special!!!
But plenty of diversions while we waited. What a concept . . . gelato on wheels!
A great place it indeed end up being. In fact we had our own private dining room.
Our waiter Bernard shows us his pet lobster!
A creamy dessert helped settle the tummy too.
After a hearty prix fixed steak dinner with all the trimmings it was a quick ride back on the metro and sweet dreams under a big comforter at the Pullman Bercy.
Here the gang practice the ‘Jumping Jim’ move we invented to insure not getting stuck in the door again!
A quick ride back on the metro and sweet dreams under a big comforter at the Pullman Bercy.