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| View from my bed |
So here is a little update. Since I was here last time my hotel managed to sell off half its apartments, so instead of my usual abode on the second or third floor I am now on the fifth - apt #505 as a matter of fact. The bad part is that the windows are smaller, so there is less light - but since I am pretty high up there is enough to flood the little place pretty comprehensively.
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| Views from my apartment ..... |
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| as well |
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| as well |
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| and again |
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| close up of the Grande Therme |
The good part is that I have been assigned a two room place - in addition to the usual one large room plus bathroom I now also have a little bedroom. This is great, because I now no longer have to turn the bed into a sofa every morning. Not that I ever did, but all the same it is nice to have a separate bedroom AND a sofa in the living room. Great for watching my Once Upon A Time DVDs, which has been a major occupation of mine, courtesy of two - count them - TWO colds so far. Darn those other Curistes who all have colds and pass them on generously.
The other good thing about my sky-top apartment is that I can see my bench from my bed! It's great, I can see it first thing every morning and last thing at night (well, on those nights when I go to bed early, of course!
There have been other changes, too. The Galapagos has changed owners, and I am displeased! I do so hate changes in la Bourboule. Don't they understand that being changeless is their main attraction? Anyway, the Galapagos have doubled the number of their tables and are unconscionably full - I went there once and then retreated. I have been cooking my own food this last first week. I am considering having my early morning coffee at the La Post - it has a nice little terrace type front, with trees and flower-boxes. But as mentioned, I have a cold and am mainly staying at home.
Another change happened at La Grande Therme! They have changed the sinks and implements in the sinus rinsing room, I am completely outraged! The old ones were about a hundred years old, and silver-plated. The silver plate had come off in many places, and formed interesting patterns, which I fantasized about while inhaling hot steams. No more! And they replaced the little stools! Now there are armchairs, with hooks at the back where one can hang one's bag (OK, that is an improvement). It seems to have worked, because the number of Curistes seems to have doubled since I last went. The staff are still the same, luckily! The nicest people imaginable.
Once of the best things about being in la Bourboule is that practically everyone is my size or smaller! No more feeling like a midget and being looked down upon!
Today I had to wait for 45 minutes for my Proetz, so I went to the Bio Marche next door to the Grande Therme and bought enough food for at least a week. I checked my shopping bag in with the Garderobe people at the Therme, who told me that this was very very very - anyway they took my bag and I went to have my sinuses unplugged.
I have not found any coins yet, sniff, despite the fair that dominated the area just outside my hotel for three solid days, making an unheard of amount of noise - I bought earplugs to get any kind of sleep. You would have thought in return for being allowed to make such a racket they would have had the decency to drop a few coins, but no - I checked the entire area after they decamped, not a single piece. Cheapskates!
