SUMMERTIME DOLCE VITA 2021 – PT.3

HOW TO SPEND 11 HOURS IN PARIS

If anyone could lift me out of the doldrums from leaving Positano, it was definitely Cristiano during the swift, upbeat ride to the airport. Once I had uttered “ciao…alla prossima (see you next time),” I made a beeline for the Transavia check-in counter to present my COVID test (administered in an empty hotel room at Punta Regina) and surrender my heavy bag. I heard another passenger mention that proof of vaccination could be shown as a substitute for the test results, but I didn’t want to complicate matters with my flimsy CDC card. 

After a slight delay that pushed back the departure of the 8:15pm flight to 8:45pm, the pilot climbed into Italian airspace and headed toward Paris. Perhaps I should not have been surprised, but the scene upon arrival at Orly Airport was beyond chaotic. As I could not even find the end of the taxi line, I ordered an Uber and waited nearly 30 minutes due to a horrendous traffic jam for vehicles approaching the terminal. On the bright side, the ride to my hotel in Saint-Germain-des-Prés was a piece of cake, leaving me time to explore the city for a bit.

90 Minutes Until Last Call

Over the course of 90 minutes, I walked by the famed Café de Flore and Deux Magots, window-shopped art galleries on Rue de Seine, observed a large group of teenagers dancing to pop music along the Seine River near Pont Neuf, and had a “last call” pastis at Maison Sauvage alongside a few die-hard patrons. In fact, I started to seek another late Sunday night destination when I realized that reveille would take place in 3.5 hours. Oh well….time for a nap!

The shrill alarm on my phone sounded about five hours earlier than desired. While it took me a few seconds to realize my whereabouts, I cleaned up in the miniscule bathroom,  donned an appropriate outfit for my upcoming 8-hour fight, and hopped in an Uber bound for Charles de Gaulle Airport. I was pleasantly surprised by the ease with which I checked in at the United Airlines counter (had to show negative COVID test obtained in Italy) and cleared passport control/security. As I boarded the 787 Dreamliner, I suddenly felt a profound sense of appreciation and gratitude for the happenings of the preceding five days. It’s hard to imagine how I could have enjoyed my trip to a greater extent!