Back to France

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I am going to fill in some of the other days esp. the map so check for them...but first...
After spending Sunday and Monday in Luxembourg, I returned to northern France for one last stop before I proceed to Belgium. I decided to avoid being in France on the holiday, Monday (Bastille Day), which apparently has a splendid fireworks show in Paris every year--but I have been to Paris before so only new places this trip, ten years later!
The train ride through Belgium, and Lille itself has been very gray (skies) and I must admit I am not terribly impressed with Lille. I have not been to England, but it seems drab here like some of those industrial towns I have seen in the movies, plus some of the people have adopted the punk style of London! I remember Lille bidding (I guess) for the Olympics, but had thought they actually hosted them, so mislead myself on what I might see and am a bit disappointed that I was wrong. But hey, it is still something new and now I do not need to wonder (or come back!). I am so unimpressed that I might take this opportunity to travel 2.5 hours on the train (one way) to visit Montreuil-Sur-Mer for only 3-4 hours, then the train back; MSM is the setting for Hugo's Les Miserables and apparently very cobblestone-quaint... but I have not fully decided (train is not until noon). The best part about these past few days is that I am experiencing a nice slow down from my frantic pace the first two weeks, and I have a nice Hemingway book to read as well as my new-ish IPod. If I want, there are so many green spaces in these countries to chill out in, too! Also, the Internet at this hostel is free, which is really rare so another perk. Tomorrow, off to Brugge/Bruges (highly recommended addition) in Belgium.

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