2. Because it has the biggest Meccano Set structure in the world.
3. Because they have a certain way with food, [and drink].
4. Because they have so much to learn about smoking and lung cancer.
5. Because they seem to accept everything and everybody as they are, without question. [Unless you wear a burka.]
We four were ‘up and at 'em’, sort of, at 5.15 AM. A Quick coffee and breakfast, feed the tortoise and then a ten-minute car ride to the train station, still pitch black out. Next a 40-minute ride to St. Pancras Station. Next were customs, immigration and security in 3 ½ minutes total! [I wonder why they don't have surly armed customs officers like we do at home? [Duh!] No crazy food restrictions either.
After another social coffee in the waiting room, which is now technically French since we have been through customs, we then boarded the train, which was neat and tidy as a pin with very, very comfortable seats.
After we passed under the channel, [which takes about 20 minutes], the French country-side was like one long continuous painting of rolling hills of farmland, the crops now harvested, with little villages and farms, church steeples and small woods in the dips and valleys. My male travelling companion said sarcastically “this is a much better country to fight a war in than England”.
It was a relaxing and smooth ride, never stopping once until we arrived at Gare Du Nord, exactly on time. Travel time 2 ½ hours, some at rocket-speed, slowing a bit in the tunnel, and some at more modest speed. Outside to the taxi queue where the tobacco smoke was choking, [welcome to France!].
Ten minutes and 15 Euros later we were sitting in the loveliest restaurant, outside, across from The Tomb of Napoleon, a most gorgeous building that happens to have that little blighter buried in it.
We then had a 1 ½ hour lunch that had certain magic to it, good friends, beautiful day, and a view that you cannot replicate anywhere but in Paris, and all day to enjoy it. I said to Fellette, "Bite me, where are we?"
After making sure that the Eiffel Tower was still in good shape mechanically,
we took a boat cruise down and up the Seine. It was relaxing and we saw Paris from a different angle. It was hot as blazes though, but no complaints.
After the cruise we spent a few hours leisurely strolling, sitting in the shade, window shopping, sipping cool drinks and just enjoying our good fortune in life!
Soon enough to the Train Station for the return journey home.
I take back what I said about the nice station in Paris, it now seems tacky, dirty and worn, particularly compared to the English side, [St. Pancras], which was a superb site, clean, beautiful floors and furnishings etc., generally a pleasure to be in.
Actually, in comparing the two cities, London and Paris, [even though I am amongst the least qualified to offer an opinion], I would have to say that Paris, although lovely, is a bit dusty-looking, tired, with sort of all the same sameness about it. London seems more vibrant and colourful, certainly much cleaner. I do know that Paris is more expensive.
Our 9.15 PM Paris departure was delayed 45 minutes and all 900 of us had to disembark and change trains: All done without complaint or show of outward dismay. Pity the parents with small children and youths with large backpacks, and those with bikes in enormous cases. We arrived home around 1.00 AM, giggly and exhausted. Inside of 15 minutes we had all rehydrated ourselves with ice water, showered and into those lovely clean sheets where we slept like babies. As a point of interest there is a one hour time difference between Britain and the continent, the reason I think is 'just because'.
Some London Trivia: "The Underground" and "The Tube" is/are not the same thing. The Underground is where the earth was dug out like a big trench, and then covered over and buildings, roads etc. were built on top. The Tube on the other hand, was dug with a boring machine that made a large circular hole that was then faced in concrete and tile etc., and then the track is laid. The Tube Trains have a much lower profile than the Underground Trains that do not fit in the Tube. And now you know, or maybe you already did.
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