Lessons Learned and More...

Lessons learned...and more

Headed to Luxembourg I asked several people if I was heading to the right train, answer unanimous, yes.  I got on, settled down, felt like a real traveler as I hooked up my headphones to my itouch, turned on my 60s playlist, and closed my eyes as a warm blanket of the past surrounded me.  Strangely my mind wandered to my exhusband and and some sweet memories drifted in.  At that exact moment my random 40+ songs playlist started playing Evergreen by Barbra streisand, my wedding song!  So strange, but not the first time that has happened.  Perhaps I wasn't alone after all?  

Watching the countryside of France pass out the window, I marveled at how far I have come, figuratively and literally!  When the song 500 Miles came on, I only had to put in 5000 miles to be appropriate.  Green pastures and clouds above drifted.  Beautiful afternoon, excellent choice for the day. 

So where is the lesson learned?  Well, we were almost to the last stop in France when the train manager came by and informed me I was on the wrong car and was NOT headed to Luxembourg!  How had everyone been wrong?  Well, apparently it wasn't them.  New to me...There were some cars that split away to go to Luxembourg  and there were assigned seats which I was not aware of, and I needed to quickly change cars before the split took place!  Oh my!  Lucky for me I wasn't carrying any luggage, so the switch wasn't bad...lessons learned!  Look for all info. Seats, cars, etc.  

Felt like a pro on the way back to Paris on the last train, correct car, correct seat, Paris bound.  I met two other people who had gone to Luxembourg for the day.  A darling young lady from Kazakhstan and a man from Baltimore.  He sounded so much like me, he had a few days off, called the airlines and asked where he could get with 40,000 miles, so he flew into dusseldorf and will leave from Brussels.  He was going to a different little town each day, I stick to larger places...well for now.   Too bad there wasnt a connection there, but I did enjoy the young lady.

It's interesting to observe people.  I try not to judge, but I do.  On the final part of the journey to Luxembourg there was a lovely (seems to be my word of the day) woman and her darling little boy.  She had things for him to do, interacted with him, he giggled when I spoke English and was so proud when he said goodbye in English.  On the way back to Paris a lady got on across from me and next to the young lady from Kazakhstan with a young son.  Cute, but a totally different scenario, the young lady moved.  The mother got on her cell and gave the child a bag of chips and a plastic bottle of orange drink.  He proceeded to dump chips, make a huge mess, yelled, kicked, banged the bottle...mom still talked!  So, so sad!  Of course I wanted to share my thoughts, but wisely I didn't.  After the girl next to them left, she put him in that seat and finally got off the phone and gave it to him to play with.  Then she talked to him and he ignored her, hmm wonder where he got that behavior?  She took her phone back and got on it again and now he was kicking me.  I watched to see how long before she noticed, and she did and stopped him, still on the phone and turned him around so then he was kicking her.  I was glad when we reached Paris, but so sorry for their future.  What a difference positive attention and interaction makes for a child.  Teacher in me talking...

Was hoping to see the tour Eiffel sparkling that night, but by the time I got to my hotel and headed out, it was just too late to be safe, so when I got on the bus, found out it was the last one, so I would have to take the metro back, then remembered how dark the station was when it was closed when I got back from moulin rouge the night before, I got off the bus and decided that would have to be saved for the next trip.  I could see it in daylight instead.  Very, very wise decision!  

So this morning I checked my Eurostar ticket once again, yes, it left at 2:45, plenty of time.  I just couldn't leave Paris without seeing the tour Eiffel, so off I headed, now much more comfortable on the metro.  Only one change of trains.  I think the best part of this stay in Paris is how comfortable I became traveling on the buses and metro and regional trains.  I think I can get anywhere now, and if anyone would have told me that 5 years ago when terrified me was following Cesar around like a scared puppy, I'd have never believed it!  I'm a slow learner, but I feel like spending time in Paris alone was the ultimate test!  I passed!

However I'm not so sure I'm passing any test on train travel!  Just when I though I knew it all...

I returned from the delightful visit to the tour d'eiffel and was calmly packing and organizing and was ready to take a shower.  Something made me look at the ticket once again as I moved it to my small purse.  I have a very good routine to keeping track of travel documents.  So I checked it once again and couldn't believe my eyes...I'd been looking at the arrival time!  The train left at 13:13, I checked the time on my iPad, 12:40!  I know that you can't check in later than 30 minutes before hand, oh my god, I was panicked.  I go to great lengths to be sure this NEVER happens!  I stuffed everything (I hope) into the suitcases and threw on clothes and flew out of the hotel room, luggage in tow.  Perhaps 5 minutes.  I stopped at the desk and I was already checked out, so I walked quickly across the street to the train station.  I took the lift to the Eurostar level.  Luckily a very sweet young lady, was so kind and walked me rough all the steps, there was leaving France, entering England, passport checks...and then I had to walk down to the very last car for my reserved seat. I felt like i was walking to london!  I made it!  And here I sit, on a sold out train as everyone heads off for holiday.  Whew!

The last two days have been holidays in Europe and truly many things have been closed.  It is the celebration of the ending of WWII, and I was quite moved by large flower sprays, arrangements, at monuments and even in one of the train stations, in memory of lost soldiers.  Would this be armistice day in America?  How meaningful it was to the countries where the war was.  In Europe the wars are real, not a page in a history book.  Interesting time to be here.  Of course, just like in America, a holiday is a time to play, and playing is good.  Rick Steve's says that Europe is both a classroom and a playground, so true, wish I would have thought of that myself.

In Luxembourg the city was so closed up for the holiday I didn't even find a place to try their potato pancakes.  I took the hop on/off bus.  Not the best plan, parts of the old city were charming, but I really didn't enjoy the part of the tour around the big banks and govt buildings.  On the way back to Paris there was a kind couple behind me and she was from luxembourg and said they are known for the beautiful paths in their forest.  I'd read that the countryside is beautiful so I might have to return to explore more.  That girl was from there and her boyfriend was from Australia and was quite pleased that he has a job in Paris opening a new hostel.  She wasn't sure she wanted to give up the quiet peaceful life in Luxembourg.  I do love meeting people and hearing stories of the interesting people who travel.  What a world this is, and how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to experience it while I can.

But for now. Au revoir Par-ee!