Training Tour- France, 🇫🇷

2 newly installed of immuno-analyzers hence required me to attend the training. That gonna be my 4th training held in Europe. Hooi Ni, office secretary has e-mailed me the itinerary and the training agenda before she asked me how do I want to proceed. The itinerary was quite good, allowed me to spend some times in Paris, because I know I’d spend the rest of my time in Pouilly, a small town surrounded by castles, walls, canals and agricultural centers with limited public transport facility.

I took an international transfer via Guangzhou Baiyun Airport before I touched down in Paris. Because of the route, the total traveling time was almost 20 hours. Just because I traveled heading the west, it wasn’t that bad. I enjoyed the list of Asian movies on board. I had a handwritten list of attraction places which I’ve finalized after surfed on few websites, and suggested by Taufik too. Taufik has attended the same training a year ago. He was so lucky when the training back then was held over 3 weeks -and he got a day off on one of the Mondays due to public holiday. I didn’t have the same luck but hey, my time was in winter!

Frigid days spent well here. 

Paris, honestly, the railroad system wasn’t easy. I usually survived without asking around how to get here and there but not this time. I, in fact spent more than ½ hour just to find the ‘deposito bagagli’ (left luggage) service at Gare de Lyon station. The symmetrical wings, floors, and exits in the building kept me frowning. After the struggles, I smiled from ear to ear because I knew; the Eifel Tower is just 10 minutes walk from the station, the top Paris attraction.

Fast-forward 9 hours:

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Signature architecture of The Louvre

Zuhr & Asr at The Grande Mosquée de Paris

Notre Dame from behind. 

Pont Alexandre III 

Mona Lisa with her emblematic smile  

Arc de Triomphe was just few steps away. 

Pont des Arts- Ever heard about the padlock love bridge in Paris? They've been removed and been replaced with new parapets. 

Arc de Triomphe- Still can be seen from miles away. 

Paris was gorgeous, really, but on the second weekend I had, I decided to stay in Pouilly-en-Auxois. Enjoy the nature than the buildings. Furthermore, the cost to get to Paris is relatively high when you converted them into Ringgits. In Pouilly, the main issue was the public transport. The only way for me to get through along the canal conveniently was by a bicycle. I need to get one from the Office of Tourism, just opposite the IDS Training Center.

I and a friend from Turkey, Ĕrdogan rode through the canals, hills, historical castles and villages all day long. Route to Chateau de Commarin & Chateau de Châteauneuf. It was a ~40km ride before we completely flatted on the next day. We had steep climb and descend before those castles. Check it out!

Steep route along the way to the Chateau 

My favourite picture of all time (credit to Ĕrdogan )

The training itself was good. The system we learnt was almost new to me yet I wasn’t struggling to understand the contents. Among the participants, I don’t have any advantage over them. Every single thing is written neatly on the manuals. The best part was, the trainer didn’t do any assessment on us. As long as we able to get the system working after the ‘canibalization’, we entitled the certificate.

Last day wefie. We are all going home in one-piece. All went well 😆

Visiting Erdoğan's room for maghrib prayer.

Arturo, a guy from US. He is one of the good Americans. Survived as US Army, physically and emotionally. He is now working with IDS as engineer (and still serving the military) . Lot things to talk about him but I'm just too lazy. 

This post is probably bland and not really represent my actual feelings as when I was there enjoying every moment. Lot things to tell yet I lost words to describe them fairly but to be honest; Pouilly is one of the best places I ever visited in my whole life. I just loved everything I touched, or even smell. If I got a chance to be in France, I’d choose Pouilly rather than Paris.