7 hours in the Gare de Lyon

Le Train Bleu, Paris

Here we are once more. 40 hours from door to door via car, 2 buses, 2 planes, 2 trains, a taxi. and now, finally, our boat. I feel exhausted just writing that. Quite a lot of those long hours were spent waiting for connections in airports and railway stations.

When, on touchdown in Paris, our pilot cheerfully announced that we'd made good time and arrived early it was good news for everyone- almost - we now had even more than 7 hours to kill before our train to Dijon. Should we leave our bags in left luggage and go sight seeing? When the automatic doors of the airport swished open and we were blasted with freezing wind and rain we decided that no, we had neither the energy nor will to drag our leaden feet anywhere, not even Paris.

So, after an hour on the Air France bus ( the memory of last year's rush hour experience on the Metro still brings me out in a cold sweat) we found ourselves in the vast and draughty confines of the Gare de Lyon.We had the choice of sitting in the frigid main hall (as we've done every time in the past) with attendant pigeons, beggars and patrolling heavily armed police or saying to hell with the expense and climbing the stairs to Le Train Bleu which must be one of the most oppulent railway station restaurants in the world.We climbed the stairs.

We decided on the bar rather than the restaurant purely on the basis of the chairs.The bar has beautiful old leather chesterfieds and armchairs to sink into and enjoy the view over the city towards the Place de Bastille.

Too bad that my first attempt this year at speaking French has to be with a Parisian waiter.
Me (in French), ' Good day sir. 2 Caesar Salads please. '
Waiter (not so fleeting frown, pained expression) - ' Did you mean 2 Caeser Salads Madam?' (in perfect English)
Now, I know I asked correctly. There's not exactly much to get wrong. So, I have a choice. Do I persevere in French? 'Oui, merci' or concede his superiority. I am too tired for this and back down. ' Yes. Thanks' We continue in English.

Incidentally, one of us is a Caesar Salad afficianado and gave this one only 7 out of 10. Something to do with a missing poached egg and lack of visible anchovies -perhaps that's the Aussie version.

So, we are now onboard and going nowhere for a few days. L'Avenir needs to be gently coaxed from her winter hibernation and given, if not quite a face lift, a rejuvenating deep clean and touch up.Rain has been pouring for weeks and the rivers are all in flood.. Today, for the first time since we arrived 5 days ago we have had beautiful sunshine but more rain is forecast.

But - a cuckoo is calling. A swan  and her 2 cygnets are circling our boat waiting for me to throw the remains of my baguette. Which I will do after I eat the delicious cheese. Champagne is chilling,
C'est la vie.