The Train Adventure

Ever since we agreed to go on this European trip Hubby and I have thought of it as an adventure. Adventure because of the food, the travel, our guide, the language, and all the other unknowns. The trip has gone so well. We have found our hotels, and although the rooms have varied in size compared to American hotels, they all have the necessities and we have survived. The food: some fantastic and some we can chalk up to experience. We have walked A LOT, but we have always found our way to and back again...thanks to a GPS and a smart phone. We have found our trains, the stations, the metros, and the correct stops. All part of the adventure.

Wednesday we traveled from Brussels to Paris, a train trip of about 90 minutes, normally. Somewhere outside Paris, 15 minutes or so, our train stopped. We were told there was an electrical problem in Paris. Hmmmm. Hubby checked internet (WiFi is free on the trains) and there was not a world-wide issue or catastrophe in Paris. There was no other explanation. The trains have water closets (bathrooms), small but very adequate. The train also has a bar car. VERY CONVENIENT.

When the doors of the train car opened and passengers rushed to get out and have a smoke, we knew we would be there awhile. Awhile was 3 hours. Other than wondering why we were delayed, it wasn't a big issue as we had no time schedule upon our arrival in Paris. Our biggest concern was finding our hotel in the dark.

I stepped into the doorway of the train car and took some photos of the French countryside.

it gets light after 8 in the morning (in Brussels)

and dusk around 4:30/5:00 in the afternoon

a storage pile of root vegetables on the east side of the train

very popular in dishes in Europe

turnip? rutabaga? something else?

not potatoes or sugar beets

a farmer was spraying or fertilizing

lots of green, ground cover crops

small village on the east side of the train

no open door & dirty glass = poor quality photos

a French sunset I would not have seen

if not for the electrical problem

Hubby went to the Bar Car and got some treats

candy & hot chocolate

Upon our arrival at the Paris train station people were lined up and very eager to get on the train as it turned around and went back west. Thankfully, train attendants kept them in line until all of us could get off. We were given complimentary bottles of water for the inconvenience. (Sound familiar?) 

The delay must have been with the electrical lines for the Thayl trains as other trains passed our standing still train during those 3 hours of wait time. All was well in the end. We arrived safely and found our way out of the train station and onto the correct street to our hotel. I know we wheeled and dragged our suitcases (remember the photos of the bags when we started this trip????) for a mile along the Parisian sidewalks. But, we found our hotel and an eating place and a nearby grocery mart...life is good and all is well. It was an adventure, but a good one.