I Made It....Somewhere

I have arrived in one piece and with time to spare! My flight to Brussels went off without a hitch, I think checking in and then security and finding the gate took me thirty minutes, not bad. My ticket said NA for meals and "for purchase" but that was a lie! I got fed some chicken and potatoes for dinner and fruit and a muffin for breakfast.

I flew Jet Airways, it was really nice. Lots of Indians though, as it is an Indian airline. I met a guy who lives in London and is from Mumbai,but was checking out the US for a possible job movement. He went to Jersey City and Queens to get a feel for the States, I told him other areas are very different.

Before getting off the flight I checked my ticket for the terminal and then watched the video that they had about the Brussels airport. I got off the plane, found terminal B and went through security. After I went through, I checked my ticket to find out the gate and realized, the video said terminal B, I was supposed to stay in terminal A. I had to leave the airport and reenter and go through security...for the third time that day. The plane had a two hour layover and we arrived an hour early so I was not too worried.

It was warm though and with my mistake I guess I began to get even warmer. I did not think much of it until we rode one of those moving walking floors and it showed your body outlined by the temperature you are (color, I forget what it is called). Everyone was green, yellow, orange, a little red, not I. I was red and orange with a little green.

I made it though to move to the two gates we were changed to. Do I understand what is being said, eh so so. I have copped out though and spoken English to 3 out of the 4 people I have spoken to. I feel that directions are a no mess zone though. There was like an 11 year old on the plane next to me, I spoke to him in French "Tu habite Paris?" He said yes and looked uncomfortable and that was it. I thought about asking his age but decided against it.

I am staying at Comfort Inn, CDG and it is perfect for what I need. Small, simple, but far away from everything (I will post a picture later). It does not look safe to walk and the lady at the desk told me there was nowhere to walk to look and I should just take the train that is a bus ride away. So took advantage of the internet, writing and researching so tomorrow goes off without a hitch.

After finding out dinner begins at 7 and I missed lunch I decided to wander. I walked until I got to a highway, turned around and walked into a town. It was so quaint and beautiful, all the houses are connected, many looking like they need repair. A church was there and I found a couple of parks. Most of the stores are closed for vacation this month, but it was still beautiful. I saw an old lady with a cane and when I said Bonjour she smiled and repeated it. I guess what they say about the word warming the chill of the French is true.

I figured I had such good luck with her, that I would try with the next lady, who was in her late 60s. She answered with Bonjour and then went on to say something I had no idea about. When I told her I did not speak French (looking back I should have said not well...) she was definitely offended and started to yell at me repeating "no parles francais!" along with a lot of other stuff. I could not even make out one or two words the lady was saying; this could have been due to her speaking fast, throwing me off with getting upset, or the fact that I really need to work on my French. After her first rant, I replied with "non comprephend pas" and I began to cross the street, thinking this would end the conversation, but I was wrong. She continued to stare me down yelling. Finally she gathered up the bags that she put down and walked off, still mumbling to herself.

It has been a good first day.