Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Landing in Paris


I had to pick up a friend at Charles de Gaulle airport today and I took advantage of it to take this photo. Technically it is not Paris, but it's close enough! There are 3 airports around Paris (Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget). Most of the traffic goes through Charles de Gaulle (88 million passengers in 2011), mostly from France and Europe (about 60%) and the rest from the rest of the world (North America accounts for roughly 10% of the traffic). If I judge from the crowd that was at the airport this morning, the tourist roundup has already started!

19 comments:

  1. Great photo!! I wish I was one of those invading tourists. Next month will be difficult, when Mr. ET Suzy goes to France and I stay home. Pffft.

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  2. Cool photo, Eric. I wish I was one of the North Americans on my way there right now!

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  3. They got a place down Kentucky
    Right down near Ohio
    Where you can watch the planes at night
    People line up to watch each flight
    I said watchin' them planes
    I wish I was on one
    I'm sittin' here thinkin' 'bout my red head dream
    If I could only see her tonight

    -Oh Atlanta, by Little Feat

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  4. Looking at the photo again, I can't help saying that I'm glad people are comfortable flying. It didn't stop me from traveling, but I admit that every time I see a photo or a film of a plane this close as it flies over I still get a creepy feeling. I probably always will.

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  5. @ Eric Tenin, "the tourist roundup has already started!" True, here in San Francisco, I have been meeting a lot of tourists lately -- particularly from Australia.

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  6. Oh, poor Suzy! I would be quite miffed. But I have to admit, I am quite glad that I'm not part of the tourist roundup. I'm more of a "go when everyone else is not there" kind of traveler. Off season is my friend. :)

    Someday soon though, that will be me in that plane! Thanks for keeping my dream alive, Eric.

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  7. I've had two kinds of experience coming into and going out of CDG: piece of cake and total nightmare—but I'll take it either way to be in Paris! You must be a very good person to go collect a friend out there (but of course we knew that already!).

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  8. Unlike Jeff, I don't think about those things when flying, but I DO think about staying in hotels this close to the runway. This looks like the Hilton at CDG and even though it's good and soundproof, I get other eerie feelings about sleeping there.

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  9. Eric! I need your help! Remember when you posted about that cafe/restaurant that is in the heart of Paris but has nice decoration and looks like a garden inside a house? I am coming to Paris next week and I would like to visit it if you could tell me the name :). Thank you!! I am already using PDP for places to visit :)

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  10. Eric, today's photo makes me sad because I have to leave in another 10 days! I have been here since May 1 and still waiting with bated breath for your annual PDP picnic and get a chance to meet you! I know the unusual wet weather in Paris is probably delaying your decision! I suppose there is always next spring!

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  11. @Lexie "Eric! I need your help! Remember when you posted about that cafe/restaurant that is in the heart of Paris but has nice decoration and looks like a garden inside a house?" Er... This could match with a lot of places actually. Could it be Le petit Palais ? one.

    @Taipan. Well, yes exactly,you're right the weather is so bad and so unpredictable - worse than usual! - that I have kept postponing the picnic everyday now. I'm still thinking of it, but probably more this summer, when we have REAL good weather! I'm sorry you missed it, but we can always take a coffee if you want to meet me! I don't have a lot of time, but I can always manage ;-)

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  12. Yeap, that's the one!! Thank youu

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  13. @Lexie. You're welcome. And yes, you MUST try it, it's really nice. Go when it's sunny outside (which is not so obvious this year ;-(

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  14. Very cool photo!
    Airplanes are my necessary evil, I don't like flying but traveling is my passion. It's a hate-love relationship, better put, fear-love relationship. The fear of flying mixed with the love to travel.
    Ohhh, it's complicated!

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  15. Great shot! But I don't think this plane is landing just yet. You can't see the landing wheels out.

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