London to Paris

Fri, Aug 28, London to Paris:  Got all packed up and took a taxi to St. Pancras Station for the Eurostar service.  Got there really early and had plenty of time to get our bearings.  The train left right on time, although one of the stewards on our car said it was going to be 50 minutes late.  But it left at 11:30 on the dot.  We were soon out of London and in the rolling English countryside with fallow fields and brilliant green pastures dotted with sheep.  Very pretty  And then we were in the chunnel.  They served our lunch then and pretty soon we popped out to the French countryside.  This vista could have been Illinois or Indiana with lots of farms with fields of mature corn.  We arrived at Gare du Nord at 2:45.  We gained a hour.  My first impressions of Paris were not good.  Gare du Nord was rather plain and unwelcoming.  Plus, you had to pay .7 Euros to use the bathroom.  Plus there were soldiers carrying some kind of automatic weapons around.  We got our rental car—and then the fun began.  What a CF! I had printed extensive directions on how to get from Gare du Nord to our B&B in Limetz.  If our car hadn’t had GPS, we’d still be roaming around Paris trying to find our way.  Also, the car was stick shift.  Mike hasn’t driven a stick in probably 40 years.  We made it here, thanks to the GPS.  This place is so quaint and our suite is spectacular.  The owner recommended a restaurant which we actually found and actually made our way back.  Tomorrow we go to Giverny and the Monet house and gardens.  My sinus thing has turned into a nasty head cold.  Feeling lousy.  Go figure. 

St. Pancras Station in London which is bright and airy--compared to Gare du Nord which is dark, dank, and spartan.  Plus you have to pay .7 Euro to use the bathroom.  What?

Thank God for the GPS!!!

Went through a bunch of cute little villages with winding streets.

We have the whole top floor.  The owner lives downstairs.

Our sleeping area.

Our sitting area.

Stairs to outside.

Our little outside sitting area--complete with a cat.

View from the restaurant where we had dinner.