The drive was beautiful with the setting sun and lack of rain. We drove past the Moulin Rouge and the seedier/red light district of Paris area. I entertained myself by trying to take scenery pictures with clouds and sun and buildings. Tania got the scenery bug and seeing that we were in the front of the bus, we had a great view of what was ahead. Then Tania and I tried to take pictures of ourselves, I've never successful at that!
Montmarte was absolutely stunning. The view was breathtaking. To get to the top, you could take a small railcar up the hill, or walk the stairs. The rail car fit probably 40-50ppl in it, but took much longer than to actually walk the stairs. Street musicians were on the steps as well as at the bottom. Very talented and enjoyable to listen to. One of the bands consisted of a sousaphone, trombone, sax, drums, trumpet, etc. They even had their own CD. They were fabulous, especially when the singer decided not to sound like french rap into the megaphone!
There were only 26 of the 44 that participated in the optional excursion to Montmarte and the farewell dinner. For some, the 55 euros a piece was too much. I had anticipated that everyone would attend the farewell dinner, but seeing that we never had a welcome dinner or ice breaker in the beginning, why would saying goodbye be justified? Nick had left after the morning tour as he had to fly out for a conference on Sunday. I never did get to say goodbye, nor did many of us. I did see his email address, but he didn't give it out to myself or any of us.
Dinner was a choice of five options for each course. Four of us - Tania, Paul, James and me decided we would order differently and then share so that we could try almost everything. I couldn't bring myself around to taking a picture of the main course - because they came out staggered, and we were already splitting them by the time they all came out. Unfortunately not one of the four dishes even appeared remotely photo worthy by the time we had split them! Appetizers were frog legs, snails and shrimp. We passed on the soup and something else. We started the meal off with a champagne aperitif which was delicious - but the waitstaff wasn't too pleased if you waited until the meal came to drink it! We also had a variety of five cheeses somewhere in the midst of courses! The meals were prawns, chicken, duck, salmon and beef with sides of carrots, rice, potatoes or broccoli. The prawns were my favorite!
The meal included unlimited beverages - red & white wine, beer, OJ, and water. The table was rather crowded as all beverages and glasses were on it as well as food and bread. I managed to knock over a small glass of red wine on myself and the woman next to me! Fortunately it managed to remain mostly on the table! There was also live entertainment - a man singing and playing some form of guitar instrument - which was entertaining as he sang mostly tacky American sing-a-long songs! Dessert was chocolate mousse, apple tart, profiteroles (cream puffs - frozen!) and caramel creme brule. 
Glenn managed to fall down the stairs - catching himself by the railing two steps down - but scare for all of us! This was the second time he had fallen, to my knowledge, on the trip - the first being the face plant into the sidewalk from exiting the bus. Fortunately, a little scraped up and a few band aids later, Glenn was well enough to join in the dinner!
As dinner was winding down, I tried to get everyone together onto the same stairs for a photo. Even if only 1/2 the tour group, better than nothing. Except for Betty, most of the people that were there were my favorites anyway! As my camera was the first used, Betty didn't make it in my picture as she was too busy stumbling around to get in the first few.
Dinner was rather rushed since the restaurant was apparently closing. A huge disappointment as this was the most fun we had had as a large group. Personally, I think it was the restaurant/tour companies way to minimize the "unlimited drinking".
Seeing that I was the first to leave the group in the morning, 6:30a.m., I tried to get as many contact information as possible. After the pictures, I asked Robert to write down their address and email so that I could send them pictures from Amsterdam. Needless to say, this seemed to take a while - and we found Beverly on the top of the stairs to try to remember her son's email address. Meanwhile, I guess I hadn't noticed, but people had cleared out. I don't recall an announcement or anything, it just happened.
Betty was of course still stumbling around drinking. She had two glasses of wine, which she either put one down or downed it and then dumped some of the remaining glass in a "waste" bucket that the waitress had for glasses. Betty tried to walk up the stairs and completely ignored a server telling her that the drink had to remain. The server asked me to tell her it had to stay. Why me??? Oh, why me? Is this payback, or retribution? Why does my last night have to include Betty?
Politely I told Betty that she needed to either finish her drink or leave it as we had to go. She slurred to me that maybe she wasn't going to go. I told her that was fine with me, she needed to decide. This is happening while I'm still talking to Beverly about her information. Then Betty asks almost incoherently, "Who you sharin'?" Ok, so as a refresher, I have a child and I work in Children's Services with families, so I can almost decipher most things, keeping that in mind...I don't have a clue what she's getting at nor do I want to waste my time or breath on trying to converse with drunk Betty, but I do. Damn me. I ask her if she is asking me if I have a roommate, which she in fact was. I tell her that Tania is my roommate, which she says, "Who? Who's dat?" Tania of course has been rather nice to her most of the trip - helping her to her room, off the bus, taking pictures of her when no one else would - a clear angel - and the reality is is that drunk Betty doesn't have a clue who anyone is as she has managed to be drunk and disrespectful the entire trip to everyone. Anyway, Betty goes on to say that she was lucky enough to get a double room by herself, and she didn't even pay for her own room. Of course this was slurred and broken, but the gist of it. Man did I want to tell her off. Did I want to carry on about WHY she ended up with her own room, when I had originally had my own room (blessing that I ended up sharing with Tania - wouldn't have wanted it any other way - even if given the option to be alone!). I wanted to "accidentally" push her down the stairs and see how she fared. I wanted to tell her off and let out all my immature feelings and emotions onto drunk Betty. Afterall, she wouldn't remember it, right? But the truth of the matter is ~ I would. I would have remembered it and regretted it, for the days of my life. Besides, I truly am a better person than that, I think. If you think this was taking a long time, you are right, it was.
The four of us, me in the lead with Robert behind and Beverly (bless her soul!) assisting Betty, walk out of the restaurant. There is no bus in sight nor is TG or anyone else from the group. The restaurant is in the middle of a crowded street and it goes up hill and downhill. Sometimes, most of the time, I can be completely oblivious. Especially when I'm with a group of people. I don't choose to be a leader, so often times I try to be the follower - and in group situations this is exactly where I try to follow. Needless to say, this leaves me often times lost - so knowing where the bus should have been, I was clueless. I headed up the hill leaving the others in tow. I was irritated that no one had waited or come back to direct us where the bus was and how did this happen to ME? Clearly TG had threatened the entire tour that if you didn't get to the bus on time you would have to find your own way back to where you needed to be. Why now, when I have to be out at the taxi at 6:30a.m. tomorrow morning, does this happen? And WHY is it I'm stuck with Betty? Am I really that bad of a person? There must be some reason, right? For every situation, there must be a reason, even if not blatantly obvious from the get go, right? I continue to silently pray, "Dear God, why can't I become a better person towards someone else?" and other crazy thoughts as I walk aimlessly up the hill, back down the hill, and again. There is no sign of the bus. At the bottom of the hill, I see a tour bus and an unknown driver. Mind you, the cat calls are rampant as I figure out how in my dressy outfit I manage to now lose the others and have no idea how much it will cost to get a taxi back across town. The threats of safety running rampant in my mind. Anyway, this wasn't the bus, but the driver and his "friend" were clearly willing to give me a ride. NICE...No thanks!
Back up the hill again, I happen to see Robert coming down the hill on the other side. All four of us are again reunited. I'm sure it must have been 1/2 hour by now, at least. I'm still sad that my roommate didn't come rescue me, or anyone else for that matter. Clearly without Betty in the picture, I would have been OK with Robert and Beverly, but Betty put a nasty twist on the situation. Back up the hill we all go and Betty happens to hear someone speak English. She decides to try to ask a question, but can't get it out and can't stand up. Somehow I found the strength in me to grab her by the arms twice from behind when she almost fell backward on me. I can't say that the fleeting thought didn't cross my mind to move out of the way and let her fall! I asked for directions back to Clichy which was a taxi, that we should catch down the street.
Back down the street we go. I try to flag down three taxis without any luck. We cross the street again hoping to get a taxi at which time Betty is angry with Beverly that she's really rude and aggressive. We should have left her sorry drunk behind to the wolves, seriously, we should have. Robert had tried to assist Betty as well, but this didn't go well, so we left it to Beverly to drag her around and let Betty hang all over her. In crossing the street I hear my name...My sweet angel - My Tania! They didn't leave me/us! Right behind Tania are Paul and James. The three of them had vowed to split up to find the three, I mean four of us. Tania and I head back to the bus to let them know we are on the way, while Paul and James man-handle, I mean help Betty to the bus and Beverly and Robert walk together strong in their relationship and faith. And that, was the last I saw of Betty for the remainder of my trip.
The drive back was pretty quiet - other than filling people in on the escapade to find the bus. The bus was at a standstill due to a car being in the way. The local TG or bus driver, got out of the bus and moved the car! Impressive. By the time we got back to the hotel, we were all pretty tired and the extra bottle of beer I had snagged to celebrate at the hotel was warm. We took a few more pictures in the lobby and said our goodbyes.
One last TG story...she had given me 40 euros to pay for the taxi that I was suppose to catch at 6:30a.m. She assured me that the taxi wouldn't be more than 38-40 euros.
Tania and I talked into the early hours of the night and everything of mine was packed and ready to go to wake in a few short hours.
1 comment:
NICE Blog :)
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