I’m on the Bus this morning headed to the Boat; the sequel to Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.  I spent all night long in the bathroom last night, with no chance of prying myself into the tiny toilette on this luxury coach.  I’m also a day behind on my posting due to the nine-hour time difference and sporadic internet service.

We have a one-hour drive to the boat dock, where we’ll be held captive by Viking for the next week of this adventure.  The good news is that we bought the unlimited drink package.

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, but the traffic is still horrendous.  We crawl past  Cartier, Montblanc, Tiffany, and Brioni along the famous Champs Elysees.  With my stomach as upset as it is, the stopping and starting is uncomfortable.  There’s absolutely no way I could even fit in that tiny toilette!  With the heavy congestion, we could have easily walked this far much faster.

Dinner last night was magnifico!  Alain Ducasse showed off its well-earned three gold Michelin stars.  Only one of us got the menu with the prices printed, meaning they immediately had to choose who they thought would pay the bill.  Isn’t chauvinistic a french word?  I wish I hadn’t looked because each star was worth on average about $150 euro per person.

There was some concern about the tip.  Typically in France, there is no restaurant tipping.  However, you expect to see a service fee included on the bill.  Ask any waiter and they will tell you it’s not included, yet if you use a credit card there is no way to add to the bill.  This should tell you… oui – that any tip is extra and has to be paid in cash.  They were honest and kindly confirmed this with us, putting their prices more in line with New York City fare.

I judge my restaurants by the Pain.  In my opinion, The more varieties of bread they serve, the better the restaurant!  This coming from a man with questionable taste buds.  They provided at least six different breads, all cut table-side.  A slotted wooden box secured two freshly baked loaves, while the server trimmed each slice – very unique.  A large peach basket (that seemed out of sorts) was filled with homemade butter to be served on a carved wooden spoon next to the bread plate.  I ate too much bread on a sour stomach and didn’t have room for dessert.  My wife, who couldn’t see the prices, enjoyed her Langostino and the chef surprises.  She was also surprised by the bill! Bon Appetit!

After a sleepless night and a run on the treadmill, we’re now approaching downtown Paris, the most modern section of town and have passed at least six of Ray Kroc’s McDonald’s.  This is the Arc de Triomphe to Grande Arche  (Arch to Arch) section of the Champs, linking old and new Paris, eventually descending  into a very long, dark tunnel.  It’s reminiscent of yesterday’s Metro hassle, where  you just want to come up for air and get your bearings.  Paris has disappeared!

Blue sky again, as we pass out of the darkness and into a quaint, charming community with a much slower pace.  I hope to see more small French cities along the banks of the Seine.  The rest of the journey should be in sharp contrast to the high energy of the sprawling big city.

Viking River Cruises have an excellent reputation for taking good care of Seniors.I’m sure everyone on this bus feels like they are the youngest of the old.  I’ll look forward to sharing their company.  The boat has been spotted in the small town of Le Pecq.  Docked next to a parking lot, it looks like a Motel 6 as we prepare to board.  Oui…Oui…Oui!