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Let them eat cake! France and Austria
Before I start: I know Marie-Antoinette probably didn't utter it, but since my destinations are France and Austria, I thought it an apt title :)
There are times in life when your outlook on travel changes. For example, when you realise how much more pleasant it is to travel long-haul in a bed (the FT curse!). Or when life's pleasures are sometimes taken away, like during Covid. There's also the moment when an airline decides to show you the finger by killing its loyalty program. That's a moment when you rediscover the freedom of looking at other ways to travel which might not give you lounge access, but will get you to where you want to be, sometimes for less money than your old go-to wings. That freedom was always there, but someone had a co-dependent relationship with BA so someone didn't notice (and by someone, I mean me). My business travel was never stratospheric, but it has really gone since Covid. In the old days I could regularly reach a level that would get me into lounges, cut the queue if I needed to drop a bag, get fast track security where BA wasn't too tight to pay for it, etc. The FT basic package. It didn't take much: a few well engineered personal trips, reduced thresholds during covid, and more recently a paternity extension. Oh yeah, whilst we're talking about events which change your outlook on travel, there's having kids. It's great, honestly! The first year was a sleepless blur. The second year has also been a sleepless blur but the nappies smelled worse and mini-me started having opinions. And telling everyone about them. And now, she needs a seat. And they're just about as expensive as an adult's seat, especially since we're flying Ryanair a lot more. Anyway, now that most of my travel is family based, the shortest and most direct route is a must. To be honest, SWMBO appreciates lounges as much as anyone, but she's not one for creative routings. But add a restless gremlin in the mix, and it's a non-starter, even for me. So when the opportunity to have three (separate) days of travel by myself arose, I started getting the itch to find nice ways to travel. I'm going to Limoges (in France) and to Wels (in Austria). And they're not very well connected... |
Booking
Leg 1: Not many airlines fly to Limoges, but there is an international airport. Ryanair usually have 2 or 3 daily flights to the UK from LIG during the summer, to STN and sometimes to MAN. I'm joining the family with all the luggage, so by the time I'd added that to the FR booking it was pretty much the same price, and I'm not making a trip report here flying Ryanair. The mods would suspend me for the amount of swearing. The other solution was the train. The choices were basically Ryanair or Eurostar + a slow train (there was an AF option which I'd missed, but I'll get onto that later).
I'm building my way back up to Carte Blanche level on Eurostar (in fact that's the leg that will qualify me), so I was always going to lean towards that. I had a Eurostar upgrade voucher to use so I'll be in Eurostar Plus, and first class on the Paris-Limoges leg was only 5 euros extra compared to second, so that's leg 1 sorted. The second train is slow, I may moan about it later. Leg 2: Now this was the interesting bit, because going from one place with few transport links to another is tricky business. The choices were three-fold: either fly Ryanair to London Stansted onto an unprotected connection to Munich or Salzburg, an 18-hour train trek across France, Germany (or Switzerland) and onto Austria, or as I found on Google flights, fly a totally new airline (for me) and then 2 more flights on AF, making use of my FB Gold status match to make the journey slightly nicer. Guess which way I went? :D So I'm flying with Chalair (CE) to LYS, overnight there and carrying on to MUC via CDG on AF the next morning, with 5 hours to do a thorough review of AF lounges in CDG. The Moxy in LYS was reasonably priced so I'll add that to the review. I'll get picked up in MUC and finish the journey in a car. Leg 3: My return will be from MUC too, but this time the price of a single flight was roughly the same as the train in first (Deutsche Bahn and 2 Eurostars), and I had a leisurely day so I decided to use the train. Munich to Cologne, and then onto Brussels to London with Eurostar. The schedules have changed a few times on this one, but I should be alright. I booked it via Deutsche Bahn so hopefully they will rebook me if anything goes wrong. Next stop St Pancras station for an 8am train. |
I arrived at St Pancras about an hour before my train, and there were lots of people everywhere but the queues ended up moving pretty fast. I was through in about 10 minutes. The issues that eurostar have been complaining about on the size of the station are showing when 2 full trains have gone through security. It was hard to move through after passport control.
I quickly went to the lounge, courtesy of Amex, for a Sport of breakfast. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3cc71f6836.jpg Lounge breakfast. The spread during the week usually has ham and cheese too but it was only pastries and jam this morning https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...94d8d8ba26.jpg The cocktail bar, closed at 7am on a Saturday. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8b2474cb8b.jpg View of King's Cross from the lounge. Boarding started about 25 minutes before departure. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a6fa2b7022.jpg What a station! The carriage was already pretty full so I didn't snap the seat but there are plenty of pictures of on the Internet. Breakfast service started within 20 minutes and I was done before the tunnel. I got chatting to my neighbour who's off for a stag do in Paris, starting with the Lions game. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...66c0e270cb.jpg Cheese and tomato escargot, yoghurt and berry jam. I spent the rest of the journey working, although the WiFi was as bad as usual so I had to work offline. We arrived on time, which is nice. Down to the tube and onwards! |
My next stop was the gare d'Austerlitz, which has been a massive building site for as long as I remember. Some of it looks like it might end one day but I'm sure by the time they finish, they'll have to start all over again. It's one of 2 mainline stations which doesn't have TGV services, and the other (St Lazare) is in a much nicer area so it got last pick when all the stations got a makeover.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6b014c172e.jpg The only bit without scaffolding Eurostar used to sell through tickets which had 2 advantages: you'd earn points on the whole trip, and connections would be protected in case of irrops. They've now restricted that to TGV destinations only, which Limoges definitely isn't. I ended picking 2 tickets with 3 hours in-between because of prices, which left me with a lot of time to kill. I tried one the local brasseries on the boulevard de l'hôpital next door. The plat du jour was pork fillet in dough. The potatoes were covered in garlic butter which seeped everywhere but it worked. I don't have a neighbour on the train, thank fudge. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bce6c9cb03.jpg Plat du jour, at least the bread was good https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...82a0c73186.jpg Le comptoir d'Austerlitz There's something special about the Paris terrasse which you can't quite replicate anywhere else. People will have a drink and look at the word go by. They will make loads of comments about the people passing by, just because that's how they are. There isn't really a word in the French language to say judgemental, it's just a way of life :D Still an hour to kill before the train. There isn't much to do here so time to have another coffee and watch the world go by. |
I strolled back towards Austerlitz through some of the building works.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...71bc08b3db.jpg One sign says it'll be ready in 2027, the other in 2029. I'm sure it'll be nice once it's done, the CGI pictures look great. The train goes all the way to Toulouse. In 7 hours, so it averages under 100km/h. People who want to go quicker will be using the TGV via Bordeaux (a 250km détour) for a 4 hour trip, and a hefty premium. There's a geographical concept in France called "la diagonale du vide" which roughly goes from the Ardennes to an imaginary line between Bordeaux and Toulouse via the massif central. It's called that because the population density is quite low. This train is an omnibus which stops at all the places people joke about when they mean the middle of nowhere. We're in a refurbished old train (at least the loos don't drop straight onto the tracks anymore), going not very fast, and as I write this we've slowed down because apparently people are trespassing on the tracks. Still, it beats Ryanair! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8298588e5c.jpg My throne for the next 4 hours. The Wi-Fi works reasonably well, but FlyerTalk (or rather Cloudflare) blocks people who use it. I hope it's not out of spite for train users :D I need to get some work done, so I'll leave it at that for now, I may come back to moan about a delay later. |
Amusingly, I have a trip planned in the not too distant future which involves the exact opposite of some of the legs you'll be travelling, so I'm looking forward to how this unfolds for you...
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I got to my destination, only 15 minutes late in Limoges after all. I'd say it's a long day, but I'd forgotten how efficient I could be working on a train when travelling alone. I feel like I've done more than a day's work and enjoyed travel, and my daughter gave me the biggest hug after 2 days away. So I'm a happy chap. I'd do it that way in a heartbeat (despite my moaning about the slow train 😬)
The next leg is in a week, so stay tuned! |
Fab report, but…. Where’s the cake??
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Originally Posted by JapesUK
(Post 37214235)
Fab report, but…. Where’s the cake??
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After a week at my in-laws, it's time for leg 2! Limoges isn't a big airport, so I knew we didn't nerd to arrive too early. The check-in counters opened only 1 hour before the flight, so that's just as well.
I couldn't check-in in the AF app, however the Chalair website let me check in for all 3 flights online. The boarding passes are a bit simple, so I still went to get a paper one from the desk. For the geeks among us, I've bagged sequence 001 for all three flights :D https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...232422b7d2.jpg Limoges, Gate B. Gate A is a row of benches smaller. Only 4 passengers on this flight. Security took all of 5 minutes, mostly chatting to the 4 staff there. Not a great ratio... The bird tonight is F-HBCM, an ATR72 (it shows as ATR-42 on the AF app). https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...dd740908c4.jpg Tents, the tarmac outside and our aircraft. 20 minutes before departure we got to sit in the tent, and we're now waiting. I'm not sure what to expect in terms of service on the flight. It's blocked for 1h05 so we won't be in the air for very long. I don't think that WiFi is available, next update from the Moxy LYS! Edit: make that 3 passengers, either a no-show or I misheard the lady at check-in. |
Boarding was very fast, obviously. My cabin luggage didn't fit in the overheads, so it was stored under the seat across the aisle.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...743e898ce4.jpg One for the carry-on madness thread on the BA board :p https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...91811c8967.jpg Boarding was from the rear, to an empty plane https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ffb764466f.jpg 2x2 seating, comfortable enough for 50 minutes We left on time, and landed early. It started with a long taxi down the runway, and a quick takeoff. The windows of the aircraft were rather dirty so I don't have many good pictures. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b78b4fb61c.jpg LIG after take off https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...aa18e7e1aa.jpg The view for pretty much the whole flight Onboard service was a soft or hot drink, and sweet or savoury snacks. The flight was quite bumpy, the seat belt signs were only off for about 5 minutes, so I had to hold on to my drink. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b32c0e4240.jpg Holding on to my drink! https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6a64f8464f.jpg A new airline for me. We landed early, and we're accompanied by airport staff across the tarmac to gate A1. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a93e2fbf0b.jpg A close-up picture of the plane https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5aab278458.jpg Our neighbour at the gate All in all, a nice little flight. I don't know how long it will last if the loads are always this light. I suspect it's subsidised for public service (the Limoges-Lyon train was cancelled a few years back) but it won't make sense for long with 3 people on board. One of the passengers said there were only 2 on her outbound. Since I didn't have a boarding pass for my next flights in the AF app I stopped off at the kiosks after exiting to get a paper one. I'll be on an A220 tomorrow morning to CDG which will be my first time. And then off to the Moxy. |
I landed at T1, the Moxy is at terminal 2, a short walk away. There's a covered walkway the whole way, and parts outside if you prefer.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...43687b4cc4.jpg My destination https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...842fae44a9.jpg The TGV station across the bridge Lyon is the birthplace of cinema (at least that's what we're taught in French school), where the Lumière brothers shot the first moving pictures. The Moxy has a very cinema oriented decor. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b3b0fd576f.jpg The entrance lobby https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3ceb462907.jpg The landing on the 5th floor where the rooms are located The room is nice enough, the bathroom has a walk-in shower which I much prefer above bathtubs. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5b0ad4847f.jpg Shower https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b76b244683.jpg Room https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...d923731f41.jpg Runway view! I went to the bar for a drink, I'll report back after dinner. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...57745e39a0.jpg Cocktail menu https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1c0de2bc97.jpg Much needed rehydration |
The menu was quite limited, a few salads, bacon-less burgers (non merci), lasagna, fish and chips, and a bizarre obsession around fried ravioles. (Sorry I missed the menu pic).
The lyonnaise salad looked alright (bacon, lettuce, other greeneries and fried ravioles) but I ended up going for a Caesar salad. I don't know if it's laziness, an American overlord keeping the menu simple or the fact that it's an airport hotel, but Lyon is the epicentre of French Gastronomie. It's a shame they don't play more on that vibe. I almost regret not going to monop'daily for sandwiches on the way in. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9b23899356.jpg Breaded chicken Caesar salad. A nice warm up for schnitzels The British family next to me waited for 45 minutes for drinks whilst staff were struggling with the volume of people, and quite honestly a bit of attitude from the staff. They were not impressed. After dinner I had a quick walk around the facilities, there's a foosball table (busy!) and a table where you could either just sit, work or play table tennis. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...533e075359.jpg Makes for interesting conference calls! James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn feature extensively in the pictures around the place, as does Alfred Hitchcock. It's perfectly acceptable but the restaurant is a let down. Time for some shut eye now, 5am alarm tomorrow. |
Originally Posted by alex67500
(Post 37228160)
…..It's perfectly acceptable but the restaurant is a let down…..
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I've been awake since 4am when I think the first hotel guests left. I never sleep well with a plane to catch anyway. I worked a bit and then left at 5:30.
Security was quite busy, fast track with AF gold definitely helped a lot. LYS has the new security scanners, but liquids are still limited to 100mL per item in a 1L bag. Electronics stay in your bag. My backpack was pulled for a secondary which lasted all of 10 seconds with the agent tapping on a screen. The duty free maze isn't too long, but I still find the strong smell of perfume quite aggressive, even more so in the morning! AF doesn't have a dedicated lounge in LYS, the airport runs the Confluence (Schengen) and Mont Blanc (non-Schengen) lounges. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...01bfb8e6e7.jpg Follow the signs! The place is quite full at 5:40, there's a big load of flights leaving quite early. I didn't manage many snaps to avoid getting in the way. The breakfast spread was quite good with mini pastries, macaroons, cold cuts, jams and bread. The warm options were limited to bacon and scrambled eggs. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e590d85df1.jpg The coffee is alright, and I'm going to need a couple more today. I'll report after boarding or from CDG. |
Boarding started pretty much on time, with a call for zones 1 and 2 together (and a melee, the French don't queue). There was little point to rush because it was a case of "boarding not boarding" with an extra 5 minute wait on the jet bridge.
This morning's bird is an A321 (I got my wires crossed, the A220 is for the next flight), F-GMZE. I've pretty much unlimited legroom in the emergency exit row. My neighbour needs it too, he looks like a professional basket ball player. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...84d179f026.jpg Room to spread The flight looks pretty much full, I'd forgotten how many more people fir in the A321 than the smaller variants. There are only 2 rows of business at the front, as a more regular on BA flights that looks very small. We'll be late off the blocks but hopefully not by much. |
I may have dozed off a little,so not mich to report. The snack was a Madeleine and I had a coffee (bad mistake...). We taxied around CDG for about 10 minutes before reaching T2F.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0d4e935fed.jpg Entering the runway https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...224fd6d8b5.jpg Take-off roll https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2ccc3f1bd6.jpg Nothing much to say... https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ffd08777d4.jpg View just before landing https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...795d61c294.jpg Pictures of planes! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...aaf7274ef7.jpg More pictures of planes! There are apparently people flying LYS-CDG-GVA. I bet they're on FT 🤣. It's 5 hours before my next flight so I'll have a look around the terminal. The 2E lounges are on the other side of passport controls and transfer security so I think I'll stay in 2F. No lounge hopping. It's heaving right now, there are people everywhere! |
The lounge is in between the 2 concourses of terminal F, it's quite nice with lots of natural light. I'll be parsimonious on pictures because there are a lot of people around. The spread for breakfast is extensive, the coffee machines busy but working.
There was a slot at the Clarins spa for a facial treatment so I've that to look forward to later to pass the time. I've a bit of work to do, I'll be back with updates later. |
I got stuck in work, which means I almost missed my treatment, and then had a very fast lunch before going to the gate.
The treatment was very nice, the beautician made it relaxing. It's a very nice feature for long layovers. The only criticism I could make is that the salon isn't isolated from the lounge so there were noises of crying babies and plates being cleared away. I had some various bits of cold cuts and sandwiches from the buffet. There were hot options as well but I didn't really have time. My first impression of the A220 is of space. The seats are comfortable and leg room feels nicer than most economy seats I've been in before. The windows also feel bigger, there's a lot of natural light in the cabin. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0156b5ac31.jpg Legroom https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bab1c3758d.jpg Pictures of planes! The other thing I noticed is the size of the engines, they look massive. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b28d0c3615.jpg Are you happy to see me, or is that a big engine? Boarding started on time, with Zones 1 and 2 called successively. We got straight on which is an improvement. The concourses of T2F aren't very wide so it's hard to get past other gates when a flight is boarding. Again, the business cabin seems small with only 3 rows. Boarding was done 5 minutes early but we now have to wait due to "military activity between France and Germany". Only 10 minutes according to the guys upfront. That's a new excuse! The bird is F-HZUD. I'm starting to feel the early alarm, I might doze off again... Next update in MUC. |
Well the military activity has extended so we'll be on the tarmac a while longer. Another half-hour according to the driver.
And since the ground crew gave me a cue, here is a bit of Franco-Austrian trivia for you want to shine with useless knowledge in high society. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c680510ac9.jpg Just what the doctor ordered The croissant originated in Eastern Europe, but not quite as we know it. It was rolled pastry, and didn't really have a defined shape. It was known as "kipferl". It only got its shape after a fateful morning of 1683 in Vienna, when bakers (early risers) noticed vibrations in the water, indicating that the Ottomans who had laid siege to the city were digging under its walls. Later that year, once the Habsburgs had won the war, Viennese bakers decided to pick the shape of the crescent which adorned the Ottoman banners to celebrate the victory. The croissant first made an appearance in France when Marie-Antoinette married Louis XVI and became queen of France. Unfortunately, "l'Autrichienne" wasn't very popular so it didn't really take off, unlike her head which probably jumped after she was guillotined during the revolution. It was in the late 19th century that the croissant made a reappearance in France, when Austrian pâtisseries and bakeries opened in Paris. French bakers liked the pastry and decided to apply the French school to it: yeast to raise the dough, and butter, always more butter! The French never lost the origin of the croissant though, since croissants, pains au chocolat and other breakfast pastries are collectively known in France as Viennoiseries. And with that, we get back to our normal programming, where we've been allowed to push back at 1:25, 25 minutes behind schedule but 15 minutes better than the last delay announcement. I might be the designated driver in Munich, so my next update may be much later. |
As expected, I slept from after the service until I was rudely awaken by a rather heavy landing. I could have slept a couple more hours but I guessed we would have run out of fuel...
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...76deb51b9c.jpg Bit blurry but you can see the fast plane! The A220 is really comfortable. I don't know if it was the novelty of it, my lack of sleep or just my general god mood but it was nice. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a02c8061dd.jpg Runway 27L at CDG had major works going on, on the whole length. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...24fc70685f.jpg Pictures of roadworks! Lorries, loaders, take your pick! Now I have a question for the collective mind, and maybe it's just a coincidence, but I didn't see a single male flight attendant on my 3 flights, and not a single female pilot. Is there a problem with recruitment at AF? Don't get me wrong, the service was exceptional, and everyone was very professional, but I noticed it on the third flight and realised it had been the case for all of them... https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f61cdeca73.jpg Unsolicited runway picture in the middle of a serious question. I think that this brings leg 2 to a close, and I'm happy I did it that way. I hadn't flown in a while and it felt good to be back in the air. AF really impressed me, I thought the whole experience was enjoyable, probably because I had status. I'm sure those 5 hours at CDG would have been very different otherwise. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...fb14c1a47b.jpg Pictures of planes! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...33c0949b20.jpg More planes! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...cbbfa660ab.jpg Unsolicited runway picture (LBG in this case) I'll be back next week with more travels on metal tubes, but wingless this time, the type which are guided on 2 pieces of iron. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5ea6b5bfdf.jpg Speaking of iron, here's the iron lady of France behind the Stade du same country. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b5f6a85322.jpg And the view from the wing. In the meantime I have a week of horses and equestrian vaulting to look forward to. And Austrian gastronomy. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ad63b9c27c.jpg Definitely not the highlight of the trip, but it's gone anyway. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5799e6101e.jpg When in Austria... I may get some Austrian pâtisseries though because we're close to Linz, maybe I'll squeeze in a midweek post. Safe travels! |
Leg 3
I'm back for a last day of travel before getting home. It was looking quite good but Eurostar have just emailed saying that there are issues on the French tracks so my Cologne to Brussels leg is a bit up in the air. The issue is in France so I have a couple of back-up options but it includes the Deutsche Bahn playing ball which isn't a given these days. More updates on that later...
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https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...922156273f.jpg
Austrian cuisine. That sausage was a bit too healthy so we pimped it. It was a busy week in Austria, I was very tired when I got to Munich. I also needed to blow off a bit of steam. I met up with a friend in the Hirschgarten for a bit of local delicacies last night. I can only recommend the place. There are a lot of table service seats inside, and a 6000-seat Bier Garten outside with self-service sheds all around. Nothing quite hits the spot like a cold Augustiner when you want a nice bavarian beer. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...350c287787.jpg Maybe if we add more salt they'll be thirsty again! We caught up for a while and had dinner. I couldn't resist the JapesUK special. It is one of my favourite dishes in Bavaria, likely because of the fond memories it brings back. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...563c2db454.jpg Leberkäse mit Spiegelei und Kartoffelsalat Not much else to report on the night, except the blank look of the hotel reception clerk when I told them I was going to struggle to find my room. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...137d8f99ec.jpg Honestly, it's not my worst joke by a country mile... |
Originally Posted by alex67500
(Post 37241725)
We caught up for a while and had dinner. I couldn't resist the JapesUK special. It is one of my favourite dishes in Bavaria, likely because of the fond memories it brings back. Leberkäse mit Spiegelei und Kartoffelsalat Not much else to report on the night, except the blank look of the hotel reception clerk when I told them I was going to struggle to find my room. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...137d8f99ec.jpg Honestly, it's not my worst joke by a country mile... Love the room joke! As bad as mine when given 007 and asked how the room was and I told her it left me feeling a bit shaken…. She was not stirred by my humour :D |
So I'm back on trains today. The initial plan is an ICE from Munich to Cologne, a 30-minute layover and then 2 Eurostar service Cologne to Brussels and onto London. The shortish change in Cologne got slightly nervous initially but there is an ICE an hour later which still comfortably connect to the last Brussels-London service of the day so I'll see how things pan out.
Munich station is a huge building site at the moment, the whole of the front of the building has been torn down (it was raining quite a bit so I didn't stop for pictures, but who wants to see cranes anyway). I followed the signs to the side entrances, helping a couple of American tourists on the way who were a bit lost. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7b09fe6773.jpg A fast train, German style There was a never ending flow of announcements over the PA system, giving platform changes and delays. It isn't usually a good sign, but my train left 2 minutes late so not too bad for now. The German railway system was once a well-oiled machine where short connections were a no-brainer because things worked (my personal best was 7 minutes in Mannheim), but years of under investment has left some lines in a state of disrepair which needs tending to. I can see some improvements already even if they are far from their usual reliable selves. Still, they have an extensive network and numerous high speed trains running to all corners of the country. The seats in first are pretty comfortable (which is just as well because I'll be in one for the next 5 hours), and the ride is smooth, even at 200+kph. 1st class also includes at-seat service from the onboard restaurant. An attendant walks through the carriages to take orders. This train goes from Munich to Hamburg over about 9 hours. The screens in the carriages have up-to-date information about the position of the train and updated arrival times. It's interesting to see the delay go up and down by single minutes as the driver tries to make up the time. I'll have a quick kip first but I might report later on the menu. |
Sleep wouldn't come but the WiFi is alright so I got some work done. It worsened after Stuttgart so I'm just watching the moving map.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3520c8794e.jpg Not so hot but good enough to post this. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...08b7d28cb9.jpg Moving maps move aside! Nothing much appealed on the menu but the choices decent. Chili con/sin carne, sandwiches, curry Wurst, chips, chicken tikka masala, and a German selection of beers (ie substantial). Sadly no draught beer which I remember having in the past. Anyway, I had ammo in my bag so I didn't feel the need to try anything. The attendants do really go past every 30 minutes to see if anyone wants to order (which you can also do on the online portal). It's efficient. And I've just been handed a little buscuit from a basket. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c13882df92.jpg It's the little things. Either that or I'm incredibly easy. Our delay has moved from 1 to 10 minutes and back to 5 at the moment so if Eurostar can hold their side of the bargain I might be OK. The earlier track closures in France seem to have eased so I'm conservatively hopeful. |
Originally Posted by alex67500
(Post 37241968)
Our delay has moved from 1 to 10 minutes and back to 5 at the moment so if Eurostar can hold their side of the bargain I might be OK. The earlier track closures in France seem to have eased so I'm conservatively hopeful.
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Well it took 2 managers but in the end I got sorted. The line of thinking was that a Eurostar cancellation was not their fault, but I kept reminding them that it's their ticket so they're responsible for rebooking.
I now have the magic stamped paper which allows me on another ICE train to Brussels which should allow me to catch the last Eurostar service. That'll be a problem for later. |
I've made friends with other people on the same boat. It's funny how travel trouble gets people to chat.
Köln Hbf is a lovely building, and the surroundings are nice, right at the foot of the cathedral. I decided against a beer, which would have been funny after last night. Bavaria won't budge on sizes, a small beer is 0.5L, a normal one is 1L. Kölsch on the other hand is usually served in 0.2L https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a8bd109770.jpg Just as you enter the station, before crossing the Rhine https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7707d1207f.jpg The railway bridge https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...498f05d284.jpg The Rhine https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...dd51621f5b.jpg The cathedral https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...1f1f1ba8b0.jpg The station https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b08bca7fa5.jpg 2 carriages now have too many people standing so they need to be spread across the rest of the train before we can get moving. |
Originally Posted by alex67500
(Post 37242256)
I've made friends with other people on the same boat. It's funny how travel trouble gets people to chat.
Köln Hbf is a lovely building, and the surroundings are nice, right at the foot of the cathedral. I decided against a beer, which would have been funny after last night. Bavaria won't budge on sizes, a small beer is 0.5L, a normal one is 1L. Kölsch on the other hand is usually served in 0.2L Of course the church looks the same too. |
This train leg was quite nice and went by faster than I expected. It's a good thing because tiredness is going to bite soon. The ICE 3neo from Siemens is a very nice train. In plane terms, it feels like walking onto an A350 for the first time.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e7978fd1c3.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...57add98c62.jpg Eurostar staff were quick at rebooking me in Brussels, even if it seems there were a lot of people with similar stories. It's full in 2nd class apparently so there might be a few unhappy people. I'm amazed that Eurostar won't upgrade passengers in case of irrops, they'd rather pay for a hotel night than put 2nd class people in Plus or Premier. I quickly went through to the lounge which was very quiet but is filling up with 50 minutes to go until the last train. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ec64bc691b.jpg Sweet and savoury escargots https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f8727d6109.jpg Wine selection https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7dd72fa542.jpg Time to relax There are still 2+ hours delays on the Paris line, and 2 trains cancelled out of the last 4 so I can't imagine the zoo in Gare du Nord. |
The Cologne phots brought back memories. I can highly recommend Carnival, its a hoot, an entire city in fancy dress.
The escargot threw me for a minute! |
I was going to post from the channel tunnel but that didn't quite work. My 4g connection was inoperable and FT (via Cloudflare) block Eurostar's WiFi provider.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...4d48d00767.jpg There were a few tired faces on the train, mine included, of people who'd been caught up in the disruption on the Paris High speed line. We got lucky boarding in Brussels because we got dinners. I think that's where they cater. The people who joined in Lille weren't so lucky. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...262fe1bd12.jpg Mediterranean chicken, I think. It was a long day. In the end it wasn't Deutsche Bahn who messed up, it was an issue on the overhead power cables in Paris which put the whole Eurostar operation in a bit mess. I will write to DB to complain that I had to escalate to get a new ticket, but I'll do that with a fresh brain, not tonight! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...84eeb7e30a.jpg Eurostar Plus and Premier seat I'll save my final thoughts for later in the week, when I've slept a bit. SWMBO and Mini-me are getting back tomorrow so I'm going to get some rest while I can. Thanks for reading so far! |
Originally Posted by JapesUK
(Post 37242655)
The escargot threw me for a minute!
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