Un voyage rapide Franglais

[andye]

But there were puppy babies to care for! And we need more pictures now.

Okay....these are from mid-trip

 

[andye]

I would say the French I met belied stereotype. Not one was rude (even the taxi driver in Lyon, when none of my cards worked and I had no Euros*, only expressed disappointment), were model hosts and tolerated my franglais attempts at the language

*I'm sure it was his machine that was faulty as I had no problems with one of Amex/MC elsewhere.
Amex acceptance about 50%, sometimes required insertion rather than tap-I think the tap limit is only EUR 50.
Ended up paying him over the top in sterling

 

[BCons]

Real paper menus (SQ take note) below
View attachment 275521View attachment 275520
View attachment 275522View attachment 275523
View attachment 275524
View attachment 275530
View attachment 275531
View attachment 275532
Unusually for me I preferred the rose champagne
Again unusually I found the Pinot best of the reds; the French was very smoky and the Spanish Syrah an unfamiliar Shiraz taste
The Italian white was, as its name would suggest, more Greek in style, quite resinous

Pepik is Chromy’s second label, so not top of the ladder stuff. Interesting they had a Pinot al all - we are in UK having just arrvd with EK and I couldn’t find a burgundy on either leg, despite asking in both F and J. Since Bordeaux featured in both classes/legs, I was wondering if EK believe they test better than lighter reds like PNoir..

 

[Port Power]

Landed in DOH. Security looked at the Coco Chanel I'd bought in CDG but it was in a sealed bag and no problem.
Up to the Al-Safwa. Bit of a queue with half being turned away (they usually have staff at the bottom of the escalator to prevent this)
View attachment 276356

View attachment 276359
Food again superb
Champagne rose
View attachment 276362
Chicken Kabsa with a sublime Pauillac Bordeaux
View attachment 276364
And a splendid Chardonnay
View attachment 276365

Thanks so much for the trip report. Very enjoyable and informative, I'm writing down these wines so I remember them when I visit the Al Safwa lounge in September. Really looking forward to it now.

 

[andye]

Pepik is Chromy’s second label, so not top of the ladder stuff. Interesting they had a Pinot al all - we are in UK having just arrvd with EK and I couldn’t find a burgundy on either leg, despite asking in both F and J. Since Bordeaux featured in both classes/legs, I was wondering if EK believe they test better than lighter reds like PNoir..

I found the St Emiilon good and the Paulliac tasted better the second time round

Ps: the Pauillac in the lounge was an earlier vintage-not sure if it was that or the altitude that made a difference

 

[andye]

The orange book that shows up in the pictures is Bill Bryson's One Summer: America 1927. I only got round to reading it on the return. It has some great anecdotes from the early days of aviation focussing on Lindbergh and the transatlantic crossings. It shows how far we've come in less than a hundred years and I can recommend

 

[andye]

Thanks so much for the trip report. Very enjoyable and informative, I'm writing down these wines so I remember them when I visit the Al Safwa lounge in September. Really looking forward to it now.

To save the ink, this the full Al-Safwa booze menu