Of ALL Things Technology-well Almost

For those of you who would like to comment, just hit the word COMMENT, and a box will open to give you plenty of chance to do so!! AND I would love to hear from you!!

Sign on bus yesterday which I could not upload!

 It has occurred to me as I search for one cord or another that I guess I should have said when people asked who was coming with me, I should have said,  "my phones, my laptop, my Kindle, my GPS, and ALL the miscellaneous chargers"!! THIS IS NOT COMPLAINING, AS YOU KNOW!!

  As you probably much of Europe is on vacation for most or part of August.  On yesterday's walk, I passed this Ford showroom, which is on holiday for 3 weeks.


I think that one of the trickiest things about traveling is knowing where my stuff is!! Is the shampoo in this corner of  the suitcase, for example. Travel gurus like Rick Steves, tell you to separate your different credit cards and ATM cards, so IF you are robbed, they won't get everything-HOPEFULLY! (Well, hopefully, of course, I won't get robbed again. Once when my friend Carol and I at arrived at deGaulle trying to buy Metro passes, my backpack was open, but I had separated things so they didn't get THAT much!) Hence, I am in the process of setting up new systems to keep track of these things!

This morning Pascale gave me a ride to a huge mall at La Defense, as I was very keen to get my iphone working. She had a 9AM meeting, so I had plenty of time to observe everyone bustling to work,as there are lots of office buildings around as well.

I decided it was time to find an ATM to make a withdrawal. I have no idea why, but I am always somewhat dubious before I first withdraw money in a foreign country. (Once I had a problem, so I always have two or more ATM cards so I do have a back-up plan!) My worry was in vain, as I easily made the withdrawal- WHEW!

I had purchased an iphone before I left because I needed an unlocked phone. (Please don't ask...I really don't get it.) I have kept my Blackberry to keep my existing cell phone number, but that means I am paying roughly ATT $70 per month plus $30 per month for 30 minutes of phone time and $10 per month for 50 texts. (I've no plans to use it much!) I had heard different things from people about phone options here which assured me that the phone service should be cheaper! The company called Free sounded best, but when I tried to find their "store" at the mall, I was told they only have one store in Paris and weren't that good for data transmission. (I didn't ask what that really meant because I had no interest in leaving this huge mall without accomplishing my mission!) My next stop was the Apple store, but I was told that they didn't have a French sim card for calls and data for my phone(??). They send me to the Phone House. NOPE! Phone House sent me to SFR. NOPE!! And, of course, they were looking at me in that quizzical fashion that the searching one never understands. FINALLY I saw a sign for Bouygues Telecom. THEY did have a sim card, and I could get full service with them! There were two options,but only one for me. IF I had a French credit card, I could have bought one plan. Not an option! So for 60 euros, I have three months of unlimited calls and texts in Europe, unlimited texts and data plan, so I can get my emails on the phone. At the end of three months, I can get another 3 months for 45 euros. WHEW!!!

The temperature easily hit 95* today, so I decided to head home after the Mall experience. One couple who came to dinner last night brought their daughter's rabbit, so Pascale is taking care of it for a few days. The temperature by his cage was 35* which converts to 95*! Dinner

was delicious; we ate outside on Pascale's balcony. They all speak very good English, although much of the conversation was in French. That only served to show me how limited my French is!

Tomorrow I hope to go into Paris in spite of the heat. Au revoir!!