Mike Strachan’s e-mail journal — Entry #13, from France
Received 8 May 2008

Travels for May 4/08

Right after breakfast I take a cab to the gare, and discover that the only direct train to Arras is at 6.20 PM. Otherwise, it's back to Paris and change gares again — no thanks. I choose the direct option, and this will give me time to catch up on travel messages. There is no cyber cafe at the gare, so back I go to the one at the old market, but it doesn't open until 2 PM.

Walking around, pulling my suitcase, I discover that the building housing the market is part of a church, under connected roofs. On the opposite side from the market is a garden with a small sign saying that this is the spot where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake in 1431. Another small patch is labelled Pilori. The photo at the left shows the large stylized cross at the site.

The market provides a nice fruit snack and I sit in the shade to eat. At 11:30AM it's already quite warm in the sun. I read, people watch, and snack. Many people smoke, and the desk manager at the hotel told me 40% of people in France smoke (it's about 16% in BC). It occurs to me that I see lots of couples holding hands in France, but no same-sex couples holding hands. There are street people here and panhandlers, but fewer than in Vancouver. One street person is tipsy at noon, and no-one pays attention to him.

The cyber café opens at 2 PM and I catch up on e-mails. Then it's time to hike back to the gare, but I go too far east and walk in a big loop. It's a 15 minute walk but I manage to do it in 25 minutes! The gare is another zoo, Jane. Travelling on a Sunday evening on a long weekend is not advised unless you like crowds.

The train to Arras via Amiens leaves at 18h14, and it's a local train so there is no first class car and the train is jammed. At Amiens some people get off, and even more get on, and the aisles are strewn with luggage. At Arras I exit the gare and pull out my handy IBIS hotel guide which I use, along with street signs and asking for directions. Of course I have walked the long way around, pulling my suitcase over cobbled streets. My hotel room is a familiar layout. IBIS hotels must be the MacDonalds of the hotel world — you always know what to expect.

I am grateful to my wife, Tia, for her suggestions about things to pack for my trip, such as a face cloth (not in any IBIS hotels), small pocket packs of Kleenex (none in any hotels I've stayed in), small knitted slippers made by our friend Mary Wilson, and a fleece pullover Tia made for me.

I have also used some of Rick Steeves' (a travel writer) suggestions from his travel books — use of a day bag and washable, dry-overnight undies are two of them. I update my journal before bed.

Tomorrow — more Arras and Vimy Ridge.

Cheers,

Mike