Waiting to get out of Paris

To be stuck waiting to get out of Paris is an experience with a long and storied history.  This should be a comfort to me, but somehow I don't think I am going to make it to Casablanca and Rick, at least not on this voyage...I will, God willing, eventually get out of here and back to California in time for Christmas, but it's taking a lot longer than I thought it would.

All week, while I was making my preparations to leave Cosne and Nevers for the holidays, everybody asked me, "Oh, quand est-ce que tu pars pour les Etats-Unis?" and when I said Sunday the 19th, the uniformly replied with something along the lines of "Euh, la neige aille poser une probleme pour toi, je crains!"  No, I thought, that couldn't possibly happen; there is no way the weather will wreck havoc on my flight plans--all these people are just being naysayers....Famous last words.   I got to to Charles De Gaulle airport on Sunday morning in the middle of a merry blizzard, and promptly joined a swelling crowd of would-be travelers, who were all trying to figure out what the hell they were going to do.  Apparently, while it was snowing in Paris, it was really coming down in London, and Heathrow was completely closed all day, and would be for part of the next.  My flight was, of course, on British Airways, which routes all flights through Heathrow, so I was not going anywhere.  I proceded to wait in line to try to get an alternative flight for the next six hours, all the while dealing with stressed-out fellow passengers and an incredible amount of missing information.  Finally, at 4 pm, after having been on my feet in various unmoving lines since 10 am, I made my disgruntled way back to Paris on a train that was, unsurprisingly, also delayed and overcrowded.

De Gaulle or the Louvre?

On the other hand, at least I had somebody to stay with.  It could have been so much worse.  My friend Hilary from Columbia, who has a charming apartment in the Marais district (i.e. pretty much close to everything) has generously been letting me stay with her for my unexpectedly-longer visit.  We have taken advantage of this opportunity to see some more sights, and yesterday we girded on our armor of cultural appreciation, and went to that bastion of the spoils of culture and empire--the LOUVRE (capitals are essential).