Channel Tunnel Tale

      I used to travel many times between Paris and London. Mainly by planes but at 1989 I was on vacation and we decided to travel by train, to enjoy the countryside of France and England. At Calais we took the Hovercraft crossing the English Channel (La Manche) and as we were cruising and sipping our beverages, the Captain was walking around chatting with the passengers. When he stopped and said Hello to me and my team. I had asked him what are you gonna to do after the Tunnel will be opened at 1991. The Captain who was a Belgian ("Belgian Horse"slang- behave like a horse ) told me that the Ferry line Company, will continue to operate that particular line, and the company have many other Ferry lines, so he will continue with his Job.

    The Captain and me fired an endless chain jokes about sea and sailors (promise I will tell them next time), so finally I told him about my Grandpa which participate the Program of the Channel Tunnel. Grandpa was a well known civil engineer, and he quoted the tunnel digging project. One day at 1984, Grandpa was invited to the Project office for the contract negotiations. The Project Manager told Grandpa, "We were surprised to find your tender at the lowest price, only one and a half million pounds, you must be made an typo error, the next tender quoted one and a half Billion pounds!!!", Grandpa smiled and told him he will fulfill the Contract for one and a half Million pounds. now, interrupted the Program Manager who was a Frenchman, "please explain your approach to dig this Tunnel at such a low budget". Grandpa told the audience "Gilbert and his brother Louis will dig with shovels two tunnels from Calles and I will hire also John and Willy which will dig from Dover also two tunnels, and me and my son are gonna to push them". The Program Manager asked Grandpa with sarcasm, "What are you going to do if the teams will not meet?"  Grandpa replied "then you will get four tunnels at the same price." The captain looked very seriously as he told me "but actually the program is two main tunnels and one service tunnel not four tunnels"

Pedal-Powered Plane crossing the English Channel