Trains and Boats and….

That bridge:(read on) ps not sure that isn’t photoshop ed!, spectacular non the less

 Trains and Boats and Planes are passing by (Peter Paul and  Mary ) … well it’s about time we used them to take us away . After all we have been at home since April. Our water supply has been secured after an eventful summer ; so we can leave without worrying that our return will be quite so stressful. 

SNCF were advertising cut price tickets at an unbelievably low cost . Well it was applicable if your trip was FROM  Paris ; from Argeles they were not quite that bargain . By then we had set our minds on a trip to Bordeaux , so just had to pay ; the alternative of a 5 hour drive was just not appealing . To compensate for the cost of transport , we managed to find a Home exchange apartment where we could use some of our accumulated membership points .  

The beauty of french trains is that they are so reliable . There was only a 9 minute change over in Narbonne ; no sweat , no problem ; they nearly always run on time . Perhaps I should qualify that reliability with the caveat that as long as they are not on one of their frequent strikes . With everything booked , we found out that strike days coincided with both our proposed outward and return dates . Fortunately the apartment owners were using trains to travel to and from Paris to meet us in Bordeaux; so dates were put back to accommodate missing rail workers . 

Travelling by train is an enjoyment in itself . Relax “ and let the train take the strain “ British rail slogan ( from when they could say it and actually mean it ! ) ; ah and a Matt Monroe jingle !

One of the delights of Argeles is its main line train station , So it was the spectacular trip across the ‘etangs “ complete with pink flamingoes , to Narbonne . That 9 minute change over , then joining an intercity from Marseilles to Bordeaux . In my ignorance I thought that meant TGV at 300 km/hr . No ! We had to contend with half that speed. Now that is still faster than the traffic on the adjacent motorway . So why then I thought,  with Uk’s much shorter distances between cities , why spend all those billion and billions trying to emulate France’s TGV ; and then there is still no guarantee it will start actually in central London ! Another UK cock up , along with Brexit , aircraft carriers that don’t work and can’t be defended and … no I’ll stop there.

On time in Bordeaux , together with the rain . Well it is France’s Atlantic coast in November . But we weren’t finished with trains , actual trams . There was the possibility of a tram direct from the station to somewhere near our apartment . Given the rain, the dark , and a strange city ; we opted for a taxi . We were met by the apartment owners , a lovely couple for whom we were their first HomeExchange guests ; they were anxious to please . The accommodation itself did that . Recently refurbished and located in the heart of the city in the old quarter, comprising period housing , cobbled streets ,charming; oh! and surrounded by never ending restaurants, and a short walk to the tourist office. In the sun the next morning , we completed that walk now convinced that we had neglected Bordeaux for far too long. 

Our three day tourist pass offered discounts on the major attractions , and free tram travel . Located next to the central tram junction we set off on our first visit . Now those trams deserve a paragraph of their own . We first came across something very similar in Cuenca ( Ecuador ) . Wikipedia informs that the APS ( Alimentation par Sol ) is a product of Alstom . The power supply is a third , but buried rail , divided in segments that only switch on with the tram right over it . The French government has reported that “ there have been no electrocutions from this system” . So we can walk the streets in safety ; taking care not to actually walk in front of the tram ! This system was developed for Bordeaux and avoids unsightly overhead wires . It is clearly more expensive than those wires , since as soon as the tram leaves the historic centre , the trams’ pantograph pops up to connect with now provided overhead wires. All very impressive . 

Bordeaux was British for 300 years ( 1152-1453) after an opportune marriage of Elenor of Aquitaine to whom would become shortly Henry II of England . I suspect that it always maintained a close link with UK as it was an important destination for fine regional wines . The money from that , its’ role as Europe’s second biggest port , ah and the slave trade ( but they talk too much about that ); meant that the 18 C saw the construction of fine houses . These have survived German occupation and greedy development , and remain truly emblematic .; a UNESCO list sight .  A previous Mayor , Alan Juppé reversed a city decline , so now it is clean tidy and safe ; and with those trams, a joy to visit .

So off to our first stop : Le Cite de Vin which  is light years  away  , architecturally , from the city centre . This museum to wine was informative , interesting ; overwhelming this visitor with a wealth of detail. So it was with some relief we retired to the top floor for the view and a well earned glass of Bordeaux’s finest ;  well for free , something drinkable. This being France , a party of teenage school children joined us for this last leg of the visit , wine and all.

Next stop, a tram , bus and walk to another construction eyesore ; the German U boat pens that were located on the adjacent dock . These were constructed with solely functionality in mind : to protect the submarines from allied bombers . 60,000 cum concrete , a roof over 5 m thick they have proved immune from those bombs , and any thoughts of demolition . Given the lack of demand for submarine storage ; although if Scotland had voted for independence and UK not left the EU  ; they could have been a home for then England’s nuclear deterrent. Enough of that . So now they proved acres of internal wall space for a never ending light show . With all that water and concrete  it provides a sanctuary from heat of a summers day ; on stormy winter afternoon  , it invites just a cursory visit before it was off via Uber to warmth, food …and our choice of wine .   

Now unfortunately the most memorable part of our visit had absolutely nothing to do with Bordeaux , apart from  it’s temporary  location . A virtual reality adventure which required only those funny head sets and a strange room who’s walls and ceiling were covered in odd triangles. But the visitor is not supposed to see that , the head sets transformed us back to a 19C meeting of  French impressionists in Paris . Fascinating, and slightly scary, as despite the knowledge of our actual location , our brain was telling us a completely different story ; to the point that we were recoiling from rearing horses ,scared to walk across a plank and trying to board a steam train . 

Our visit was not yet over , a boat ride enticed onto a trip on the Gironde for a different view of Bordeaux skyline . Again , the most memorable , for me as an engineer , was passing under a peculiar looking bridge with four 60 m high pillars in each corner . Our guide explained that the cables affixing each of those corners enabled the deck to be hoisted to the top , to facilitate cruise ships tying up right in the historic centre . Apparently they had to pay 4000 euro each way for the privilege to mooring their 14 story floating hotel along side 3 story architectural masterpieces . I wonder if the city’s citizens now think the investment in that bridge was so wise.  

It was an intercity electric train that a transported us back home , at least part of the way . This time we missed our connection , took another train which terminated in Perpignan, then with only minutes to spare took the 1 euro bus to Argeles . So impressed by the latter’s  ride , we took it again a few days later to explore Perpignan’s shops . 

As for planes , well that’s another story !

Ah finally the picture of that other architectural masterpiece???? Ps it’s not the submarine pen

Oh technology still not working