France,
|
 |
France,
|
|
After Ballooning in Salzburg
Tuesday, September 8, 1998
- 1933: - King Faisal of Iraq died.
- 1944: The first V2 landed in England.
I am now on the road to the Munich airport. Dan the Dent Man is at the wheel of one of the Previas ... so, there is no chance that I shall be late for my flight to Paris ... unless we have something really nasty happen to us on the autobahn at about 160KPH. But, I have faith in Dan.
Nothing nasty happened! We made the drive from Salzburg in less than two hours. I am now in Munich. Actually, the airport is quite a drive from downtown Munich, so I am probably somewhere other than Munich. Whatever!
The Lufthansa lounge at the Munich airport is quite super. As expected there is Lowenbrau on tap: the freshest brew in town. Bananas and peanuts are the snacks of choice here. And cellular telephones are forbidden. And, the Lufthansa flight to Paris was thankfully uneventful, although it was about thirty minutes late in departing.
However, the taxi ride to 47 Place Maubert from Charles the KING was excruciatingly slow. A clump of road accidents caused by rain and/or by road drinks consumption turned a normal 30 minute cab ride into a journey that took more than twice as long. The driver was pleased as his meter kept ticking up the francs.
Becky’s apartment is located in one of the best locations in Paris. All the shops are conveniently clustered close to home. And the view from her 6th floor windows is not shabby.
Becky and I had a resurrecting dinner at Laurent this evening. What more can be said? It is the ultimate Res Ipsa restaurant. A few months ago, when I was last there, I wrote: "This restaurant is nestled in its own private garden which provides a bucolic milieu and a buffer from street noises. Its great wine list has few rivals in Paris. Since Becky’s family has been clients for years we had the most remarkable service that I have ever had in a restaurant."
Wednesday, September 9, 1998
- 1087: William the Conqueror died.
- 1943: The Allies landed at Salerno.
After shopping for a cellular phone for Becky’s mom, getting a charge on Becky’s dead Porsche battery, and after wolfing down some excellent sushi at our favorite local Jap shop, we spent the balance of the afternoon making our way to Vault de Lugny ... at about 190 KPH. That girl really drives! We made it here in time for more food.
And, I am back in the King Room for a three night stay. I think that this is my 15th or 16th visit here at the château during the past three years.
Thursday, September 10, 1998
- 1547: The Battle of Pinkie.
- 1948: Soviet soldiers and Soviet-controlled police opened fire on angry mobs which turned on them with stones and jeers while en route back from a rally of a quarter-million Germans against Communist terror in Berlin.
It rained this morning.
And after lunch, as well.
Lunch was another brilliant creation from the kitchen of Simone: grilled trout with broiled tomatoes.
Followed by a convoy of cheeses. Wines, of course.
This afternoon’s high excitement was getting new mattresses (Simmons) delivered to the King Room. But, that "excitement" was all my fault due to a self imposed boredom ... today I huddled in my room-cave all day long drinking to the fullest from the last two days of the International Herald Tribune ... plus, reading bits and pieces of a dull book on sampling error statistics ...
all of this accompanied by the sound track of CNN in the background. But, that does not address the mattress switch! For months Becky has been mulling over this change ... for what reason I do not know. The old thing was comfortable ... and, there were no really gross stains to prompt the staff to puke during the obligatory daily change of sheets. I guess it was a pure "comfort" thing for Becky. Anyway, at the end of the day the bed was really comfy. So, she got it right.
Dinner is just around the bend.
Friday, September 11, 1998
- 1909: Halley’s Comet first observed at Heidelberg.
- 1998: Starr Report to go on the Internet at http://www.house.gov/icreport
Not much happened today. Becky was busy at the reception collecting money from clients while I spent a lot of time reading boring tomes.
Saturday, September 12, 1998
- 1819: Field-Marshal Blucher died.
- 1940: Five boys from Montignac discovered the painted caves at Lascaux.
After work Becky and I had a latish lunch with her brother Phillipe, his pretty spouse and his charming mother. We ate at the Chateau, of course. Then Becky and I had a very fast trip to Paris in the Porsche. Then we had a lazy dinner at our favorite sushi house just down the road from Notre Dame ... and, not too terribly far from her apartment at Place Maubert.
Next: London for Corkscrews
