PARIS, FRANCE, AND A TRAIN RIDE TO MADRID

As expected, the group of friends were already in the Hotel, each couple in their room, when Anna and I arrived from the Airport. Transferred some of the contents of the suitcases to the closet, refreshed ourselves a bit and walked down the hall looking for the right room number.- At my knock, the door opened and there stood Fito, a very dear friend that I hadn't seen in years.

I wasn't surprised to see his hands were occupied, holding a glass in one, and a bottle of Chivas Regal in the other. He put the glass and bottle on a table; Alicia, his wife ran over to join us...and the inevitable greetings ceremony began with warm embraces and cheek kissing; everybody talking at the same time.

Fito suggested we should sit down for a welcome drink, and then we would go greet the rest of the group - three more couples - all part of Fito's family. Anna and I had already met and liked all of them years back, so everybody felt comfortable with everybody else. Perfect! Sooo...finished the drinks, and just as I knew he would, Fito poured a second one. Last one before we go, he affirmed. Let's have this one, and we'll take you to greet the others.- I certainly wasn't going to argue. We had the time, and the Chivas was 18 years old.

Fito called the other couples, agreed to meet downstairs and go for a walk down to the Champs Elysee's and the Arch of Triumph; find a sidewalk Cafe and order a few beers while watching the Parisians go by, immune by now to the beauty of their city.- And we did just that. More hugs and cheek kissing - everybody talking - and genuine affection in the air. Started toward the Arch, two camcorders besides mine to record the event for posterity.
It was a very pleasant walk; but the Arch of Triumph - I don't know why - made me think of the Second World War, and in my imagination I could see German soldiers marching through. Finally we found a Cafe with tables out in the sidewalk and we sat and ordered beers all around. Francis, an attorney married to Fito's sister, Silvia, said that the Hotel could get us on a small bus to take us on a tour of the city, then to dinner in a Restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, and finally admire the beautiful bridges that span the River Seine, from the comfort of a touring boat.

Sounded good, so the next day's schedule was set. Anna and I were tired by then. We had taken a direct, non-stop flight from Memphis to Amsterdam where we had a two hour lay-over and hadn't had a chance to get much sleep. We were more than ready to go get some shut-eye, so as soon as we got back to the Hotel, we said good night and off to bed we went.

That was our first day in Paris, and we were looking forward to continue the next day. Mass at Notre Dame was schedule, and a visit to Napoleon's Tomb in "Les Invalides", the Eiffel Tower dinner and boat ride on the Seine.

We all met at the Hotel Dining Room, had a very nice breakfast sprinkled with a lively conversation and after getting the camcorders, we all climbed into the small touring Bus that waited by the sidewalk. Our guide spoke French, English and Spanish and had a pleasant personality. The size of the Bus was perfect for the ten of us and the guide. The driver's attention, all the time on the traffic around us. After Mass at Notre Dame, our guide took us all over the city, explaining and commenting on the different buildings and monuments we passed. At noon, at his suggestion we stopped at a small but very charming Restaurant, our guide translating the French Menu into Spanish, and making remarks about some of the items on the Menu. I remembered Anna and I had the same thing: Half dozen escargots, shrimp in a special sauce and a Fillet Mignon - rare - with champignons and a bottle of "House Wine." A cup of very good coffee and a Cognac ending the meal.
The touring continued by several places of interest, e.g. the "Moulin Rouge" and our guide also showed us the site where the Guillotine stood during the French Revolution; the place where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were decapitated.

Somebody mentioned the alleged phrase "Let them eat cake"

Our guide assured us that was just a myth, and told us that Marie Antoinette's last words had been: "I beg your pardon, Sir. I didn't do it on purpose." after inadvertently stepping on the executioner's foot.

We had a terrific time in Paris, but the time came for us to go our separate ways.
Fito and family were going to tour Italy; and Anna and I to Spain. Almost at the last minute, we decided to go by train instead of flying, so we could see some of the French countryside. A Hindu Gentleman that spoke English, very kindly offered to help us in buying the tickets and finding the car where our assigned seats were located. The train started out just as soon as we boarded, and we were in for a ten to twelve hour ride. We spent a good part of the time in the Club car, where you can enjoy a much better view, and Bar service. Before we knew it, we were crossing the Pyrenees Mountains, natural border between France and Spain.

When we finally made it to Madrid, a Taxi took us to our Hotel, just in time for a late dinner.- Our Spanish adventure was about to beguine; our next destination: Ibiza, one of the Balearic Spanish Islands in the Mediterranean.