Heading to Paris

HEADING TO PARIS After this, I am looking forward to going to Paris the next day. We leave early in the morning to beat the heat. The drive takes a good 6 hours, the AC is still busted but Miss Pudding is much better. We arrive in Paris and it is hotter than I have ever experienced there. I purposely did not pre book our hotel because, at this point I figured we would show up (I knew rooms were available but hadn’t wanted to prepay). Hubbie will stay with us tonight and tomorrow morning, early, he takes a train to Bordeaux for a three day photo shoot. The other option is for me to take the girls and go with him BUT this would be an extra 5 hours of driving there and back with NO A/c, only to arrive in VERY hot Bordeaux, no pool and nothing to do with the kids. I figure staying in Paris is a better option. At least I know what to do here. I decided to stay in our old neighborhood for the familiarity, and had contacted our favorite 1 star hotel that we have stayed at for years. It is in our old neighborhood, in the 14th arrondissement, right near Rue DaGuerre, a popular pedestrian shopping street that was featured in the film, “2 Days in Paris”. “CITY OF LIGHTS,” PARIS FANTASY VS REALITY The skies open into thunderstorms. Hubbie double parks and I run into The Hotel de Blois, on rue des Plantes. Previously, our most beloved place to stay. Yes they have a room. We will all have to squeeze into a double bed. But after tonight, it will be only the girls and me so that seems doable. I hand the receptionist Hubbie’s Am Ex card, realizing that, after tonight, I won’t have a credit card to pay with so I had better put his card on file. We lug the girls and the luggage up 6 flights to the tippy top floor to a sweltering room. There in no AC (I am sure that one of the websites said there is AC) AND the radiator is on full blast. Miss Pudding is flopped on the bed, melting before my eyes. I march downstairs and say sorry it is too hot. My children are melting. We can not stay. He says I just ran your card, I cannot cancel. Excuse me? We didn’t pre book. We arrived ten minutes ago. So French. He insists that once the card is rung, he can not refund. After much arguing (I get Hubbie involved) the reception agrees to refund the last two days but not our first night). WHAT? I’ll have to argue it with Am Ex but right now I need to get my hot and tired kids situated. Back into the thunderstorm, around the corner to the IBIS I know is there and I know has AC. Crappy tiny room but at least it has AC and my kids wont melt. They’re starving. Is now 5pm and they haven’t eaten all day. And I have laundry to do. I’ve been washing my stuff out in the sink. The girls have so many clothes it doesn’t matter but Hubbie needs clean clothes for his photo shoot. #Paris #travel #children travel #France #motherhood