Since I would have a few days in Paris after the tour of France; since most of the tour providers do not identify which hotel will be used for the and and since the hotels generally are removed from city center and less costly, I selected a pricy hotel close to the Eiffel Tower for my short stay so I could visit that and other nearby attractions before the tour and saved the other attractions for my stay.
THU, 23 JUN 2022 found me catching a taxi to the train station for my ride to Paris, France and the Paris Gare De Lyon train station. This train is a but I chose the lower deck when I booked so I wouldnt have to drag my luggage up the stairs. Apparently, some of the people seated on the upper deck didnt drag their luggage up the stairs either because the luggage racks on the lower level were teeming. I toted mine up the stairs, (one piece at a time much to the chagrin of some of the other passengers), and found ample room on the luggage racks. My
previous experiences were on single level coaches where the stairs were not an issue. Lesson learned! The trip was uneventful, and I managed to wallow my way through the station in Paris with my end goal being a taxi stand. Mission and were off to the hotel. After some stew at a nearby eatery, it was for Uncle Larry.
FRI, 24 JUN 2022 was set aside to visit the Eiffel Tower. I got a fashionably late start under blue skies that would later turn threatening. My first glimpse of her majesty was sorta but I was totally taken aback when I was standing beneath this awesome monument! No picture can do justice to the sheer magnitude of this edifice. Once in line for my appointed 1200 hours admission, I learned that some technical issues had closed the top of the tower but that a credit would be applied to the credit card on file without any action necessary on my part. Isnt technology wonderful? I was amazed with the elevators, the views and the surrounding statues, fountain and park.
of, yup, France. There was no scheduled activity until a, to Paris event at 1700 hours where I would meet the Tour Director and my for a drink, so I had virtually the entire day to play tourist in Paris. It was threatening rain all morning, so I made an early arrival at the hotel and, surprise, surprise, my room was ready. That gave me a little time to get caught up on my blogging. France, grab your ass – Uncle Larry is on his way!
