Thursday, July 04, 2013

Bonjour, Paris!

 One Day In Paris - part 1


You may not have noticed, because after all it's not as if your favourite TV-show had been cancelled, but there was no "wandering around the cottage" on July 2nd, as their usually is on the 2nd of the month.

Vous n'avez sûrement pas fait attention car ce n'est pas comme si votre série préférée venait d'être annulée à cause de la retransmission d'un match de foot, mais le 2 juillet, il n'y a pas eu mon habituel petit article qui vous emmène en ballade.


That's because I wasn't there on July 2nd. I had to spend the day in PARIS.

Il y a une très bonne raison à cela, le 2 de ce mois, je n'étais pas derrière mon ordinateur, j'étais à Paris.


I had a medical appointment with a dermatologist who has been my doctor since I lived in Paris and I never wanted to change because he knows all my family and our special skin. I have many moles beauty marks that need to be inspected every year or so.

J'avais un rendez-vous médical, un de ceux qu'on met des mois à décrocher après avoir passé des heures à appeler l'hôpital. Rien de grave, juste un dermatologue qui suit toute ma famille pour notre avalanche de grains de beauté (on est donc tous très beaux...).

I usually get an appointment during my holidays but this year it wasn't possible, but I figured that as it was the last week of the school year, I could ask for a leave of absence.

Now, you may all be very jealous of me... So let me tell you my morning in hell in Paris.

Alors, comment vous résumer la matinée? L'enfer ou quelque chose comme ça!


It began when I arrived at the train station that is close to the Little White House, quite early (it's 6:50 if you can read the clock): there was not a single space for my car on my usual parking lot (at 6:50??? I wonder where all those people were going...), so I had to parrallel park in the street. I think that's when I began sweating!

Tout a commencé en arrivant à ma petite gare au petit matin, plus une place sur mon parking habituel (à cette heure-là?!?), du coup, obligée de faire un créneau. Je crois que j'ai commencé à transpirer à ce moment-là.

Then I took the train to Rennes, which is the biggest city in Brittany (kind of like a state capital - only really smaller ). The train was ten minutes late. So, the comfortable ten minutes I had to catch the train to Paris were transformed in a race of thirty seconds - more sweating - thanks God, I was wearing flat shoes.

Ensuite, le train qui m'emmenait à Rennes avait dix minutes de retard. Du coup, les confortables dix minutes que j'avais pour prendre ma correspondance pour Paris se sont transformées en un marathon de dix secondes, heureusement que j'avais des ballerines plates!

The Hospital I was going to
The train from Rennes to Paris (usually a 3 or 3 and a half hour ride) was, for an unknown reason as nothing was said by any member of the train staff, driving slower than usual... By the time we arrived in Paris, we were twenty minutes late, I was in a panic and had already tried to call three times the hospital to tell them I would be late but no-one was answering.

Pour une raison inconnue car nous n'avons eu aucune info, le train pour Paris a roulé assez lentement un grand moment, et là on avait bien vingt minutes de retard, j'étais en panique et impossible de joindre l'hôpital pour les prévenir et j'ai bien dû chiffrer vingt fois le numéro.

The very Parisian "kiosque" in the Park in front of the hospital.
I then took the subway. The first one worked perfectly, the second one stopped for a reason that was explained but I didn't understand (unlike Lily from How I Met Your Mother, I don't speak "conductor"). So I had to take a third one and then a fourth, always running and always trying to call the hospital.

J'ai donc couru comme une folle dans les couloirs du métro, pris la première ligne, pas de problème. Deuxième ligne, on a fait une station et puis on s'est arrêté. Là, le conducteur a bien marmonné une explication que je n'ai pas comprise et j'ai donc décidé de courir un peu plus dans les couloirs pour faire un détour en passant par une autre ligne. A cet instant, j'étais déjà bien trempée.

The park in front of the hospital
By the time I was running in the hospital corridors, I could feel drops of sweat going down my back. I arrived half-an-hour late and I went to the secretary trying to explain, though I was gasping for air because I'm not used to run,  why I was late. She went to see the doctor who I heard yelling "She's late, she doesn't come in!" I was devastated, but always one to look on the bright side, I thought that maybe it was for the best that nobody was to see my sweating body.

Comme je m'étais bien échauffée, j'ai continué de courir dans les kilomètres de couloirs de l'hôpital, j'ai monté les marches quatre à quatre si bien qu'en arrivant devant la secrétaire, je n'avais plus de souffle pour lui donner mon nom et lui expliquer les raisons de mon retard. Elle prévient le médecin de mon arrivée et là, je l'entends qui hurle "Ah non, elle est en retard, je la prends pas!" J'étais abasourdie mais l'optimiste en moi se disait qu'au moins, personne ne verrait mon corps transpirant!


The idea had just formed in my brain, when the doctor changed his mind - I guess the secretary had explained where I came from - and said: "Come in, remove your shoes and your dress."

Cette pensée positive m'avait à peine traversé l'esprit qu'une voix bougonnante me dit : "Entrez et déshabillez-vous!" La secrétaire avait dû plaider ma cause.

My last positive thought was "please, don't begin to check the moles on the feet, they must be all sweaty, let them dry a few seconds", so of course he began by the feet!

Ma dernière pensée positive fût "s'il vous plaît, ne commencez pas par inspecter les pieds, attendez qu'ils sèchent"... Et évidemment, il a commencé son observation par les pieds!

I thought the whole day was doomed until he said "well, everything is fine, there's nothing to be worried about, you can put your dress back on".

Je finissais par me dire que toute cette journée était foutue quand le docteur a conclu "Rien d'alarmant, vous pouvez vous rhabillez".


When I was out of the hospital, I sat down on a bench in the park that's just outside the hospital to breathe a moment, because only one part of my day was done, the "me" part. I decided a while ago that the second part of the day would be for you, my readers... I played the tourist in Paris for you, as you can see in some "sneak peek" pictures... But you'll have to come back in a few days for more!


Et voilà! Mais ma journée n'était pas finie et j'avais encore l'après-midi pour jouer les touristes. Si vous voulez vous joindre à moi pour arpenter la capitale, il faudra revenir dans quelques jours. Je suis désolée de transformer encore ça en mini-série, mais c'était bien trop long pour un seul article!


Are you guessing where I'm taking you? The last three pictures are hints.

Avez-vous deviné grâce à certaines photos où je vous emmenais?

See you soon,

A très bientôt,



PS: If you're on the new continent, happy Canada's Day (late) and happy 4th of July!

PPS: The castle of Josselin, which I wrote about here, was chosen to be the setting of an apparently very famous Chinese TV-show (see how we're back to the beginning of the post?)

PPS: I'm joining:
Lavender Garden Cottage        "OPEN HOUSE" BLOG PARTY  is posted on THURSDAY          Photobucket              

French Country Cottage         Rooted In Thyme            You're Invited to Party Here!                                         
                               

25 comments:

  1. But I thought French trains were never late!

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  2. Sorry for your difficulties but what gorgeous photos!!!! Thank you for sharing them xox

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  3. Glad you got that behind you! At least you don't have to go back again. Lovely photos and having never been to your country I especially enjoy them! Looking forward to seeing your post.

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  4. Wow! Glad you did get your appointment after all, but I hate that you had to spend so much time in a panic! And glad to hear everything checked out ok :) Beautiful pics. I'll remind my sis to take a gander to whet her appetite for her upcoming trip!

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  5. OH are we going to the Notre Dame Cathedral????
    Even the hospitals are gorgeous in Paris - you make me want to be back there again so badly Magali!!!
    " she's late - she can't come in " lmho...................
    XOX

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  6. You poor thing-what a stressful morning! Good thing you had time later to relax and take some beautiful pics for us (and got some good news :)
    Susan

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  7. Hi Magali, Sounds like a stressful trip, but glad you received a good report. Thank you for the pictures, hope you enjoyed the rest of your day.
    Jeannie

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  8. such a stressful morning, but glad that your Dr visit is over. I would love love love to move to a place like yours, but I'm sure it's way to expensive, but I can dream.
    Thanks for the pictures..
    Mary

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  9. I hate days like that. So stressful, but a good example of the old saying, all's well that ends well. The photos are beautiful and can't wait to see the rest. xo Laura

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  10. Moi, je connais toute l'histoire, mais tes notes d'humour m'ont encore fait sourire... Et puis je trouve Paris bien plus beau grâce à ton regard et à ton appareil photo.

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  11. L'essentiel tient en trois mots ..."Rien d'alarmant"... C'est cool .

    Je ne saurais te dire où tu nous emmènes car je ne connais pas bien Paris & je ne veux pas en savoir plus après une mauvaise expérience .
    J'étais enceinte (grossesse un peu difficile) je ne devais pas rouler en voiture & juste cette année là on a fait plus de 6000km ,lorsque je suis allée à Paris, mon mari plein de délicatesse comme la plupart des hommes me l'a fait traverser à pieds en plein mois d'août bien chaud , en long , en large & en travers puis a voulu qu'on prenne le métro pour voir & nous y a perdu pendant deux longues heures . Ensuite monsieur n'avait pas patience car je me tordais les pieds à cause de mes chaussures & ça le contrariait alors Paris ..............oui peut-être pour aller y perdre monsieur (pas vraiment lol).
    Bises & bon week end . Babette

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  12. Commuting into any city is always trying! I have been to France only once (in Paris), and loved it! I am thrilled to have found your blog so I can follow you around in France!

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    1. Thank you so much for visiting. You won't be disappointed with the next post, I guess, as I'm taking you to one of the oldest part of Paris.

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  13. Hi Magali,

    Glad your check-up went well! I know EXACTLY what it feels like to be sweating from anxiety about being late for a formal appointment! Thanks so much for the interesting pictures of Paris and all its glorious sights!!

    Poppy

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  14. Hi Magali! I just discovered your blog via A Beach Cottage, which is a lot geographically closer to me than The Little White House! I've read all your blogs back to January of this year and have been amazed at the huge renovation tasks you have taken on - your cottage is looking amazing. Thank you for sharing your triumphs & tribulations with us! It's so lovely to see the beautiful old Britton buildings and scenery - New Zealand is such a young country with no castles and few really old structures. My house is about 120 years old, which is quite rare here!
    So glad you finally made it to your appointment - my heart was beating fast just reading about it!

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to comment. I'm glad you're enjoying the ride with its ups and downs! I think you're my first "kiwi" reader!

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  15. Oh no...YOU CAN'T COME IN? Are you kidding me? Thank goodness he came to his senses. That hospital is gorgeous...looks like one of the places that Suzan would want to live!

    -andi

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  16. So glad it all worked out. Great scenery! Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  17. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry with you reading this- your descriptions are a riot- I think everyone has had one of those days (or two) so glad it all worked out- your photos are lovely- I wouldn't mind having a Dr. in Paris - lol

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  18. Oh, how lovely! Your photos make me miss Paris (and France) so much. I'm glad I got to vicariously visit through you. PS: I found you through the Travel Photo Mondays linkup :)

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  19. Well that was an exciting run and trip to the city, can't wait to see the rest. THanks for linking up today with Travel Photo Mondays

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  20. You had me running through Paris too. I am glad after all that trauma that you were able to be seen anyway!

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  21. Sorry your commute was stressful (I was panting just reading about it) but Im glad that everything turned out fine. Whew!
    Looking forward to see where you're taking us.

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