Added notes on the train to Paris

We want to make note of a few more remembrances for ourselves, which may or may not be of interest to others.  

While our fortress accommodations in Italy were very spacious and comfortable, it was obvious that the concierge, an abrupt and burly Sardinian, was more of a watchman and did not like having to deal with guests, of which there were no others except for 3 French people who were sort of stranded there for one night.  There were 2 young maids from Senegal, with whom we could communicate in French, who prepared breakfast and the one dinner we ate there.  Most of the time the three just sat in the bar watching television and played with their computer all day.  We attributed this all to being off season, but we got another perspective from the wealthy retired hotel owner we met at a refuge, at whose house we shared a glass of wine.  He said the fort was bought by a corporation which had 6 or 7 hotels.  Our host explained that in such circumstances one always chooses one  hotel to lose money for tax purposes.  We have long known that in Greece and Italy tax evasion and loop hole exploitation is a sort of national sport, an issue which has now come home to roost for the entire EU.  At any rate, this seemed the obvious explanation for the situation.  We were also amused that our "concierge" was able to confirm that our credit card was good online, but the connection was too poor to use for payment, so we had to pay in cash from the nearby ATM.  I suspect he adjusted his handwritten record of our stay to allow for some personal compensation -- also very Italian.  

We were pleased to see that there are actually hikers that go "hut to hut," i.e. from one refuge to the next, carrying all they need on their back the few hours between.  These refuges exist even at very high altitude, where weather can sometimes be a complication.  At our hotel we met a Japanese man about 60 who climbed Mont Blanc (~15,000 ft), but due to blowing snow he and his guide and 2 other parties lost their way.  He had to trek 14 hours to summit and to find the refuge.   He and June had a very spirited conversation in Japanese about it -- they both sort of lit up and he seemed happy to be able to tell June about it.  He said, "I really suffered."  When we hear such stories, June and I often privately quip, "I am not using my Milage Plus for that!"

After leaving the mountains we spent some hours in Aosta, a charming ancient town with some Roman gates and ruins, and the regional capital.  We had pizza for the first time, feeling obliged to try it before leaving Italy -- sort of like Folie Douce pizza, very nice but nothing special.

While 2nd class train travel is very comfortable in France, we splurged for a 1st class pass, so we are sitting, among few fellow travelers, in our spacious seats with a table and power for June's tiny iMac Air to do this blog.  I have polished my Mephisto leather hiking boots for the trip to Paris and June is dreaming of finding a simple Japanese restaurant there to have some miso soup and white rice after the extremely dairy rich Savoyarde food.

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After 3 trains, a Metro, and a short walk we are settled nicely in Paris.   There just happened to be a little Japanese restaurant about 50 yards from our place, so.......

First Paris dinner