I have been sick in bed since Friday afternoon. Oh man, this is bad. I haven't been this ill for about 2 years! The strange thing is that it is not even flu or a cold. Just some strange virus.
Cold shivers, hot flushes, sweats, headaches and the worse sore throat I have ever had. I don't even remember my tonsils being this bad when I was child. This is bad. Think of everything you want to drink or eat feeling like sandpaper going down a hole that just is too small. I have been eating yogurt and soup for three days. I am craving solid food! Last night I dreamed of steak and chips and big, chunky veggies!!
Anyway enough of my wallowing in self-pity...day 6 of my trip.
Day 6 March 27th, Sunday
We had a lovely breakfast with our friends and then it was time to pack up and check out which we did in an hour while J went to go and fetch the car we had hired for the next 4 days.
Then we put our bags in and our friends climbed in and off we went! Oh my!!! What an experience driving in Paris! (even just being a passenger!) That place is something else. I honestly do not understand how their road system works!
It seems they have hardly any traffic lights, very, very few stop streets-come to think of it I don't actually remember seeing any! And you get to a 4 way junction and cars are zooming over from all directions. Who has right of way, we couldn't seem to work out! We literally paused, checked down every road before turning or going straight over! It was hysterical.
Hubby was determined to drive up and down the Champs Elysee. So that is what he did. That circle by the Arc De Triomphe has got to take the cake for craziest piece of traffic in the world!! I counted at one stage there were 12 lanes going around it! No de-marked lanes, if you can fit, you can go. Throw in some motorbikes and bicycles into the mix and you have a recipe of pure adrenaline. I am sure to them, it's just another day in traffic...but for someone not used to it.... I thought we were going to die!!
Anyway we finally got some parking and we walked around the Champs Elysee. My friends went up the Arc De Triomphe as they hadn't done that before.
We watched a newly wed couple take photos...
Naturally had to pose outside Louise Vuitton but I actually didn't go in. Pretended to be coming out! I don't know why, but it really doesn't interest me and big names are not really my thing. I would rather be off the beaten tourist track, or in a park watching real life! I guess I am just not a fashion diva or a label freak!
so after that we took our friends back to Opera Garnier and said goodbye! Such a short visit but so lovely to see them again! And then J and I went to Jardin De Luxemburg - this is one stunning garden!
My hubby being a clown! Love him for it.
a little more from just "around".
Eventually we left I think around 3pm. Getting out of Paris was not that hard were it not for the satellite maps we had on the phone! It was nerve wracking , I think because not only for us is the driver in the wrong seat but also on the wrong side of the road, so i guess it takes a lot of concentration remembering where to stay on the road plus all the normal road things like signs, speeds etc. Toll roads are expensive there! I think we paid 33 euro one way on the A10 getting to Chenonceax!!
We eventually got there to Auberge du Bon Laboureur (it must be even more beautiful in Summer!!) At around 7:30pm we pulled into the gravel drive, checked in and then went out to dinner. I first had to take photos, I was awe struck at what a lovely room we had and how much charm and character the place had! By the way the good weather ended in Paris. From Saturday onwards we had cold weather and on/off drizzle.
complimentary sweeties...
view from the room window
Breakfast was amazing. The next morning we ordered room service. A pot of coffee, orange juice, croissants, rolls, pastries, cold meats, jams, some type of custard slice, yogurts, fruit puree, yum yum yum!
This is the Hotel from the street.
Other side of the room. TV. Writing table, couch, big closet, chest of drawers.
The bathroom. (loo was in its own separate "room")
Hotel from the side street.
Because it was so late we were starving, so we got in the car thinking we would go look for a resturant...the one at the Hotel has a michelin star and a dish starts at about 40 euro! So we just couldn't afford that!
This was hilarious...so we drive out the Hotel and see...wait a minute there are 2 restaurants right in front of us. One of the left and one on the right! HA HA! Feeling like idiots we drive literally a few walking steps to the first one since we were in the car already!
We did not get a very nice reception there and the prices were heavy, so we went back to the Hotel, dropped the car and walked to the other restaurant. Hotel Relais.
We enjoyed a good meal in a real country type restaurant and excellent service and that marked the end to our sixth day.
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