The phone rang at about 6:10 this morning. It was Walt. I had been awake for about 5 minutes by then. He was calling from Roissy-CDG airport. His plane had landed early and he was waiting for his baggage to come out.
Now he is having a train adventure. The RER line from the airport into central Paris has been on reduced service because of strikes for the last three days. Today they say that about three out of four of the regularly scheduled trains are running. And I think passengers are being forced off the RER line at Gare du Nord, instead of being able to ride on down to the St-Michel station as they normally would to get to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
There is a direct metro line from Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz, however, and it is running normally. It will take longer though. Walt is trying to make it to Austerlitz early enough to get on the 9:21 train to Onzain, arriving at 11:20.
If I don't hear from him by about 10:30, I'll drive on up to Onzain to meet him. If he misses the 9:21 train, he has to wait for an 11:45 train that gets to Onzain at about 1:45 p.m. He said he just wants to get home now, after a three-hour drive from Albany across Massachusetts to Boston and a seven-hour flight.
Maybe he can smell the bœuf bourguignon that I made last night for lunch today. Let's wish him luck.
I hope that you and Walt are tucked into your boeuf bourguignon and a bottle of good red about now.
ReplyDeleteI know that you and Callie are thrilled to have him home.
I hope he's home! Welcome back, Walt! Can't wait to hear about the day trip to Vermont :)
ReplyDeleteJudy
Welcome back, Walt!
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed the boeuf bourguignon — very good, if I do say so myself — and a nice salade of escarole and red beets en vinaigrette, not to mention some bread and a couple of glasses of red wine. Now W. is snoozing on the sofa. Callie was obviously thrilled to see him walk back into her life.
ReplyDeleteGreat news, there's no place like the sofa of home!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Walt was able to make his connections.
Just like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz. There is no place like home, there is no place like home. Coming home to your family, beef bourgignon and a comfy couch is the best.
ReplyDeleteHe could just hop on ligne 5 and go straight to Gare d'Austerlitz from Gare du Nord. Why would going to St-Michel be any faster?
ReplyDeleteWelcome home, Walt. We all missed you, especially Ken and Callie. Nothing like a nice dinner and wonderful red wine to warm the soul.
ReplyDeleteIn the states, fresh pork belly can be found at Asian markets (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean) where it is a staple item.
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