I love the French passport officers. I also like the uniforms. Some of the women are just beautiful! Probably one of the very few countries in the world where you can say that, a passport officer being cute and nice. Oh, by the way, I adore French women . They are cool. I hate the stupid yellow cards that I must remplir(fill out),. like the ones back in the UK, but this seems to go easier, for some reason. Again, we saved you from the Germans. The Germans, in this case, walk in with no border check, and we are filling out forms......We really need to be thinking about this one. An argument for American isolationism perhaps??? Kidding. Mais, ironic, one has to admit that, svp.

Maybe the Dutch appreciate our coming over to help??? . Again, I have an easier time entering Germany than I do France or the UK. Maybe in the next life someone will explain all this to me, too confusing now and gives me a migraine. Ou la la.

Upon request in French, he stamped my passport and I was back into Schengen! Yeah!!! They are blown away when I speak French. Yes, some Americans do speak French. I did a minor in school, happen to love the language. It is fun to see their faces. At the same time, I will sometimes let them speak English, many in Paris speak English, too int'l, just to hear their cute accents.

Quick baggage retrieval, and then lo and behold, not a single customs officer.
If you want to get technical, guys. By allowing customs free with Holland, and you can get anything in Amsterdam, you are really wasting your time with customs at that point, and they know that. The French put up spot checks trying to get people coming from Holland. So the intelligent one would come back through Germany, a short side trip for some wurst. Please!

I know CDG like the back of my hand, probably more than most Parisians, that is funny. I knew where to go to hit the Hyatt bus, and there it was within 5 minutes, nice. That same idiot from the plane was there, wanted to curse him, but was nice. Sorry, but when you look like an ex-professor that I hated, there you go.

Unlike Heathrow with their Hoppa from hell, CDG was intelligent enough to maintain their shuttles. The drivers are friendly, are bilingual, and actually help you with your luggage. I want to speak French, they want to practice their English, so makes it fun. One Sheraton driver, when he saw that I was from LA, asked me many questions, all in English. You feel special .

One of my now favorite hotels in the world is the CDG Hyatt. Go stay there and see why. The hotels in Paris, for the most part, and with great respect, are old, dirty, and way overpriced, especially anything in the high name brand range.
This is why I stay at CDG. This hotel is a paradise. Large, spacious, clean, nice lobby with bar and resto areas, and the staff are impossible to beat. I get so pissed off in the UK when I have to do everything for myself(thanks to the bloody hoppa). Not here. The bags went from the van to Gregory, le porter. He is cool. Fernando checked me in, he is also cool!
Immediate upgrade to the top floor, Regency Club( I had a certificate), and all the works. He is from Mexico, so I spoke some Spanish, he liked that. Hey, I am from LA, por favor!
He made me feel welcome in a way that very few hotels on this earth make me feel, save Asia and maybe Australia/New Zealand. Gregory took the bags up and we did the Frenglish thing. He started ripping on Quebec French, sorry, one of my major pet peeves. It ain't French, and the French people feel that resoundingly. The English Canadians speak better French, and the French people make fun at that... Different accents, slangs, and all...Vivre le joual . LOL I do love Quebec, fyi.

The room, like last time, was wonderful. Comfy, nice, soft bed, and felt like I was home. I was in Paris, I was home! A quick trip to the lounge and more goodies. Swiped some cans of Perrier and Orangina(2 of the greatest things God ever put on this earth!), some prosciuto(heavenly), and back to the room. No sooner did I lie down did the phone ring and mon ami was downstairs. I was tired, but I love seeing this wonderful man!

He was in LA a week earlier for the LA airliners show. My friends were blown away when we said, see you in Paris in a week, well, ca c'etait une semaine..
He duly, a fellow lounge lizard, checked it out. Helping himself to the wines and cheeses, etc....This is truly one of the best hotel lounges ever.

He handed me a bag full of aviation hobby goodies, won't mention, don't want to make collectors salivate :=))), inflight magazines is one of them, as I love them, especially from Africa. On top was the largest box of choclate, French and dark, that I had ever seen in my entire life. I could have passed out, it was wonderful.
A German friend back home who visited duly enjoyed the chocolates, even though she hates France. I wanted for her to give France some credit, she didn't . OH well.

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Michael
AA PLT,1 MLN Miles+
Hilton Gold
Sheraton Gold
Marriot Silver