Thalys Journey: Notes from the Train

Happy Easter from the Netherlands, France and Belgium

Bonjour from Bruxelles!

I’m currently sitting on a Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam by way of Brussels using the on-board Wi-fi and astounded at how far technology has come. Talk about convenient! I’ve been on board this train for about two hours and have come to the conclusion that comfy seats + on-board bar + nice toilets + outlets and Wi-fi = wayyyy better than flying. For a trip that’s 5 hours or less, trains are the way to go when traveling in Europe. Plus, what better way to see the landscape between destinations?

We started our morning on an Easter mission: a hunt for macarons. I have heard nothing but delicious tales of the French macaron in all it’s glory and knew that it was a must whilst in Paris. We tried escargot yesterday, a requisite when in France, and searched Montmartre for a boulangerie with quality macarons to fit the bill. Not only were there none to be found, but we discovered that being Sunday and Easter was not a good combination in terms of finding open establishments. With high hopes, we boarded the Metro at Anvers and headed down to St. Michel to find Paul, an international bakery chain with roots in France.

Armed with macarons, we were ready for our train journey.

We explored the Latin Quarter for the last time and enjoyed a cup of coffee near St. Michel Metro station before heading to Gare du Nord, saying goodbye to Paris for good. Our time in France, despite a few mishaps, was great. Even with rain and pickpockets and the normal travel obstacles I found myself impressed with the utter beauty of the city. Now, we’re about 30 minutes away from Amsterdam, excited to continue on to the third leg of our European adventure.

xoxo from Belgium/the Netherlands,