When someone tells a girl like me that they need to go on a shopping spree in France, on Air France's dime, it should make me really happy, right? Well, I was a little nervous about a few things. First, I had to figure out where the stores were and then how I was going to get there. I went down to the lobby and asked my friend at the front counter where to go shopping. He pulled out a map and showed me where the train was and how to get to the mall. I didn't entirely understand him but I thought I couldn't sit there all day in our dirty clothes, plus, I really wanted a shower. Plus, Hayes was wearing his LAST diaper, the one he had worn all night. This was turning into an emergency. So I fastened Hayes in the stroller and headed down the walkway by the river. It was so pretty! Our hotel was right across from the Loire River and there was a walkway running all along the river. I got to the train station and bought my tokens with no problems. I was waiting for the train on what looked like a sidewalk until I noticed that nobody else was waiting there with me. They were all several feet behind me. Then I noticed a car coming straight at me... on the sidewalk. Then I realized that cars must drive on the sidewalks here so I quickly backed up and joined the people that apparently knew what they were doing.
I got on the train and swiped my pass. So far, so good. I started looking around and noticed that everyone was so bundled! They were dressed as if it were 50 below out there. Huge coats, scarves, gloves and hats. You couldn't even see the babies in their strollers, they were so bundled. It was probably in the high 40's and I'm used to seeing my neighbors shovel snow off their driveway in their flip-flops. Talking to Sean later on, he noticed the same thing. He said even at work, where it was 70, all the people there were bundled up with scarves and gloves... inside!!! They must not tolerate the cold too well. So there Hayes and I were, he in his Adidas track suit and me in my cardigan. I was standing there minding my own business when a young girl, probably in her early 20's, all decked out and of course, all bundled up, just got right in my face and started yelling at me... loud. She was making all sorts of gestures and kept pointing down at Hayes. I didn't understand a word she said and all I could do was just stand there. Before I could even tell her that I didn't speak French, she got right off the train. When she left, I asked some older women what she had said and they told me, "She's mad. Your baby is cold. No hat, no gloves and no coat." Ya think? I got to the mall with no more problems and found the Carefoure store. It's kind of like a Walmart but with no medicine and no curling irons or blow dryers. A few interesting things I learned: you have to buy curling irons and blow dryers and things like that that we normally buy at any store, at an electronic store, like Best Buy. And they are expensive. They have no medicine at the regular stores. You would think that you could buy medicine at one of the drug stores that are everywhere, but all the drug stores have skin and beauty products (but not curling irons). I still to this day have no idea where a French mom would buy some Motrin Jr. Luckily we never needed any. At the Carefoure, you have to get a token to get a shopping cart and then they put zip ties on all your bags so you can't get into your bag while you are there. When you're done, they cut the zip tie off. Interesting, I thought.
I loaded up my cart with diapers, makeup, shampoo, every toiletry I could think of for me and Hayes and then checked out and got the zip tie cut off my bag. We still needed clothes and that's when I saw it... the H&M. We don't have H&M's in Utah (we do now, but at the time, we didn't) so I was super excited. I had to get everything, but that didn't seem to be a problem. :) When we were done there, I went to the bathroom, where, interestingly enough, you have to pay to use the public restroom. I was in a huge stall changing Hayes diaper and he wet all over the floor. Wow, we needed to get back to the hotel, and quick. We got back, Hayes took a bath, I showered and we both got ready and clean clothes on. I have never been so happy to be in clean clothes and get makeup on and do my hair. It felt so good to not feel like a vagabond. When Sean got back from work, we were all ready to go. I had scoped out a little pizza place by the mall and we all took our little stroll by the river, hopped on the train, got our pizza and headed back to the hotel to eat. Day 2... much better!!! Here's Hayes in his new gear, ready to take on France.
I got on the train and swiped my pass. So far, so good. I started looking around and noticed that everyone was so bundled! They were dressed as if it were 50 below out there. Huge coats, scarves, gloves and hats. You couldn't even see the babies in their strollers, they were so bundled. It was probably in the high 40's and I'm used to seeing my neighbors shovel snow off their driveway in their flip-flops. Talking to Sean later on, he noticed the same thing. He said even at work, where it was 70, all the people there were bundled up with scarves and gloves... inside!!! They must not tolerate the cold too well. So there Hayes and I were, he in his Adidas track suit and me in my cardigan. I was standing there minding my own business when a young girl, probably in her early 20's, all decked out and of course, all bundled up, just got right in my face and started yelling at me... loud. She was making all sorts of gestures and kept pointing down at Hayes. I didn't understand a word she said and all I could do was just stand there. Before I could even tell her that I didn't speak French, she got right off the train. When she left, I asked some older women what she had said and they told me, "She's mad. Your baby is cold. No hat, no gloves and no coat." Ya think? I got to the mall with no more problems and found the Carefoure store. It's kind of like a Walmart but with no medicine and no curling irons or blow dryers. A few interesting things I learned: you have to buy curling irons and blow dryers and things like that that we normally buy at any store, at an electronic store, like Best Buy. And they are expensive. They have no medicine at the regular stores. You would think that you could buy medicine at one of the drug stores that are everywhere, but all the drug stores have skin and beauty products (but not curling irons). I still to this day have no idea where a French mom would buy some Motrin Jr. Luckily we never needed any. At the Carefoure, you have to get a token to get a shopping cart and then they put zip ties on all your bags so you can't get into your bag while you are there. When you're done, they cut the zip tie off. Interesting, I thought.
I loaded up my cart with diapers, makeup, shampoo, every toiletry I could think of for me and Hayes and then checked out and got the zip tie cut off my bag. We still needed clothes and that's when I saw it... the H&M. We don't have H&M's in Utah (we do now, but at the time, we didn't) so I was super excited. I had to get everything, but that didn't seem to be a problem. :) When we were done there, I went to the bathroom, where, interestingly enough, you have to pay to use the public restroom. I was in a huge stall changing Hayes diaper and he wet all over the floor. Wow, we needed to get back to the hotel, and quick. We got back, Hayes took a bath, I showered and we both got ready and clean clothes on. I have never been so happy to be in clean clothes and get makeup on and do my hair. It felt so good to not feel like a vagabond. When Sean got back from work, we were all ready to go. I had scoped out a little pizza place by the mall and we all took our little stroll by the river, hopped on the train, got our pizza and headed back to the hotel to eat. Day 2... much better!!! Here's Hayes in his new gear, ready to take on France.
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