Greetings from merry old England

This morning Phyllis went to Charles DeGaulle Airport for her flight home to the United States.  I, however, went to the Paris Nord train station to take the Eurostar train to London. (Fortunately, the Eurostar line was not involved in the French train strike.)  The Eurostar is a high speed train which reaches a speed of 186 miles per hour.  The trip from Paris to London takes only 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Around 20 minutes are spent in darkness as the train passes under the English Channel through the "Chunnel"

 

I arrived at St. Pancras Station in London right on time at 1 PM.  Fortunately, St. Pancras is also the station for the train to Borehamwood (the suburb where my cousin Kevin lives, and where my hotel is located).  A Eurostar employee was extremely kind and helpful.  He let me use his cell phone to let Kevin know that I was on my way.   The gentleman then took me to the ticket vending machine and punched in the information for my ticket to Borehamwood.  All I had to do was slip in the money.  I didn't have to wait long at all.  Borehamwood is on the line that goes to Lutton Airport, and a train leaves every 15 minutes.  A train was waiting on the platform, and within a couple minutes, I was on my way.

The train ride to Borehamwood took about 25 minutes.  Kevin and his younger son Scott, were there waiting for me.  Kevin drove me to my hotel, a part of the Ibis chain which has hotels throughout Europe.  I got settled into my room, and freshened up.  At 4:00 Kevin came back and took me to their home which is just a short drive from the hotel.  It was a warm, sunny afternoon (yes, sunshine in England!), and we sat in the back yard chatting.  An enormous, old oak tree dominates the yard, and even though Kevin and his wife Sue claim that they are not gardeners, there are lots of lovely flowers.  It was such a tranquil place in which to unwind after the day's journey.  Kevin and Sue then took me out for supper at a pub not too far away called The Battle Axes.  I had a very English meal of bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes)... very tasty comfort food.

Driving back through very green areas with lots a trees I almost felt as if I were back in Ohio. I told them that I felt at home, and Sue said, "You are at home.  You're with family."