Return to London via a series of connections. I am staying in my usual Cartwright Gardens, near Russell Square. This is a nice little low key neighborhood and pretty darn convenient to the transportation hubs at Kings Cross and Euston and a long but easy walk to the theatre district.
Taxi to the bus stop in Apt to catch the local bus to the train station in Avignon. The gentleman who has been transporting my bags all week has been exceptional. He was always on time, to the minute.
Yesterday, when I tried to arrange transport to the bus station in Apt, I suggested 730 to meet the 800 bus. He looked at me quizzically. We had just come through Apt returning to La Pyramid. Five minutes, he assured me. 745 we agreed, via scribbles on my pad.
Riding local transportation is always an interesting study of people. I saw a bus with " Avignon TGV" on the reader and when I tried to board the driver spoke at me. No clue, I. The driver looked desperately at the passengers, all teenagers. Clearly none wanted to try their English and I caught on this was a school transport. I walked forward in line and clearly saw bus route 15.1. My ride.
The ride to Paris on the TGV was trouble free. Amazingly there was absolutely no security or ticket check. I could have ridden free. Someone was sitting in my seat and I wonder how often folks scam a ride.
Next a cross town transfer via the Metro ( oh please let me go in the correct direction) to catch the Euro Star to London. This time I had some coins so I could buy a ticket from the machine. The Paris Metrto is inexpensive, but you get what you pay for. Short on information boards, filled with panhandlers.
The Euro Star offered a wine and cheese lunch and I thought that was a pretty nice way to say goodbye to France.
Tonight was a thrill as I got to watch another grand woman of the Theatre ; Angela Landsbury. At 88 years old she has returned to the London stage after a 40 years absence. Her performance as Madam Arcati in Noel Cowards, "Blithe Spirit" has received nothing but raves. She is sporting a red, braided "Princess Leia" hairdo, her performance was called a "tour de force" in uniformly rave reviews. I love the opportunity to see great performers on the London stage. Making a choice is challenging and this time, I hit it right.
Sorry no pictures for this one. Should have taken my camera, though. Piccadilly Circus is great at night.
About Me
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Showing posts with label train. Show all posts
Showing posts with label train. Show all posts
Monday, May 12, 2014
Monday, May 5, 2014
Like Here, Only Different ~ Day 1 We're Taking the Train
I am calling on my inner Sheldon Cooper.
I love trains. There is something very basic about a train ride. This train, however, is not so very basic
It is the Euro Star.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurostar
I am off on another round of walking vacation. A three week leave from work, a sabbatical given for my 8 year milestone. Originally I pondered a volunteer vacation in Africa. That journey would have required a total of six weeks and for me, I thought that was pushing it a bit too much. That adventure goes into my "possible" 16 year leave. I picked up and put down the idea of a volunteer vacation in Mongolia, planting trees. I will leave sleeping in a yurt in the possibly merry month of May to the younger crowd.
Today I took the train from London St Pancras station to Paris in 2 1/2 hours. A quick cross town transfer to Gare de Leon and in another 2 1/2 hours via the TVG High Speed Train, we are in Avignon the starting and finishing point of a one week walk in Provence. Over the next week I am exploring the Luberon.
The trains are amazing in their speed, averaging 186mph. They are smooth and almost silent. In no time at all we are in the Chunnel and out the other side. All along the way green and yellow fields of hay, rapeseed (canola) or mustard.
And tons of bugs. The front of the train was COVERED in bugs.
Last year my walk across England was, in part, driven by the desire to see the countryside I first saw in "All Creatures Great and Small" This time, part of my desire to visit The Luberon was sparked by two of my favorite movies; "My Fathers Glory" and "My Mothers Castle". These are gentle movies based on Marcel Pagnols memoirs of the same name.
Provence is sliced through the middle west to east by The Petit and Grand Luberon. This escarpment contains cliffs and forests, ocher mines and a narrow slot canyon we visit in 2 days.
Paris Gare deLyon was a noisy and crowded wait. I did not wish to cut it to close and the 2 1/2 hour wait was a bit too long. But so it was dash for the train and off we raced. Into a tunnel and Bang! We were in verdant countryside. You would not know a city like Paris was just left. We raced down the heart of France seeing few towns. Nothing but agriculture and cows.
I could see the Alps to the east and about 45 minutes before arrival the landscape abruptly changed to dry rocky soil. The huge rock faced cliffs of the Luberon can be seen. Some look like massive rock souffles.
A quick twistly neighborhood bus ride and I am dropped off at the city wall.
Avignon is a old walled city on the west end of Provence. During the 1300's seven Popes made this city their home and center of the church. Today the walled old city and the Palais des Papes are an UNESCO World Heritage site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignon
My hotel Hotel d'Angleterre in on a quiet backstreet near the city wall and a convenient walk from the shuttle bus stop.
www.hoteldangleterre.fr
I have a comfortable room and a new book from the local service detailing all my walks, my transfer and details I have to look over at dinner.
It is Monday and most of the neighborhood restaurants are closed. I canceled the walk I had planned and went looking for one of the recommended places. It was closed and I wound up at a place near the hotel that had terrific seafood.
Tomorrow is a full day in town.
I love trains. There is something very basic about a train ride. This train, however, is not so very basic
It is the Euro Star.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurostar
I am off on another round of walking vacation. A three week leave from work, a sabbatical given for my 8 year milestone. Originally I pondered a volunteer vacation in Africa. That journey would have required a total of six weeks and for me, I thought that was pushing it a bit too much. That adventure goes into my "possible" 16 year leave. I picked up and put down the idea of a volunteer vacation in Mongolia, planting trees. I will leave sleeping in a yurt in the possibly merry month of May to the younger crowd.
Today I took the train from London St Pancras station to Paris in 2 1/2 hours. A quick cross town transfer to Gare de Leon and in another 2 1/2 hours via the TVG High Speed Train, we are in Avignon the starting and finishing point of a one week walk in Provence. Over the next week I am exploring the Luberon.
The trains are amazing in their speed, averaging 186mph. They are smooth and almost silent. In no time at all we are in the Chunnel and out the other side. All along the way green and yellow fields of hay, rapeseed (canola) or mustard.
And tons of bugs. The front of the train was COVERED in bugs.
Last year my walk across England was, in part, driven by the desire to see the countryside I first saw in "All Creatures Great and Small" This time, part of my desire to visit The Luberon was sparked by two of my favorite movies; "My Fathers Glory" and "My Mothers Castle". These are gentle movies based on Marcel Pagnols memoirs of the same name.
Provence is sliced through the middle west to east by The Petit and Grand Luberon. This escarpment contains cliffs and forests, ocher mines and a narrow slot canyon we visit in 2 days.
Paris Gare deLyon was a noisy and crowded wait. I did not wish to cut it to close and the 2 1/2 hour wait was a bit too long. But so it was dash for the train and off we raced. Into a tunnel and Bang! We were in verdant countryside. You would not know a city like Paris was just left. We raced down the heart of France seeing few towns. Nothing but agriculture and cows.
I could see the Alps to the east and about 45 minutes before arrival the landscape abruptly changed to dry rocky soil. The huge rock faced cliffs of the Luberon can be seen. Some look like massive rock souffles.
A quick twistly neighborhood bus ride and I am dropped off at the city wall.
Avignon is a old walled city on the west end of Provence. During the 1300's seven Popes made this city their home and center of the church. Today the walled old city and the Palais des Papes are an UNESCO World Heritage site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignon
My hotel Hotel d'Angleterre in on a quiet backstreet near the city wall and a convenient walk from the shuttle bus stop.
www.hoteldangleterre.fr
I have a comfortable room and a new book from the local service detailing all my walks, my transfer and details I have to look over at dinner.
It is Monday and most of the neighborhood restaurants are closed. I canceled the walk I had planned and went looking for one of the recommended places. It was closed and I wound up at a place near the hotel that had terrific seafood.
Tomorrow is a full day in town.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Like Here Only Different ~ Day 1 London to St Bees
The adventure begins with a zippy 4 hour+ ride to Carlisle from Euston Station, three blocks from my hotel, on a Virgin Express train.
I have to say first impressions are always the best and Sir Richard Branson has done this one up a treat. Booking tickets on line and picking a little ticket card up at the station eliminates a couple sheets of paper from my travel folder. I even bought a few chits for the refreshment cart. I guess if I was younger and hipper I might have an iPhone app for all the bits and pieces. As it is my trip will be blogged from a new tablet computer-
The train from Euston was swift, for sure. People stand like stone waiting for their trains platform to be posted then it is a mad dash.
The train was quiet and swift I was disappointed that I could not see the land for much of the way as the rail beds are sunk into the landscape. I did get a glimpse of the land I will be walking and it helped get my mind on the map.
As quiet as the Virgin Express was, the connecting train to Whitehaven was a noisy old toot. It sounded like an old disel with a missing gear and a square wheel.
The countryside is everything you might imagine Once into Cumbria the rolling hills give way to high rolling hills with stunning rock faces---
and everywhere sheeeeeep
I could have booked this trip better. I thought to give myself 1 hour in Carlise to be sure that I made the rare connection to Whitehaven and on to St Bees via taxi. If I had thought the details through better I might have flown out of Seattle on a Thursday and headed north on a Saturday, allowing for a train connect all the way to St Bees. As it turns out I caught the train that met the connector with 10 minutes to spare. The express train was late but they did hold the connector so I got to Whitehaven on time.
I was able to share a rare taxi with three young folks and I was swiftly to St Bees from Whitehaven.
The village of St Bees was named for St Bega, an Irish princess who escaped her country and fled across the water to this shore. She established a convent and is noted for her good deeds. Dates are vague and said to be sometime between the 5th and 7th century.
We will stay at Fairladies Barn Guest House www.fairladiesbarn.co.uk a 17th century barn converted to a guest lodge.
Sunday roast was sold out at the pub, so I had Toad in the Hole... A fine dish indeed.
Oh and sticky toffee pudding which I am weak for.
I have to say first impressions are always the best and Sir Richard Branson has done this one up a treat. Booking tickets on line and picking a little ticket card up at the station eliminates a couple sheets of paper from my travel folder. I even bought a few chits for the refreshment cart. I guess if I was younger and hipper I might have an iPhone app for all the bits and pieces. As it is my trip will be blogged from a new tablet computer-
The train from Euston was swift, for sure. People stand like stone waiting for their trains platform to be posted then it is a mad dash.
The train was quiet and swift I was disappointed that I could not see the land for much of the way as the rail beds are sunk into the landscape. I did get a glimpse of the land I will be walking and it helped get my mind on the map.
As quiet as the Virgin Express was, the connecting train to Whitehaven was a noisy old toot. It sounded like an old disel with a missing gear and a square wheel.
The countryside is everything you might imagine Once into Cumbria the rolling hills give way to high rolling hills with stunning rock faces---
and everywhere sheeeeeep
I could have booked this trip better. I thought to give myself 1 hour in Carlise to be sure that I made the rare connection to Whitehaven and on to St Bees via taxi. If I had thought the details through better I might have flown out of Seattle on a Thursday and headed north on a Saturday, allowing for a train connect all the way to St Bees. As it turns out I caught the train that met the connector with 10 minutes to spare. The express train was late but they did hold the connector so I got to Whitehaven on time.
I was able to share a rare taxi with three young folks and I was swiftly to St Bees from Whitehaven.
The village of St Bees was named for St Bega, an Irish princess who escaped her country and fled across the water to this shore. She established a convent and is noted for her good deeds. Dates are vague and said to be sometime between the 5th and 7th century.
We will stay at Fairladies Barn Guest House www.fairladiesbarn.co.uk a 17th century barn converted to a guest lodge.
Sunday roast was sold out at the pub, so I had Toad in the Hole... A fine dish indeed.
Oh and sticky toffee pudding which I am weak for.
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