Back to the Continent

I‘m in the last pre-Christmas travel tumble, a quick oscillation between the UK and NL before taking wing to the US.  Eurostar was pricing Standard and Premium at the same fare so I took the upgrade to see how the other half lives.  Nicer seats, power plugs; no wi-fi, but free magazines and a ‘light snack’ accompanied by a nice Medoc. 

‘Pleasant enough journey, but not an upgrade I’d do for more than 15 euro.

 

It was also a cold journey biting wind and drizzling rain.  I worked on receipts and tax reviews, read a bit, listened to the news.  We pulled into Brussels a half hour late, but the trains connected well enough to still arrive in Maastricht by 9.

They always do a nice Christmas here.  There was a choir in the station and lights reflected in puddles on the streets.

   

 

 

 

There are cascades of lights crowning the Sint Servaasbrug (once again under repair) and icicle lights among the trees in Kesselskade.  I suspect that the SMS-Tree is even back in the Mossae Forum (text a number, change the lights).

No sign of the Christmas Market at the river; certainly no repeat of the city-wide celebration from a few years back.

But, over at the Vrijthof, things are still hopping as they always have.