Metz to Paris to Cherbourg

It took two grumpy taxis to take us to the hotel last night and two to get us to the train this morning (last night they charged us 10 Euros each, and this morning it was 8 each). In Paris though we had a very very nice driver. More on him later.

We arrived in plenty  of time for the train and a French guy we asked reminded us how to find out where our car will stop on the platform -- 18 was shown to stop at W so we went to the W sign.

We got hyper-lucky as we were about to board and a man offered to help with our many bags. He not only helped us get our bags loaded, but he sat with us and chatted the whole way to Paris and then helped us get to the taxi stand too! We could have bumbled around and managed on our own but we didn't have to and that was so lovely and relaxing.

I also want to send out a special thanks to the friend who gave us a futon, which we since re-free-cycled, but the futon was wrapped in 4 excellent black straps with tightenable clips. Those straps have been invaluable in lashing our heavy bags to their wheel contraptions. Thank you, thank you, Morrigan. We've now lugged the luggage Calgary to Luxembourg and by train to Metz (and Metz hotel) and through Paris (aargh, with its 6 train stations) and to Cherbourg. Just the ferry to get over and hopefully we'll rent a car in Ireland and get the luggage to the van and that will be the end of lugging luggage for quite some time to come. However, I am sure that the straps will still be excellently useful.

The taxi driver we found in Paris was cheerful and friendly and only mentioned once that he's a taxi and not a transporter. :) He wished us bon courage (good luck) many times.

Alazha hypnotized me into doziness on the train which was lovely, and we got a minivan taxi here to the hotel, then walked the cats to the vet. The cats are TIRED of the boxes and would rather not get back in them yet again. The vet place was on afternoon dropins and the waiting room was full of dogs, one of which was a massive black "mechant" one as his owner said -- a very strong lady who Yarrow admired every time the thing started snapping and snarling and trying to lunge at the other dogs. The cats somehow endured that in their boxes and then got their microchips read by the vet, who made them passports. They didn't need any more medicine, unlike the vet in Canada told us. The vet here says that's only for dogs, but she also assured us that the ferry company has her emergency number and she'll be happy to straighten them out if there's any question when we catch the ferry Sunday.

We enjoyed more walking around in old, old streets. Marvelled at the slate in the walls and the slates on the street, and thought the pavers, oddly cut, looked like recycled building stones probably. Or something.

Yarrow wanted kebabs for dinner, which is a good budget option so that's what we did. It was nice. It is so very very nice to enjoy the manners of the French. They are in general very kind and helpful to each other and it's nice to see and be part of. We've had umpteen casual conversations today -- the exact thing that my soul so longed for in Alberta, and missed. It's also very nice to watch how nicely the French wear their clothes. I'm not sure why it's just so nice, but it is.

Last night, we had a very nice walk in Metz. Yarrow gave me the photos so I might as well post them.

Here is me in the bus in Luxembourg, which the driver let us ride for free rather than explain the ticket machine. We took the whole luggage area (did that on the train today too! -- the biking area).

One of many, many, many beautiful buildings in Metz. We couldn't possibly take pictures of all of them.

And when I saw this building, I realized we'd stopped to change trains in Metz before, probably when Yarrow was 6 and we visited friends in Luxembourg (the same friend, Kim Rubaek, who very handily told us the bus number to take to get from the airport to the train. Luxembourg is small and lovely and easy). I am fairly certain that the last time I was in Metz, it was the first time I discovered the wonders of fruit confit -- fruits in sugar that are just vibrant and divine and like nothing else.

These are purple horses. Kind of a Metz chuckwagon shot.

Wait, let's get it closer up for you.

Here are the luggage and cats in Paris (reduced down to 7 bags from our previous 8 by the expediency of loading about 80 pounds in my backpack and stuffing the extra carryon size backpack in the giant suitcase). There's an extra blue backpack behind the green one on the right -- Boy took  photos and I didn't check them so you'll just have to squint at the grey strap poking out on the far right there and take my word for it. :)

It was pretty easy getting them to Paris and through Paris. Phew. I was very anxious about that.

Then there was the dozy pleasant French-people-filled train to Cherbourg. I didn't take photos at the veterinarian. I really should have. Blue and white tiles,  a waiting full of dogs, some not happy, some remarkably quiet, and people, and a few cats. And people generally spoke easily to each other. The guy next to us didn't have a pet with him and I remarked on it and he said he was waiting for his pet to get out after surgery this morning. When we were back in the surgery room I saw a couple of cats zonked out in their boxes.

Anyway Clara and Ala didn't even have to get out of their boxes. Just got their chips scanned for their Europassports. So there. 8 of the 12 feet in our family now have French passports. That's a start, isn't it?

This is in Cherbourg. Palm trees, old streets, old, old buildings, and all.

I like France. I like French people and speaking French and just being here. Kinda makes me not want to go to Ireland but we want to meet Gigi and I know I like Ireland too.

Hypno-cat is dozing beside me and making me think maybe I should go to sleep too. Or maybe a hot bath. The bath does seem tempting... what wonderful choices. When we wake up tomorrow we have absolutely nothing to do but

a) have a chocolate Liegeois waffle (we found a shop that has them -- this is one of the most legendary foods from our 2009 trip. Liege is the place in Belgium we meant to be right now but skipped for reasons of sanity -- schlepping luggage is no mean feat!) Anyway a chocolate Liegeois waffle is a thing to be had. Incredible. Unlike any I've ever had anywhere. To start with it has Belgian chocolate, and secondly, the chocolate is miraculously IN the waffle.

b) some homeschooling stuff of some kind. Kiddo got in some grammar practice online today and some blogging; we may approach a little math or something.

c) walking and walking.

Ah, much relief. Clara finally did potty on our arrangement. They both gratefully used it last night in Metz, but Clara has been letting us know it's insufficient here. I mean, Clara, how much cat litter do you want us to carry? We brought a couple of kilos and have been giving them a little pile of it on top of the pet-pee-pads we bought just in case. Last night Yarrow said Clara did everything but put a little bow on it, she made such a tidy package of it!

Anyway, glad she finally used it here, after about 7 times of folding it into a package and letting me know it was insufficient. Ala is still to use it, but she's been eating sparsely and is now still hypno-cat trying to make me sleep.

Yes, sleep instead of bath. Sigh. One must conquer le jetlag with a will. :)