Well, we're home... The run up to Christmas was such a rush, it's all a bit of a blur. We left very early on Thursday morning to get to Waterloo by 7.30am. I am NOT a morning person, needless to say. Usually I get really stressed out travelling, but this time it was ok. The train to Paris is only 2 1/2 hours now, and the time flew by. We got to Gare du Nord at lunchtime and the plan was to leave the luggage at Gare St Lazare and then go have lunch at Hippopotamus near the Opéra before checking out the window displays at the Le Printemps and The Galeries Lafayette. Unfortunately, due to the 'Plan Vigipirate', or the French authorities being terrified of terrorists, all left luggage places have been closed down. Our option, therefore, was to find somewhere to have lunch, with our luggage, and then hang around the department stores, with our luggage, until it was time for my sister-in-law Joan to meet us at Gare St Lazare. Luckily we had wheely-luggage and we found a really nice Brasserie where the garçons were really helpful in finding a corner for our stuff. We had steack-frites as they call it, and really enjoyed our lunch.
After a fleeting look at the window displays (I could just feel all the Parisians thinking "why 'as zat madwoman come shopping wiz 'er suitcase??") we gave up, went back to St Lazare, stopping only for a crêpe au Nutella at the marché de Noël, and in desperation called my nephew reverse-charge, asking him to call his mum on her mobile to see if she had finished her shopping. Great minds think alike, as she was in the shops thinking "oh gosh, another 2 hours to kill". So we were able to meet up and get the train to her house before we all collapsed in a heap. It was so great to see her and her family, but also my darling mum and, on Christmas Eve, my sister Steph too.
Apart from the dishwasher packing up on Christmas Eve, everything went smoothly, and a great time was had by all. I was TOTALLY spoiled (thank you especially to STEPH!), and Claire was too. Her favourite present of all being her iPod from Wayne of course. I made sure she got that last, for fear she would not even LOOK at any other presents!
On Boxing Day my brother and his wife treated us to a delicious meal at their favourite restaurant, before my brother drove us back to Paris to catch our Eurostar. I refused to look at the time because I didn't want to get anxious, but we did get stuck in traffic and eventually we jumped out and caught the metro for the last two stops. This worked really well, because we got to the station in plenty of time for our 5.10pm train home. Of course, London Transport does not run at Christmas and only part of the way on Boxing Day, but we were lucky enough to get a quick connection to Rickmansworth and a taxi home from there, so we were home before 9pm. Tired but happy.
Photos can be seen here
Wow, it looks like you had a wonderful time. I loved looking at your pictures! What a treat. It truly felt like I was there! I loved the pictures of the stores, the cute doggie (escially sound asleep) and all your family pictures! Thanks so much for sharing your happy memories!
Maria
Posted by: Maria | 12/29/2005 at 03:19 AM