Welcome to Paris

Such a bizarre evening.

I arrived in Paris with no idea where to go. I stopped at the information booth and the kid looked at me like I was nuts, then suggested a "new place" called Novotel. "Up the stairs, turn left, you will find it." Well, I didn't find it.

I walked left and kept walking. When I didn't find it I started trying to find wifi. No luck until half-way around the block when an "orange" network popped up that worked with Skype Wifi - nice. 19c/minute.

I put out a plea for help on Facebook not expecting much if anything in response. What do you say to such a thing?

So, I kept walking and eventually decided to approach a woman with a son probably about six years old - I told her it was my first time in Paris and I needed to find a hotel and had no idea at all, just that I wanted to pay "in the middle". She suggested I try walking down a road away from the block we were on and find a two-star place I like and try it. I almost just took her up on it but hadn't been all the way around the block yet and I was pretty curious if the guy at the booth was just messing with me.

I eventually did find Novotel just to the right of where I'd come out of the station. Well, they're a four-star place and the man behind the counter told me 170 Euro - yowza! I said too much and he eventually came down to 144 - still about $200.

So, I walked back over to where I'd spoke to the woman and checked my FB post - wow! I'd received much more assistance than I had hoped for! One was from Phil suggesting a place called Hotel du Parc and it just so happened to be in the district I was in. Putting my trust in the universe, I jokingly made my way down the road the woman had pointed me to and looked for the Hotel du Parc. And there it was, a block down.

I walked in, asked for a room, it's 80 Euro/night - just a hair over what I'd naively hoped/expected to pay. Nuts, I tell you, to walk down a nigh-random street in Paris and come across the very hotel that had been recommended.

Only bummer is that there are no vacancies tomorrow night so I need to find other accommodations. Going to worry about that tomorrow, however.

Just now, after showering and lying down for just a few minutes, I went out and had the very best hamburger I've ever had - the Burger Aveyronnais at Kamelo Brasserie - along with fries, a small salad, and a 25cl Pelforth Blonde.

And now, it is almost midnight and I am in desperate need of some quality Zs!

Bon nuit!