The White Family in Paris! - Day 18

Today we went on the Eurostar under the tunnel for the first time!

Maura walked with us to Motspur Park station and we traveled to St. Pancras Railway Station.  It has all been renovated and is very beautiful, especially as London is gearing up for the next summer Olympics.  We checked in at the electronic kiosk and got our boarding passes, then sat and had a baguette with ham and cheese as we began to shift to French ways.

The 12:28 train left right on time and arrived right on time around 4 p.m. Paris time.  (about 2 1/2 hours).  The weather again cooperated.  It was supposed to be raining, but was only a bit damp.  We got a bit confused with using the subway tickets, but...managed to get to the Pyramides stop and then, using the map Willy gave us, managed to get to 9, rue du Marche, St Honore.  It is in the first arrondisement and in a posh section of Paris.  Amazingly, it is one street over from the infamous Lion D'Or that Jec, Mark and David had a hard time finding one night over 20 years ago.

Anyhow, the flat is very modest with an old, dark, rickety stairwell with lights on timers.  But, it will do.  It is basically one room.  We had a struggle getting the futon to flatten out, but eventually conquered it.  It seems more sensible than trying to climb into the bunk bed, particularly with all my bruises.  We also struggled to get online, but...eventually conquered it as well.

Then, we took a subway to Sentier where Michael and Nancy had prepared a lovely spaghetti dinner.  They arrived a day ahead of us, and Julie arrived shortly after that.  Unbeknowst to Julia, Mike and  Christina also were in Paris and she was totally surprised.

They are in a lovely flat, but it has had problems - a toilet that doesn't work, tv not working and the washer now working properly. But, the location is great and they are all doing well.

After dinner, we walked to the river, saw the lights of Paris and it was a lot of fun.  We walked a long way and eventually had coffee and dessert at an outside cafe. (expensive coffees, though!)  Then, Mark and I walked back home with only getting slightly lost.