A Day In Paris
As I wasn’t sure how long it would take to get home, before I left, I booked a ticket on the 21:10 Eurostar from Paris to London.
This effectively gave me nine hours in Paris, so I decided to go to the Louvre and then do some exploration.
Unfortunately, my camera ran out of juice, so there isn’t many pictures.
But I enjoyed myself otherwise!
I did even find a gluten-free creperie in Montmartre, but unfortunately it shuts on Mondays.
This wouldn’t have been a disaster, as I knew I’d get a good supper on Eurostar.
But unfortunately, I’d somehow mixed up getting my gluten-free meal.
The staff however, rustled me up some very acceptable chicken with chick-peas.
I was in my bed in Hackney by just after eleven, after eight trains in seven days.
Being close to St. Pancras means that trains are a very good option, as I can always get a bus home if the train is a very late one.
The
Hundreds Of Sunflowers
On the forecourt at St. Pancras station, it was all happening this morning.
It’s an art installation, that will be opening on Tuesday.
I shall return!
Clouds In St. Pancras Station
There is now an artwork, where the Olympic rings were last year in St. Pancras station.
It is described in detail in this BBC report.
A Statue Of A Lady In Stilettos
I’ve noticed the statue called The Meeting Place by Paul Day in St. Pancras station many times.
But I think it must be the only statue I know, where a lady is wearing stiletto-heeled shoes.
The Beach Comes To St. Pancras
I took this picture at St. Pancras station yesterday on my way to Broadstairs.
The Beach Comes To St. Pancras
There didn’t appear to be a spare deck-chair.
Off To Broadstairs Today
In a moment, I leave for St. Pancras to get the fast train to Broadstairs, ostensibly to have lunch and a few sherbets with an old mate.
I have memories of the town, where we used to go to visit my father’s brother. I always thought that he never fathered any children, until I met one of his grandsons, who traced back to a wartime bigamous marriage. Every family has skeletons and mine has more than most.
The strangest thing now, is that when I go on a trip like this, I now make sure the house is tidy before I leave.
A Chocolate Brownie At Pattiserie Valerie
Patisserie Valerie was one of C’s favourite places for coffee, although she didn’t usually have one of their cakes.
A couple of weeks ago, I had a cup of tea in their cafe at Kings Cross station with a friend.
Pattiserie Valerie At Kings Cross Station
As it is in a generous-sized china cup and I was in the station again getting tickets for a trip tomorrow, I decided to have another tea today. On asked if I’d like anything else, I said that I was gluten-free and that I didn’t think they had anything, But I was wrong, as the picture shows.
A Chocolate Brownie At Pattiserie Valerie
Although it was plastic wrapped, it was one of the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. Plastic wrapping is acceptable to preserve gluten-free status, when the cake is of this level of quality.
The large cup of tea and the brownie was reasonably priced at £4.60.
Kings Cross station and its neighbour St. Pancras are getting to be very far removed from the tired memories of British Rail’s curled sandwiches and dreadful coffee of the past.
i know it is the policy of Network Rail to take this good food route and they are to be congratulated on their approach.
I Missed The Match
I didn’t get to the match at Ipswich on Saturday, as although the Eurostar was on time in London, by the time I got home, it was too late to get a train to the start of the match.
The delays hadn’t been serious, but I wasted ten or fifteen minutes because of a broken Cashpoint, queues at WH Smith for my paper and then no taxis at Kings Cross. I then had to take the Victoria line to Highbury and Islington station and I waited another ten minutes for a bus to get home.
Of course, if they had left luggage lockers, at any of the stations, like St. Pancras, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street or Ipswich, I could have quickly dumped my case and got to the match on time.
But as Ipswich Town lost, I wasn’t too bothered by the evening.
Blankets At Carluccio’s In St. Pancras Station
Carluccio’s in St. Pancras Station has started issuing customers with blankets.
Blankets At Carluccio’s In St. Pancras Station
I’m not sure, but I’ve used that restaurant for some years now and I’ve never seen the blankets before. A few customers outside had the blankets wrapped snuggly over their laps and around their legs.
Has this winter been that bad? Or are we all getting soft and feel the cold more?
I did find the blankets mentioned in Trip Advisor for March 20th this year.
I Brought My Piano To A Station And Someone Asked Me To Play
I took this photograph at St. Pancras station this morning.
Piano And Pianist At St. Pancras Station
It would appear it’s a street piano and that the music and the musicians are well liked.
The Anonymous Widower 