Last Lap Time

Brussels Market

The last trip that I tried to book from Leeds was the Koln-Brussels train. The actual e-ticket hadn't arrived before I left so I didn't book any further ones. I was in my Moscow hotel when I found out it wasn't going to. Wi-fi was delightfully sporadic. I was booked till Koln: a mere stone's throw from Leeds.

I spent most of Sweden trying, but failing to book London-Leeds.

Now I am in Koln Station before the ticket offices open. I find you can buy ticket on the train, and so I do.

Building in the mist, Brussels

building with paintings, Brussels

I also find that my universal adaptor doesn't do Belgian/French, and then fall asleep. Wake up in a panic as fellow passenger gets on at Liege. Ask in French if this is Brussells [so Debs, all those Russian lessons and I still default to another second language!].  Well, not exactly second, more first and a bit-th





At Brussels Station I stop and think about when me, and Judith and Daisy and the rest of the gang went to the Steel Pan Conference in Sete; then remember that that was Lille Station. Thought it didn't look familiar. Meantime I have, yes, you've guessed it, two hours to kill in Brussels.

Brussels street

Come outside to find mist and a huge market setting up. Buy a pomegranate the size of a football. Take a walk around the deserted Sunday morning streets. Go back to tackle the pomegranate, sharing the station benches with a terrific drunk, and there are a few good drunks here.

church in Brussels

OMG! There's no sockets on the Eurostar. But there is a a tea bar. That will do, hmm, I see sockets in Coach 5. I take my tea and e-junkie that I have become I change wagon and charge up the mobile, and now have texted to see which of my eldest would like to find me outside Leeds Station later that day.

Well, it is the Last Lap, and now I'm drawn to thinking of home. From St Pancras to I dash over to King's Cross, up to to York to change for Leeds.

 Walt gets me then I sink into the waiting arms of the sofa in the front room.

York

Kings Cross