Who could not enjoy traveling with someone with this sense of humor, and willingness to put up with someone who doesn't focus on room versus apartment ahead of time? There are lots of kinds of travelers. We're the kind who just adjust and cope and don't go with expectations. And we get a load of laughs out of it. We were nigh hysterical some moments in that apartment room. But then, we are nigh hysterical often.

We don't have iPads or smartphones, and I had dropped my French cellphone into the basin of water I was soaking my foot in back in St-Cirq - out of luck there.

Will finish this off after the Amazing Race or tomorrow. What a trip! And what a surprising ending!

Sounds like the apartment owners were stuck in post W.W.II penury.

They were stuck in something, that's for sure. But she was young, maybe 30-ish, so WWII doesn't seem applicable.

A can of fluorescent paint would come in handy.

With the low energy bulbs available, no excuse for not having a light in the hall. Takes quirky to a new level but what a great, in one sense, experience.

Thanks so much, SC and RT, great name btw.

Maybe in their parallel universe they have not heard about the low energy bulbs. But they're going to have to, because all incandescent bulbs over 20w are now illegal. Lightbulbs 25w and above were banned as of September 1st, 2012.

St.Cirq: great stoies, am now happier than ever that DH always has a tiny flashlight wherever we go!

Oh my.

What a great story you have to tell. How utterly bizarro. I always say I can deal with anything for a short time, but that would have been challenging. Funhouse indeed!

Your story reminds me of how we always travelled when we were young, so open, so often stuck in weird situations. joie de vivre, n'est-ce pas?

Ah, when we were young ... in pre-St.Cirq days, traveled by local bus, SRO but packed with smiles and kindness, from Chennai (then Madras) to an Indian city with pilgrimage in full cry (but we did't know that till we arrived). Not a bed anywhere. But as we were the sole Westerners in town, an inkeeper threw out a family of five for us and gave us their bed ... sheets unchanged and still warm. Not an issue, and an altogether transcendant time, including all the dosai and thali we could eat for 35 cents. Joie de Shiva, eight arms worth.

The whole apartment saga and the room at the end of the dark hallway is something else. Hats off to you for rolling with it which is remarkable given StCirq's foot/ankle.

We all managed to travel pre-internet and survived but it sure makes life easier to be able to plan ahead.

kerouac, one of our German friends told me they can easily buy the incandescent bulbs (at least in Munich where his family lives) which are now sold as heating bulbs.

Ttt

Esm, so people actually want to pay 5 times more for electricity for a bulb that burns out 10 times as fast?

kerouac, I don't know how many people do that, our friend doesn't for sure. This came up one time (one of those random conversations that go all over the place) and he mentioned it. I was surprised to hear about this too.

StCirq, you've left us in suspense. What happened with your house?

Loving this adventure. St. Cirq, so is your foot any better by now? Hope so...

Out bated breath will soon cause our demise.

also waiting to see what you have decided to do with the house.

More please!

I predict she will keep it!