Susan and I woke up a bit early Monday morning since we both wanted to say goodbye to Pauline before she left for work at the Ministry of Justice. After a leisurely breakfast the three of us, Richard, Susie and I, left the flat and Richard drove us to Hampstead Heath, an enormous green space in northwest London. We strolled for an hour or so, catching a (misty) glimpse of much of the greater London area.It was then back to the car and after returning to the flat where we finished packing our two (very) small shoulder bags, we then we walked to the nearby Tube station. Susie and I bought day travel cards and Richard guided us through the several connections on the Tube as we three made our way to St. Pancras station, the soon-to-be-new Eurostar train terminus in London.
The station is enormous inside -- pretty much like all European staitons I suppose with the cavernous rounded long roofs made of glass and steel or iron and St. Pancras was no different -- except it was in the process of being totally refurbished and so looked quite new indeed. The outside is stunning, with its enormous church-like facade and then the interior is all brand-new, ready to receive the new, even-faster Eurostar beginning the middle of November.
From St. Pancras we Tubed our way to the Holborn area in search of the new and improved International House school for training teachers of English. Richard and I had first met in September of 2005 when we were students in the same group at the old IH facility just off of Green Park. They had moved recently to a much more modern and spacious facility near the Thames. We soon dsicovered the school and indeed we were duly impressed. We peeked inside at the reception and recognized no one so we moved on, bidding fond adieu at that short bit of our common history.
From International House we eventually wended our way down Drury Lane past the Opera House and stopped for a last meal in London at the "Live Bait" restaurant, where the three of us got the classic fish 'n chips -- which Richard remarked were not bad at all in fact. All washed down by a bottle of crisp French white wine,in keeping with the spirit of European cooperation.
From the restaurant it was a short walk to the Thames, and once across the Waterloo bridge we soon found our way into Waterloo station, where we said au revoir to Richard. We couldn't have asked for a better guide in the city and the kindness and hospitality extended to us by Pauline and Richard is now legendary in our family.
We passed through security and checked in for our 4:12 departure to Paris. The train was full and, as it turns out, we had seats seperated from one another. But we both dozed comfortably and the time flew by -- at about the same rate as the train I suspect, and we were soon pulling into the Gare du Nord. Susie and I collected our shoulder bag and backpack -- and thanking the Gods that we didn't have to schlep luggage around like so many other poor travelers that evening -- and headed off to the Metro. We jumped on the line 5, and changed to the no. 9 at Oberkampf and got off at St. Ambroise. five minutes later we were back home.
One day were were in Paris and then in London and then back in Paris again. Life is pretty amazing I'd say.
Wish you had been there with us, and that you were here now,
Steve (and Susie at Pascal's playing with dough)
(photo: sign outside the Quayside in Whitstable, UK.)
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