Beds of the Bard

With only a day or two to get my act together at home in Minnesota, I found myself on the road again. Driving south on the 61 for hundreds of miles to reach Jackson, Mississippi. I set out with 932 miles ahead of me at 6.45 and found myself in St. Louis by about 3 o clock and thinking earlier I might stop there for the night, ‘twas far too early really. So out with me again after a few bits of grub form the St. Louis Bread Company. Next stop was in Sikeston, Missouri at Lambert’s Café. Half dazed from near 600 miles under me I walked in and took a table to myself, I should have sat at the bar in fairness. I had seen the place on TV’s Man ‘v’ Food and remembered stopping there years before with Jimmy Crowley but we didn’t eat that time, ‘twas too busy as I recall. While seated I ordered a tea, and a bread roll was thrown into my hand and more food besides offer. Soup was all I was after but alas none was to be found, a man looking for a light, low-cholesterol snack had come to the wrong place. The craic was mighty in there.

The waiter was intrigued by my Irishness and the fact that I was a touring musician, ‘Have you a CD?’ he asked. ‘Bobby,’ I said, ‘I have a few hundred in the car with me.’
I was looking to book a hotel in the town on my iPhone but ‘twas too slow. Bobby, fair play to him, said the tea was on him and gave me a Lambert’s Café mug, so I brought him in a CD and he then gave me a book about the place and a cinnamon roll (how can we stay healthy on the American roadways I ask myself).
Leaving, feeling good about myself and a biteen refreshed I headed out to the car where upon I noticed that they only take cash which I had none off!!! How quick as a people we have become used to the credit card. I wasn’t far off washing dishes.

South the road 120 odd miles with me to Memphis, or as close as I could get to it. My wife called and she, like a lifesaver, thankfully booked me a hotel in Memphis’ Southside on Priceline. I have a number of friends you I know would have been delighted to house me but I was so zonked I couldn’t face talking to anyone. It was by now 9.46pm and I was on the road for 15 hours and one minute, I am sure they can understand.
The hotel was grand, a nice clean La Quinta. My normal patter to a hotel clerk is
“The highest floor, away from the elevator and Ice machine, non-smoking.’ With an addition this night for a quiet side of the hotel, I needed a good night sleep. Not a bad room, I washed the remote control and balmed out. A funny lock on the door but clean at least. I plugged out the fridge and away to boo boos.

6am!!!! an unending sound awoke me from my slumber, my bladder was full so I had to rise and looking to see where the din was coming from, to my amazement I found that just outside my window was a Cement truck-loading bay. Beep, beep, beep as they reverse and the cement falling always into the big bellies on the back of them.
Will futile trials I did my best to wander back to sleep, alas a pitiful morning. I went down for the ‘free’ breakfast that these hotels offer, era never great, but free I bose?

Off out the door with me for another 200 miles…. must remember to stay away from Cement trucks in my next hotel patter.

A first glance of the Parisian Room!

Where else would you find me on the day of St. Valentine only Paris, France! As with the event of my sister getting married in Cork, Éire, my wife and I said we would strike off a day or two early and hit the land of the Baguette and climb the Eiffel tower again. Mitra found a beautiful boutique hotel within a stone’s throw of the famous structure and a reasonable rate, too, mind you! So, after a long day of hurrying out the door in a cab… hanging around…flying… waiting…flying… a bus, a metro train and a short stroll we made it to the place. The lovely girl behind the desk, who was willing an able to speak the Saxon tongue, gave us an upgrade to a larger room with a balcony view because she was feeling good! Well, fair play to her!

Paris, je t'aime

Le view is very nice!

Paris is a wonderfully planned city and a joy to walk around, even in the blistering cold. We had left Minnesota’s harsh winter behind us but forgot that 32F/0C is still not warm…

At about 2am after a non-stop day and a midnight sojourn up the Tour Eiffel we dropping into bed. Two single beds pushed together, what do the people be thinking? We set no alarm but planned a heavy day of sight seeing the following morning…. It was gone half two the next afternoon when we finally got up, slept the whole morning through. Era, we got over the idea of rushing around and went on our way to see what we could; Mona and the Arc, walked down the Champs and then we cycled out to the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur! Another exhausted pair and more slept till the race for the airport the following day… to Cork.

To sum up the hotel and the room, I would say that it is lovely and romantic. Very small for a Yank, so used to fierce sized rooms and beds but great for Paris. So close to the places you want to see. The bath was a bit high to step into and the bed was two single beds??? The view was striking and the staff were great. If Paris has me back again, it is here I will stay.

Isn't it awful they have a double headboard and two single beds pushed together?