Best of Burgundy Day 12
Best of Burgundy
DAY 12 - Friday - 9-30-05 - Lyon/Bullet Train/Paris
We were up at our usual 7:15 and after quick showers we finished dressing and packing to be able to leave by 9 AM. We went down to the continental breakfast and had a chance to speak to the new OAT tour members and also to our seven friends who were ready for the post trip to the south of France. We went upstairs, got our luggage and met everyone in the lobby for our departure to the downtown train station. We were loaded into two vans and in rush hour traffic; we were at the station by 9:20.
Train stations in France are the center of activity for people on the move. Lyon Central was very busy with several trains arriving and departing. After Michel helped the group going to Aix-en-Provence he helped Gennie and I to buy our tickets to Paris on the TVG Train (Bullet) and showed us how to read the computerized board and board the train. We entered with our luggage and sat in 2nd class at the front of the train and he was at the back. The first impression was how quiet the people were. The whole trip to Paris, there were no raised voices or any loud noises. The train moves at a very rapid rate - cars on the autobahn were passed very easily. The 350 kilometer ride was done in 5 minutes less than two hours.
Once we arrived, Michel found us and called the hotel to try to find our son Eduardo (Ted). He also found out the hotel was just across the street from the station. We walked across the street, checked in, and with the help of the gentleman at the desk, called Eduardo on his cell phone. He was out seeing the sights but returned to get us and was there in about 20 minutes.
We walked quickly to meet his friend Ciça and her son Pedro along with her cousin Ana and her husband Richard from Cornwall, who were waiting at Notre Dame Cathedral. We had an opportunity to see the inside of this magnificent house of God. There were hundreds of people inside, worshiping, taking pictures and just seeing the sights. Once we left we went to the Esmeralda Restaurant where we had lunch and then walked to the Pantheon. It was raining by this time so we had our raincoats and umbrellas out to protect us from this very hard rainstorm.
When we arrived we found that we had only a short time so we decided to return to our hotel and try to dry off. The walk home was also in the rain but went quickly. Once home we put our clothes to dry, worked on pictures and organized our clothes for the six days we will be here. We gave Ciça, Pedro and Eduardo the gifts we had brought from the US and then began to get ready to go to dinner. At 7:30 we met in the lobby and walked a short distance to the L'Europeen for dinner. At 10 we returned to our room to finish the journal and get some sleep.
Accommodations: Hotel Terminus Lyon - - - Meals: B
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