Our last few days in Paris were eventful. Brian was assigned to Istanbul, A to Sao Paulo-Brazil, S to Paris, and C to a multi-nation assignment in Europe. Brian and I were the most excited, I think, and A was down right terrified. Her assignment not only took her to a dangerous city, but she also must travel to Columbia. Did I mention she's a gorgeous blonde who's face screams 'American!'? Still, we know that the company wouldn't send us to a place where our safety is severely threatened.. or at least we'd like to assume.
On one of our last nights together, we had dinner at a fondue restaurant. It was a delicious experience that I highly recommend. One of the coolest things was how we received the fondue. Instead of a melting pot over a small burner (we did have one of those as well), the chef started with large slices of cheese cut from a cheese wheel. The slices were put into a heating machine that stood directly on our table. (Forgive me, I forget the name of this type.) The machine looked like a giant metal T, with hot plates that extended down on each arm of the T. The cheese wheel slices were held in the middle and you could adjust the melting speed by pulling away the hot plates. It was served with warm chunks of soft potato, meat platters that included prosciutto, ham and salami, as well as thin slices of bread. As the sides of the cheese wheel softened, you pulled a knife down the cheese and over your potatoes. Our favorite combination was a slice of meat on a potato, smothered by the warm cheese. We also had the more traditional fondue pot with a cheese mixture and mushrooms. It was so much heavy food and cheese, but it was just delightful.
After, we made our way to our favorite tavern that was located on the same block as the hotel. We often ended a night with a drink here, and the owners knew the rest of the auditors as they'd frequent it each time they visited Paris. One of our favorite unusual things about the cocktails was that they were served with a sugar covered and flavored marshmallow! Caan (pronounced like Ken--probably for our benefit) was Turkish and a sweetheart. He'd place roses in the cocktails for the ladies and gave us excellent service and travel advice. Once, he shared some traditional cookies that his mother had homemade for him. He was enthusiastic when we mentioned we were headed to Turkey, and asked us to bring home a sweet bread for him when we return in November. (Brian and I can't remember exactly what he asked for, probably due to the superbly poured drinks, but we plan on bringing a couple to share.) We asked if he thought we'd be safe and he eagerly confirmed. A asked the same question about Sao Paulo and he gave her sad eyes and brought her a complimentary basket of chips.
With hugs, we bid each other safe travels and a fond 'Adieu', promising to keep up via email. I truly enjoyed their company and look forward to sharing our experiences when we meet again in ten weeks. I loved sharing inside jokes, crazy music videos, and chanting "HR-HR-HR!!" when someone would tell a dirty joke or a 'that's what she said!' We really couldn't have asked for a better group of strangers <3
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