TWO DAYS IN PARIS

TWO DAYS IN PAR IS
Excerpts from My Nigerian Diary

This happened a long, long time ago when I joined 95 other Doctors to work in Nigeria. That was the time when Nigeria was booming.

It was my first air plane experience, an abnormal flight that had to pass-by Paris before proceeding to Nigeria. We left Manila International Airport via Air France at 3:00 p.m. on August 8, 1978 (8-8-8). The triple 8 was considered a lucky combination. I was sent off by about 50 persons consisting of the hospital staff and personnel who were not on duty; my brothers and sisters; my neighbors and friends and my family with my youngest who was only one year old. I was deeply touched.

I considered it as my first good luck when I was seated beside the window – but not so fortunate indeed as the window was just above the big left wing of the plane that covered 75% of the outside view – better than no window at all.

Seated immediately to my right was Dr. Delfin T. Cagampan, Jr., a Dermatologist assigned to Sokoto State (he later became my Hotel mate too). To his right was Dra. Ofelia Almanzor-Craeg. The name rung because I recalled my second cousin Angel Orosa used to tell me about her when she was still single.

Upon arrival in Paris we were immediately transported to the Meridien Hotel where we were billeted. It was 9:35 a.m., Paris time the following day. After lunch I went sightseeing with Doctors Delfin Cagampan, Pedro B. Rivera and Pedro Florescio, Jr. We came close to the Ark of Triumph, had some pictures taken then went around window shopping. I sent air mail to my wife and some cards to friends.

After dinner I went to see a movie at Cinema 2 at Les Boutique du Palais dus Congres just across the hotel. The show was Goodbye Emmanuelle, a very pornographic presentation following Filipino standards. Before going to bed I wrote more letters on postcards.

The following day I went around with Boyet ( Dr. Pedro Florescio, Jr.). I bought some Paris souvenirs: A pendant for my wife, A ball pen for my eldest son and a bracelet each for my three daughters. I didn’t buy any for my youngest son as it was difficult to find one appropriate for him.
We tried a snack at a roadside Café where a cup of tea was charged $3.00.

In the afternoon we joined a guided tour of Paris City aboard Cityrama with narrations through Simultan earphones. Talking about Paris was like talking about an abstract painting – the more you described it the more it confused – but Paris was beautiful as it was also fantastic and wonderful. It was in Paris where I saw all kinds of people – from the blackest to the whitest and all the colors in between; from the prettiest to the ugliest; from the sinner to the divine.

Paris was everything: Churches and antique shops; bridges and map stands; subways and intersections; sidewalk eateries and cinemas; doves and ferry boats; beauties and pornographies. In Paris one can wear anything. There seemed to be no fashion trend at all. Every one was simply at home with what he or she was wearing.

There were benches all around but no handwritings on the walls. Paris looked clean and smelled clean. Even dogs looked clean with their owners behind them who sometimes looked dirtier. But in Paris everything was expensive: Coke was $1.60’ Coffee was $2.00, Tea was $3:00. You can imagine the rest of the items.

But Paris was truly "walang kaparis" especially when you had the chance to visit the more than 2000 years old Plaza de la Concorde by Gabriel, the Square of King Lowie V, the Palace of King Lowie XIV, of King Henry IV and of Napoleon Bonafarte. What more will you ask if you have visited the Cathedral where Napoleon Bonfarte crowned himself and the place where Marie Antoinette walked before she was beheaded. Would you care for more after seeing and touching the Ark of Triumph and the Eiffel Tower? No, not anymore when you have seen the items at Les Boutique du Palais des Congres or if you have posed for a picture with a pretty teenage French and an equally petite German girl after having entered the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. And all those things were courtesy of an abnormal flight and the magic vibrations of triple 8.