Friday May 15

 Friday! It is hard to believe we have been gone for nearly 2 weeks. We are starting the last leg of our journey today. We left the Bed and Breakfast near Bayuex this morning with hugs for the owners. Such a nice way to travel. We were welcomed into their home like family. Janine is quite the needlework expert, with many fine pieces of intricate cross stitch  adorning the walls. Her husband Dan is a gardener extraordinaire. I wish I could transport his yard for our garden walk this year. The pictures don't begin to show how magnificent it was.

The view from our room.

Our hostess, Janine, pointing out the 1737 date of the buildings. P.S. Doesn't she look like Kathy F.?

Our plan was to drive to Honfleur and have lunch and then continue our drive to Lille where we would get the train to Brussels. As we approached the downtown of Honfleur the driving rain and congestion of people and cars had us rethink that plan. It looks like a beautiful place to visit but today was not to be the day. 

We are approaching Lille now ready for another train ride. 

Pause: we are now in our Bed and Breakfast in Brussels. What a day it has been. The drive to Lille was fine. We got to figure out a few of the finer points of toll road driving in France. Arriving in Lille, I find that the Gps will not recognize the address of the rental car office. We are stuck in traffic not knowing where to go and the time until our train is ticking away.  Fortunately it all worked out with a phone call, a pedestrian helper and the keen eyes of driver Steve. Never again, I say now, will I rent a car and return it to a different town in Europe. We had a great dinner tonight and saw the famous "peeing boy statue".