One last breakfast at the Hotel Moderne Saint Germain in the Latin Quarter of Paris before putting on the backpacks and walking two blocks to the nearest RER B stop for the 30-45 minute ride out to Charles de Gaulle Airport. The three days in Paris fast forwarded too quickly and I really didn’t want to go home. One day, we’ll do an “American Express” and just say, “Oh sweetheart, why don’t we just use the American Express Card and stay?” Ha… Fat chance…

Allow yourself enough time in case there is a hang-up in the RER system, just like today. It took forever for the train heading in the Charles de Gaulle direction to arrive. The board showed 9 minutes, then 7 minutes, then 9 minutes again, finally went down to 5 minutes, hung at 3 minutes for at least 6 minutes, while the platform became more and more crowded with morning commuters and travelers heading to Charles de Gaulle. When it finally pulled in late, it was a mob scene while people literally pushed and shoved their way onto the train. I may be little but I’m mighty and smooshed in. ex-Marine almost didn’t make it and began shouting, “My wife is in there, let me in” until someone moved an inch and he mangled his way on..

a very crowded RER B heading to Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris
This particular RER was supposed to be one of the express trains but instead made every single stop. The crowd thinned out slightly at Gare du Nord (a big train station) but it wasn’t until the Parc des Expositions that the RER B really emptied. A big convention must have been taking place.

Once at Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2, it was a snap to walk to American Airlines check-in, answer the usual “packing questions” from AA personnel, and walk over to automatic machines to print out boarding passes. Through a very thorough security where I even had to take off shoes and lucky me got picked for a random security check while boarding, Patted down, shoes off again, handbag and backpack double checked.

A boring, nine-hour flight, through passport control and it was as if we had never left home except ex-Marine was now 70 years old. A fast but always wonderful visit to Paris was over. Happy Birthday again, ex-Marine/Steve/Sonny. Let’s go back!

the birthday boy in Paris, France
Paris Sightseeing Pass