European Tribune - Comments - Monday Open Thread

Monday Open Thread | 127 comments (127 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

I made it back to the office for my meeting with 2 minutes to spare! Thanks for the lift this morning!

Thanks to everyone for a great weekend. It was so cool to meet people who I hadn't met before and to see others again. I'm not in this evening so my photos will have to wait a day or two before I can post.

Back to the real world again...

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 10:27:39 AM EST

Good (4.00 / 10)

But I have just heard from Izzy, who missed her plane because of an impromptu strike on the train to the airport. Thankfully, she has been able to change her ticket to a flight tomorrow morning, and we'll get to enjoy her company one more evening.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 10:35:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 3)

What a thing to happen! I'm glad she'll get back tomorrow, and as you say, an extra night in Paris is no bad thing.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 10:40:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 4)

unless you've spent the whole time on a striking train.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 10:42:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

an impromptu strike (4.00 / 6)

France is so much fun :-)

A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 10:44:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: that reminds me (4.00 / 2)

Heh. My worst experience with customer service was at CDG. There was an intense flash storm which knocked out the RER on the way. They sent shuttle buses, but it delayed things and by the time I got to the counter it was only fifty, yes 50, minutes to departure. No go they said, one hour minimum. I argued, but they were firm. I asked to be put on the next flight, nope - you need to buy a new ticket, at the outrageous last minute price. I declined and went over to customer service. Same response. Fifteen minutes of arguing later, with me barely restraining myself from screaming, they finally agreed to give me a spot on another flight, for a mere service charge of a couple hundred francs (this was a while ago). In the meantime a large line had formed, with considerable confusion going on with the other customer service agents. It turns out that the Air France customer service office in the international departures area had zero English speakers. Oops. I ended up half volunteering/half dragooned into spending the next hour and a half as a translator. That and pacifier, since they tried to extort the price of a new ticket from every single person, and some didn't manage to restrain themselves from screaming and cursing, whether in English, their own language, or both, as applicable.

The French living up to every negative stereotype. Which is very rare in my experience, and I've been to France, hmmh, I guess in the literal sense of crossing the border and back it would be hundreds of times.

by MarekNYC on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 11:06:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: that reminds me (none / 1)

Air France used to be (and I'm thinking back to the '70s and '80s) the most appallingly rude, obdurate, hopeless customer service outfit imaginable. I believe they've got better since.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 12:09:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: that reminds me (4.00 / 2)

This was in the late nineties.

by MarekNYC on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 12:15:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: that reminds me (none / 1)

I would second that: the flying Quai d'Orsay, they were nicknamed. Except that the folks at the Quai d'Orsay actually know a thing or two about diplomacy...

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 04:24:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: that reminds me (4.00 / 2)

I once flew with them from Paris to Quebec. I couldn't open the bottle of wine, as the seal was broken. When I asked the flight attendant for help, you could see the expression of contempt for the stupid American who couldn't open a bottle of wine - until he couldn't open it either...

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 12:21:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Air France used to be pretty bad (none / 1)

but they have become really good in recent years - lots of genuinely friendly and helpful people. And they don't all know at first that I have my big shot frequent flyer card!

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 01:55:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Air France used to be pretty bad (4.00 / 2)

Good to hear. This was like walking into a bad American parody of French people. "why should we speak English, it's not our problem if people don't speak French. You Americans think everybody should speak English, I've never met one who speaks a foreign language'. Huh? What language do you think we're speaking here? Not to mention the fact that the majority of people I was translating for weren't native English speakers. That conversation came as a result of my only one quarter joking suggestion that if they can't be bothered to hire English speakers, they should pay me for my time, or at least wave the damn service fee they charged me. Plus the fun constant refrain that people should get to the airport on time, and if not pay the price, regardless of the fact that the fricking train to the airport had decided to get stuck halfway there since the rain had shorted out the system.

But I guess I should take Air France off my mental list of airlines not to take unless the price difference is at least a hundred bucks. (the others being Lot and every American one)

by MarekNYC on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 02:57:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Air France used to be pretty bad (none / 1)

They have improved quite a bit over the last ten years (and merged with KLM, and learned some English, and...)
But yeah, their reputation for French snootiness will take a long time to fade...

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 04:30:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 3)

Did she orchestrate the strike?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 11:49:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 3)

Actually, the strike was mentioned on the radio and TV, but since it was only a handful of commuter lines, it was relegated to somewhere between soccer results and the weather forecast.

A handful of commuter train lines, but it also included RER B, serving CDG airport... Same thing expected Tuesday.

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 04:37:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 5)

I got caught up in the strike too, but managed to find one of the few trains out and got to the checkin desk with 3 mins to spare...

Back in rainy Yorkshire after sunny Paris, with lots of good memories...

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 11:55:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Paris ET (4.00 / 6)

I've got great memories as well, came back from warm blue Paris to cold grey Remscheid just as you in Yorkshire, having made my train easily. For some reason i slept most of the Thalys way, but did get to an hour of drafting comments on a report due soon.

How neat that Izzy gets to stay another day. Hope you make the most of it. I also was forced by an airline to spend an extra night in Paris in 1999, with attendant lovely memories.

Like to thank Helen publicly again for the cool Red Cloud version of the Homeland Security t-shirt. Photo soon?

You're all amazing.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 02:07:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paris ET (4.00 / 7)

Crazy Horse:

For some reason i slept most of the Thalys way

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 02:47:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paris ET (4.00 / 2)

Did the British contingent put lemon juice in their Caol Ila?

(They use it on/in everything else so ... :)

by ATinNM on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 02:50:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paris ET (4.00 / 4)

We would burn them at the stake if they did!

By the way, we came very close to a serious diplomatic incident between UK and France when a waiter brought Helen a beer with a slice of lemon in it...

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

by Melanchthon on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 03:04:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paris ET (4.00 / 4)

totally bloody ruined it as well. If I could find the person who thought it was clever to put a slice of lemon in wheat beer, even Cheney would admire the carnage.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 03:29:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Paris ET (4.00 / 2)

{snigger}

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 03:34:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 3)

Izzy, did you have Coca-Cola in your bag?

Does this word "strike" mean what I think it means?

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 12:14:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 5)

Are you going to be bailed out today?

Apparently, yes. By a banker no less. Just doing my small bit with the table-turning and all that...

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 03:31:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 2)

That was a Lucky Strike.

No one got photos of Izzy's shoes?

by Maryb2004 on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 05:19:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (4.00 / 2)

Some missing shoe photos (and some missing photos for Sven) are on In Wales camera, so they'll turn up in hte next couple of days.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 05:25:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Good (none / 1)

Yes, I should be able to get these photos up tonight.
Shoes in a variety of poses, and of course a photo for Sven. Mwah ha ha ha.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Tue Sep 23rd, 2008 at 07:34:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 6)

Ah, well I had a perfectly pleasant drive through northern france, plundered Carrefour in Calais for cheese and pate and drifted home in a state of serenity.

Even the M25 and the Thames crossing were sane, which for 6:30 in the evening was exceptional.

And back to a lamb shank stew - luvverly {{{SMUG}}}

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 03:32:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

somehow I just could not bring myself to give this comment a 4 just yet. Im still bitter.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes

by Izzy (izzy at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 03:43:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Yea right. You're in paris and I'm in london. Exactly which of us won ?

But it was a pleasant trip and I have stuff to do tomorrow that couldn't wait.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 03:55:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Just came in the door from my Paris trip. Paris was fun, thank you to all who made it such a great experience! :-)

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Sep 22nd, 2008 at 04:09:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Monday Open Thread | 127 comments (127 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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