Room on the 6th 1/2 floor

I visited Paris after long absence. And I was so disappointed. Because my familiar hotel had been closed.

From the reason of its easy access to transportation, I had used the hotel for more than a decade. Paris have been the hub of my travel whichever I go to Africa or Europe although I usually hadn't had long stay in the city itself.
Well, I think the definition of "familiar hotel" is quite subjective. For the hotel, I might be just one of thousands guests. In the same reason, the Arabic man with moustache at reception desk is the face of hotel to me while he wouldn't even remember my face.
However, I had a lot of memories at the hotel. Once I gloomed for the Sahara trip in this exact hotel. Years later, my flight from Dakar had been delayed and I checked in at 3 o'clock in the morning. Getting start my trip and packing up all my baggage at the end of trip listening local FM station was also this Hotel.

I always requested cheapest room although I couldn't take it all the time. It's a small room with washing basin. I was surprised for the tiny room at first. But some how the small size made me so relax later.
There was another reason for choosing the cheapest room. Because, the cheapest room had most beautiful view and quiet circumstances. The building had 6 stories. Spiral stairs rounded a classical elevator with iron cage and accordion door.
The room had been on the 6th floor and faced to the street before. I could look over entire scenery of "Gare de l'est (The east station)"
Later the room changed to the back side, an attic above the highest floor. The man at reception explained me for each stay. "You can't go to the 7th floor with the elevator. Take it to the 6th floor. and one flight up with stairs" He was right. There was no door for the elevator in hall way of the 7th floor. In stead of that, the huge winch for elevator was rotating. Perhaps, I shouldn't call it "the 7th floor". It's "the 6th 1/2 floor" in exact.

With changing the location to the other side, environment of the room became more quiet. It took apart from street noise completely. It had the perspective of even the other side of the Seine river far away to Montparnasse in the 14th ward. Offices and apartments in my foot were small but looked peaceful and had taste of Paris.

Paris is unchangeable city compare to the others like Tokyo or New York. I believed so. But it has gradually changed for the two decades I knew.
Well, now I have to look for another excellent room. It must take a long time.

Mauritania vol.1