About noon, a hotel clerk came to the room and handed me an envelope with instructions from AMA. The Tour Manager was scheduled to be at the AMA desk in the lobby from 2 to 5 pm. We were requested to advise him by 5 if we intended to go on the optional excursion, Montmarte and Illuminations, on the 24th and I decided to go.
Also, when I looked out the window, it was raining hard; consequently, I became lazy. So I decided to stay at the hotel, attend the introductory meeting and drinks at 5 pm.
The Tour Manager was with us for both the land portions (Paris and Barcelona) and also the cruise on the AMADAGIO. It was a fortuitous coincidence that the Tour Manager was the same one who was on the AMA Christmas cruise in 2014; he was excellent on both trips. He reviewed the trip over drinks; then we were on our own for dinner.
Usually, on past trips to Paris, I like to walk around to find an inviting café for dinner. However, it continued to rain hard - if the weather had not been so bad, I would have taken the subway to the heart of Paris to visit some sites.
I decided to eat dinner at the hotel. I had a club sandwich - there were two slices of thick bacon draped over the four sections. Included were a small mixed green salad and gourmet style potato chips with tiny holes in them. It was very good - only the French can turn a club sandwich into a gourmet meal. They also included some tasty Italian bread with three types of flavored butter on the table. I had a large-sized, white Belgian beer to drink. I noticed that persons at other tables were having the same club sandwich.
The Pullman Montparnasse is a very nice hotel, and well located for cafes and restaurants. There is a bar and restaurant in the lobby. I had dinner two out of the three evenings at the restaurant. The rooms were modern, clean, and comfortable. The hotel was only a few blocks from a subway station which I used to go to, and return from, the Louvre.
Photos belong to Phil Bianco
