2026: 21-22March/The Little RER Train that Couldn't.

Say, what's that in the distance?

 

Paris

Hi to anyone who reads this blog! I'm just a middle-aged woman who loves to travel.  When I'm not traveling I'm teaching (I'm a special education language arts teacher at our local high school), gardening, and reading.  I also enjoy hiking, just not steep uphills!

I usually take a solo trip--sans husband and children--during my spring break.  This year I have the opportunity to be part of a celebration of the 20 years of our Uppsala,Sweden--Minneapolis  teacher exchange program.  I was part of this in 2012.  Our two cities are also sister cities and dignitaries from each city visited the other with expensive dinners and such to celebrate the 25th year of that.  Before the year that I began, Swedish teachers/staff came over in the third week of October and Minneapolis staff went there over spring break.  Well, the year that I did it, I was talking with my Swede, Gunnar, when he was here in October and discusded the dates that I would stay with him (you and your "exchange" teacher host the other when they come to your country).  He said that their spring break that year was the same as ours, so the leaders decided that we would go the week before spring break, cobbling together school PD days, district PD days, and personal days.  Ever since then, it has been the week before spring break. From what I understand, the Swedish school district/government very much supports this program and those teachers have paid days off while they are gone, their flights are paid for, and they get spending money.  It just shows you!  Well, our celebration delegation (which are all teachers, SEAs and admin that have been involved the past) will overlap in Sweden somewhat with the current exchange members but we have a different program.  Still have speeches by their admin talking about Sweden's education system and how wonderful the exchange is, followed by days of school and cultural visits.  And, of course, time built in to have fun together and have meals.  

Well, the person I contacted to be included said  that the celebration was Monday through Friday, and that most teachers were asking their admin to give then the days off.  I was willing to use personal and sick days, but we are not supposed to take a week's worth together, and not right before a school break.  So I asked my principal and he said that they want to support the program and so I was given the days off as building PD days which means I get paid and have a sub without using up any sick days (personal days come out of accrued sick days).  So, anyway, that is why I am traveling earlier than normal.  

When I was scheduling airfare, Joshua thought he was going to be in Paris doing his final study abroad (and hopefully graduating at the end of it).  I thought it would be fun to meet up with him for a few days while I was in Europe.  Looking at the calendar, I figured that I would leave on Saturday, then found out that for the celebration in Sweden, we need to arrive on Wednesday.  So I planned to fly in to Paris at the beginning for a few days, then head up to Sweden, either by train or one of the inexpensive short flights that they have in Europe.  Well, a few days before he was supposed to leave, Joshua checked his email and found out that he wasn't able to go to Paris after all--something to do with an incomplete the previous quarter that he hadn't taken care of, I think.  So, we lost out on his nonrefundable flights and I had already booked mine, so today I arrived in Paris.  

After a few crazy, stress-filled days (week?) trying to get everything done for my sub and my end of quarter paperwork, on Saturday I flew from Minneapolis and arrived early this morning in Dublin.  It was  a very underbooked flight so I ended up with two empty seats next to mine.  Yay!  But, I was still unable to sleep.  I dozed a bit, but got up in Dublin feeling completely exhausted.  Short 1 1/2 hour layover and a short flight to Paris (where I also attempted to doze up against the window).    

Well, from Charles de Gaulle airport, one needs to get into the city.  There is only one train--the RER B.  I went to figure out tickets and was told that the RER B was out of service today!!  Okay, plan B.  I went back to ask, and she pointed to the sign out in the atrium area.  Well, it simply gave a QR code  to book tickets on a bus  to take instead.  The QR code only gives you an app to download.  Well after 45 minutes, it had only downloaded a quarter of the app.  So I went back to the office and she acted very annoyed and told me to go to the other office, straight ahead and to the right.  Well, that's the atrium area, finally found it on the other side of the building--you had to go way straight ahead.  They tried to help me, then someone else told me something else, and I was near tears because I was still in the airport several hours later!  And I was so tired!  Eventually more and more tourists started following each other, and we finally figured out where Terminal 2F was and where gate 4 was there.  Out in a parking garage were a few coach buses (near a sign that said gate 4).  We were trying to figure out where and how to pay for them, but then we found out that they were free.  They dropped us off near Gare Proche de Saint Denis Paris (a train station closer in to the center of the city).  After two RER (regional) trains and a metro (subway) train with a short walk in between the two, I arrived a block from my hostel and realized that I had lost my jacket--left on the bus to the train station. The Hotel Madrigal, four hours after my plane landed.   It has dorm style rooms with differen numbers of beds and with either single or mixed sex.  I chose a 5 bed women's room.  The online pics showed bunk beds so I emailed and requested a bottom bunk (after the bunk bed situation in Washington DC!).  The bunks are built into wall alcoves and are very sturdy (unlike DC's!).  Each bunk has blackout curtains, a power socket (for charging), a light and a little alcove in the wall.  Your also get a pillow and duvet.  I had to rent towels for €3.50.  I found where I had packed a few things (I needed a band-aid for a nail torn off too far).  

An RER B closure sign

I packed my travel bag and went out into the city to wander.  I love doing that.  You never know what you will find.  You typically find the "real" city with the real people that live there.   I walked by the catacombs--turns out they're closed--good things I checked it out last time i was there. I counted it up and this is my fifth time in Paris.  So most of the tourist things I've already done.  I do need to go see the new roof of Notre Dame and I love the Coulee Verte walk, so I'll probably do that again--some people say that they do it every time they are in Paris.  My family is suggesting that I go shop some thrift stores to find a jacket, so I will probably do that.  I stopped at a cafe for dinner--had an omelet with salad and bread--slightly French.  It was chilly as I was heading back to my hostel.  One person had been closed in her bed when I arrived and she is still there--hope she's okay.  A friend of hers came to check on her.  

Pretty garden path that smelled so nice! At least one lilac!

In these little plazas and parks between the streets, so many people are out walking, playing, and interacting

Fancy roundabout

more parks

Not many photos, sorry.  I'm still knackered, so I will head to bed after finishing this, even though it's only 9:15--oops, gotta fit in a silent DuoLingo spanish lesson too.  G'night!

Happy Trails to You

 Spring Break, 2025

Day 10, April 6

Concourse at the Chicago airport

Today was a travel day.  As I am writing this I am waiting for my third leg of my journey home.  Last night I decided that I was unwilling to try and retrace my route of last night to get to the airport on time.  Or to take a series of several buses.  So I booked a driver through a service connected to the group that owns the apartment I was staying in.  I had to book it three times before it went through.  The Air Canada early check-in email link said that due to high volumes of travelers they were recommending arriving at the airport 4 hours early for international.  So I did.  My ride was 10 minutes early, but I was ready.  I arrived before anyone was at the Air Canada desk and they didn't have kiosks to print out your boarding pass.  While waiting, I met a woman with a large group who was also traveling to Minneapolis from Athens with the same three legs.  Athens to Toronto, Toronto to Chicago, and Chicago to Minneapolis.  

She said that their group saw the same advisory for time that I did, so they arrived 5 hours early!  So we waited until the desk opened to get our boarding passes.  For my long flight I had an aisle seat--yay!  Then on the flight from Toronto to Chicago there were several rows empty, so I had the seat next to me open and I could stretch out.  No one behind me, so I could lean my seat back as well.  Comfy!  I have another aisle seat for the flight to Minneapolis. 

Stopped at McDonald's at the Chicago airport for dinner (it was right next to my gate).  And my flight it on time.  Next stop, Minneapolis!  Only 24 hours of travel!

Waiting, waiting, waiting

Spring Break, 2025 Greece

Day 9, Saturday

Wisteria, which I have not been successful growing in MN

Well the plan for today was to spend the. morning in Hydra, then take the 1:00 ferry back to Athens.  I would have stopped at a left luggage place and then possibly go to Agora and then wander the National Gardens (a suggestion for a friend on the tour).  I was also going to shop the flea market/souvenir stands to get souvenirs for myself and my family (I already had an idea of what I wanted to get).  Then I would head to my accommodation for the nights, way out in the suburbs near the airport, involving the subway, a bus, and walking for 10 minutes.  So I want to make sure to try that in daylight.  

Well, that was the plan. But I didn't receive email tickets for my ferries (not sure what happened there).  Luckily, I  had taken a screen shot of the whole grid when ordering.  So I emailed it to myself, but it doesn't show up well on a phone.  I guess I didn't take the time to quadruple check everything like I usually do, I had read the arrival time in Athens as the departure time in Hydra.  <2 big sighs>.  So, after I had walked around the town for a while, decided to get a last minute lunch at the harbor, and collected my bags, I was waiting in the harbor wondering why my ferry wasn't here and re-read the chart again and realized my mistake.  Feeling completely stupid and disgusted with myself and on the verge of tears, I got very overwhelmed.  The only thing I could think of was to go back to my accommodation and ask for help (there is no harbor office).  So I did, and she asked around and found where I should go.  So I hurried off, they sent me to a different place, and at the correct office there was a sign on the door that said (in greek)--"Closed until 1:00" (it was now 12:40).  So I knocked (this was an emergency!), and the woman came to the door and pointed to the sign.  I said "but I need a ferry!" So she opened the door (I didn't realize that I was completely over-reacting) and she said that she cannot be open right now and will help me later.  OK, so I sat on the steps and read my book, waiting for 1:00.  Well, at 1:00 she opened the door and walked out.  She said that she was the only one in the office and was required to take her lunch at 1:00.  She would be back at 3:00.  (wow, I"m lucky to get 30 minutes for lunch!).  I looked frantic, so she looked at my screenshot on my phone, pointed to where it said arrival rather than departure and said that the next ferry didn't leave until 6:00.   And that I would probably have to buy another ticket.  <another big sigh>.  She asked if I had a flight to get to today and when I answered that my flight wasn't until tomorrow, she suggested that I go get a cup of coffee and that she would see me at 3:00.  So I found a bench near the harbor and read my book for two hours.  Back at 3:00, she was helping one person while another was waiting, so I waited my turn.  First, I apologized for being rude earlier.  She looked again at my screenshot and asked for my passport and proceeded to order a ticket for me for the 6:10 ferry.  Which I again paid for.  Then back out to the bench by the harbor to start writing this blog entry on a word document (which I found out does not copy and paste into Blogger) and read more of my book.  They will hopefully begin boarding by around 5:20 or 5:40.  At this point, I still felt embarrassed and stupid and very disappointed/disgusted with myself.  When I arrive in Athens, I will need to go straight to where I am staying and won't have time to buy souvenirs for anyone (I had my eye on some cute earrings for myself!).  Two metro trains, a bus, and a medium walk.  But I also know that my mistake is a symptoom of my ADHD.  I failed to put enough supports into place--quadruple checks, alarms, and writing things down/making connections--so I screwed up.  I'm not stupid, I just didn't take my unusual brain into account and forgot the accommodations that I have to make for myself.  <sigh>. And this is after a good night's sleep.  Eight solid hours.  Eventually the tears pricking my eyes will stop and I will simply accept what has happened and move on.  

Eight hours later--

OK,  by the time the ferry arrived I was calm and had finished my entire book.  It arrived at 6:10 and we were pulling out by 6:15.  We arrived in Athens around 7:45.  I ignored Google Maps directions because they didn't make sense and took the subway into the city, changed to another subway and then checked Google Maps again to double check the stop I needed to get off on.  I was right where I should be and it showed me where to get off.  So I got off and followed the directions to the bus stop, but I had trouble finding it.  I kept walking around and around looking for the right bus stop.  Finally, I just went to one and looked at which buses stop there against what buses Google Maps was suggesting and found a few matches.  So I waited 15 minutes for the first one, got on to double check that it was going in the right direction and the driver said no, he was done.  So I watied another 20 minutes for the next one--same story.  So then I went to another bus area and waited about half an hour until eventually one of the correct numbers pulled up.  I got on and asked the driver if he was going to the stop I needed and then I showed it to him on Google Maps.  He said that he needed it in Greek, well Google Maps doesn't do that.  So I tried using Google Translate and he didn't know what I was talking about.  Another passenger intervened and didn't know the stop, so I brought up the whole list of stops and he said that he recognized a few of them and that my stop was probably the one where all of the taverns were (!).  So I followed along on Google Maps while the phone was plugged into my powerbank so that I wouldn't run out of battery. And by this time it is around 10:30.  And dark.  So when I got to the right stop (no taverns though), I had trouble orienting myself to walk the 10 minutes it said that I needed to walk. And stumbled because the sidewalks have huge holes and obstacles.  So I turned on my flashlight on my phone as I followed along the path.  Finally I arrived.  (AAAAHHHHHHH!).  Codes worked to get in the building and for wifi.  Breathe.  

Meanwhile, I did take some pictures while I was walking around this morning.  I'll share those, then decide how I'm getting to the airport tomorrow.  It's almost midnight and I need to get some sleep.  Even though I'm hungry because I only at lunch today.

It loaded them backwards, this is one of the islands from the ferry

A worker securing his load to his donkeys

cute cafe

Walking around

Small, cute walkway

 

An Island in the Sun

 Spring Break 2025, Greece

Day 8, Friday    

Looking down at the water and the flowers from the path.

Right before I went to bed last night, I remembered that I needed to order ferry tickets to go to Hydra tomorrow (which we need to remember is pronounced "ee-druh", not "high-druh").  So I scheduled one out to the island for 10:00 and a return on Saturday for 1:00.  Then I went to my room to get ready for bed and get most of my stuff mostly packed.  It was around 11:00.  Well, the room was dark and the curtains on all four beds were pulled shut so I'm guessing everyone was sleeping (already?) and thus I couldn't turn the light on and had to be very quiet.  So no packing.  Luckily I had already pulled out my nightshirt, toothbrush, and toothpaste and put then on the top of my bags.  So I quietly locked my credit card (ferry tickets) and my laptop in my locker using the flashlight on my phone, then took my nightshirt and tooth stuff to the bathroom.  I just dumped the day's clothes in the locker and set my alarm a little earlier.  I did have to pull out my phone charger though.  I crawled up there, pulled the curtain, plugged my phone in and settled in.  I had forgotten to take out my earrings, so I put those beside the mattress with my water bottle, phone, and glasses.  It was awkward getting in and out of the bed a few times to use the bathroom, but I survived (top bunk).  The guy that checked me in said that in the future, I should send a message saying that I wanted a bottom bunk.  The only bottom bunk they could find was a mixed gender room, but I didn't feel comfortable sharing a room and bathroom with guys.  Of course, I only ran into one of the women I shared a room with, so it probably would have been okay.  Although you hear stories about guys crawling into the wrong bunks sometimes, claiming too much to drink.  

With everyone asleep when I went to bed, I expected them to all be up when I got up.  No such luck.  So I quietly got out clothes and toiletries and went into the bathroom to shower and get dressed.  I do have to say that the shower was a pretty great one.  It had the overhead rain-style showerhead with a hand held to use as well (you can switch back and forth).  Warm water right away with a walk-in shower--no shower curtain!  Then I got ready, quietly packed my bags with a little light shining in around the edges of the curtain.  Took my stuff down to the lobby restaurant and had breakfast.  It was a buffet--mostly cold.  Ate, checked out, then left.  When I left, they asked me how I liked the dorm style bed.  I mentioned that they were all asleep when I went to bed and when I got up--they just laughed and said yeah, that's often how it works.  They asked if the experience would keep me from sleeping in a dorm style arrangment again.  I said no, that I would just need to plan ahead better.  These dorm bunks were way better than some of the others I've used.  They weren't metal framed stand alone bunk beds.  They were built into the wall ones with curtains, ladders, outlets, and a little extra space on the platform next to the mattress for your stuff.  I did remember on the ferry that I forgot my lip balm next to the bed, but nothing else.  

I used google maps to find the metro station.  The train was a bit late and it had taken me longer to find the metro station and get a ticket.  So I got to the harbor less than 5 minutes before my 10:00 trip.  The company that I bought the tickets from had sent a confirmation of how much I paid, but not any other information.  Luckily, I had taken a screenshot of the reference numbers, etc., but I didn't know the harbor gate to go to.  I saw a ticket booth for my company, went there and she said gate 8, you need to hurry! and pointed.  So I walked fast with my bags and kept going and going, looking for 8.  It is not marked and there are no signs pointing the way.  Finally I stopped and asked a ferry that was loading cars and he pointed the way.  Obviously, by the time I got there I was 10 minutes late.  I found a ticket seller, explained the problem, and they made me buy another ticket for the next ferry!!!  My first ticket had been 35 Euros, this one was 42 Euros!  So I asked for a refund for my first ticket.  She said they don't do refunds, but I could contact the company to get a credit for another trip.  I said that I am leaving soon and may not ever be back, so a credit was no good.  She didn't care.  So I was not only out 42 Euros, but also lost three of my hours of my vacation to spend on the island.  I've contacted the company and they are saying that they do not issue credits nor refunds.  Hmmmm.  So don't use Blue Star in case you miss your ferry!  So I sat in the waiting area.  Then I went to the wrong ferry and had to try another (it's not marked at all!  There is no signage.).  Finally went in, well it was unlike any ferry I've been on.  There were rows of seats and we had assigned seats.  And bins overhead to stow our luggage.  It was too weird.  Luckily tbe seat next to me was not assigned so I could put one of my bags next to me.  Read on the way to the island (two hours) while watching the pretty scenery of the islands.  Mine was the second stop.   Greece has about 6,000 islands, but only 227 are inhabited.  

This is the inside of the ferry

this is the outside

When we arrived, I followed the hotel directions and found it perfectly!  It appears to be a house from the street.  The front desk is in the front room.  I had messaged a few times letting them know when I would be arriving (each time my plans changed).  So I rang the bell on the counter and one of the owners (?) checked me in and led me through the back of the house to the courtyard and through that to a door on the back of the building--room 8.  It has its own little window with shutters and I can turn the lights on whenever I want!  The only weird thing is that you have to turn on the water heater 15 minutes before your shower (just flip a switch on the wall).  And have I mentioned that in Greece you cannot flush your toilet paper?  It is common in much of Asia, but not Europe.  Evidently it has to do with the age of their plumbing.  Each bathroom was a step-open garbage can for your soiled toilet paper.  Every bathroom, everywhere.  It makes some of the bathrooms, especially public ones, rather stinky.  Oh, and the bathrooms at the second monastery yesterday were what women call "squatters"--a porcelain place on each side to put your feet, then you squat over the hole.  I've used them before, and, like most women, hate them.  It is difficult managing your clothing so that it doesn't get wet while also balancing in a deep squat, then wiping and having to throw that in the garbage can.  Several women, including me, declined to use those bathrooms and waited until our lunch break!  I was talking to our tour group guide and she said that the junior high she went to had those.  Yuck.  I can't even imagine.

Just off the boat!

So enough bathroom talk.  After charging my phone a bit (found out my powerbank had no charge left on the ferry and my phone power was down in the teens), I headed out.  I walked along the harbor--cute shops and sidewalk cafes fill the are, then followed the path along the ocean to the next village--Kaminia.  I walked around that village--fewer shops.  And donkey droppings in the walking path.  Hydra does not have vehicles on the island--one of the primary reasons I chose it!  Some residents of the island use donkeys to carry their things--grocery bags, bags of garden soil, etc.  So donkeys do what donkeys do--just in the walking paths and it's not always cleaned up. Some of the walking paths wind around and meander, then disappear, and go up and down.  Soon, the housing switched from being one village to another and I ended up on the harbor in Hydra town.   A few times, I sat on a bench facing the sea and I felt so calm--it was such a nice feeling.  Until I realized that I only have one more day of seeing stuff before having to leave Greece.  Hydra has a clock tower very near us and it is very loud.  I seems to start chiming at 6:30 (when meal service for dinner starts) and I think it ended at 9:00.  I had fish for dinner tonight at at small sidewalk cafe on the harbour.  Better than the fish earlier in the week that had its eyes and fins as well as its bones.  This one had the skin like the other one, but had been deboned and no eyes or fins!

The harbour--you can see the clock tower.  My accommodation
is just behind that.

Clear water!

The only windmill on the island ,up on a hill

the Aegean Sea and another island

a house along the water

I don't know--it's all Greek to me!

some small streets in Kaminia

Hydra Town

Oh, I just remembered a monastery joke someone on the bus told me yesterday and I forgot to add it to my blog.  So I will just tell it now.  A man joined a monastery of a contemplative order (silent).  But once a year, they would go before a panel and were allowed to say two words.  Well, the first year the man said  "Bedroom. Cold."  And the panel wrote it down.  The next year, the man said "Food. Bad." The panel wrote it down.  The next year, he said " I. quit." and left the monastery.  One man on the panel said, "I'm not surprised, he's done nothing but complain since he's been here!"  Hey--I didn't say it was a good joke! 

So I have until 1:00 tomorrow to sleep in, pack again, and walk around a bit more (and get a ticket for the ferry from my reservation code).  I can leave my bags at my hotel (Kirki Hydra) until I leave.  

 

Want to join the monastery?

Spring Break, Greece 2025 

Day 7, April 3

Greek flags flying

Today we woke up at our 5-star hotel (how it got 5 stars is a mystery!) and had to pack up before breakfast.  I did most of it last night, so it was mostly overnight and morning stuff to pack up.  Every morning, we put our bags out in the hall and George (our driver) with the help of hotel employees picks up all of the bags (they are tagged so that they don't get mixed up with other tour groups) and puts them in the bus.  Sorry yesterday's blog was delayed by a day--the wifi had MAJOR problems with uploading my photos last night and then finally just refused so I went to bed.  Tonight's stay (back in Athens) has much better wifi.  

First, finishing the tour is bittersweet.  I made friends with many people on the tour and didn't even really get a chance to say goodbye--especially to MJ--since I was the first dropoff in Athens.  Sigh.  But it is exciting to be onto the next part of my adventure.  Plus, although tours have their place and are helpful for some things, I just hate being part of a group I despise running into when I'm on a trip ("Ugh, here comes a tour group!").   

A staple of tour groups that most of us hate, is the workshop sales pitch.  We had three of them on this tour--all kept very short, though, thank goodness.  I think the tour groups/guides get some sort of kickback for this.  I've gone to see them making carpets.  making pottery, refining and making things out of alpaca wool, creating icons, making specialty olive oil, etc.  They demo how they do it and then point out similar items for sale in their sales floor or gift shop.  It is probably helpful for people who want to buy something that a country is known for and probably get good quality.  But many of us don't have the money to buy those really expensive items.  I've only bought a few (socks and a hat from alpaca wool).  And it is helpful that they typically employ local artisans to make the items, thus improving the local economy and quality of life for those people.  Our sales pitch today was a place that creates religious paintings of saints on wood.  Nope.

After that, we went to two monasteries in Meteora. They were both in the same area of mountains and it was a foggy day, so we mostly had fun taking photos of the awesome mountains in the fog!  We only saw a tiny part of each monastery and couldn't take any photos inside.  They neglected to let everyone in the group know that you needed to wear a skirt to the monasteries, so about half of the women wore skirts.  Luckily, they had wrap around skirts with long sashes to tie on.  

The courtyard of the first monastery

Another courtyard

After that we stopped for lunch and stopped a few more times for bathroom breaks on the long drive back to Athens.  Luckily, I only had to walk a short distance to my new accommodation.  It is part of an interesting place that has rooms, dorm-style rooms, co-working spaces, serves meals, and has a bar/nightclub.  There is a large reception lounge area, a library space with big areas of couches and chairs, large meeting tables, a quiet meeting room, and two soundproof booths people can use for zoom calls, etc (I used one for my duolingo lessons tonight because I have to talk out loud).  They have 24 hour reception.  It seems very young and hip, but everyone has been super friendly.  I'm working on this in the libary area that overlooks the restaurant/bar area with music blasting.  The shelves of the library have tons of books in different languages, including an area full of paperbacks that I'm sure is a take one/leave one space.  I am stayin in a 4-bed women's dorm room.  The two women I met were very young and very chill--one was super friendly with a British accent--we bonded over both being klutzes!  After I dropped off my stuff,  I went out to find dinner since it was around 7:30 at night.  I found a place where I had chicken kabobs, fried potatoes, and seasoned pita bread for €10.50.  Way cheaper than most of my meals and it was soooo filling!  On the tour I got so used to 3 huge meals a day, I need to start eating smaller meals again!  For the foodies--I've had moussaka and many other Greek foods and desserts, but I don't know what they are all called!  Sorry!