C'est la Vie.

After a strange combination of planes, trains, and super shuttles, I find myself in Paris.  Notables from the trip over:  Linda and Bill.  Linda and Bill are the names Ann and I gave to a late-middle-aged couple sitting in our row, on the far side by the windows (we, naturally, were squeezed in dead center - seats D and E).  They first attracted our attention when they pulled out white construction workers' masks at the beginning of the flight to Paris.  The germs on those airplanes will kill you.  Then, "Linda" produced no less than three blow-up pillows of various sizes and descriptions, as well as a large clear plastic bag full of different snacks - mostly nuts (and, undoubtedly, hand sanitizer).  They seemed to be enjoying themselves throughout the trip and - you will be happy to know - slept and chatted with ease despite their anti-germ gear.  Ann and I passed the time by making up stories about them, most of which I will spare you from.  Suffice it to say that even after watching the second half of Sex in the City, all of Made of Honor, and the second half of Sex in the City again (this time in French), I still had not slept a wink.  So I had plenty of time for creating various back stories to Linda and Bill's Parisian adventure.  

Wanting to beat the jet lag, we kept ourselves awake with a "tasse de cafe" and lunch of a massive baguette with ham, eaten on the Ille de la Cite within sight of Notre Dame.  Not a bad start to our adventure.  We are staying with Jen (for those of you who don't know her, she's a close friend of mine from California); it's been wonderful to see her and get caught up, not to mention the benefits of having a friendly place to sleep or nap or use the internet.

Ann and I are off to explore the area a bit until Jen gets off work.  Pictures to come.