Sunday 8^th March

Start of Holiday proper. Met tour guide at St. Pancras. Eurostar to Brussels. First time I had been on the new high speed link to the channel. Was certainly much quicker than the old route. We were travelling first class so were served meals at our seats airline style. Plenty of room in first class compartment with 2 + 1 seating. Arrived Brussels on time and had time for a coffee before getting the Thalys to Cologne. This, like Eurostar is based on the French TGV trains. We were about 10 mins late into Cologne because of a points failure at Aachen. Even German railways have these problems!

Overnight stay in Cologne. Hotel comfortable and food good.